To think that Hugh Bonneville was not the right choice to play Lord Grantham?

[BupcakesandCunting]

He isn't really patrician-looking enough. He seems more like a very posh cuddly bear than a lord. When Downton first came about and I saw Hugh Bonneville was to be involved, I thought he would be playing a butler, like Carson.

I think that Ralph Fiennes or similar would have been better and I think he is the only bit of weak casting in the show. He just doesn't convince me.

Yes they would though squoosh! For one thing, he and bates were friends from serving in the army together, and also a good feudal type lord would have taken an interest in all their servants, would have known their family business etc. it was part of the job. They weren't all like same Violet.

I find it harder to imagine him in any romantic / sexual situation

I agree with perrycombover. And as for that storyline were Lord G was involved with a common serving girl young enough to be his daughter...

Ridiculous. As anybody with even a passing familiarity with Hugh B's real life story would know.

As if Ralph Fiennes would have anything to do with that soapy nonsense.

squoosh I admire Ralph's talent but have you ever seen Maid In Manhattan?

I quite like it though and he probably had a big tax bill to pay

Good point! Maid in Manhattan wasn't obvious Ralph Fiennes material. Big fat cheques must be oh so tempting!

Oh I love Maid in Manhatten

OK, I did say someone like Ralph Fiennes i.e someone a bit more convincing. Not someone who is reminiscent of an Etonian Bungle.

Bupcakes I just snorted diet coke out my nose at 'Etonian Bungle'! That's brilliant! I will never be able to look at him now without thinking that.

Matthew is a drip with goaty eyes and hair the colour of marmalade.

I think the people who fancy him also fancy oddballs like Benedict Cumberbatch and that milksop who was in Birdsong whose name mercifully escapes me atm.

I'll grudgingly admit that at least BC and Dan Stevens can act a bit.

Etonian Bungle is very good.

Thanks PiffPaff He is though, isn't he?

Matthew DOES have goaty eyes although he did grow up me in series 2. I think they did something to sex him up a bit although I can't work out what.

I do fancy Cumberbatch and weirdly Eddie Redmayne

grow up me

Grow up your what? I don't really want an answer

LOL at my awful, awful typo. What a twat.

'grow up me'

Matthew Crawley would be appalled at such vulgarity and take refuge in his Mummy's skirts!

I quite fancy Eddie Redmayne.
I'm a bit 'meh' about Cumberbatch although like him very much as an actor.

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Matthew Crawley is way down here.

I see Matthew as a new man about to embrace the racy jazz baby age.

He'd be telling Lady Mary he wanted to grow up her, I'm sure.

Besides, after his war wound his doctor would recommend it as valuable physiotherapy.

Hugh Bonneville is sexy! He's exactly my type, even after the injunction

Totally agree.

He looks like a cross between Dr Snuggles and Teddy Ruxpin in a waistcoat and he can't carry off pulling stern faces with any degree of convinving-ness.

Should have gone to Jeremy Irons

yanbu

it is itv after all

I've seen Hugh without his shirt on. It's okay, my husband was there.

Actually, it's not okay. I really wish men under the delusion that they have great bodies didn't prove the contrary so often.

Teddy Ruxpin. Yes!!

I like Jeremy Irons a lot in The Borgias. I think it's wise of him to keep his nighty on all the time, though.

But he's not SUPPOSED to be a typical Edwardian aristocrat. A typical Edwardian aristocrat would probably have divorced Cora for not having boys and shagged anything that moved. He wouldn't have got all guilty about snogging a housemaid.

But he would have frowned, Bertie, just occasionally, like when he thinks his wife is about to die from whatever-it-was, without it appearing like a team of gerbils are running alongside his feet pulling strings to tug his eyebrows down a bit. He honestly has the facial expressions of a poorly executed mechanical bear.

I think he's convincing enough for the role. I liked him best playing Henleigh Grandcourt in Daniel Deronda.

Though I'm not a particular fan of his, would add.

Hmmm, I don't have a problem with the character (not a typical aristocrat) I just have a problem with Bungle playing it. He would have been much better suited as Carson.

What about Nigel Havers, the rent-a-posho? He would have been good. Looks lordly but has a cheeky way about him.

Did you just drool at the thought of Nigel Havers???

As in Nigel.Havers?

I never got on to the likeness between him and Paul Burrell but now you come to mention it I totally get it.