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Downton Abbey - update required

999 replies

StagnantRabbit · 12/09/2012 21:16

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)

OP posts:
hellymelly · 30/09/2012 23:37

Well they were adults at the beginning, before the war, so I would say Edith is 26 ish? Most young women of her class would have had their coming out season and got engaged then.

Northernlurker · 30/09/2012 23:39

Mrs Bates had been making pastry - for Bates to eat for his tea. Her fingernails were full of it. I reckon she poisoned the pastry then bit her fingernails thus killing herself. I do hope Anna works this out soon!

The Agatha Christie poison was phospherous wasn't it? I thought Mrs Bates was done in by arsenic? Have I made that up?

Northernlurker · 30/09/2012 23:40

Ok x posted with everyone!

JustSpiro · 30/09/2012 23:40

Mrs Hughes has cancer - and is now hiding it from everyone

I thought that too.

So if Edith is the middle sister, that makes Mary pretty ancient to have just tied the knot too then I suppose.

TapirBackRider · 30/09/2012 23:42

No I'm sure it was arsenic - I think Julian Fellows is leaving a big old clue and has got mixed up between the two

BustersOfDoom · 30/09/2012 23:45

Aaah yes Tapir scrubbing the fingernails clean! I think newplan is on to something! The pies got mixed up!

Hope not re Mrs Hughes. I worked with Phyllis Logan many years back and she is the loveliest woman. I love watching her, she is a fabulous actress. Mrs Hughes must not have cancer! Although if she does she will act it beautifully, I just don't want her to have to go through it. Soft as shite emoticon.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 30/09/2012 23:46

ZOO thought that Mrs Hughes could be lying to everyone about not having cancer, but then we didn't get the 'smiling in public, looking devastated in private' shot that I would have expected them to use to indicate that plot line.

Noseynoonoo · 30/09/2012 23:49

Yes, you are right about the phosphorous - it was a green vapour (at least it was in the ITV version)!

hellymelly · 30/09/2012 23:50

I love phyllis logan too, what was that beautiful thing she was in years and years ago, with the singing Italian? I don't want her to die!

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 30/09/2012 23:50

Zoo thought? Where the blue blazes did that typo come from? I meant to say 'I, too, thought..' Blush

Noseynoonoo · 30/09/2012 23:50

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumb_Witness Agatha Christie story!

TapirBackRider · 30/09/2012 23:52

SDT It was the bit where she was smiling at Carson singing, then ducked her head briefly (to mimic grief/tears in her eyes) that makes me think she has cancer.

I think she is a far better actress than the lines call for.

hellymelly · 30/09/2012 23:52

It was "another time, another place" , just googled it. Anway Phyllis was amazing in it.

IloveJudgeJudy · 30/09/2012 23:54

I was really disappointed by the episode tonight. I thought it got into the realms of the ridiculous. Agree that Strallen would not have done that. The family, too, would have been glad that Edith had found someone. Mary's turned into a right biatch, Matt's turned porky and I think they deserved to lose Downton. I didn't care tonight about them at all.

What has turned O'Brien against Thomas?

Noseynoonoo · 30/09/2012 23:56

I thought she died from rat poison - which is made from a variety of phosphides...

TapirBackRider · 30/09/2012 23:59

Thomas has been plotting against O'Briens nephew, and got him demoted from being Matthews valet.

If it is rat poison, then it all fits in - I'm trying to remember what poison it was.

BustersOfDoom · 01/10/2012 00:00

I agree with SDT Mrs Hughes just looked happy full stop, there was no secret sad/worried face so fingers crossed there is no shock reveal next week.

Don't know about the singing Italian helly I first knew her in Lovejoy as Lady Jane and worked with her on Chiller in 1995. I was a lowly extra but she was just lovely. Very friendly and chatty. I've worked with a lot of very famous people but she was the best and most down to earth by a long shot. Save Mrs Hughes!!

TapirBackRider · 01/10/2012 00:07

I've just been over to IMDB - they state in a episode synopsis that it was rat poison that killed Vera Bates....

Northernlurker · 01/10/2012 00:10

Ok - so if Bates can hang on 15 years for Agatha Christie to write the book then all will be saved.

BustersOfDoom · 01/10/2012 00:14

Aha rat poison!

Northernlurker · 01/10/2012 00:14

What do you reckon - Downton will have a rat problem and poison them. Anna will find a glowing rat in the dark and realise what happened?

Noseynoonoo · 01/10/2012 00:16

Oh yes, defintely a rat problem by the end of the series!

TapirBackRider · 01/10/2012 00:17

Or Anna will mention it in front of the Dr, in one of those by-the-way coincidences? (Like Daisy and the letter)

HoldMeCloserTonyDanza · 01/10/2012 00:25

So Vera died from a poisoned pie right?

So surely the fact her pal saw her making the pastry for it is significant?

Why didn't Anna recognise that?

HoldMeCloserTonyDanza · 01/10/2012 00:26

Mrs Hughes is totally still dying, she just hated Carson&co fussing over her.