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They showed Mathews and Barrow in relatively tiny, low rent WW I sets. If they have Tom in Boston then they have to build sets to represent Boston and hire a bunch of American actors to portray Bostonians. All that costs money. They already have an unusually large cast of regulars, and they have a limited budget. The steeple chase scene probably ate up most of this season's discretionary funds.
Downton Abbey has great production values compared to "Upstairs-Downstairs" which if you watch it today will leave you feeling claustrophobic, the same effect you get from the earliest "Dr. Who" episodes or "The Avengers" in the Honor Blackman days. My feeling is that they are already giving us maximum budgeting and aren't looking for ways to make it more costly.
Seems to me the Prince is about 25 years younger than Violet. Anybody know for sure?
In a perfect world Tom will marry Mary or Edith and stay at DA but doubt it will happen.
Mrs. Crowley should marry the doctor. They have much more in common.
And I doubt very seriously if the police officer would have been as impertinent and rude in front of Lord Granthan and Lady Mary. Remember the classes were very much separated and some decorum would still be necessary.
Oh, but that's the whole theme of the show: the changing times.
I hope Edith doesn't remain a sad sack up to the end; yes, she has Marigold now but I still noticed a rather hurt-puppy look about her (though realistically that wouldn't vanish overnight after a lifetime) and hope her life will develop in some way.
In just that brief glimpse of Edith at the magazine office, when Cora and Rosamond were looking for her, she seemed like she had slipped into the business quite well.
My mother was a middle child, not the favorite of either parent, and her older sister was prettier. My mother grew up to be less shallow than either her mother or her sister; and in her mid twenties moved several states away, from the midwest to the East, to be more on her own, though she always remained loyal and loving to her family. She had a longer, and happier, life than her sister. If she had been born to Edith's position in the Crawley family, I doubt she would have hung around Downton as long; she'd have enjoyed life in London, though she would not have had an affair with any married man, even one married to an insane woman.
Edith definitely needs to get away from Downton, at least for part of the year. Mary will be the favored princess of the estate for as long as she lives, or at least until little George grows up and marries (if he survives to father a male heir himself, and if the family can maintain Downton), and Edith doesn't need to stay there in her shadow.
I would imagine that the final season (isn't Season 6 supposed to be the last) will end with Violet's death and/or Mary's second marriage, and a resolution of at least some of the plotlines: Bates and Anna will leave Downton to set up an inn and have a child; Daisy will either take over as Downton financial agent (which would be far-fetched unless several more years pass) or end up happily in London; Carson will at least kiss Mrs. Hughes, Edith will have a busy and fulfilling life in London running the publishing company and raising Marigold. Maybe Robert and Cora will take a second honeymoon in Paris or Spain or New York or something. Not sure what will happen to Barrow...
I imagine the final season will be just like that, except I think Daisy is going to get as far away from Downton as possible. Maybe she'll even take Mrs. Patmore with her.
I thoroughly enjoyed the show also - and I'm kind of hoping that Violet will allow herself to become involved with the Russian gentleman. Since he showed up so unexpectedly - she could have easily made an excuse not to see him but she made herself presentable quite quickly - and I think they make quite a handsome pair. I kind of feel like she is waiting around to see what Isobel will do with Lord Merton - I don't think she wants either of them to be lonely old ladies. They have become friends instead of the rivals they initially were. If Isobel marries "him" I will be so disappointed in her - he did not defend her at all and hasn't apparently made any effort to contact her since that dinner that evening. I suspect his sons and their surly attitude are the reason Lord Merton is still available - they make it impossible for any woman to become part of the family. I am impressed with how Rose seems to have matured and I hope she will be happy in her new marriage. Her mother is despicable and I think Rose should know it was her mother who tried to derail her marriage - Shrimpie does seem like a nice man. Why on earth would she leave him? When Mr. Mosely and Miss Baxter and Daisy were walking in the park and they saw and heard Rose yelling at Atticus (wow - he's a cutie!!) - and Miss Baxter made a comment to the effect that women didn't usually do that until they had a ring on their finger - Mr. Mosely asked her if she would like to have a ring on her finger.....I'm wondering when he'll ask her. Clearly, he's smitten, she is attractive and I think he has accepted her past since she explained it to him. Soon, there won't be any single folks at DA!!! I have felt this season has not been as "enthralling" as previous ones - and I can't figure out why. Part of it for me anyway is the repetition of the whole "Bates did it" underlying theme, and then Edith's perpetual pity party and Mary reverting to her snarky personality. I thought motherhood and losing Matthew might have mellowed her a bit - and made her perhaps softer and more tender, but I find her as abrasive and manipulative as ever. Next week is the last show of the season - must wait 11 long months for more - it seems intolerable....but I do look forward to it so much. I do think British TV is in many ways much, much better than most of what is available here in the US - more period pieces and dramas that you can really get into.
Yes, but the Brits are skimpy with the kind of vulgar language, fiery explosions and mass murder that make American TV dramas so piquant, and provide such exemplary models for our youth.
I'm glad they told what happened to the "traitor" Miss O'Brien and why she didn't come back with Lady Flintshire. Lady Flintshire's hair did look better than it did on Scotland after having had Miss O'Brien as her maid..
Interesting that Violet didn't immediately turn down the Prince's indecent proposal. Very surprising that she would consider becoming the lover of a man whose wife is not known to be dead. Indeed, the lover of anyone. But why not? "Did you want more children?"
They don't seem to be in need of a new footman, but I wonder if we'll see Andy again. He did say this job was the first step to becoming a footman. He maybe could replace Jimmy as Thomas' platonic friend. I hope he didn't show up just for the drunk Dinker storyline.
Baxter: "You're never safe until the ring is on your finger."
Molesley: "Do you want to be safe, Miss Baxter?"
Baxter: "I might."
Molesley smiles.
When Atticus showed the pictures to Lord Sinderby, why did he lock them in his desk? And why did Atticus let him?
This is the second time we've seen Grantham House. Interesting that they're so rich that they can afford to have this big house in London that sits idol most of the time, especially since most of them stay at Rosamond's when they come to London.
Susan: "Am I expected to be a good loser?"
Violet: "It's too late for that, my dear. Far too late."
It looks like Isobel plans to put up a fight for Dickie. Her sons-in-law certainly won't make her life easy.
So now that Rose is married she'll be leaving Downton. Tom is planning to take Sybbie to Massachusetts after Christmas. Tom advises Edith to take an interest in her publishing and get involved in her business. That would require her to spend more time in London. Daisy isn't going anywhere, at least not until she's passed her exams. (If Mrs. Patmore marries Mr. Mason, they all could be together on the farm!) You wonder if there'll be anyne left after the final episode next week.
As Robert said in the preview, "You never know what's coming, do you?"
I imagine the final season will be just like that, except I think Daisy is going to get as far away from Downton as possible. Maybe she'll even take Mrs. Patmore with her.
Oh, but that's the whole theme of the show: the changing times.
The times are changing quickly, especially during that time - I noticed that the dresses the ladies wore to the cafe (tea shop? when they saw Atticus' pics) were dresses that could be worn today to a garden party. No more Victorian corsets, laces, etc. The clothing in a few years has modernized - everything is light and rather short even, showing a lot of skin. The 1920s were really a time of liberation for women.
I noticed Rose's blue necklace (like three blue gems) - she wore it last week, too during a party. I thought that necklace was very nice. They have a line of Downton Abbey jewelry, too for sale at major dept. stores. The show even has an influence on today's fashion!
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