Downton Abbey Last Night ~ Good Grief!

Good morning, my friends ... I hope this Monday's treating you well. :)

I'm a bit slow going myself, but I wanted to get this post up early so we can get the conversation rolling, because - wowza - we have much to discuss! We got two hours of DA last night ~ some major twists and turns, as well as some happy - and some rather disturbing - character developments. In fact, I'm still reeling from disappointment over one particular plot line.

I'll get my thoughts down just as soon as I can, but right now it's all about this hot cup of coffee and getting a handle on my day ahead ...

But I'll see you back here again very soon!

:)

Comments

[Dawn]

Oh, Jackie - good catch! I wondered if that was Mrs. Hughes's "real life" husband, but I couldn't be sure. He looked so different as Mr. Bryant (from his turn as "Mr. Gibbs" in the PotC).

Sarah, I have only glanced through the book so far, as I want to wait for season 2 to be finished. I don't want to read any spoilers! The book is *gorgeous* and chock full of information on the cast, the show itself, and life at that time. As the show ends this Sunday (sob!) I will be devouring the book next week ... and I will let you all know what I think!

Jen, as best I know, they are about to start (or may have started) filming season 3. I *believe* that season will air in Europe this fall and we here in the states will see it next winter ... that is only my guess, based on bits I've heard.

If any readers know concrete information about season 3, please do share!

:)

[Jen]

One more question: does anyone know when Season 3 starts? Surely we don't have to wait an entire year???

[Sarah]

Unfortunately, I was attending a funeral yesterday, so I did not have the time or mental energy to contribute this week. I hope to be back next week for our final conversation of season 2! I do have a question, Dawn ... just wondering what your thoughts are on that Downton Abbey hardcover book. It looks gorgeous! Is it enjoyable, too? Thought I might add it to my birthday wish list =)

[Jennifer N]

Speaking of Thomas, I was very curious from the previews for next week about what will happen to him. Does he think he's being haunted? Hmm...

Oh, and I forgot to add that my favorite line from Sunday was Lady Violet's comment about the ball in Paris where half the guests were dead from cholera before it ended. Lord Grantham replied, "Thank you, Mother. It's cheered us up no end to hear that."

Love the dry (if grisly) humor!

[jackie]

I think lord G was going through a post war/midlife crises and found one situation he could control. It also was a good storyline in that it helped him see Sybil's situation...BUT still, very disappointing especially with Cora in the other room sick! Thomas on the other hand...His character really does have many sides. I think Sir Richard is such a creep that he tends to make Thomas look nice. I actually felt sorry for Thomas this week. Lor Richard on the other hand...bad news he is.
Did anyone else realize that the actor that played the horrible Mr. Bryant is Mrs. Hughes' husband in real life!? I thought that was very interesting.

[J.]

Bates' wife has clearly been unstable. I think she may have planned her suicide to look as though Bates had killed her as her final revenge. Hoping of course that it would lead to his arrest and possible execution.

Thomas isn't reformed surly-probably just in need of job.

And on to Christmas! And then we wait…again.

[Dawn]

Good afternoon, everyone ... I had hoped to be back here before this late time of day! But here I am and I have a few more thoughts to share ...

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy reading all your insightful comments. I agree with the many of you who were so affected by Anna's face as Bates was led away. What a wonderful actress .... Anna has been such a strong character in this - so very brave. Her love for Bates is just so deep and sure. And he loves her the same in return. I thought it was very sweet what Mary did for them on their wedding night. :D

As for Matthew and Mary ~ well, you should have seen Bill and me when they danced and he told her he didn't want to marry Lavinia (in so many words) AND THEN HE KISSED HER! We were so excited that *finally* we had some evidence that the feelings are still there on both sides. Of course my heart broke for Lavinia, but I wish Matthew had taken her true message to heart - she wanted him to be happy. She *wants* him to be with Mary because she knows they belong together. (And not just because they are suited, but because there's real love there.) And all he took from that was that his - no, their - betrayal killed Lavinia in the end. I wanted to smack him when he said that to Mary and it was quite evident from the way she left with Sir Richard that she has her mind made up to marry him now.

It will be interesting to see - judging from the previews - how that triangle plays out, because despite Matthew's vow to stay away, they are in several scenes together. He even knocks out Sir Richard, it looks like!

And yes, I also agree with those of you who point out the "plot device" behind Lord G's near-affair. It was SO hypocritical of him to slam Sybil for loving a "lowly chauffeur" when he himself found himself "drawn" to a "lowly maid." (Blech.) I still felt it came out of left field that he felt more for her than a passing fancy or distraction. And I was so disturbed all this was transpiring as Cora was near death. He's really lost my good opinion from here on out.

So next week brings Christmas and I can hardly wait to see what happens AND to see the cast and castle looking all wintry and festive! But so sad it's the last episode ... this season went by WAY too fast!

Thanks again, everyone, for lending your thoughts to this wonderful discussion!

(Oh, and p.s. In the previews Lady Grantham is opening a letter and gasping - my first thought was "Oh shoot, Jane sent a letter!" But maybe it's her mother (Shirley MacLaine) writing to tell of her upcoming visit?)

