Pairing up the heroes of Downton Abbey With their Mad Men soul mates.

Pairing Up the Heroes of Downton Abbey With Their Mad Men Soul Mates

Pairing Up the Heroes of Downton Abbey With Their Mad Men Soul Mates

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March 20 2012 7:47 PM

Pairing Up the Heroes of Downton Abbey With Their Mad Men Soul Mates

Violet Crawley and Roger Sterling, Thomas Barrow and Pete Campbell, and more. 

As the second season of Downton Abbey wound down and the anticipation for Mad Men Season 5 ramped up, we got to thinking: What sort of parallels exist between the two period dramas? Though the series are set 50 years apart, and with the Atlantic Ocean in between, it occurred to us that their characters actually have a lot in common. The dowager countess would surely admire Roger Sterling’s rapier wit. Thomas Barrow could learn a trick or two about advancing his career from that clever Pete Campbell. Which other Downton characters have soul mates on Madison Avenue? We’ve found a spiritual cousin for 10 members of the Downton set. Call us crazy—or suggest your own pairings—in the comments.

Also see our Magnum Photos gallery on the Mad Men era.

Heather Murphy is a former Slate photo editor and the creator of Behold. Follow her on Twitter.