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Original poster

To be really disturbed and upset about last nights Downton Abbey? SPOILER ALERT

173 replies

CiderBomb · 07/10/2013 09:15

I won't say what happened in case there are people on here who haven't watched it yet, but I was really, really shocked by that one scene in particular and can't get it out of my head this morning. Just when people were saying that they thought it was getting boring they go and throw that in. And a much loved character as well...

I'm not one of these sad people who complains about things on television, especially when they happen after the watershed, but I found that really shocking and it seemed to come from nowhere.

I know it happens all the time in real life, even today, but bloody hell :(

OP posts:
Mrsdavidcaruso · 07/10/2013 09:24

Yes I saw that scene and I wont say what happened. I was shocked as well

pinkdelight · 07/10/2013 09:26

It was a shame as the episode was really quite boring apart from that, as though they thought everyone else can just noodle around waiting for an opera singer with no real story or drama, but it's fine cos we'll stick an xxxxx in just before the end. I think they felt like they were doing the Godfather, cutting between the opera singing and the traumatic thing, but you're right, it wasn't at all in the spirit of Downton. Obviously something had to happen to make Anna and Bates more interesting, but that felt very extreme and out of kilter. If you think how the incident with Mr Pamuk in series 1 was handled, it's like a whole different world.

Seems Viv agrees www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/oct/06/downton-abbey-recap-season-four-episode-three

Mama1980 · 07/10/2013 09:29

Me too. Completely unnecessary I felt. My dd 15 was very upset by it.

Lcbirdy · 07/10/2013 09:41

YANBU. Can't say much more than that, really.

Calloh · 07/10/2013 09:43

Downton is such a nightmare really because at the beginning of each series everyone is on a fairly even keel and you just know that a whole load of torrid awfulness is going to happen to a fairly amiable bunch of people who, each time they think they are sorting themselves out, will be swept back to see again.

Last night though was particularly awful and I am assuming there are going to be a whole load of repercussions, and presumably some sort of result that can happen after that sort of thing? Sorry if sounding weirdly cryptic but trying to not spoil

bootsycollins · 07/10/2013 09:44

It was violent and shocking, I also woke up with it playing on my mind.

OneStepCloser · 07/10/2013 09:44

I agree, but I think that its made worse because its actually badly written. Its a serious storyline and I think that something like that should be written very carefully. Now the backdrop is that Bates and Anna are exceptionaly close and have in the past picked up on each others feelings and what they are going through. Then all of a sudden last night, it would be obvious to anyone that she had not fell but Bates seemed really unconcerned by it really and just stood there looking somewhat cold. So straightaway they`ve changed the characters to fit the story.

If they are going to tackle such a distressing storyline, I just think it should be done with care.

angelfire · 07/10/2013 09:45

I was shocked.
It was shocking.
I watch Downton because it is escapism - another world away from the one where I live - things that I have heard about and read about but have no direct day to day knowledge of - the empire, standards, service, cigars after dinner. Lovely escapism. And then this - this ugly, horrible, screaming, heartbreaking violence.
Horrid
Totally horrid

OneStepCloser · 07/10/2013 09:46

Sorry to sum up, I felt they had played out a very violent scene with such little thought, just to spice it up.

midwifeandmum · 07/10/2013 09:46

I adore downtown but that scene when all u hear is screaming - made me feel upset and sick. I suppose they had to make Anna a bit more interesting

LineRunner · 07/10/2013 09:48

It was shit, wasn't it? Rape as mass entertainment.

I said on the Telly Addict thread I might not watch it again. The comments here have convinced me not to.

Mumsyblouse · 07/10/2013 09:49

Can I suggest that you report your post to MNHQ and ask them to put 'spoilers' and 'triggering' in the title, because I don't think it will be possible to have a full discussion without mentioning what happened and it really is worth discussing.

quoteunquote · 07/10/2013 09:49

I hope that everyone who is upset, will help stop all the cuts to rape support services, which have all been cut to the bone, none existent in many areas now.

Unfortunately rape/sexual assault was and is a common part of life, so is bound to be a part of a period drama that covers such a range of lives.

Tuppenceinred · 07/10/2013 09:50

I agree that the series is badly written. Was already commenting to DP "What's got into Bates?" as they worked away building up his radical change of character. (He has always been completely secure about his relationship). By the end of last night's episode I'd decided to stop watching it, and will find it quite easy to stick to that.

wifey6 · 07/10/2013 09:51

I agree...I found it very distressing & shocking.
I hope the repercussions of this are handled delicately & with care in regards to how they play this out

Scarletskies · 07/10/2013 09:52

I too found it upsetting and unnecessary, I couldn't sleep afterwards. I thought the way it was filmed and minimal amount of time dedicated to the incident itself particularly shocking. Horrible, horrible

Tuppenceinred · 07/10/2013 09:54

Surely anyone with any sense who hasn't watched the episode will avoid a thread that refers to "last night's Downton Abbey"?

Nusatenggara · 07/10/2013 09:54

It was awful, Downton is normally wooden and laughable, that scene was very upsetting.

Original poster
CiderBomb · 07/10/2013 09:56

See, I thought the scene was exceptionally well acted, and we didn't really see all that much, but it's not what I've come to expect from Downton. I think I've always seen it as quite tweet really until now.

OP posts:
midwifeandmum · 07/10/2013 10:02

Well we can all guess what the next major story line with Bates and Anna will be? Anna pregnant and Bates will think its his baby. Until mrs hughs lets it slip

Mumsyblouse · 07/10/2013 10:03

What I didn't like about it was that Anna had to change her personality to fit in with the storyline of her being raped. She was always an exceptionally level-headed and straight-forward person- I felt making her have fun and almost flirt to the annoyance of Bates was victim blaming, or at least a device to make her somewhat vulnerable whereas she would have been vulnerable anyway, even if she had been her usual self and then someone attacked her (which was quite plausible).

She is an amazing actress though, which was why it was so distressing, and her first thought to save her husband was authentic. I just didn't like the build up to it as it wasn't necessary.

kilmuir · 07/10/2013 10:07

I missed bits of it. Why does she need to save her husband

FreakinRexManningDay · 07/10/2013 10:09

I was disappointed in the almost entertainment value of a very sensitive and important thing. It was a brilliant opportunity for bringing XXX into the forefront and how true effects and depth. Instead it felt very surface treading and like it was thrown in at the end.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 07/10/2013 10:09

It was shocking wasn't it ? Sad

I agree in thinking it was well acted by the character Anna though.

As usual the script and characterisation wasn't really well developed enough, for example in the conversation between Mr Bates and Anna - I'm sure he would have shown more concern? So, that was a bit un-realistic

In some ways a good thing to raise awareness of rape and sexual assault ?

Mumsyblouse · 07/10/2013 10:10

Because if she got him and told him, which is what Mrs Hughes wanted to do initially, he would then attack/kill the man concerned. He has already been framed for murder once and her reasoning was that he would hang this time. So, she kept it to herself to save him from doing something he would regret -if that makes sense.