Page 23 | Downton Abbey part 4 we want to know more

LadyHarrietDeSpook · 30/12/2011 01:10

" I came across MN because of the good impression I got of it as a result of the hacking scandals - of personal interest as people I know are involved. I was immediately impressed because of the much more civilised and polite standard of discussion as compared with the male-dominated forums I am used to. How refreshing to read posts not littered with obscenities, comparatively free of bigotry and hatred etc.etc.

You should read the first two DA threads if you think this. What male dominated forums do you mean, also? We might go and have a gander at them.

CheerfulYank · 30/12/2011 02:19

I love BranSyb.

A lot.

And I don't want them to stay in Ireland forever.

Because I love them.

A lot.

diddl · 30/12/2011 07:13

I also don´t remember the "heir" admitting anything.

Just that he´d left as he was pissed off at not being believed.
Which of course doesnt mean that he was the heir.

But Edith said she would look for someone who would prove it.

So I guess if he was the heir he would have stayed?

Anyway, yay for the dreary twosome, now can they clear off & give someone else a storyline!

Shame Sir R had to be a badun though!

(Hard to believe he would have been so clueless & rude about the way an Earl ran his household tbh.)

tribpot · 30/12/2011 08:11

diddl, I'm not sure it was a coincidence that the newspaper owner was a crass oaf unused to moving in circles above his station . His comments about Lord 6 would have made more sense if he'd been allowed to point out that the way Downton is run bears no resemblance to the typical aristo house of the period, rather than just coming across as a miserable old git.

The heir storyline didn't make a lot of sense, I get the impression important scenes must have been cut (to make way for the adverts?) but I think the conclusion was he was an impostor.

fluffytowels · 30/12/2011 08:32

On the imposter. In the episode he was in, he and Edith laughed about their awful Governess, and how they used to tease her or something. Edith didn't remember. Then later, Mary mentioned the governess and how Patrick used to hide from her as he was so scared.

Edith furrowed her brow as if it was now clear that he had been told about the Governess but wasn't actually there.

This was never said out loud.

And then he was gone. I was convinced a scene had been cut or i had mysteriously fallen asleep for 4 minutes.

limitedperiodonly · 30/12/2011 09:18

fluffy what an excellent idea for Edith to become a fascist. She could go off to fight in the Spanish Civil War for the wrong side - I know I've nicked that idea but that never bothers Julian Fellowes.

Bossy I think there's more mileage in Sir One-Armed Bandit too. He could join Edith at the Fuhrer's feet (obviousy she'll have to survive Spain).

He could recover feeling in his arm so it would shoot up uncontrollably like Dr Strangelove's. It was be a pleasing echo of the moments when Matthew felt stirrings from the depths of his wheelchair.

They could re-run the Brides in the Bath story for Bates. Sinister bugger.

FrankH · 30/12/2011 12:00

LadyHarrietDeSpook Thanks for the welcome. I apologise to all on this forum for not being Dan Stevens. "Ghost of Pamuk" - nice idea, perhaps I should have chosen this as a nickname!

For obscenity-filled male-dominated forums, go to any "fan" forum for any big football team. Or indeed any forum connected with sports (other than gymnastics, synchro.swimming etc.). Rugby forums tend to seem more upclass, but there's the same macho posturing - obscenity, bigotry etc.etc. Of course there are posters who don't go in for this sort of thing, but they're in a distinct minority. BTW, the obscenity is not even interesting, it's merely the mindless use of sexually orientated words as expletives, insults etc.etc.

Looking back at my last post - posted very late at night - it reads to me now as long-winded pomposity, for which I apologise. I sometimes preach in Church, but my sermons sound nothing like that - I hope!

Anna - certainly much more could and should be made of her.

CheerfulYank Sorry about BranSyb - I shall try to reform my opinion of them if they appear again perish in the Irish civil war.

FrankH · 30/12/2011 12:14

I too don't remember the business about the heir/imposter being finally resolved.

Perhaps the theme is a sleeper waiting to be reactivated at a convenient (or inconvenient) time?

Possibilities: He is proved genuine. Edith has a choice, Strallan or the future Lord G.

Edith chooses Patrick and eventually becomes Lady G.

Meanwhile what has become of Mary and Matthew?

Great possibilities for development: themes of sibling rivalry leading to "sins of the fathers (and mothers)" being visited on future generations, resentment/hatred or reconciliation/love, class distinctions/rise/fall etc.etc.

This could be taken right up to the 21st century.

tribpot · 30/12/2011 12:15

I don't think even Fellowes can run through the 16 years to the Civil War in the blink of an eye, although it would give Baby Bransyb the chance to go and fight on the other side, maybe.

I think it'd be nice if Mary and Matthew did go to the US for a bit for a change of scene, but fear the Exoneration of Bates may take all series. Mind you, if Sir Rotter goes through with his plan to expose Mary for the Pamuk-shagger that she is (thought Lord 6 was a tad too sanguine about that revelation) they may need to get away for a bit.

diddl · 30/12/2011 12:20

I love the idea of Edith becoming Lady/Countess Grantham.

Just don´t like Mary at all.

So, she "jilts" Matthew, takes up with someone else, kisses Matthew whilst they are both engaged, isn´t a virgin & yet still hooks Matthew-and he´s the heir to oot!

Why does she get all that?

NanBullensBlingtasticBaubles · 30/12/2011 13:37

I bet they revisit the whole heir supposedly dies on the titanic thing in flashback next year because its the 100 year anniversary of the disaster. And it's all resolved.

