Downton Abbey - anyone excited?

[turnitup]

Im so ready for a good period drama,

can't wait

Never thought of bumsex,but should have known Mumsnet would

I too wonder what the Trenches will bring .

can i watch this back on itv player ?

You are quite right senua

That's a good point Orlando - O'Brian is apalling. I mean I know Lady Grantham is American but even she should have noticed that.....

O'Brian - that's the one Northernlurker. Looks like she should working on the docks, not advising on hairstyles and hatpins in the big house.

Think Mary's ruined reputation will leave her free to have all kinds of liberated, unladylike adventures in WW1. She'll be stemming the bloodflow in a field hospital by the end of the second series, I reckon.

Orlando I though the same about the lady's maid, my Great Grandmother was one around the turn of the century and I always got the impression that it was quite a "good" job.

Cool, DS! Think it definitely was a good job. My impression is that they were the Edwardian equivalent of Victoria Beckham's stylist, and were employed for their skill with a needle as well as their knowledge of 'society' - what clothes were suitable for different occasions, what went with what and how things could be updated to fit with the season's fashion. And I guess they'd have to have the personal qualities of being nice to be around, discreet and the kind of woman you wouldn't mind seeing you in your undies and dealing with your personal laundry. (Oh and trustworthy to be around all the family jewels.) Can't see how O'Brian even got an interview.

I have just read on BBC website they have commissioned a second series to be aired next year. Hope it covers the 1st World War.

This is all great fun.

Did anyone else think that Evil Thomas's chatup line was WEAK. The Dook must have been a moron or very randy to have fallen for him!

p.s. It's pluperfect, being Hallowe'en silly on another thread.

Another little historical inaccuracy is that before 1924 Turkish people never used surnames so the Turkish man would not have been Kemal Pamuk, he would have just been Kemal Bey (Mr Kemal)

I am really enjoying this series though.

Just watched latest episode on Sky+ and thought some of the lines are getting a bit too modern such as when Bates finds the young maid crying and says "What's up?"
And the idea of saying something before chucking the leg-iron in the lake sounded a bit like therapy-speak.

Still enjoying although really hope Lady Mary doesn't end up with the heir, seems a bit predictable

Anyone finding the commercial breaks too intrusive ?

I've resolved to V+ it and only watch the recordings as they leave out the ads andit flows better.

The typewriter made me giggle because Gwen(?) had apparently been practising but...

a) no-one else had heard the clack clack,clackety clack clack of a manual typewriter?

b) as a maid she had enough time off to spend practicing typing in secret when she shared a room ?

Some of this woolly plot stuff is jolly poor but it's the only big period drama around at the moment and it'll have to do.

Have to agree that O'Brian would never have got a lady's maid job, they were highly prized posts and her ladyship would have been able to pick and choose.

I didn't think of bum sex either! I thought he meant lots of sucky, blowy, licky, licky type stuff . Thinking bum's a bit rough.

Mind you, it'd wipe that sourpuss look of her face.

All the blokes are a bit wet - that's Julian F for you though.

Love the series but don't actually like any of the characters.

"Still enjoying although really hope Lady Mary doesn't end up with the heir,"

Agree-she doesn´t deserve him.

"He´s not one of us".

And I didn´t think he really liked her, & then last week he seemed to be very keen.

I think the youngest daughter would suit him best!

Hmm... my money's still on them ending up together. She'll have a lot of time to repent of her earlier snobbishness and vanity when her reputation is in the gutter, and the sympathy of the viewer will be won when she's covered in blood and Flanders mud...

That's a really interesting point about the surnames Nefret. Am liking all this pooling of MN historical knowledge, and shall put the kettle on while I await email from JF inviting us all to be consultants on next series.

I hope he asks me someone. Tis definately needed!

I hope Lady Sybil gets cracking with the suffrage stuff soon. She's not got long to start breaking windows before the war cuts in and interferes.

I am in Scotland so am having to watch each episode on Catch Up on Virgin so am a few days behind everyone.

I have developed a huge crush on the valet Bates. I think his voice is dreamy!! I will be reading this thread with interest on Sunday night as I usually don't get to catch up until later on in the week.

Will be thinking of you all on Sunday while I avoid watch another bloody Billy Connolly documentary.

Looking forward to tomorrow night!

I don't know why all the publicity for the series (except in The Times) referred to it as an Edwardian country house. It is set in 1912. Edward VII died in 1910. It is pre-War.
I'm several episodes behind already so haven't got really into it yet. I am pleased that the lovely Hugh Bonneville is in it though.

JoBettany, think you'll find I bagged him in September.

Since I'm a kind person, I'm happy to share

Help!! Can someone tell me when the repeat showing is on?

We've got rellies over and I'm also wanting to record Single Father so hoping to record Downton Abbey when it's repeated!

TIA

Looking forward to tonight's instalment!

Have just seen myself quoted in the Sunday Times! Arf!

How so, Sqeaver?

In Culture section, there is a feature on whey the world loves D Abbey, including whole section with comments from MN.

None of them are attributed but my classic piece of intellectual criticism where I said I was looking forward to "hot boy on boy action featuring Liam from Corrie" is quoted, natch.