Downton Abbey, UPDATED for Season 3 starting on p.9

[Maltaran]

I suspected more people would be like Mr Carson - with the main concern being to avoid scandal and just brush it under the carpet.

[Angalin]

Just added spoiler tags to a whole bunch of posts. Next time I will delete all y'alls musings on plot development and possibly more. Spoiler tags are your friends, use them.

[Roose Seal]

Oops sorry bout the spoilers.

His name is Robert Crawley, hs title is Earl of Grantham.

Aaah right.

I was wondering though... Let's suppose Robert dies, would Matthew inherit the peerage as well as the estate and become Lord Grantham and Mary the new Lady Grantham? After all, Matthew isn't his direct heir but he's the only heir left...

[Maltaran]

Let's suppose Robert dies, would Matthew inherit the peerage as well as the estate and become Lord Grantham .

Yes. That was the whole point of them trying to get Matthew and Mary together - so that the title and estate would stay with Robert's descendants. Unless he dies before Robert (or that burnt Canadian can prove he's really Patrick), Matthew will be the next Lord Grantham.

[Commodore]

http://www.dailymail...eason-four.html

It was just announced that there will be a fourth series and an extravagant Christmas special for the popular costume drama.

But now it seems Downton Abbey will have to move on without its male romantic lead, as Dan Stevens is reportedly not returning to the hit TV series.

The 30-year-old actor, who plays Matthew Crawley, is expected to be a part of the Christmas special and the first episode of the new season, but will then leave the show.

[Roose Seal]

^Can't say that I'm sad to see him go. The constant back and forth and bickering with Mary was fun for 3 seasons but I really wouldn't mind if the focus shifted on Branson or a new male lead.

[PetyrPunkinhead]

S3 Ending

No comments on the latest episode...

I thought it was good, but it's really straining plausibility that an early 20th century aristocrat would hold liberal views on homosexuality, even allowing one to work as a footman. I realize they want to make the family sympathetic, but it would be much more interesting if the show had portrayed the conservative social values that imbued the feudal society of which the Crawleys are a remnant.

Yes, but the Crawleys are the aristocrats we're meant to like. Dowager represents the "old ways" and the Earl is the reluctant patriarch accepting changes. I will give you that the Earl's vehement defense of Thomas was a bit odd. But I guess you could rationalize his motives as being twofold: stopping further scandal, and he likely has sympathetic views (at least more so than Carson) towards homosexuals.

As a whole I found it one of the more disappointing episodes of the series. I've never disliked the Crowleys (save for Mary) despite their 0.001% views and lifestyle, which I think is part of Julian Fellowes genius as a writer in making sympathetic characters. However, that ending shot of the three Downton men jumping up and down in slo-mo made me want to take a cricket bat to their heads. Not sure why, but maybe it's b/c they were all on about "rich dude problems" the whole episode. Eh. It just came across the wrong way to me and stirred an irrational(?) hatred in me bones.

http://www.dailymail...eason-four.html

Gah. Really? The only thing more annoying than Mary w/ Matthew is her w/out Matthew. If he's gotta go then let his death on the show be bloody and spectacular. And let him take Mary with him.

[James Arryn]

Anyone else want to shiv Mr. Bates and his fucking martyr complex?

[Roose Seal]

Ugh the christmas special was pretty bad.

Enough Mr. Bates and Anna already, they're happy, we get it, let's move on.

Seems like Rose is going to be a regular in s4? Ugh.

Horrible way to write out you know who. Couldn't they just put him on a bus by making him go to the US for business or something?

Edith can never be happy. EVER.

[Antonius Pius]

Who is Rose again? Shrimpie's daughter? She's coming to Downton, probably to shake things up a little.

I wonder what the point about Jimmy and the new kitchen maid is. Rehashing William and whatshername? Good that O'Brien got taken down a notch, although it's a glaring continuity error: she never told Thomas about the soap.

All in all I thought season 3 + Christmas Special were a bit better than season 2. Entertaining.

And yeah, Edith is doomed.

