Downton Abbey (US version)

I had a blanket over my head when Thomas was in James' room. But James-Collier knocked it out of the park - his reaction when Jimmy freaked out was just heartbreaking. It reminds you why he's probably such an asshole - everyone around him is allowed to flirt and find love, but he can't. I do doubt whether everyone (except Carson, Jimmy and Alfred) would have been so forgiving/accepting of his homosexuality, but modern-day me was really relieved to have some counter to the horrible things Carson was saying.

I like Branson a hell of a lot more now that Sybil is dead too.

I actually like this relationship for Edith. She's becoming more modern, finding employment against her father's wishes, and this will test just how much she's let go of the old ways, if she can have a happy, meaningful relationship even while unmarried and/or living in sin. (Of course, being Downton, I'm sure the wife will rear her head at some point, but I like the story just for how it shows the messiness of real relationships. It's not always possible to have the happily ever after you dreamed of, but it can still be something good.)

Awww... an episode (or two) that ends with me not wanting to punch everyone - or at least everyone except Edith - in the neck. I actually felt like I liked the show again.

So is Masterpiece's "Season Finale" of Downton the 2012 Christmas special? Or is it just the end of Series Three and we'll have to wait until Masterpiece runs Series Four to get the recent Christmas episode?

laddical wrote:Awww... an episode (or two) that ends with me not wanting to punch everyone - or at least everyone except Edith - in the neck. I actually felt like I liked the show again.

So is Masterpiece's "Season Finale" of Downton the 2012 Christmas special? Or is it just the end of Series Three and we'll have to wait until Masterpiece runs Series Four to get the recent Christmas episode?

I looked at the episode description & it is the Christmas special. Given that there's quite a bit of plot advancement that happens during it, I wouldn't think they would have withheld it until next season.

I am pretty sure that is the same thing did they did last year, airing the Christmas Special as part of the regular PBS series.

Well, there goes my bromance. I'm glad we got one last scene of them giggling together over breakfast. (And I think in Tom's one line of "Is he very small?" in referring to Shrimpy, it shows just how comfortable he's become with the family.)

I can't help but wonder just how unbearable Mary's going to be in Season 4. Matthew was really the one person that smoothed her sharp edges (well, other than Anna and Carson, to an extent) and without him around as a calming influence, and with her in throes of deep grief, I can see her reverting to who she was in Season 1, but multiplied by a hundred. Don't get me wrong, I hope they don't go that way, but it's definitely a possibility, and after rewatching bits of Season 1 this week, I don't know if I can stand it. She was so awful anytime she wasn't involved with Matthew.

And Edith. I'm still not on board with this romance (Mr. Rochester, indeed!), but I am interested in seeing where they go with it. I think he's a slight improvement over Sir Anthony, but only slightly. I think they should have made Edith the flapper, rather than Rose.

Speaking of which, I liked Rose so much more! So much more. I found her endearing, and I loved her teaching Anna how to dance. That's the secret to making any character likable - have them help out Anna.

As for the rest, loved the stuff with Dr. Clarkson and Isobel (poor Isobel is going to be heartbroken), and Jimmy and Thomas. I'm glad that they've decided to be friends. I also loved the friendliness between Daisy and Ivy. Oh, and Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Patmore. Mr. Carson attending to Sybbie was very sweet. And Mrs. Hughes consoling Branson was great. Could have done without Edna. She reminded me a lot of Ethel, and early Ethel, not late Ethel that I actually liked.

Okay, this show is officially a soap opera now. "All My One-Parent Children." I'm actually kind of pissed about Matthew. I knew the actor wanted to leave the show (though I thought it was after NEXT season), and I know there really wasn't any other way to get him off the show without completely destroying his character, but still, COME ON.

I was really ready for Rose's deeply unpleasant mother to try to kill her husband or poison the whole household or something. She was really creepy. But I'm glad she let Rose go to Downton, because I like her a lot. I hope she and Edith become friends and go off to scandalous jazz clubs together. Anna can come too.

