Downton Abbey

[UberBeaver]

Edith With Googly Eyes

Amazing.

This cracks me up way too much.

So I'm watching Downton Abbey, and like mid way through the Wedding episode, I just stopped the DVR and thought, "Why am I watching this show? Nothing ever happens...I don't like most of these people...it's kinda cheesy...and it's just friggin boring." And then I thought about Mr. Bates being in prison, and the injustice of it all, and poor Anna and I got so mad I pressed play on the DVR and continued watching hoping Sybil came back.

What a weird f'ing show this is.

 

[Pearl]

My interest in the show baffles me too, especially because some of what happens to the characters would not have happened in real life. Sybil would never had run off with Branson because the English in those days looked down at the Irish (and some still do) and no way would an aristocrat run off with a socialist. I just fail to see the possibility of that happening.

Also, I read an article about a BBC special that talked about how exactly servants were treated 100 years ago - and they were treated like crap. On Downton, they are portrayed as being friends of the aristocrats but in truth, a lot of abuse went on.

 

[Rachel D.]

I think Lord Grantham is supposed to be an exceptionally nice aristocrat. If he and his family were a bunch of jerks, the viewers wouldn't care about what happens in their lives and probably wouldn't watch it. But we do like them, and we do care, so we keep watching.

 

[Pearl]

I think Lord Grantham is supposed to be an exceptionally nice aristocrat. If he and his family were a bunch of jerks, the viewers wouldn't care about what happens in their lives and probably wouldn't watch it. But we do like them, and we do care, so we keep watching.

True. Its just me complaining about historical inaccuracy again. Its funny how I enjoy watching and reading about anything history oriented, yet I complain about the inaccuracy in them. I get why it happens sometimes, though.

 

[Irvine511]

I find myself responding most to the characters. I adore most of the downstairs staff, especially Mrs Hughes and Pattmore, and I love how everything annoys Lady Mary. Yes, the aristocrats are far too nice, but whatever, I'm in it for the scenery, the art decoration, the costumes, and the small acts of kindness. I read a Vanity Fair article about Downton, and Julian Fellows said that one thing that he thinks makes it successful is that, as opposed to most other "serious" television series that are filled with human beings doing the worst possible things to each other -- Sopranos, Breaking Bad, the Wire -- Downton is about people trying hard to be nice, to be their best selves, and in that small way it feels closer to my life than the world of Walter White. Most of us try to e good, to do the right thing. We aren't mobsters in Jersey, meth kingpins in Albequerque, or shooting zombies in Atlanta. We are people all trying to be our best selves every day.

Also, the voice of Mr Bates make me go week in the knees.

 

[Rachel D.]

"Stop whining and find something to do!"

 

[deep]

If Matthew could get kicked in the head by a horse and die, that would be good.

 

[Rachel D.]

That was a sad episode.

 

[arw]

OMG...I never expected anything like that.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

Me either! Broke my heart. (

 

[Irvine511]

It should have been Edith.

Also: outstanding episode.

 

[Thora]

I knew it was going to happen at some point this season, thanks to me searching Google images a while back for Lady Sybil and of course it came up "Lady Sybil dies." Stupid Google spoiling me inadvertently. Didn't make it any less heart-wrenching to watch, though.

 

[Rachel D.]

Stupid doctor. The snobby one I mean, not the family doctor. I guess they really couldn't do much, anyway, but still.

 

[arw]

It should have been Edith.

Also: outstanding episode.

why do you say that about Edith? I happen to enjoy her character very much. I was a little disappointed with season 2 that she was overlooked so much while they focused on Mary and Sybil.


I talked to someone today that thinks Edith will take over the role as wife and mother for Tom and baby which is why the wrote off Sir Anthony


I'm still so shocked Sybil died. I was totally not expecting that until the dr's started to argue about her care and then her final conversation with Cora about taking care of Tom. I knew that was it

 

[Irvine511]

why do you say that about Edith? I happen to enjoy her character very much. I was a little disappointed with season 2 that she was overlooked so much while they focused on Mary and Sybil.

i was being mildly ironic -- that no one seems to value Edith anyway.

 

[arw]

i was being mildly ironic -- that no one seems to value Edith anyway.

ah...

well just wondering since it wasn't the first time I saw a comment like that since the episode ended last night.

I love Edith. I'm the forgotten middle child of my family too.

 

[arw]

I have no words for tonight....

 

[Rachel D.]

How could they do that? It makes me sick! I'm still in shock. That's just really terrible.

 

[arw]

sadly I knew last week. I have a rule that I don't look up anything about a show or it's cast until the season is over. I was good until last Weds when I watched the rerun of last Sunday's show. Somehow I ended up looking up something on Mary and then bam...it said exactly what was going to take place tonight. I felt dirty all week that I knew and hoped it would have been a mistake. So angry right now.

 

[Thora]

It was impossible to avoid the news about Dan Stevens not returning next season, so it made sense that they'd kill him off. Not a shocker to me, but still sad. I always get nervous whenever people get into cars - I automatically assume they're going to get into an accident.

I also totally assumed that Jimmy was going to change his mind and end up hooking up with Tom, based on the looks they were giving each other. Guess I was wrong on that one.

 

[Rachel D.]

I didn't read any spoilers, but I did read that Dan Stevens wouldn't be in Season 4 a few months ago and totally forgot about it until tonight.

 

[arw]

I never heard until last week that Dan Stevens wasn't coming back. I had no idea about Sybil either. The only person in the cast I've ever heard anything about is Maggie Smith. Seems like there's always rumors that she's leaving the show. I don't know why Dan Stevens left but from what I've read from other friends on FB it's because he wanted to do movies. Downton Abbey is only a few episodes a year. Can't he do movies around Downton Abbey? I'm still angry and I'll probably be angry until next January when we get to find out what happens!

I did read somewhere on FB that the whole dying and waking up from a dream thing has already been covered by Dallas 30 years ago so that plot line is out to write him back into the show (and I'm old enough to remember watching that episode of Dallas! )

 

[misfit toys]

I was on vacation last month, and decided to watch this since I've heard so mush about it. I watched all three seasons in about 4 days. The Highlands episode made me want to throw things at my computer.

Apparently in England, there were t-shirts that said, "Dan Stevens ruined my Christmas."

 

[Irvine511]

Yeah, that was kind of bullshit. The entire episode seemed to be 2 hours of guessing who was going to die. For me, the worst episode of a season that was actually very, very good.

 

[Rachel D.]

Apparently in England, there were t-shirts that said, "Dan Stevens ruined my Christmas."

I'm glad we didn't have to watch that on Christmas night. That would have ruined my Christmas, too!

 

[deep]

another cast member is leaving

Spoiler

 

[misfit toys]

It took me a minute to figure out who that was !

 

[Rachel D.]

I don't like her, but I think I'll miss her anyway. But it was hinted that she wanted to go to India in the last episode, so maybe that's what will happen. Unless she slips on a bar of soap.

 

[deep]

the character is certainly less attractive than person playing the part,
the character made major contributions to the drama.

 

[Pearl]

I really like Downton Abbey, but I think it's time to cancel it. I'm sorry, but if so many actors are leaving, why keep it on air? It's not the same without them - especially Matthew/Dan Stevens.