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I agree it was rushed. They could have backed some of it up into the previous episodes, Daisy working her way up to romance, for example. That would have allowed for more scheming and tense dialogue to play out in tonight's episode. I enjoyed Isobel and Violet scheming up to see justice served for Isobel, although I felt sorry for Dr. Clarkson having to announce to the woman he wanted to marry that her love wasn't going to die after all. And we didn't get to find out the details of Bertie's family's skeletons. That's a conversation I wanted to hear, be it from him or preferably his mother. If nothing else, we should have gotten to see Violet's reactions to said skeletons.
Their sense of community really came through in this episode. There were a lot of instances when characters opened up to each other in ways they didn't normally do. Part of this was clearly to help wrap up storylines, but I think it was also done to leave us feeling good about the characters and their fondness for each other, particularly for those characters who previously left it unsaid.
It was a great show, one I enjoyed immensely. I will repeat that I've also really enjoyed this forum. I wish the last episode could have been on a three-day weekend, so I would be off on Monday. I know keyboards will be buzzing tomorrow during the day while I check in on my phone during breaks and lunch.
Yes, I would have liked to find out about Bertie's family's skeletons! I see spinoff material for so many of the characters.
I really enjoy this forum, too and all of the great posts!
Most things wrapped up neatly, or we can see where they're heading. It was a pretty predictable finale. Not too many surprises. The most interesting story was Lord Merton's.
It turns out everybody did wind up with a happy ending, except maybe Carson.
Nice little surprise to see Alastair Bruce as the Banchester Butler.
What was with Atticus' eyebrows?
I couldn't stop looking at Atticus' eyebrows, too! Was that the style back then, for men to have dark eyebrows, but it seemed to be tweezed, too. The eyebrows should have a show of their own. He is a handsome man but those eyebrows detract from the rest of his face. He didn't look like this before because I would remember those EYEBROWS
I don't think Carson is really feeling too bad because he is still the boss of Thomas in a way. The Earl said that Thomas would be the butler but I guess Carson is the managing butler. I can hear him now "Thomas, do it this way" "Thomas, come here" Nothing has really changed too much, except their job titles, but the great thing is Thomas has what he wants: to stay at Downton, which all the people there are like family to him, but Carson and Mrs. Hughes will still be living on the estate and running the big house and that is a good ending for them, too.
The last scene of the camera moving away from Downton Abbey in the evening with the snow all around seemed like a real goodbye for the viewers.
The last scene of the camera moving away from Downton Abbey in the evening with the snow all around seemed like a real goodbye for the viewers.
Yes, they did that well. A very enjoyable finale, overall. I was a teensy bit tearful, as well.
I want the wardrobe and a lady's maid to get in and out - and take care - of those clothes. And those wonderful hats. So many of those costumes could be worn today - if one was very thin and lived in NY/London and similar cosmopolitan cities - and was a very rich lady who lunched.
Oh, well......*sigh*...
I will watch again and again just to admire the clothes.....
and Maggie Smith - "
"Oh, really?? I don't know too many who would threaten me behind the laurel."
Hilarious.....from one of the early episodes I watched last week in the wee hours - and burst out laughing, yet again.
What a treasure.
Last edited by Ariadne22; 03-07-2016 at 01:36 AM..
I want the wardrobe - and a lady's maid to get in and out - and take care - of those clothes. And those wonderful hats. So many of those costumes could be worn today - if onewas very thin and lived in NY/London and similar cosmopolitan cities - and was a very rich lady who lunched.
Oh, well......*sigh*...
I will watch again and again just to admire the clothes.....
and Maggie Smith - "
"Oh, really?? I don't know too many who would threaten me behind the laurel."
Hilarious.....from one of the early episodes I watched last week in the wee hours - and burst out laughing, yet again.
What a treasure.
I think the most beautiful clothes were those of the 1920s when the ladies were released from their corsets and were wearing gorgeous light dresses with shorter hemlines. Grandmama seems stuck in time though wearing those Victorian stiff dresses, even Isobel seems more fashionable and with it.
Well, Isobel is younger than Grandmama by a generation. Although she's Cora's peer, it appears she has more of a bond with Violet. Her interactions with Cora are minimal. The curiousness of that has struck me more than once, although they are both widows, so that would be their common ground.
Well, Isobel is younger than Grandmama by a generation. Although she's Cora's peer, it appears she has more of a bond with Violet. Her interactions with Cora are minimal. The curiousness of that has struck me more than once, although they are both widows, so that would be their common ground.
I actually thought Isobel was closer to Grandmama's age, but you are right Matthew and Mary were about the same age and Violet was the mom of Robert who was old enough to be Mary's dad, so Isobel is Cora's peer. I never realize they were actually a generation apart because they were always closer and had a "girlfriend" like relationship. I can't believe I just realized this! I am planning to watch the whole series again at some point! and have this in context.
Location: Lakewood NJ/Murrells Inlet SC/ N. Naples FL/Swainton NJ
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I wonder how much of direction and ending of the show was written (or conceived) over 6 years ago. I know there have probably been changes to the original plot due to available of cast members, but did Fellows know the end game before the filming of the first episode or was the writing a work-in-progress as the series progressed?
While much of it felt like a Hallmark Channel movie, I'll excuse the overtly "and everyone lived happily ever after" feel of this final episode because in the end, it was quite satisfying to see so many characters finally happy, especially for me Edith, Isobel and Thomas. Loved the way Robert convinced Bertie's mother that she had that one moment before the announcement to set the tone for the rest of her relationship with her son, and how she rose to the occasion. In that moment it could have gone either way. Glad Fellowes took the right path. I don't think I could have borne another thwarted ending for Edith.
I just can't believe that there will be no more eagerly awaited Sunday nights. Sigh.
ETA: Okay, I do have one major beef with the finale. It was ridiculous that the minute Anna's water broke she had to get into Mary's bed and have the baby there. As anyone who has given birth knows, especially with the first one, she had plenty of time to get home. I thought that whole storyline was kind of silly.
Last edited by JAMS14; 03-07-2016 at 08:43 AM..
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for the viewers.
and a lady's maid to get in and out - and take care - of those clothes. And those wonderful hats. So many of those costumes could be worn today - if one was very thin and lived in NY/London and similar cosmopolitan cities - and was a very rich lady who lunched. 
I can't believe I just realized this! I am planning to watch the whole series again at some point!
and have this in context.
