DOWNTON ABBEY Season 3 Discussion Thread - SPOILERS WITHIN- Page 6

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 4:29pm

Did it really only take a week to travel from New York to England then? I honestly don't know.

And nothing in this show has suggested to me that Cora would ever want her mother's comfort.



Updated On: 10/22/12 at 04:29 PM

[romantico]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 4:43pm

I would like to see Downton during WWII. Of course, the cast would need to be in old age make up or just gone and replaced with a new staff and younger Crowley's.

On one of the DVD's of Downton Abbey there was a behind the scenes documentary where they spoke about how so many estates like this were being sold after WWII and different families were making these estates their homes. If they wanted to be realistic they could go this route, but I think this is what Matthew is trying to avoid.

I think he thinks if they cut their spending and try and live to be more practical, Downton may survive for future generations. I think that would be a smaller household staff. I get the sense Robert is having a difficult time with all this. Not having a say on how his granddaughter is to be raised and now not able to live the extravagant lifestyle he is use to may be too much for him to deal with. I think Matthew having a stake in the future of Downton is a good thing. It could however become a wedge issue between him and Mary though.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 4:48pm

The Titanic's journey was due to last from April 10-17, so I think it was possible. In any case, it's not a big deal I guess. I just want more Shirley.

Looking ahead, how do we think Thomas's inevitable outing will play out? Will they be okay with it? Could it cost him his job?

[romantico]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 4:58pm

My guess is, considering the times and how they reacted to Edith, they will not accept Thomas at all. Even if he were a bit more likable, I would think this back then would be just horrible.I keep hoping Thomas some how redeems. We saw in Season two how he took the death of that wounded soldier and how Sybil's death has affected him so he is not totally heartless.Would be nice to see him find a young man who loves him and perhaps it would make Thomas a bit more likable.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 4:59pm

I think a lot of people were already aware of his proclivities for men, weren't they? Mrs. Patmore and O'Brien, certainly, but I do think that his advances toward the new guy are going to backfire on him (which is why O'Brien encouraged it). I feel like Jay is rubbing off on me, because I'm going to start nitpicking, but is Thomas so clueless that he can't tell how clearly the new footman does NOT want his attentions?

I could use a little less historical accuracy with the gay storyline, though. The last thing I really want is some kind of horrible fate to await Thomas that stemmed from his being homosexual. I'm tired of being depressed by the gays of yore.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 5:09pm

Thomas also made a move on Pamuk in the first season, so I don't think he's really the best at judging who would and wouldn't want to be with him.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 5:19pm

Good point!

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 5:56pm

It seems he does not get much action in that department, so maybe his built-up loins have impaired his judgement.

Only two episodes to go.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 6:06pm

The writing of Thomas's character falls apart whenever the gay thing comes out. He's so conniving about everything else, but when they need some drama, all of a sudden he's not only gay but also stupid.

I suppose they might be making a point about how love and lust blind us, but it's a dumb point that didn't need to be made.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/22/12 at 11:49pm

Yes, exactly! That is the exact frustration I have.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 2:41am

I'm sure if Thomas is "outed", it won't be discussed. of course if he was an aristocrat, likely the reaction would simply be to act like nothing happened.

"Maybe I'm just a little dense (it's been said before), but why exactly did the witness lady change her mind anyhow? The lawyer chap made some implications about ways and means, but they certainly went over my head. And the cell-mate...that was rather pointless, wasn't it?"

This has been my only real complaint this year. It all felt so arbitrary--even down to WHY Bates cellmate wanted to make his life miserable. It doesn't help that those were the only scenes where, due certain accents and all the whispering, I often had a hard time catching everything they said--so maybe I missed some major plot point, but...

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 5:18am

I never understood the cellmate's hatred either! I thought I had just missed something. And I highly doubt one woman who flip flipped her story twice would be enough evidence to overturn a verdict. Sure, she said she was making a pastry. Who is to say she didn't burn it and toss it or give it away. Flimsy, at best. The Bates thing has been really annoying.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 12:42pm

"I suppose they might be making a point about how love and lust blind us"

Nah - I think it's just that Fellowes, like Tom Stoppard, can't write for gay charcaters.

I'd like to know what happened to the dastardly Duke from series 1. Filling in the gap, I assume he became one of the inept aristocratic army corporals who so got the aristocracy a bad name in WWI that the result was the start of them being elbowed out of public life in the post war years.

