Downton Abbey part 4 we want to know more

[ThePsychicSatsuma]

I still need to talk about it.

fiderer I don't believe they'd be able to print the scandal. How could they prove it. Slightly libellous, impugning the virtue of a posh young gel.

The thing is that "society" knows about the scandal due to Edith anyway.

Hence why Mary had only had an offer from Sir R-no one else wants her.

And tbh I´m really surprised that Matthew does just 6months (?) after declaring that they deserved to be unhappy because of what they had done to Lavinia.

I was hoping that Matthew would reject her.

Yep, well seems he hasn't.

Now, let's all move on and hope Edith gets her man too.

I lost a post.

Fiderer, I thought it was curious too about how they would know that Anna and Mrs Hughes specifically had overheard...but Murray was totally clueless why they were called. Also that Bates didn't ahve time to appeal automatically - it seemed like Fatty/Murray's contacts helped him but that it wasn't usual for everyone to get a chance to write to the home secretary. Interesting.

If you overhear, isn´t that hearsay as you are reporting another conversation that you weren´t a part of?

Well, titled & monied & they still can´t hire a decent lawyer or be seen by a decent Dr!

"Now, let's all move on"

Yes mam!

(missed post saying that M&M can no longer be discussed)

Diddl I just can't bear it anymore. I was so excited that Strallan was actually in the episode and it seemed like it was going to get going with Edith. The M&M will t hey or won't they thing is DEAD. THere are actually other interesting characters and storylines JF could pursue.

Oh I agree it´s gone on long enough, just didn´t seem feasible to me that he would want her when he found out about Pamuk.

But perhaps now they can both clear off to America for a while.

Yes it would be great to focus on Edith now that the others are "settled", but not another will they won´t they like with M&M.

But then once the girls are married-then what for a storyline?

I think the whole thing can´t go on much longer-or maybe I don´t have enough imagination

Agree Edith needs a bit more plot. I hoped the Strallan thing would lead to something too. Edith must also have been tainted (and known she would be) by the Pamuk scandal though, one reason I found it odd that she wrote to the ambassador. She must also have known that Sybil's chances of a suitable marriage would have been equally affected.

Away from the girls, next series has to have a Bates resolution at some point. I still think Mrs B was too selfish a bitch to kill herself, even if she hoped to pin it on Bates. She was bound to have some scheme planned. So who killed her and how does it come out?

There's plenty to discuss!

Anyway, JF can bring a whole load of crazy American relations over to stir things up. Maybe he was even hinting at that by telling Mary to go over and bring back a "middle western cowboy." Maybe that Granny she was going to stay with will come over - hey, for the weddings!! (Still hoping Edith is settled too...)

But who would they get to play Cora's mum??? Who's a match for Violet? See - once we get going with our ideas?

Downton is massive in the states, might as well monetize that fan base!!!

I'd like to see the wedding, but then they can move aside I think.

Cora's mother would be fairly pushy I would imagine, to get her across and into the season etc. Could be fun with Violet.

My mum insists that Bates is guilty, but still likes him!

Now that M&M are together and the "willtheywon'tthey" over (no last-minute jitters PLEASE) I reckon M&M could form a Bates-saving detective agency. The DADA (!)
Matthew has the legal know-how (gleaned from conveyancing in Ripon and Manchester) and Mary the brains and drive, fond as she is of Anna.

Am now wondering if Sir Rotter didn't employ some low-life to do Mrs B in, just in case she wasn't sufficiently cowed by the legal stuff re her story.

Or she was blackmailing her landlady. Who had her own stash of poison.

The M&Ms DETECTIVE AGENCY.

Good thought.

Prefer M&Ms to M&M.

I still wonder it the heir-or-imposter Patrick hasn't an important part to play - it wasn't tied up at all satisfactorily.

I agree that M & M really can't be spun out more as a "will they/won't they" as it will become a complete bore.

However I hope that we haven't seen the last of Mary as I, as a heterosexual male albeit an aged one, find her the most aesthetically satisfying of the Downton ladies by quite a margin.

Sending M & M to the USA might be a good idea, as it would surely increase the already huge American love for DA.

As has been pointed out, the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster might point to the resurrection of the Patrick theme.

Not having DNA tests available, any resolution of the matter would probably leave a measure of doubt (the identity of the supposed Russian Princess Anastasia was only finally established once DNA tests were done). This leaves rich possibilities for future inter-sibling and inter-family line tensions, if Edith were to marry Patrick as official "heir" to Lord G.

Julian Fellowes has claimed that he is shown not to be a snob because in DA the downstairs characters are as important as the upstairs ones. I disagree. They may be given equal screen time, but the main emotional weight is still with the toffs.

I hope that JF is not tempted to spin out the Bates-Anna saga ad infinitum, in order to make a point.

I also think that there will be more of the Patrick thing.

Wasn´t Edith going to look for a friend of his?

Am I the only one who thinks that Laura Carmichael is more attractive than Michelle Dockery?

I find Michelle very masculine looking.

Big plotty bit of S1 & S2 was the heir thing which has been resolved. Don't think JF will annoy us with more on/off M&M, that's why I think they'll be involved in the Bates clearing. The odd tiff between them is prob unavoidable but the major story is done (I hope).

Lord 6 and Cora have had their rift.

Sybil can return with her Fenian and cause upset with her Forward Ways if Branson (CheerfulYank look away now) gets killed in the war in Ireland.

Edith can keep pursuing Strallan. Daisy can be promoted to UnderUnderCook. Thomas can carry on being vile.

But what else? What's the new big plotty bit?

Has the heir thing actually been fully resolved?

Re Michelle - if she is very masculine, I may be an incipient gay!

LadyHarrietdeSpook wondered if I might be the "Ghost of Pamuk". Thinking of it, what better way to die than in Michelle's arms!

Incidentally, I hope we see a bit of character development with regard to Thomas.

Perhaps he will have a "Damascus road experience", and become the nicest person in DA.

Yes re heir. It was annoying how the story fizzled out but otoh it left it open for him to return. Murray the Wonder Lawyer was supposedly looking into the matter but we never found out what he discovered.

I think he was a wrong 'un. For one thing he said when he first saw Edith (again) "Yes, Lady EC, second daughter of the house" or similar which is a very odd way to address and refer to someone you'd grown up with and been so close to.

As for Thomas, O'Brien has mellowed a lot since her bout of guilt over the soap and I think there may be more drama in their diverging ways than in their shared skulduggery.

In the extra video-y bits that are on this thread somewhere (I'll look in a moment) Patrick's mentioned, and it sounds like it was a false claim.

I don't know what the next big storyline could be either. Maybe somebody (niece of Cora's perhaps?) could be sent over as a ward and scandalise everyone with her American ways?

I think all three girls are pretty, although some of the dresses in the Christmas episode weren't terribly flattering. I apparently have similar eyebrows to Michelle

De;eted scenes from this series here.

Actually, a nephew (or male second cousin or something) would be better really wouldn't it? They could try and marry Edith off to him, while she tries to persuade Strallen she loves him.

Frank
I think you should change your MN name to Kamal the Turkish Ambassador.

DOOOO it.

Do you not think Sybil is the prettiest? What did you reckon to Lav? DH liked Lav the best.

How long is it to wait now? Still nine months to series 3....

Sybil is the prettiest and I love her voice. I wonder if it's natural or she practised it - or nurtures it with Marlboro Lights?

Slutmaid Ethel was lovely too.