I hope things work out for Edith. I like how at first she was like, "There's no way this can work! Oh wait, everybody disapproves? LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN!" She can move to London and have a lovely affair with her editor. And go to jazz clubs.

Do you really think Isobel didn't know Dr. Clarkson was going to propose? Her response to him at the fair was SO pointed, I thought it was obvious. She's not that dense, at least I hope not. I was super sad for Dr. Clarkson though.

One thing this episode needed more of (other than new fathers who are alive) was Lady Violet. And Carson holding a baby.

I want to congratulate Julian Fellowes on creating a set of characters in the Shrimpy household (with the exception of Rose) who are altogether more odious and despicable than Thomas, O'Brien, or early-to-mid-third-season Robert. I'm still not sure what the one lady's maid had against O'Brien. She couldn't possibly have known O'Brien well enough to hate her for any deserving reason.

Ah, well. At least our "heroes" were all in proper form. Except Mary. I still hate her. Matthew could talk all he wanted about seeing her "naked" and thus her true, caring self, but the rest of the world has to deal with her with her clothes on. Dressed, she's horrid and mean with no cause to be. God forbid something happen to Cora or Isobel - or even Robert - because otherwise that poor boy's going to be Rose to Mary's whats-her-sourface.

Do you really think Isobel didn't know Dr. Clarkson was going to propose? Her response to him at the fair was SO pointed, I thought it was obvious. She's not that dense, at least I hope not.

I think she totally knew, and stopped it without having to turn him down flat, hurt his feelings, and destroy their friendship. Very clever, I thought.

Carson holding little Sybbie was the cutest thing ever.

I'm still not sure what the one lady's maid had against O'Brien. She couldn't possibly have known O'Brien well enough to hate her for any deserving reason.

She was friendly until the Marchioness wanted O'Brien to do her hair. Then, she turned crazy jealous. No doubt because she's been criticized by the nasty Marchioness forever.

Never mind.

I think that might need to go into spoiler tags.

Diddy joins the cast of Downtown/Downton Abbey.

That was awesome.

I feel like I've done the fastest turnaround ever on this show. I'm off for the summer so I've watched all the episodes in basically two weeks. During the first season I was all, "This is such a great show!" Second season: "Not as neat as the first season, but I'm still interested." And during the 3rd season I was all, "I grow weary of this." During the last episode (the Christmas special) I knew that Matthew was going to die and I was also bored out of my mind, so I watched the whole thing skipping ahead during the scenes. Now I don 't think that I'm interested in watching anymore (though not because of Matthew's death). All that happened in two weeks. Heh.

Whoever's in charge of Edith's wardrobe needs a raise. I covet that beaded green dress she had on in the restaurant.

I think Cora showed amazing restraint in not removing the nanny's teeth with her fist after overhearing her words to little Sybbie.

Robert is doing his level best to get back on my list after essentially trying to shove his grieving daughter off in a dark corner and perpetuating her grief so as not to let her have a say in how the estate will be run. (As for the miraculous letter, Matthew was obviously channelling Lavinia to get a last letter written and hidden away before his untimely demise. How...handy.)

And what did the new ladies maid and Branson do once upon a time so that now he's in a minor panic?

The new lady's maid came on to him and was really inappropriate, followed him into the village, made him uncomfortable, referred to him as Tom to the other staff, stuff like that. I think one time she walked in on him while he was changing his clothes too. She basically has no boundaries. He didn't exactly discourage her, but Carson and Mrs Hughes fired her when she told them she didn't want to clean because she had plans to hang out with "Tom" and they were like, "Oh, no way."

Cora was so annoying. She'll believe whatever is the most recent thing she's heard about anyone, even Anna whom she's known for years.

Maxell131313 wrote:Whoever's in charge of Edith's wardrobe needs a raise. I covet that beaded green dress she had on in the restaurant.

I think Cora showed amazing restraint in not removing the nanny's teeth with her fist after overhearing her words to little Sybbie.

