Downton Abbey--Upstairs/Downstairs, Stiff Upper Lips, and Tea!

[my little pony]

won't humiliating Mary stigmatize the whole family, hurting Edith's already not so hot chances of marrying well?

[PRlady]

won't humiliating Mary stigmatize the whole family, hurting Edith's already not so hot chances of marrying well?

When you're pissed off at always being the ugly nobody, you don't think that way. Maybe Edith thinks her chances of any marriage at all, living in Mary's shadow, are minimal, and if Mary is consigned to Scarlet Womanness she'll have a shot.

Edith is turning out to be a lot less sympathetic, and Mary more so, than I would originally have thought.

And the comic relief of the Dowager Countess vs. Matthew's mom is hilarious.

[my little pony]

When you're pissed off at always being the ugly nobody, you don't think that way. Maybe Edith thinks her chances of any marriage at all, living in Mary's shadow, are minimal, and if Mary is consigned to Scarlet Womanness she'll have a shot.

considering they have to give all of their money to Matthew and Edith has a face like a bottle opener, I still say no shot

If I were Matthew, I'd make a play for Sybil, she's so so so so pretty

[Fergus]

If I were Matthew, I'd make a play for Sybil, she's so so so so pretty

And she looks 1/2 way decent in harem pants.

[Wyliefan]

Was I the only one who was over those pants? The color was pretty and all, but she looked like she was about to join the circus.

[vesperholly]

I watched the entire British cut of the series (7 episodes of an hour each) and I LOVED it. Ooh you think it's dramatic now, just wait

Maggie Smith is at her hilarious best in these kinds of roles. The scene where she sat down in the swivel chair: "What is this thing I am sitting on?!"

My only complaint is that things go a bit too fast for me. The series ends up covering two years and ends with

Spoiler

England declaring war on Germany.

I can't help but feel like we missed a great deal of interesting drama.

[Carmen Ovsiannikov]

considering they have to give all of their money to Matthew and Edith has a face like a bottle opener, I still say no shot

If I were Matthew, I'd make a play for Sybil, she's so so so so pretty

Poor Edith. Before she ratted her sister out I actually kind of felt bad for her because she clearly knows she is no prize and Mary at times seems to enjoy pointing that out to her when they are having their disagreements.

ITA about Sybil. She is my favorite of the sisters. I was hoping that Matthew and Sybil would end up together as well but I get the feeling it will be Mary.

[Wyliefan]

I'm still not liking Mary much. I feel sorry for her, being in such a tough position, but she's a bit of a brat.

In a way this story reminds me a bit of Fiddler on the Roof, with the three girls revolutionizing the family and turning Dad's life upside down! And Sybil taking up with a socialist just like what's-her-name -- Hodel, I think?

[Artemis@BC]

Is this the period drama that was on PBS saturday night? I did not catch the name of the series but there was a brother and sister fighting because he had ran away and left the sister with a cruel demanding father and had suddenly returned after his death. If this was what I was watching I absolutely loved it!

That sound like it might have been Lark Rise to Candleford, which is currently in repeats on PBS Saturday nights. I'm not watching right now because they're repeats, so can't say if that particular storyline sounds familiar, but regardless it's a great series. Chronologically, though, set a few decades earlier than Downton Abbey.

I developed a bit of a crush on Brendan Coyle, who plays Robert Timmins, the father of the protatonist Laura in Lark Rise ... so was delighted to see him reappear in Downton Abbey. Which I am also loving, soapyness and all. I do agree it's a bit of a stretch to call it "Masterpiece Classic," but I'm certainly not going to let that interfere with my enjoyment of it!

I'm a little confused as to why we're only getting 4 episodes right now, though. When it aired in the UK there were 7 episodes in the first season, ending in 1914 with the beginning of WWI (oops, sorry, spoiler alert!). I hope we won't have to wait too long to see the rest of the season.

[Artemis@BC]

I'm still not liking Mary much. I feel sorry for her, being in such a tough position, but she's a bit of a brat.

I'm not liking her either, and if I had one complaint about the series it would be how many unlikables there are. Mary, Edith, O'Brian, Thomas ... and really, we'd hate the Dowager too if it were anyone other than Maggie Smith. But I guess that's what makes for "good TV" in the 21st century.

[my little pony]

we'd hate the Dowager too if it were anyone other than Maggie Smith. But I guess that's what makes for "good TV" in the 21st century.

even after she gave the prize to Mr Mosely? why, her heart grew three sizes that day!

[emason]

I'm a little confused as to why we're only getting 4 episodes right now, though. When it aired in the UK there were 7 episodes in the first season, ending in 1914 with the beginning of WWI (oops, sorry, spoiler alert!). I hope we won't have to wait too long to see the rest of the season.

This is the whole season, but with some cuts I think, and shoe-horned into the Masterpiece time slot of 1.5 hours per episode.

[Wyliefan]

even after she gave the prize to Mr Mosely? why, her heart grew three sizes that day!

Yes, the Dowager is acerbic, but she still has her good side (and, of course, she's Maggie Smith! ). On the whole I'm liking the older folks much better than the younger ones.

[my little pony]

i wish i had a better grasp of their names, i need a gant chart

but to nice blonde maid telling bates she loved him

[PRlady]

Was I the only one who was over those pants? The color was pretty and all, but she looked like she was about to join the circus.

Or go ice dancing.

Mary's prettier than Sybil but if Sybil is going to run off with the socialist chaffeur, of course she will be my favorite character.

[my little pony]

really? i think mary is pretty but i think sybil is much more beautiful, she needs more camera time

[skatingfan5]

I'm not liking her either, and if I had one complaint about the series it would be how many unlikables there are. Mary, Edith, O'Brian, Thomas ... and really, we'd hate the Dowager too if it were anyone other than Maggie Smith. But I guess that's what makes for "good TV" in the 21st century.

If everyone was all nice and sweet and well-intentioned, it wouldn't make for very much drama. Dickens had quite a few "unlikeables" in his novels, which many considered "good fiction" in the 19th century.

The "nasty" characters provide a source of conflict for the "good guys". I suppose they could have just had one designated "villain" whom everyone would have to battle and the audience could all hiss and boo whenever he/she appeared. As it is, I think that the good ones by far outnumber the nasty or unlikeable characters on Downton Abbey which gives me hope that there will be at least a couple of moderately "good endings" in the resolution of the plot lines.

[skatingfan5]

i wish i had a better grasp of their names, i need a gant chart

Here's the Downton Abbey wiki -- that should help a bit with the names, etc.

[Wyliefan]

Or go ice dancing.

Mmm, maybe, but she'd have to get them taken in a bit. The legs were so balloony, her partner would be sure to catch a blade in them and go down.

If everyone was all nice and sweet and well-intentioned, it wouldn't make for very much drama.

True enough. But when you can see that you're clearly supposed to be rooting for Matthew + Mary, it would be nice if you could actually bring yourself to root for them!

[skatingfan5]

True enough. But when you can see that you're clearly supposed to be rooting for Matthew + Mary, it would be nice if you could actually bring yourself to root for them!

I think that some of us can. I concede that it's likely more of a problem for others, though. I never could bring myself to "root" for Fanny Price in Mansfield Park, myself. Sorry, Jane, I really couldn't.