Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
they live in a huge house with hundreds of rooms. I can't believe that there isn't anywhere for the family to go where they're not tripping over wounded soldiers.
That's what I didn't understand - if the house truly has hundreds of rooms, then why not set up the soldiers in the rooms they don't use? A house that size would have at least one ballroom - which could hold dozens of beds. And other large rooms, as well as dozens of guest bedrooms. So why was is necessary to set up the ping pong table on the other side of a partition in the library? And why all the beds in living spaces the family actually uses?
It just felt a bit contrived.
I think too I'm just not as interested when the entire hour is taken up with soldiers and war, and minor bickering over who is in charge. I much prefer the episodes that are heavy in Mary and Matthew drama, and Bates and Anna drama - guess that means I prefer love, to war!
The one positive part of last night's episode was the fact that Lady Edith finally found something worthwhile to do. Learning to drive, and driving the tractor were a step in the right direction for her - but then she got confused and kissed a married farmer? Not good! But last night she finally started to figure out how she can be of value - and that has got to be a good thing! I'm not sure yet whether or not they intend to fully redeem her? Will she continue on this "good" path and evolve, and eventually lament that letter to the Turkish Embassy? Or is this good turn, just a temporary thing? And will she go back to being the sneaky, snarky, mean-spirited, poor neglected middle sister?
So far, on the truly sneaky and bad side, we have Thomas, who is so bad, I don't see how they could ever redeem him! And O'Brien, who has now turned to good, at least where it concerns Lady Cora - in other matters, she might still be tempted to go bad. And then of course, Lady Edith, who appeared just misunderstood at first, but crossed over into really bad, when she wrote that letter. But, she's possibly still redeemable, so we'll have to wait and see what happens with her!
Also in that category, we have Lady Mary. She definitely delights in courting the impression that she's really bad, deep down. And she was guilty of ruining Edith's chances with the older gentleman, who was planning to propose - but that was only after Edith sent that letter. But in every other way Mary's actions show her to be in the impossibly good category. In all her dealings with Matthew she has been scrupulously honest - despite the fact that it would seemingly be in her best interest to lie at times. But she can't do it. Her actions prove her to be good, even if she courts a slightly more dangerous and rebellious image!
And finally in the "are they good or are they bad?" category we have Isobel Crawley - who at first was the underdog, and seemed as good as good can be - but who more recently has come across as power-obsessed. It will be interesting to see what happens next with her.
Then in the just plain impossibly good category we have the Earl and Countess of Grantham, Lady Sybil, Matthew Crawley, Bates and Anna, William, and several of the other minor cast members. Lots of really good people!
I think the main reason that they were having issues with all the soldiers taking over the home was that the family quarters are in one particular area which also houses the large rooms that they use on a daily basis. It would take them moving to other areas, perhaps further from the kitchen and then the servants moving into regular rooms which may have not been the thing to do back then. I am curious about the overall design (although it is fiction at least here) of the actual house and I did see that they have tours. Guess I may need to plan a trip.
I am also a bit bored with the war scenes and all related to that. I don't want to imply that I don't appreciate the history of it all, the sacrifice that many made to fight for their country, etc. Ultimately, it may just be due to the fact that a lot of my characters stories are not going the way I want them to!
Oh, how I despise Edith. Regardless of what she may do that is good, it always turns to bad. So, I hope that she disappears. Does anyone else think that sometimes the sister dynamic relates closely to "Little Women" sometimes? I can't help but think that every once in a while.
No matter what, I can't stop watching this show. I am very pleased that it received a Golden Globe. Hopefully, it will be around for a long time.
I am also a bit bored with the war scenes and all related to that.
Yes, I can't wait for the war to be over. It's too much of a diversion from the real story.
While I really like Mr. Bates and wish him the best, I am going to grow impatient if he keeps being noble and self-sacrificing. Get rid of that awful wife and marry the sweet Anna already.
Yes, I can't wait for the war to be over. It's too much of a diversion from the real story.
While I really like Mr. Bates and wish him the best, I am going to grow impatient if he keeps being noble and self-sacrificing. Get rid of that awful wife and marry the sweet Anna already.
I wonder if it will turn into another scandal...like does she magically disappear? I doubt there was much that could happen to a lady during that time. Still wonder why he went to prison for her...so hopefully that storyline will emerge. I just hope that they don't get too scandalous that it takes away from how great the first season was. I really do wonder how many questions will be answered before the conclusion of Season 2.
On the one hand, the war is taking over the plot (though it probably would have done for an actual family living in those times,) but on the other, it seems like they're just zipping through the years. There was a two year gap between the end of series one and the beginning of series two, and it seemed like characters like Bates and Anna or O'Brien were just in stasis for that time. Why rush forward so quickly? At this point, the Pamuk affair was five years ago--would it really have enough steam left to be really detrimental to the Downton folk?
We love this show - other programs look like such trash in comparison. I could watch Maggie Smith all day.
Andy Cohen and Sandra Bernhard were discussing it on Watch What Happens Live last night - evidently after Downton Abbey won Best Television Mini-Series at the Golden Globes on Sunday, news surfaced that the creator was in the beginning stages of possibly turning it into a feature film.
So Andy and Sandra were talking about you could put it onscreen now, as is, and it would look great - and I agree!
But the news of a possible feature film is intriguing... Makes me wonder how they would do it? Part of the big appeal of the show is in seeing this very old-fashioned and traditional house full of people, adapt to a rapidly changing world. And as they've already covered the first world war, and they're already taken on the changing role of women in society - is there as much material to mine in the years right after the war? Interesting to think about!
There was a two year gap between the end of series one and the beginning of series two, and it seemed like characters like Bates and Anna or O'Brien were just in stasis for that time.
I too thought it was odd that two years later, Bates and Anna were still acting as though their flirtation was a brand new thing - some of the characters seemed stuck in time, definitely.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fleetiebelle
Why rush forward so quickly? At this point, the Pamuk affair was five years ago--would it really have enough steam left to be really detrimental to the Downton folk?
I have a feeling that a scandal of that type would still be news, five years later - especially as Mary is still not married - so she's still "on the market."
My theory on why they skipped ahead two full years, is because of the war. The war lasted about four years, which isn't very long in reality - but in terms of the show, it's an eternity. So why not skip ahead to the part of the war that would have affected the family and house the most? And then hopefully move on to the end of the war - and the resumption of "normal" life again? I'm all for that!
I've never seen Gosford Park, but the link above indicates it takes place in 1932. I am sort of hoping that we can stick in the teens and early twenties with Downton Abbey for as long as possible! Not only do I love that era, but I want to see this set of characters move through the next few years, and hopefully for some of them, find love and fulfillment. By the early 1930's Mary and Matthew will be considered middle-aged - and I am hoping to see them together, long before then!
That said, the 1930's were a beautiful era as well - and if they can keep the series going that long, I would love it!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