[Jennifer N]

I have been trying to figure why Lord Grantham would have felt so useless during the war...
but, having watched the PBS show Manor House, it does appear that the Edwardian gentleman pretty much stayed out of domestic affairs. The butler from Manor House talks about how his job was to protect the Lord of the Manor from any turmoil going on in the house.

And really- Lord Grantham does not know a lot of what is going on in his own home. He still doesn't know about Pamook, didn't know about Sybil and Branson eloping, etc. Plus, he wanted to be useful in the war but was given a token uniform and a pat on the head. He must have felt pretty frustrated. NOT THAT IT EXCUSES HIS BEHAVIOR. I'm just trying to understand how he might have felt.

During WWII he would have been made an air raid warden or put in charge of the home defense, etc. Something. The threat of German invasion was so real. The danger of air attack was ever present. He would have had a lot more to do, I'm thinking, that would have made him feel he was truly helping... things that were not "women's work" like nursing or writing letters for the wounded. Or maybe he is just being portrayed that way for the show, and there were many gentleman who found plenty to do in the war.

And I am happy that Anna finally got to marry Bates- she is the model of loyalty- but I really could have done without seeing their wedding night. It would have been good to just show the pretty room with all the candles and leave the rest to imagination. I felt like a peeping Tom!

[Greta]

I think the Lord Grantham storyline was there to reflect the historical reality that upstairs and downstairs sometimes mixed in the bedroom. I still found it very disappointing though. Is an affair with the maid really the only way he can find to be useful???

[Ami]

http://chad-thomas.com/?p=553
Thought you might enjoy these...

[Kristie]

Ya know, I really liked season one, and as season two has gone on I have liked it less and less. It is still beautiful and fun to watch, but the timelines are making me crazy! Mr. Bates was arrested like months and months later. At least three months, but it doesn't seem like time has passed. They rarely discuss things that happen in the inbetween time and it's hard to imagine that important things don't happen in that inbetween time. This stood out to me with Ethel and her baby, who from the beginning of the episode was 9 months and at the end was 12-14 months. The baby hasn't changed though, even though there is a big difference between a 9 month old and a year old.
It makes plots like Sybil and Branson and the Earl and Jane hard to follow because obviously, you have to assume that things are happening that we are not privy to for those relationships to be where they are, and yet, they are never like, "remember we said..." or "remember that night..." or whatever.
I am disappointed in everybody in this episode. Lord G for forgetting his place and his family, Jane for her forwardness, Ethel for her desperate sneakyness, Mrs. Huges for enabling her, Sybil and Branson, Matthew and Mary, etc.
The first season there was a definate "theme" of the "strong woman" Cora was strong, Mary was in control, Cousin Violet calling the shots, etc. This season it's all about the men, and the decisions they are making are just not good and they are not as likeable/relatable as the ladies for me.
I'm still as addicted as ever to the show, but I'm not quite so excited about what goes on in it, and I feel like it is all moving at such a weird pace and I'm missing all these pieces that I'll never find.

[bobbi @ revolution of love]

This episode was so emotionally draining. One minute I was enraged ready to smack Lord Grantham and the next minute I was crying at Lavina's deathbed. I don't have time for full paragraphs but my Twitter-like comments are posted here. http://revolutionoflove.stblogs.org/archives/2012/02/tv-talk---downt-1.html

[Canaan]

I agree...I was so so disappointed with the Lord Grantham/Jane story line. I would have so much preferred they leave him noble and honorable.
Now, I love Cousin Matthew but find him a bit of a "drama queen" at times. I hope he comes to his senses over Lady Mary and that was just the grief talking.
The woman who plays Anna is such a great actress. Her expression when Mr. Bates was arrested was so upsetting.
I love this show and cannot get enough of it. I can't believe this season is almost over. BOO HOO!

[Helene]

I didn't like the Lord Grantham/maid plot either. I think they wrote that in to make it more believable that he would ultimately give in to Sybil and Branson and even give them his blessing. It might also serve to soften him up for Mary's scandal which is sure to break soon. But I still feel that's a poor excuse for ruining Lord Grantham's character! I do like how O'Brien seems to be coming around, though.

[Cristina]

I am so happy Bates and Anna finally got married, but sad that their happiness was so short lived. I still don't think Vera killed herself. Her pleasure was in watching her husband suffer. Killing herself would be uncharacteristic. I'm still thinking Sir Richard had a hand in this. He left for London with Bates, has shown he will do anything to keep control of his world, and most likely has the resources to have someone killed.

Speaking of uncharacteristic, I didn't like the Lord Grantham plot at all. It was too contrived after establishing his love for his wife in the first season. I'm glad he came to his senses, but it still seemed like a weak story line. Yes, war changes people, but I really don't think it would change him that much. And does the man have no friends outside of his family? No men's club that he frequents? It would seem to me there were other routes to show his discontent with his wife's busy life than to fall back on the old standard of infidelity. That was a lazy and contrived method of stirring up conflict for his character.

