Downton Abbey - update required

[StagnantRabbit]

Any big Downton fans out there who can tell me what happened in the very last episode of series 2 and also the Xmas special? Tryin to get ready for the new series on Sunday but is there anything else I missed? (apart from Lady Mary and Matthew getting together that is)

I thought that ex-maid-with-a-baby is pregnant again. She was resting her hands on her abdomen.

I think Bates is a murderer. He is just too placid otherwise - no spark.

Oh yes Ethel the naughty prostitute former housemaid looked to be In Trouble again. Still will give Isobel something to do providing that Fallen Woman with a rest..........

SoupDragon - laughing at the idea of 'no spark = closet murderer'. I expect you are right about the maid... the plot hinters in Downton have always been as subtle as a punch in the face.

Is it me or has Matthew 'spread' a bit this series? Jacket-gate allowed a lot of gawking at his waist. squoosh - porridgey is exactly it.

Richard Armitage - thanks. I read the book recently and for once thought the miniseries was better. Although the book was still good.

:) He just has no life almost as if he is suppressing all emotion. I can't remember if he has shown any anger ever... nothing above mild annoyance thatI can think of. Even Carson gets angry.

None of the characters seem likeable anymore - apart from Violet if course
Mathew is a bigger snob than Lord G. Lord G is just a pompous idiot who couldn't manage his money and I much preferred Mary when she was bitchy.

That was a cracking good episode. I love Downton for being wonderful tosh and that was at the top of my Toshometer?

So glad they didn't drag out the Edith and Strallan story and that Edith won through.

Matthew's a total arse about the money, knowing what Downton means to the family. Why doesn't Mary ask Isobel to knock sense into him? She gave him a "stop using the memory of that dear sweet girl" speech before. Or someone get out the ouija board again. "M.a.t.t.h.e.w.s.a.v.e.d.o.w.n.t.o.n."

Also knowing how important Downton is to Mary, all that "Kiss me before I get cross" stuff was more than tosh, that was bilge.

Mrs Hughes though Not tosh at all. She's one of my favourites.

Shirley MacRich seemed to act mostly with her eyes. Did like Edith going to her, though.

did anybody else cringe when Lord 6 said to Matthew 'How was the honeymoon' and Matthew raised his eyebrows with a and said 'my eyes have been opened'

bleurgh.....

Fiderer - a generally genius post, but TM (are you a computer programmer?!) and the ouija board are the best bits.

I just loved the fact that all the drama seemed to eminate from totally banal sources... clothing and ovens.

was that a "bleurgh" to Lord G´s question or Matthew´s answer?

And also, while I'm on my high horse (side-saddle) Matthew should consider all the staff - Carson, Anna, Mrs Patmore etc. may well be taken on in a new smaller house but what about the bootboys and estate workers heh? New money buying the Downton Estate will be downsizing as soon as you can say "Times change" or if you're Carson "Sodom and Gomorrah".

Yes! More a WTF moment - would a son-in-law really say that to his wife's father?!

I still don't understand why the family were so against Strallen. Surely they would have been delighted to marry off the middle daughter. Especially with Sybil marrying Pickles.

x-post in my haughtiness re Matthew.

Eugene The ? I learned here on MN, if that's what you meant, am not techy enough to know if my Toshometer? is a recognised programming term but I suspect not

Martha that comment about the honeymoon opening Matthew's eyes was indeed vile and bleurgh. As if he'd say that at all and to her father and as a greeting.

Pity Mary doesn't say "No more eye-openings for you, darling, if you don't stump up the dosh"

Yes there is NO WAY Matthew would have said that to his wife's father. To pickle maybe.

I love Strallen and Edith. I accidentally saw pictures of their wedding about a year ago and she's a lovely bride. I did get a lump in my throat when lord g said my darling you should be with someone younger and she said all the young men of my age are dead.

She fell for him before the war though, which is nice. She's not marrying him just because there are no young men.

Funny that Matthew and Mary ended up together as part of the great master plan...but the way that Downton would have been able to 'hold itself together' after Lord 6's financial mishaps would be through Lavinia's money and - almost assuredly - Sir Richard's too.

Ho hum.

Loved Mary and Violet's 'plot' to soak Martha of her cash. But normally Violet would have come up with something a bit more clever. Matthew wants to brush up his CV.

Strallen wasn't too old for Mary, how come he's not right for Edith? The age thing is being played as much as the arm.

Poor Edith, but it seems like it will come good in the end.

"Loved Mary and Violet's 'plot' to soak Martha of her cash."

Yes-they just seem to expect people to hand over their cash to save Downton

(En)titled much?

It was a rubbish plot. If they were trying to marry Edith to an American plot device cousin that would have more legs.

Is the American deuce ex machina uncle married? If so he may have a convenient son for Sybil when pickle gets deaded. Which he is clearly going to.

I assumed the uncle was gay. They seemed to be rather evasive about him.

soup: me too.

I did love Cora saying that she thought that her family had put enough money into to Downton already. Too right!

Also 'better a doctor than an undertaker' - dark humour from Mrs Packmore ! (sp?)

I kept thinking Strallen was gay. But that would probably be all right.

Don't understand why Lord 6 and Lady Violet object to his age. There's no one else to take Edith off their hands and she would just be a burden on the dwindling Crawley fortunes. Posh folk are nothing if not practical.

Love the O'Brien v Thomas death match. My money's on O'Brien.

Thomas's hand seems a lot better these days. And that bloody dog is immortal.

That's his second dog. The one at the beginning of series one was called Isis I think and that's called Pharoah.

Oh, okay chub. I remember now. You're right with the names.

I hope nothing else in Lord 6's wardrobe goes walkies. He's shown his flabby chest peeking out of his dressing gown in every series.

Is anyone else wondering how come Lavinia's dad suddenly has an enormous fortune to leave? I thought she was always seen as a bit beneath Downton (by Mary, Violet etc) because she was just the daughter of a middle class lawyer or some such profession? I don't ever remember her being an heiress, but maybe she was?