Downton Abbey - I'm hooked

[Doctor Strange]

Actually, he was a nobody when he made Vamps. It was shot back in early 2010 - before the first season of Downton had even aired in the UK - and sat unreleased for a couple of years.

 

[sheeplady]

I've heard this theory floated around, too, because let's face it - he got wounded in the war, was never going to walk again, and then DID walk again, which was a little incredulous. Perhaps he thought the show had jumped the shark at that point.

To be honest, I was getting fed up with his character in Season 3. His overblown sense of honor was beyond irritating at times.

That and the fact that he and Mary seemed incapable of fighting... their whole attitude of "we'll agree to disagree" was really aggravating. Real couples would fight over that.

SPOILER ALERT
If the new season starts just six months after his death and Mary has a new love interest already in the wings, the show has jumped the shark into totally unbelievable territory.

 

[LocktownDog]

Awaiting a Downton Abbey and Walking Dead crossover.
Just to make things interesting.

 

[AmateisGal]

Actually, he was a nobody when he made Vamps. It was shot back in early 2010 - before the first season of Downton had even aired in the UK - and sat unreleased for a couple of years.

Ahh, ok. Good to know.

 

[AmateisGal]

That and the fact that he and Mary seemed incapable of fighting... their whole attitude of "we'll agree to disagree" was really aggravating. Real couples would fight over that.

SPOILER ALERT
If the new season starts just six months after his death and Mary has a new love interest already in the wings, the show has jumped the shark into totally unbelievable territory.

Hopefully the love interest won't show up for two or three episodes. Either that, or the second episode should jump ahead another six months.

I don't know what they plan to do, but goodness, let's hope it's not as bad as this season.

 

[sheeplady]

Hopefully the love interest won't show up for two or three episodes. Either that, or the second episode should jump ahead another six months.

I don't know what they plan to do, but goodness, let's hope it's not as bad as this season.

Take comfort in the fact there aren't too many main characters left to kill off.

 

[AmateisGal]

Take comfort in the fact there aren't too many main characters left to kill off.

lol lol

 

[dhermann1]

I'm wondering if that guy with the burned face who went off to Canada, IIRC, who claimed to be the actual heir or something is going to reappear.

 

[LocktownDog]

I'm wondering if that guy with the burned face who went off to Canada, IIRC, who claimed to be the actual heir or something is going to reappear.

Except now he'll be a woman with an American accent, who'll be hired as a chambermaid in the first episode and only reveal his true identity in #4.

Then he/she gets killed off.

 

[AmateisGal]

Here's what I hope to see, at least regarding Lady Mary - a man who will stand up to her and not take any of her crap. Matthew was a milksop in a lot of ways.

 

[dhermann1]

Yes, the more I see of her the less I like her. She's such a SNOT to Edith ALL THE TIME.

 

[ButteMT61]

Here's what I hope to see, at least regarding Lady Mary - a man who will stand up to her and not take any of her crap. Matthew was a milksop in a lot of ways.

Most of the men on the show are milksoap. "Cept Bates maybe.What I thought was ridiculous x10 was that after Sybil died the way she did, that they all just let Mary go off on her own, preggers and not feeling well. Really? Really? That was stupid. And of course as soon as they showed proud papa in his newfangled horseless buggy all giddy with the cut-shot to the truck, you knew it was over. That was the worst that the show has done IMHO so far. They gotta get some men in there to step up. It feels more like a soap opera now than it did before...

 

[Lily Powers]

I have to say, I'm not so invested in the characters that the bumpy ride Downton's creators are taking us on now isn't a make-or-break deal for me, although I understand how many are upset. Maybe PBS can use that to their advantage:

 

[Worf]

@Lily Powers....

Ack!!! Hilarious!!!! That's certainly not out of the realm of possibility!!!! Too funny for words!!!!

Worf

 

[AmateisGal]

I agree that most of the men are milksops - except for Bates. And Sir Richard wasn't a milksop, but he was rather nasty, too. So we need some non-milksop leading men! I think Tom's rebelliousness has been tamed, unfortunately...

 

[Rathdown]

From what I understand, he gave his notice at the end of Season 2 that he would only appear in one more season. So yeah, they had more than enough time to write a different ending.

By the time filming season two was over, season three was already into pre- production. The story lines had been worked out, and the scripts for each episode were more than likely in first draft and awaiting final approval from the UK and US broadcasters. Stevens's departure may or my not have been a last minute decision; but the way long-form television works there would not have been time to restructure the entire season to accommodate the unplanned for departure of a cast member.

But here's my question: Dan Stevens quit the show, and was not interested in coming back, not even to do walk-ons in season four. So, how would you guys have disposed of his character? Alien abduction?

 

[ButteMT61]

We just drove past the local British tea house. They have a sign outside: " Downton Abbey spoken here". Puke.

 

[sheeplady]

Except now he'll be a woman with an American accent, who'll be hired as a chambermaid in the first episode and only reveal his true identity in #4.

Then he/she gets killed off.

lol

Yes, the more I see of her the less I like her. She's such a SNOT to Edith ALL THE TIME.

Mary is actually one of the few characters I wouldn't have minded seeing die... she irritates me so much at times.

But here's my question: Dan Stevens quit the show, and was not interested in coming back, not even to do walk-ons in season four. So, how would you guys have disposed of his character? Alien abduction?

Well, what they do in soaps is just replace the actor with another actor.... I'm not sure if that would make people more or less mad, though.

 

[Worf]

I GOT IT... flash forward... loverboy's in a hospital bed... his face covered in bandages... 6 months later they take off the bandages and VOILA! Same hubby with a new face and a different actor who can plausibly explain how he now looks like Maurice Chevalier and talks like Samuel L. Jackson.

There solved... send my check please

Worf

 

[sheeplady]

I GOT IT... flash forward... loverboy's in a hospital bed... his face covered in bandages... 6 months later they take off the bandages and VOILA! Same hubby with a new face and a different actor who can plausibly explain how he now looks like Maurice Chevalier and talks like Samuel L. Jackson.

There solved... send my check please

Worf

Let's not give them ideas please....