There is a lot to process from this episode. Looking forward to next week!

[tracy]

As lamentable as the Lord Grantham/Jane scene was, I think it served as an uncomfortable illustration of how men can fall into sin when their wives ignore them and under appreciate them. They will look for admiration elsewhere. He has been feeling so useless and ornamental, I was so relieved that he had the fortitude to stop himself.

Most of the female characters in this series seem to be all too willing to sell themselves short - like Anna offering to be Bates' mistress, Mary giving in to Pamook, Sybil running off with Branson, Edith and the farmer. Lavinia seems to be the only purist. Well, Daisy too maybe, but everyone was so eager to see SOMEONE in an appropriate position to marry they persuaded her against her conscience.

I think a physical affair would have ruined Jane in the same way Ethel was ruined. If she became pregnant she would have had to leave, might not have been able to work again, her child might never have known his/her true parentage, and Lord Grantham would have had to spend his life sneaking money to Jane - or not. She would weep for the rest of her days or she might have burst in the drawing or dining room to confront the Lord and make a scene in front of his wife. Then, later in life, knowing that he gave into his daughter marrying a chauffeur he would have felt two-faced for not running off with a maid.

I also think the servants were used enough as it was - basically giving up the hopes and dreams of their own home and family to be a loyal and dutiful part of the downstairs family with the head housekeeper as a surrogate mother and the butler as as a surrogate father. If they stayed long enough they gave up their whole lives for that family and would not leave even if they had a chance like Mrs. Hughes.

I love the comparison to Gone With the Wind! Though I don't see Mary ever truly pining for Richard in the end the way Scarlett desired Rhett. We'll see what happens if they do marry and have a child together.

I hope the next episode gives us some more clues about Sir Richard and Bates. Is Sir Richard that revengeful? Why did it seem that Bates went with the police so willingly? How long will Thomas try to make himself indispensable?

[Brenda@Coffeeteabooksandme]

My daughter has assured me they wrap everything up for Season 2 next week with the Christmas Episode.

She has watched all the European DVD.

I didn't like the whole Lord Grantham thing, either. He has been so honorable throughout the series.

[Mary Ellen Barrett]

I hated the Lord Grantham storyline this week, and I totally agree that there was something a little "off" about the Jane character. I really like Cora and felt very badly for her this week.

Poor Matthew so filled with guilt over Lavinia. I do wish that he and Mary would find a way to each other, of course Matthew doesn't know her secret. It seemed from the preview she might tell him. I wonder how he will react?

Poor Bates and Anna. The look on her face as he was led away! I'm so hoping this works out well for them and he is found not guilty. I do believe Vera set him up to take the blame as murder for her suicide. Such evil planning.

Thomas is getting what he deserves. It is nice to see his dishonesty is now requiring some humility from him, I hope it sticks but I doubt it. He will probably angle for Bates' job.

I can't wait until Sunday.

[Arlene Grimm]

Agree with your comments Dawn...very disappointing. I did like that Thomas got his comeuppance but doubt he is truly reformed. I think we saw a bit of Mary's old character on display last night. If she marries Sir Richard I am afraid she will revert to her haughty difficult self. And poor Edith...I really feel for her. I hope things will work out well for her. Looking forward to the Christmas episode.

[Dawn]

Well, where to start?

I guess I'll start with the part that bothered me the most … which was Lord Grantham's disgraceful and pathetic behavior. I did not buy for one moment the "build up" of feelings between him and Jane. We're supposed to buy them as star-crossed would-be lovers? At the start of their "flirtations" I knew he was in a bad place - feeling sorry for himself and useless as the war changed everything around him. Then there was the bickering with Cora … but when did he fall out of love with his wife? (Because he certainly did not seem very caring of her in this episode - even when she was near death's door.) I figured they might have him slip and kiss Jane (as he did) but then realize what a mistake he was making and how much he loved his wife. But the scene in which he had her in his room? When he stopped thing from going further (and thank goodness he came to his senses) he said to Jane that it wouldn't be fair TO HER. To her? The woman who's all too eager to sleep with a married man? (I can't shake the feeling something was fishy with her …) How about this not being fair to YOUR WIFE? To your family? I was so upset over this part of the story, I can't even tell you. (Though obviously I'm trying, lol.) For me it kind of took the shine off the series a little. That they "went there" with a character who previously was one of my favorites.

Ok, so there's that off my chest, lol.

I don't have time to write more at the moment, though obviously there's much more to cover. So I'll be back in a bit to continue my thoughts.

:)

[Jennifer N]

It was something, wasn't it?!

I loved how Matthew jumped out of his wheelchair. Although we all guessed he'd walk again, I didn't see it coming in that way. And then I was fooled again- thinking Lavinia would recover. That whole scenario was so sad... she really did love him. It reminded me of Melanie and Ashley Wilkes in Gone With the Wind.

Did Sir Richard send the police for Mr. Bates in revenge for Anna's refusing to spy for him?
And is Thomas truly reformed?

I'm still trying to process it all!