Possibly

tribpot · 30/12/2011 13:40

Plus of course JF has a major new drama about said Titanic coming out - will there be a cross-over in a Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice stylee I wonder?! (Bit difficult to sustain given they are in different periods of time!)

Would be interesting to see Matthew disinherited and Mary having to live as a solicitor's wife - Syb could give her tips on managing on a budget. Hee hee.

limitedperiodonly · 30/12/2011 14:20

Yes trib I was getting my decades muddled up. We could have a General Strike story though. Bet that toady Carson would be a class traitor. Not so sure about Mr Bates. He could yet redeem himself in my eyes.

I read an interview with JF the other day where he said his Titanic would focus on the passengers in 2nd class because their stories were fascinating and needed to be told.

Nothing to do with the fact that James Cameron has already wrung everything out of the constipated millionaires in 1st and the cheery Oirish folk in Steerage.

anonacfr · 30/12/2011 21:59

Ah but Mary is still technically a virgin, isn't she?

Re the fake heir I clearly remember a conversation he had with Edith where he effectively admitted being the 'other guy'. This is hazy but they mention an acquaintance of Patrick, possibly a business partner of some kind whose name fake Patrick gave whilst in the throes of his fake insomnia after the rescue?

tribpot · 30/12/2011 22:04

I think there was quite a lot of speculation on the previous thread about what kind of naughties Pamuk had been getting up to with Mary when he carked it. But the consensus was yes, she was still a virgin.

Hopefully someone with the series on DVD can shed some light on the exact sequence of events around the not-Patrick, it did seem very complicated and unfinished at the time.

LadyHarrietDeSpook · 31/12/2011 04:37

Well, there was nothing about the imposter in the 'deleted scenes' section from series 2 that was floating around. I cut and pasted it a while back but I can't remember where I got it from. Although I agree it was one of the story lines that would have benefited from further development - or being cut entirely, more likely. I got the feeling that the guy was kinda admitting he was the friend, but it wasn't so terribly conclusive. In typical JF fashion, he left the door open for himself...

I will be really annoyed if JF just doesn't just let Mary and Matthew get on with it now. Whatever you think of them as a couple it is time to move on to other things. More twists in the tale at this point would be well overdone and a total bore.

I do hope series 3 isn't all twists and turns in the Bates saga.

Original poster

ThePsychicSatsuma · 31/12/2011 23:13

weell i didnt really care about dirty nigel havers being shoehorned in as a beau for moneypenny...

loved the ending,

wish Bates would swing, boring fecker.

Happy new year downtonions, am squiffy X

OP posts:

LadyHarrietDeSpook · 01/01/2012 15:50

well arrived back in Blighty and have SEEN IT.

Fabulous. Just the right amount of intrigue etc w/o being ridiculous!!! Just the right amount of emotion. Lurved it.

Patmore was hilarious with the ouija board spelling out: Go to the Farm. I love Daisy and Patmore.

Well done Edith going to Strallan as well.

THe fight club was slightly embarrassing though. Rotter made all that stuff up about Lavinia having a word with him I'll bet -just a matty wind up.

I'm not sure I can bear a whole nine odd months w/o Violet's oneliners.

Happy New Year all!

LadyHarrietDeSpook · 01/01/2012 15:55

I forgot to add: Murray is about as good a lawyer as Clarkson is a doctor.

Bates would be in safer hands with the Dowager Countess cross examining the prosecution's witnesses.

MustControlFistOfDeath · 02/01/2012 23:46

Thought I was going to have to wait until I got back to the UK in 3 weeks time to watch it......Imagine my joy at finding it on youtube tonight!!!

Oh happy happy me!

TheSecondComing · 02/01/2012 23:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ScatterChristmasCheer · 04/01/2012 17:57

Finally have internet back and can come and tell you all I really enjoyed the Christmas special. I'm really excited about next series!

Right, I'll go and read the rest of the thread now.

Dozer · 04/01/2012 23:00

Loved the proposal scene in the snow, aaaaah!

Glad no horrid chauffeur, bet he turns even more controlling when the baby arrives.

ScatterChristmasCheer · 05/01/2012 00:51

Yes, Matthew and Mary can settle down and stop being the main storyline (being fair, it was only one story, it just repeated several times).

I want Edith to do more, hopefully marrying Strallen, but it's going to be very obvious she isn't 10 years older than in series one!

I am a happy bunny, because I was given the book and calendar (gorgeous photos) for my birthday, and the DVD of series one for Christmas. People may think I'm obsessed...

Fiderer · 05/01/2012 10:10

I watched the special again last night. Great fun as you can take in more details when you know what happens next.
I wondered how the prosecution knew that Mrs Hughes had overheard Bates and Mrs B. Surely she'd have been asked what they were talking about and what led up to his calling her a bitch. And that was Mrs B threatening to Tell All. As they were all so scrupulous about telling the truth, she wouldn't have said she didn't know as she went and told Carson All.

As for the All - would it have still been such a scandal as it happened about 5 years previously? I hope it's not a big plot thingy in S3, now that M&M are together. It was getting a bit like the ongoing Daisy & William saga. I really liked the way that ended with Daisy and Mr Mason.

Scatter - at the airport coming back I was giving my 3 the "We are not going back to the DVD shop to buy some rubbish DVD just because it's been reduced to 5 pounds" when DD piped up,"Mum, they've got Downton Abbey" (at 20 pounds) About 15 seconds later I was at the till.