I know! Edith looks so great in green. Her red head sash was super cute, too. I suppose since Sybil is gone and Mary has to wear all black (her dresses are still beautiful though), wardrobe wants to step it up somewhere.

I was really shocked by that Nanny West scene. What a horrible lady. Downton rarely has sudden character surprises, just sudden plot surprises, so I thought it was going to be just another ego battle between Evil Thomas and a staff member, but he was lucky with that one. It made me think about the egg cancellation for Sybbie's tea, which had seemed so innocent, and wonder what else poor Sybbie had to suffer.

I am a little confused about the timing of the US and UK versions. So we have just started Season 4, but in the UK have they already begun showing Season 5?

puddingcup wrote:
I am a little confused about the timing of the US and UK versions. So we have just started Season 4, but in the UK have they already begun showing Season 5?

No. Downton is a fall show in the UK so S4 just finished but S5 won't be until September.

Ok, so they have already shown all of Season 4, including the Christmas special, I assume?

Nanny West should've gotten the boot out into the cold night, she was lucky to get a bed to sleep in! I was kind of annoyed that Thomas' scheming actually benefited him but good riddance to that horrible person.

VoudouDoll, I agree with you about Cora. The new Lady's Maid, who your devoted Mrs. Hughes already expressed reservations about, implicates Anna - who probably captures cockroaches and puts them safely outside - and you BELIEVE her? I guess since Thomas backed Edna up she was more likely to believe it since Thomas now has about 100 get-out-of-jail-free cards after exposing the nanny.

Can I say I'm really tired of people having it out for Anna and Bates? Can't they just be happy and have babies that are healthy and don't die and nobody else dies either??

Edith is awesome and if Mr. Gregson turns out to be bogus I will burn things down because girl has had her heart broken too many times and she makes a great flapper.

Finally, did the actress who played Mrs. O'Brien just quit in the off-season? I expected more of a send-off for such an important character.

Finally, did the actress who played Mrs. O'Brien just quit in the off-season? I expected more of a send-off for such an important character.

I have no idea why she left, but it seemed like it was being set up in the previous episode when they went to Scotland, and the other lady's maid was bemoaning the traveling, and O'brien was all enthusiastic about doing it. (And the hair stuff too.) That said, I was disappointed she's gone, as she was a good baddie.

Yeah, can Anna and Bates spend the season with just happy good times? Just this once? And isn't it Moseley's turn for something to go his way?

Nanny was awful, and Thomas inadvertently being the hero when all he was doing was being his usual rotten self was hilarious.

Grieving Mary is only slightly more dour than regular Mary.

Tom has become a favourite - never thought that would happen!

Agreed about Tom; I never thought I'd enjoy his character at all but he's definitely one of my favorites. Then again, they had to make sure they had a voice of reason and responsibility around Downton what with Matthew dying and all.

Also in agreement about Edith and the publisher guy; I think they ought to just go all Boho and shack up together, personally. She did look amazing in that green dress.

I love it when Mrs. Hughes takes Carson down a peg when he gets all huffy and pompous.

Even though Rose is at least partly responsible for bringing back the meddling maid (Edna? Can't remember her name), I'm actually getting a laugh out of her character. I'm glad they're making her more interesting than just being the irresponsible problem child, which would've got old in a big hurry.

Not finding the young servants' love problems terribly interesting at this point, to be honest.

It's funny how they bring up, and then resolve and dismiss the love stories of each of the senior staff in one episode (Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. Patmore, Carson). Would have loved to see O'Brien's lovey dovey times, if she ever had any.

I will be coveting Edith's beaded dress forever.

Also, this from Funny or Die? Awesome.

Haha, love that, chick. I remember seeing an interview with Michelle Dockery after DA's first season, and she talked about how her background wasn't posh at all, and that she had to undergo accent training to act. Now she's the poster child for posh girl.

There have been so many characters at DA throughout the seasons that I'm having a little trouble keeping all of the past story lines straight. (Wasn't sure where we had seen Edna before, at first - her hair color's different.) Edna, Edith, Ethel - the E girls.