[Guest]

on the ending of S3

well, that was a punch in the gut. I can't believe Matthew eats it while driving his fancy car too fast. Like, they have a thousand servants and this one time he needed a steady, responsible chauffeur...so stupid. I kind of hate Dan Stevens for leaving. Does anyone else think he's pulling a David Caruso?

Overall, I thought the season got progressively better with each episode.

Its kind of frustrating knowing that Fellowes will only kill off a major character if the actor leaves. Sybil should have died anyway! (I know, I'm cruel).

Dun Eagle was beautiful! But, they shouldn't use so much scenery porn, because the storylines are so dull by comparison.

The best thing about this show are the fantastic female characters. Isobel, Edith, Mrs. Patmore, Mrs. Hughes are objectively the best :)

[Kobayashi Maru]

Oh,Matthew,why :( Seriously,after all we've seen this is how his and Marie's story ends? Me disappointed. He could have gone to US or India or wherever with one episode as a guest star. Mary will at least have Branson,if anyone could understand how she's feeling it's him.

Also bagpipes...geese.

And,Thomas,ah dear,slime,evil,cunning Thomas. I hate him since day one,really don't like vengeful and pety characters,but when he cares he breaks my hearth.

[Jerol]

I hadn't realized my wife had such strong feelings for a certain character mentioned in the spoiler above. She has taken a box of kleenyx, crawled into a bottle of wine, and refuses to come out. I suppose that my remark that I didn't know GRRM was a script consultant didn't help.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Yeah, my wife complained about the "Game of Thrones" twist too.

[kairparavel]

Well, unlike Ned, Dan Stevens didn't sign on to extend his contract beyond the first three seasons. So Julian Fellowes killed him, just like the actress who played Sybil, who also didn't reup for for seasons. Ridiculous melodrama this season.

[Lord Godric]

I watched the finale back when it aired at Christmas and was irate at how it ended. I know that Dan Stevens didn't want to come back but I think the greed of continuing a successful show has overridden the desire to make a good show. At least, that's how it feels going forward without Matthew's character. I would have liked to see the show end entirely after the birth of Mary and Matthew's son than continue without Matthew.

If they can do it successfully where the first three seasons don't feel pointless (as they currently do) then maybe I'll change my mind.

[Elba the Intoner]

What's with using the same storyline to get rid of both Sybil and Matthew? What are they trying to say? It was so unoriginal that a parent has to die within hours of their child's birth. I know Dan Stevens wanted to leave but they could have come up with something better than a rehash of Sybil's death!

[The Anti-Targ]

I watched the finale back when it aired at Christmas and was irate at how it ended. I know that Dan Stevens didn't want to come back but I think the greed of continuing a successful show has overridden the desire to make a good show. At least, that's how it feels going forward without Matthew's character. I would have liked to see the show end entirely after the birth of Mary and Matthew's son than continue without Matthew.

If they can do it successfully where the first three seasons don't feel pointless (as they currently do) then maybe I'll change my mind.

Yeah but Matthew was really only a sperm donor to get a male heir into Mary so that the Estate can stay in Crawley hands.

They still have Branson as the up jumped commoner. And now a Widow and widower who can...erm... find comfort in each other at a shared experience of loss. Now that would raise eyebrows. What other relationship scandal will there be, unless it's Branson and the niece? :leer:

[Lord Godric]

Yeah but Matthew was really only a sperm donor to get a male heir into Mary so that the Estate can stay in Crawley hands.

That's certainly how it feels now, but I don't think that was their intention when they were writing the first two series. It's just what had to happen because Dan Stevens wanted to leave the show, and if they had him leave without giving Mary a son then we'd be back at the same exact place we were at Season 1 Episode 1.

They still have Branson as the up jumped commoner. And now a Widow and widower who can...erm... find comfort in each other at a shared experience of loss. Now that would raise eyebrows. What other relationship scandal will there be, unless it's Branson and the niece? :leer:

I definitely see Branson and Mary comforting each other too, but still...just ... :tantrum: ...Matthew

[fitheach]

I give up on this show. I emotionally gave up halfway through season 2, it was ridiculous with Mathew and his back/penis being broken, and the amnesia story line- jeez! Now this season with the actors jumping ship (and writers having to accommodate).. What was smart and layered in season 1, is now just pretty pageantry.