Worst Downton Abbey storylines

[DressingGownofDoom]

I love Downton but there have been some really awful storylines. Like at least one per episode Think my least favourite is when the soldier guy turned up at Downton pretending to be cousin Patrick, who had survived the Titanic, got amnesia, and his memory returned to him suddenly in a blast in the war, and Edith actually believed him

I thought most of the love stories were a bit icky to be honest.

I seem to remember the chauffeur being a little too insistent with Sybil.
He emotionally blackmailed her into eloping after a couple of episodes- maybe the actors had no chemistry, but there was barely any obvious interest on her part (that I could see anyway). If anything, I thought she and Matthew were better suited.
And of course as someone mentioned, the family would have quietly disowned her and their marriage would have been a family scandal, never to be spoken of again.

Bates... ick. He was deeply creepy and a wife-beater (and likely murderer).
His first wife was terrified of him but it was OK because she was coarse and ill-mannered?
He came across as quite controlling with Anna too. There was a lot of eggshell walking happening...

Oops cross post...

Agree with Bates being a creep! I don’t understand how Anna was so smitten with him. The whole murder storyline just got boring and irritating.

@Yamayo

I thought most of the love stories were a bit icky to be honest.

I seem to remember the chauffeur being a little too insistent with Sybil.
He emotionally blackmailed her into eloping after a couple of episodes- maybe the actors had no chemistry, but there was barely any obvious interest on her part (that I could see anyway). If anything, I thought she and Matthew were better suited.
And of course as someone mentioned, the family would have quietly disowned her and their marriage would have been a family scandal, never to be spoken of again.

Bates... ick. He was deeply creepy and a wife-beater (and likely murderer).
His first wife was terrified of him but it was OK because she was coarse and ill-mannered?
He came across as quite controlling with Anna too. There was a lot of eggshell walking happening...

Bates totally murdered his first wife!!

Bates was a creepy yuck of a man. Didn't mind Anna on her own but she no way should have been with him. Yuck.

The lost cousin crap. What was the point, it was never mentioned again.

Mathew picking up his bed and walking FFS. Really?

I love Downton but they were extremely crap.

Oh yes, Lavinia telling Matthew to be with Mary and then her Dad conveniently telling Matthew he knew all about it in his inheritance letter 🤣🤣

Now I read all these storylines back I wonder that I love Downton so much, but I do

When the (Egyptian?) died in Lady Mary's bed and the body had to be smuggled out....cant remember the details....

@Wilma55 Son of the Turkish ambassador I think. He was very pretty though

Pamouk

Sorry, Pamuk

Mathews ex fiancée father leaving a large sum to Mathew even when he knew that Mathew left her and he died just in the nick of time to save the estate.

I re-watched the whole of Downton last year. I find it comforting and non demanding. But, reading this thread, I wonder about my judgement because you are all right, the whole thing is riddled with ludicrous storylines.

I rather liked the Pamouk storyline. It was so outrageous (never explained why a fit young man should suddenly die during a moment of passion) but i loved watching Mary, Anna and Lady G grappling with the body, and at least that story had ramifications all the way through the remaining series, unlike, say, the long lost cousin story which just died a death in one episode.

To add to all listed already, how about Lord G recovering from a burst ulcer (?) seemingly with ease, or, for that matter, Mary marrying a racing car driver, who one minute lives only for speed, and the next is content to open a small car sales room in Ripon.

Did you see the film? It definitely had the air of them all taking the piss out of the ludicrous storylines. I enjoyed that too .

Ooh, Mr Pamouk was a hottie, and clearly very , er, skilled......

Isn’t part of its charm that it’s so ludicrous, it’s sort of an expensive parody of every soap there ever was with lashings of British class issues, references to history, and nice frocks to make us think it’s sophisticated?

It’s good for a few hours of idle diversion though: is it on on Netflix or prime at the moment?

Mr Pamuk may have been an early victim of the Spanish Flu, it was starting up around then and killed many apparently healthy young people.
Or perhaps he just over-exerted himself.

.

@Fruggalo it's on prime

Not a story line as such but in very early episodes when they did very creepy little flashback

Daisy had one of them carrying the body.

The chauffeur peering through the window when Sybil was showing a new out fit

I didn't like any of the storylines with Lady Rose/Lily James, she was an unnecessary extra for me, and quite an annoying character. They basically brought her character in as a gap filler after Sybil died but I would rather they hadn't bothered with her and keep Sybil alive.
And yes, Matthew dying, pointless. The storyline about daughters not being able to inherit the title and it going to a distant relative was wasted once he died. They could have recast the role with a new actor and kept it going.

The way the film contrived a way to find a partner for Tom that was socially just right cracked me and husband up. Loved it though

I loved mr pamuk! That was a totally brilliant story line.

I used to like a guardian blogs with lady Mary and her haunted vagina.

I tell you the one that hacked me off - red daisy. Teach the girl to read then up the revolution. So dull, she was a spoiled brat.

So impressed with the details everyone can remember!

It was so awful when Matthew died. Wasn't in on a xmas day special?

Not a storyline as such but in the very last episode they married absolutely everyone off in a great hurry!

The way that the Crawleys are so caring and friendly towards the servants: they treat them
So well . I'm sure it was just like that in reality

There are several story lines with young men, supposedly romantic and lovable, who won't take no for an answer: not just Branson, but Henry does the same thing with Lady Mary. And as for Andy wrecking the boiler because the plumber is too handsome and this being the sign that makes Daisy realise he's husband material- well, if that is Julian Fellowes' idea of romance...