[romantico]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 12:49pm

I wonder what ever became of Patrick. Was he an imposter? Was it really Patrick? Edith really seemed to have feelings for him.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 1:02pm

I was thinking about Patrick last night and wondering if he was ever going to reappear.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 1:43pm

I got the impression that in the end they wanted to keep it ambiguous, but were implying Patrick *was* an imposter... But I go back and forth about it.

Scipps, I hate to say it, but I think you might be right about gay characters. Certainly, when we saw Thomas make out with The Duke (it was The Duke, I think) in the premier, it seemed there largely to shock--which is fine ("Look what really went on secretly in these households), but also a big tease since we certainly got next to no gay content after. Not that the show has made a lot of sex scenes by any means, or that Thomas should be defined by his sexuality, but it does seem overall kinda handled as an afterthought they forget has been mentioned (I did like the rather touching--one episode I believe--story with the blind soldier).

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 2:02pm

JerseyGirl--exactly. I've seen enough Oz, Prison Break, etc, to realize that sometimes people try to make someone's life miserable in jail for no real good reason--boredom, meaness, whatever, btu there seemed like there shoulda been something more there.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 2:07pm

The Patrick storyline resulted in comments in the British media about Downton "jumping the shark" (I had to google).

So I think the production team have dug themselves in to a hole with that storyline - they're damned if they bring him back and damned if they don't. I guess they'll try and wimp out by not bringing him back.

I was disappointed Thomas' relationship with the dying soldier didn't develop either. Fellowes makes a big deal of writing characters that have good and bad sides - I'm still waiting for him to be as generous towards Thomas's good side as he is towards his bad.

Updated On: 10/23/12 at 02:07 PM

[romantico]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 2:19pm

Well, they better be careful and think things out before they write them. We don't want DOWNTON ABBEY to become another LOST where they wrote themselves into situations they could not write themselves out of.

I am concerned with the entire cast returning for a 4th season.Hearing rumors that Dan Stevens and Maggie Smith have not yet signed makes me nervous.They shot Season 3 in February or March so I would guess they would keep a similar schedule for season 4,which means contracts need to be signed before the end of the year or so. I'm sure the British gossip papers will tell us who signed and who didn't but I think one more season should do it. I think as much as the cast loves the show and the people they work with, actors get bored in the same role for too long.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 2:24pm

Maggie Smith played Professor McGonagall for a good number of years, so she's done it before. I see no reason why Downton shouldn't continue - it's not as if there has been one over-riding arc that has been exhausted. There's plenty of mileage yet!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 5:02pm

As much as I like seeing as much of her as possible, I would be ok with her being on a more recurring basis if that's what she wants. I dunno, send her overseas with her daughter for a few episodes or something...

Scripps--I like that the show has a gay "villain" of sorts--and liked O'Brien and Thomas as a team, but I do agree with your point--for a while in particular it was like they forgot to give him a mustache to twirl.I've not read this entire thread, but speaking of O'Brien, does it seem obvious to anyone else that her nephew is probably her illegitement, hence why she is so attached?

I remember hearing that Downton had jumped the shark with the Patrick story, too. I admit the whole thing was VERY soap opera--which may be why I didn't mind it myself, really (I've always been amused when Fellowes claims his show isn't soap opera--even if it's understated and mostly extremely well done--prefering to call it a novel for TV, or something. Tomato, tomato).

[romantico]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 10:05pm

The latest on the Dan Stevens rumor

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/dan-stevens-leaving-downton-abbey_n_2006015.html

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 7:52am

Elizabeth McGovern should get an Emmy or a Golden Globe for that episode. The contradictory thoughts and feelings going on in her eyes throughout and that final scene at Maggie Smith's parlor are great acting.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/26/12 at 1:51am

Luke Kempner--I have no idea if he's a known British comedian or just some youtuber, but he's adorable--does his impression of all of the major Downton characters. Brilliant--my fave is Matthew Crawley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eg-TgLnp4Nc#!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/26/12 at 1:56am

I kind of wonder - and this is just a wonder, not a spoiler, because I know nothing - if maybe Matthew's going to meet his maker or something? There was buzz about Sybil's contract not being renewed and we know how that turned out.

I kind of hate the fact that every little bit of minutiae gets reported about things sometimes.