Downton Abbey

[harrietthespook]

Ladies....as we were?

I'll stand in. I'm blonde.

Totally agree with the DVD thing. I can't remember why I bought it after Christmas but DH and I watched it in 3 nights then howled when we found out that series 2 wasn't on until the autumn of this year. I did mention doing myself a kindness and just waiting for the DVd again this time but the temptation was irresistable.

Would round cucumber sandwiches have been served in grand houses in 1918?

No, the cucumber would have been replaced by slices of cabbage made to look like cucumber. Or is that the wrong war /me making it up?

I've just been reading Nancy Mitford and on the strength of that I don't think that the portrayal of Maggie Smith's character is wildly inaccurate. I bet there were lots of eccentric/sarcastic/judgeypantsgossips in the WWI/interwar/WWII period aristo set.

Actually the comedy elements owe a lot to Mitford, I bet Julian Fellowes was rather heavily influenced by her.

Somewhere like Downton Abbey would have had its own glasshouses so they would have been okay for salad vegetables.

But I'm pretty sure the working classes had to make do with powdered cucumber in the Second World War.

Well, it's mostly water anyway...

Did you say the first series spanned over two years? And then we've done another two in this one? Mary is well and truly on the shelf then, she must be what, 26?

But Edith and Sybil are catching up I suppose. Why aren't they worried about Edith getting married? Violet's gone all concerned about Sybil, but not Edith.

I was just wondering if it was necessarily Pamuk the newspaper man was talking about... Admittedly I'm not sure what else it could have been, perhaps he realises she loves Matthew?

Hello Ladies.
Am stockpiling tissues,wine and chocolate for sunday night.
Will self combust if Matthew dies.
I can't stand it!

Nah, definitely Pamuk. He wouldn't care about her fancying Matthew as long as she kept the line.

Someone said on thread mk 1 about making the Georgette Heyer books into a series/film. Yes! Why hasn't it been done already? The Foundling, These Old Shades and Regency Buck would make great TV.

Matthew must not die. He must marry Mary. The end.

apparently (accroding to a long thread a while back) there was a TV movie made of a GH book, which she hated so much that she refused to allow permission for any of her books to be filmed. I'm torn as to whetehr I want them to be filmed, becasue they won't Do It Right and I will Get Cross.

I'm not finding Series 2 of DA as gripping as series 1 though, which is very disappointing. I think it's the disjointedness of it all, and not being able to work out the timescales.

gah to 'powdered cucumber'
and bread and dripping.

crepes suzette are ok though, I'd give Patmore a job

anyone else think it was a bit tenuous O'Brien hearing the 'special cupboard' comment by patmore then grassing her up to Cora, she didnt even seem to hear the whole conversation

The whole bloody thing is tenuous. But strangely addictive.
Imagine if it had been a special cuboard in the mould of special meat from the butcher in The League of Gentlemen.

I thought the whole 'special cupboard' thing was very panto. All Mrs Patmore needed to do was raise her eyebrows and wink at 'special' and 'cupboard'.

I read a biography of GH once and it put me off her books for a while. Such a stuck-up snob! I do like the books though :)

rips oh yes the first thing i thought of was the League of Gentlemen too! Expected whatsisface to skulk in with 'that look'

Bates is exactly like and older British DH, except for the yelling at his wife. That's probably why I love him.

And Anna is not old enough to be his granddaughter!

I´ve found that the only thing I care about is that M&M don´t marry-although I´m sure they will!

So M´s come back injured, Lavinia can´t cope, Sir R gives Mary the heave-ho, Mary nurses Matthew & they fall in love & she´s "worthy" of him as she accepts him in his wounded state.

Thereby proving that she truly loves him & not just DA?

I want them to marry!

But I the thing I care about most is Bates and Anna getting their little hotel and babies.

I am part of the baser American audience, though

Which brings us all full circle to M+M marrying despite Ms manhood being blown off, which, logically means they must adopt slutmaid and moustache's baby and bring it up as the heir to DA.

Like your thinking rips but what if the baby has ginger hair and a moustache? Dead giveaway.....

slutmaid!

diddl your way seems the most logical, but howsabout this then...

clearly ep 5 is about 10mths later, judging age of baby

The Vicar comes round as O'Brien gossiped in the village about sins and unwed gels getting knocked up.
as he is there, he gets chatting to Violet and love blossoms.
Matthew totally paralysed due to spinal injury {sob}
william bravely pulled him out, got his foot shot off- he's a hero. But shellshocked too, starts beating Daisy up. Patmore intervenes and tells him the engagement is off. Daisy heartbroken.
Thomas catches flu, dies. Obrien devastated, admits he was her secret son. She moves in with ethel to bring up her son together.
Mary uncovered for Turk-shagging. Family protect her, she becomes reclusive. Nurses Matthew. lavinia gone in horror of sleazy revelations.
Earl G shoots himself.
Cora ails with the flu; but survives. edith cares for her.
Sybil runs off with Branson, nobody notices.
Mary resigns herself to lonely spinster nurse.,..when Matthews right foot twitches.
Huzzah he is recovering. Mary and he have spring wedding. He gets house. Isobel ousts Cora to the attics. Violet moves into the rectory avec the horny old vicar.
Carson retires, Bates is butler, Moleson is Valet.

or... ...

Anna get scapegoated with the pamuk scandal, earl g gives her thousands of pounds in compensation, she leaves to open her happy little clean hotel, with masterbates.

"Isobel ousts Cora to the attics."

I like that!

I´ve been giving this far too much thought, as I was pondering when Matthew takes over, shouldn´t Isobel, as his mother, live where Violet does.

Although Cora would be the Dowager Countess(?) & Isobel still Mrs Crawley, but of course Cora isn´t Matthew´s mother.

This is why I feel sorry for Isobel.
(I know she´s been a pain lately), but the servants are such snobs regarding her, but she´s the heir´s mother-& as such could be in Violet´s position-presiding over everyone!

Ousts her to the dower house surely?

Poor Sybil running off and no one noticing!