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 it was strange the way that all the other prostitutes were still styled like they were living in the Belle Époque. It's meant to be 1920

The more I think about last nights episode, the more I think it was written by a 7 year old. Its all too convenient, to fitting.

I am just annoyed because I like Edith and I want her to be happy.

I wondered if Vera wanted to poison herself-not fatally-& get him blamed for that.

why is he lord '6'?

why hasnt mary got her own lady's maid now she's married? I'd imagine she'd be having a strop about that...

Obrien is going to get her revenge on Thomas- i cant wait.

has there been a replacement 2nd housemaid to replace Ethel?

How many series are there going to be?

But soupdragon there would have been loads of murderers at various points in that prison, why would Bates get singled out, he's hardly Crippen?

If it was in revenge by a grieving relative of Vera's he'd get done in the lavs or in the cells by Shifty Cellmate but being stitched up by the prison guards smacks of a higher hand to me.

No way Strallen would have dumped Edith at the altar, he's still their neighbour & the scandal would have killed the poor old boy- I wonder though if he was/is ill or impotent as stated above & the Dowager has heard something to the same effect and therefore jumped in to stop him being persuaded.

I'm loving the O'Brien/Thomas thing it's going to get REALLY nasty now

Anna has been promoted to Mary's lady's maid now I think.

I thought the bit near the end where they were sitting round the dining table and they were pondering Edith's plight and Lady Cora (I think) said 'You need to find something for Edith to do' and camera pans to first Matthew then Mary with hilarious 'I am thinking hard' look on their faces. Deary me, I know it has to suit a wide audience but the blatant pointers make it seem a bit farcical.

But the otherwise good acting and great costumes make up for stuff like that.

Marg, I think a few of the main people are unsure about doing another series, dowger for one had already said she won't do another so I think she will be killed off by the end but also I thought I read somewhere that Matthew was doing a Christmas special and then leaving? Not sure how it would carry on without what would then be your main characters.

Margery I think he's 'Lord 6' because on one of the other Downton threads a poster had a defunct G on her keyboard and used 6 instead. :o IIRC.

It really has well and truly jumped the shark, hasn't it. I remember the first season as realistic (at least, a bit) and though I haven't seen this one it sounds ridiculous.

Still so excited to see it though, when it comes here! :)

Nooooooo Maggie Smith can't leave!

how did O'Brien and Thomas go from bezzie mates to hating each other - that's not really been explained. Not so long ago they were kicking away Bates' stick and having a right old laugh about it.

I reckon Bates is being targetted by the newspaper guy who was engaged to Mary when she was really in love with Mathew. The newspaper guy had agreed to hush up the affair with the embassy guy who died in her bed. Don't forget the Newspaper guy was also blackmailingn Lavinia (Mathew's ex). I reckon that the maid who appeared in the last episode (was it Ethel?) has something to do with it all. Really, how can anyone compare Downton with Coronation Street ....

I really hope Edith doesn't go back to Strallen. I would love her to discover a real interest in life and get out and enjoy herself and stop trying to live up to Mary all the time. Then, as well as having an interesting life, she could meet someone she really loves and have a fun and happy marriage. Then Mary would end up as the boring sister still stuck at home and living an old fashioned boring life with dull old Matthew.

I agree, the whole letter thing was ridiculous. It would have been quite interesting to see the family move into Downton Place while Downton Abbey was sold off as a boarding school or something. Loads of old aristocratic families had to gradually downsize and live more realistic lives as the twentieth century progressed. It would have made interesting viewing.

Isn't there talk of a prequel? About Lord 6's marriage of convenience to Cora, I believe. I think JF is banging it out writing it now.

I almost cried when they kicked Bates' stick. I love Bates. I don't care, I would!

Yes, you've all convinced me now with your poisoning and pie theories that Bates is good after all and didn't murder Vera. However, it's being set up to seem like he might have, and even Anna will start to have her doubts next week (as per trailer at end of show when he hadn't been in contact...)

I really wish the whole family had moved to Downton Place or whatever because it would have made it a lot more interesting. And the house looked far prettier.

How can they do a prequel - can they make Lord G and Cora look younger???

It would have to be with different actors, I think.

Haven't read all thread but I needed to vent my disappointment at Downton.!

One thing i read up thread was that Vera glowed in the street light, I think a Hercule Poirot episode somebody had a green vapour about them in the garden and it was due to poison, Either I'm a sleuth or its a red herring...

And I bloody hate Mary. I think shes a crap actress, she got more expression in her wonky eyebrows than she has in her speech or manner. gahhh.
What an ungrateful greedy cow she is too. Demanding Matthews money, bitch, evil wooden boney arse woman. Do I sound I like I loathe her? Good.

And another thing, Matthew should've said Bog OFF Robert I've bailed you out, I am Earl now, you are my skivvy and I own you, type of manner, kind of.

Phew I didnt realise how annoyed I was about it. I even dreamt it.
I was sorry for terribly lovely Edith, who lost her terribly lovely man, terrible shame. Terribly.

Thomas gay? did I miss something,? Will I have to watch all the series again? I know I missed a few episodes but, but, how did I miss that.

As for period costume dramas, this is lavish, but I prefere the one called 'Servants' filmed at Dyrham Park and starred Joe Abslom. Bloody ace that.

Did Bates & Thomas fall out after he got ideas above his station after the war?

Thomas hated bates the second he arrived - Thomas wanted to he valet.

Gah! I didn't mean Bates... I meant O'Brien :o

[doh]

quick question - who would inherite the title and downton if m &m dont have children, but edith did. was there more to her comment about mary proberbly being pregnant by now that we need to look into.

Did any of you buy the dvds. There is the off shoots bit where they chat to the actors. Thomas is the most nicest ordinary bloke in real life with a great sense of humour.

I was brought up on a big estate where my dad worked (house came with job) in the 50s/60s and the chance of the lord's daughter marrying the chauffeur was just out of the question even then. The gap in lifestyle, aspiration ,education etc was just too large.

So much of this tale is daft. Though still entertaining.

I think o Brien had a bit of a change of heart when Cora slipped on the soap she planted, she felt v guilty about that, (and thomas was vile about it, something about it couldnt have been any bugger than a hamster anyway) and then even more so when Cora nearly died.