Downton .................predictable

[triplets]

Won`t say too much for those yet to see....................grrr just knew what was going to happen, they could have thought of another way. Spoilt it.

[LadyHarrietdeSpook]

Plots: The lunatics were knocking on the door of the asylum so to speak in Series One with the Bar of Soap incident...

MCs miraculous recovery from paralysis is a notorious bit of TV (that will come back to haunt D Stevens, as I think he knows, but too late now.)

I still loved it though and the plot craziness imo softened in series three.

Think it's the chemistry between the actors that makes everything work despite the mayhem in the script. I think you could never have brought in an MC stand in - knowing JF it would have come across farcical, really don't think even the best of actors could have pulled it off.

ANyway, all the spark went out of the Lady Mary/ Matthew pairing this series - Lady Mary needs someone new.

Very lame to go all miserable on a Christmas special though. It's hard to know where to lay the blame for that - at JF (maybe he insisted he was out of the way totally for series 4????) or DS being really stroppy and saying he wouldn't do any more. Where are the fans in all that?!

[ImperialSantaKnickers]

Not being a 'sleb gossip reader I had no idea Dan Stevens was leaving and was bloody livid when I check the news headlines on Boxing Day, and it was all over the front page. Lots of other people than me must have Sky+ed it to watch once their relatives have cleared off. Have watched it now and enjoyed it, it's a predictable sentimental thing, but that's why I like it!

[inkyfingers]

I knew Matthew would have to leave and really thought he'd get shot with all those guns about. But the worst thing was how boring the rest of the episode was; lots of pointless non-stories like mrs patmore finding someone ...not, and the Penelope Wilton character might get off with the doctor ...not, and Anna has a big surprise, she can dance, sort of, and obrien is quite good at doing hair ... The whole thing pointless.

[mumofthemonsters808]

I agree inkyfingers it was very slow and boring, but I think that is the beauty of Downtown nothing complicated, exciting or unpredictable ever happens.I find it a welcome change from the stuff I usually watch due to it's light heartedness, absence of bad language and violence, just beautiful costumes and the trivialities of upper and working class life. Occassionally I long for a more exciting plot and Xmas eve was one of them.

[Nancy66]

nice bit of product placement for Louis Vuitton....

[tribpot]

Oh god and more 'modern words dropped in which are actually of the time but you oiks don't know that'. Jimmy said 'okay' and there were several other drop-ins like this. JF - the joke has worn off. Can it, buddy - as Violet would say.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Oh, tribpot I do so agree. Yes, Julian, your wife is descended from Lord Kitchener. Yes, you are now 'one of them'. Yes, us oiks do not have as correct a grasp on the language in days of yore of the upper classes and those who served them as do you... (Yes, that was a very poorly constructed sentence there...)

[IAmSheWhoMustBeObeyed]

As Matthew was the only one one who "really knew" Mary and could see her good side, presumably she will now be free to be nasty about and to everyone. She will become the cold hearted, ice madam ruler of Downton.
How on earth will Branson carry on with the improvements to the estate?
Edith is about to embark on an affair with her editor. Hurrah.
Rose- don't care.
Anna and hubby- ick. How are they managing not to have babies? Ick.
Lady G- agree- simper, simper, simper.

Bring on the next series.

[headfairy]

JF is such a one trick pony I can't believe he's going to string this out for another series. Dan Stevens must be feeling rather smug now as he won't have to suffer another series of terrible dialogue. I want to see the Grantham's lose everything in '29 and the women having to work in t'mill to earn their keep :o

[Nancy66]

they're taking it up to the outbreak of WW2 - so that must mean another 2 series at least mustn't it?

[headfairy]

Oh gawd... spare us. Wish I'd watched the Royle Family now!

[LineRunner]

I though O'Brien was going to get it on with the other hatchet faced lady's maid for just a crazy moment, but sadly the frisson was indeed all just some seething rivalry about a tuft of her ladyship's barnet.

[RiaUnderTheMistletoe]

Thomas was positively nice this episode, even before he got beaten up for Jimmy. I hope he gets a good story (and boyfriend) in s4.

[tribpot]

Isn't Anna pregnant, though? I thought that was what she wanted to announce whilst reeling.

[LineRunner]

Did she dance in code, then? Did Bates understand?

[IAmSheWhoMustBeObeyed]

I thought O'Brien was going to be asked to join the expedition to India. Because of her miraculous ways with hair. And because she said she could fancy it.
If there was a coded message in Anna's reel I missed it. I switch off when it involves her and Mr Bates.
I found thomas's following Jimmy and fighting his attackers a bit creepy.

[headfairy]

I love Thomas, he's the only decent one in the whole bunch and can always be relied on for a catty comment at the most saccharine moments.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Wasn't the surprise just that Anna could dance a (Scottish) reel? As Bates had told her that he was a bit Scottish, and he feels an affinity for Scotland?

[tribpot]

Yes, possibly A random plot point to have made such a fuss about!

[NigellasGuest]

the path is clear for a Branson/Lady Mary hook up!

[boogiewoogie]

I said aloud "please don't die" while Matthew was driving with the wind in his hair and his head thrown back. It reminded me of another scene from "City of Angels" when Meg Ryan's character is cycling and lets go of the handle bars to sun her face.

Anyway, I thought JF could have just used another actor to replace Dan as Matthew. Or... is Matthew really dead? He could just be unconscious and be put in a coma....

Did not like the new maid harrassing Tom at all.
Mrs Hughes was brilliant, the way she is with everyone.
I wondered whether Anna was pregnant when she toasted to the future and Bates' Scottish blood.

[boogiewoogie]

Branson and Mary just no way. They have absolutely zero in common. I did like how Edith asked after Branson when she came back from Scotland.

[headfairy]

no way would Branson and Mary have any kind of connection.

[tribpot]

He looked pretty dead. It was like a scene from the heyday of Casualty, where you see someone cycling along a country lane, not a care in the world, cut to a scene of a lorry barrelling down a country lane, guy completely distracted by something, cut back to idyllic cyclist - the sense of dread is rising, cut back to surly lorry driver and then KA-BLAMMMMMM.

I think if Edith is going to shack up with the married editor she just needs to get the hell on and do it. Surely no-one can cope with another ten year will-they-won't-they á la Mary-and-Matthew, and indeed Sybil-and-Pickle, who looked wistfully at each other over the bonnet of that car for virtually the whole of series 2.

[lovelyladuree]

Very lazy scriptwriting. Dr Who, on the other hand, was marvellous.