Who is your favourite Downton sister?

[AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit]

Having a Netflix binge. I bloody love Edith I'm rooting for her! She's constantly getting hurt and being overlooked by everyone. I know she comes across as bitter and downtrodden but yet she's kind and helpful and supportive. She's the one I'd want as a friend :-)

I was never sure if Bates was meant to be creepy or whether there was just something about Brendan Coyle that made him inherently so!

I agree Brendan Coyle played it brilliantly and made you question whether his "sinister undercurrent" was deliberate or not. I think it was, because it sustained lots of "did he, didn't he?" plot lines about stealing the regimental silver, the death of his first wife and of course over whether he pushed Anna's attacker under a bus.

He had served as Lord Grantham's batman in the Boer War where his leg was injured for which he received theQueen's South Africa Medaland theKing's South Africa Medal. So he was obviously a bit "handy" in his day.

And we saw him being aggressive in prison when the other convict was trying to set him up.

Yes he played it like that on purpose I think. He played a lovely character in North and South without any scary characteristics.

@Anothermountain

I agree Brendan Coyle played it brilliantly and made you question whether his "sinister undercurrent" was deliberate or not. I think it was, because it sustained lots of "did he, didn't he?" plot lines about stealing the regimental silver, the death of his first wife and of course over whether he pushed Anna's attacker under a bus.

He had served as Lord Grantham's batman in the Boer War where his leg was injured for which he received theQueen's South Africa Medaland theKing's South Africa Medal. So he was obviously a bit "handy" in his day.

I think he did too. He was no fool in prison and you know if he had have seen Mr Green once he knew for sure he was Anna's attacker he would indeed have killed her. I don't think he was blameless in his first marriage either. I wouldn't cross him.

Me neither!

Sybil. She wanted more from life than just being rich and pampered.

I cried real tears when she died

Sybil's death was quite traumatic. My friends gran had died from eclampsia so was quite real to me & her.

Sybil. Gone way too soon

I bawled at it too. It was Tom who set me off, watching her die and not being able to do anything

If you ever need a laugh though watch Allen Leech and Rob James-Collier's interviews on YouTube. They are a great double act.

And then Cora after - Elizabeth McGovern was rarely given good material but she knocked it out of the park with her scenes after Sybil died.

I've just seen on Instagram that the new Downton film will be out on March 18 so that gives us something to look forward to over winter!

Eeek! New film, how exciting. I visited Highclere recently and can’t wait to see it on screen again so that I can imagine being there.

It was actually smaller than it appeared on TV. I’m obviously hard to impress but when Tom took his teacher friend upstairs to look over the gallery it looked huge but in real life, was a lot pokier than it seemed from seeing it on TV all those years. If you get the chance for a visit it’s lovely.

I actually liked Mr Bates too and once said to DD “Find someone who looks at you how Mr Bates looks at Anna - but without the potential murdering part!” He was so smitten with her and the way he talked to her after he found out about her attack and told her that she wasn’t “ruined” - it made her more precious to him, was just so beautiful. In a time when it was still seen as shameful to be raped I’m glad they made him into a modern and sympathetic man in that moment. Had he kicked off about killing Green and then been ‘off’ with Anna that would probably have been more in keeping with what would have happened in real life, but not as nice to watch, especially for anyone who has been a victim of rape.

The fact that Anna was afraid to tell him about Green for fear that he’d murder him says that she knew exactly what he was capable of, so I think BC played him perfectly!

Agree about Matthew - I didn’t fancy him in Beauty and the Beast either, even in Beast mode, which would usually get me going!!

I love Dan Stevens so much in the Eurovision movie that it’s retrospectively making me feel more positive about Cousin Matthew.

Sadly this is not his actual singing voice.

That is hilarious

I have for time to watch the whole lot again before March so. Great news.

Dan is in a new German film - speaking fluent German! He looks very different from his Cousin Matthew days.

I love that everyone is calling him Cousin Matthew like that’s his full name 😂 I never think of him as just Matthew, always Cousin Matthew.

Agree about Bates, he was a formidable man. I think what’s lovely though is that Anna doesn’t fall for the strong/a bit scary man. I think she falls in love with him through seeing his vulnerability, like when he is upset after he first comes to downton and she is listening at the door.

@ShitShop I to visited last week. I agree it does look smaller , would love to go back at Christmas and you can stay in lodges within the grounds for serious cash.
The bedrooms seem pokey and so is the great hall , but love how they researched the history of the house and wrote it into the story. Yes they married Americans to save the house in real life as well!

I love the Robert/Cora backstory. I wish they would do a prequel (except they would have to find an actress as good as Maggie Smith for Robert’s mum). The conflicts around the whole thing must have been super dramatic.

@Anothermountain

I agree Brendan Coyle played it brilliantly and made you question whether his "sinister undercurrent" was deliberate or not. I think it was, because it sustained lots of "did he, didn't he?" plot lines about stealing the regimental silver, the death of his first wife and of course over whether he pushed Anna's attacker under a bus.

He had served as Lord Grantham's batman in the Boer War where his leg was injured for which he received theQueen's South Africa Medaland theKing's South Africa Medal. So he was obviously a bit "handy" in his day.

I like the storyline where Mary got Bates to forge a note, he’d obviously learnt a useful skill in prison, or possibly before.

HelloDulling oh yes, that's one of my favourite bits! And when Bates pick-pocketed the Prince of Wales's incriminating love letter from the rotter guest's overcoat

@Anothermountain I forgotten that bit! I love that ep, is it a Christmas special?

HelloDulling can't remember sorry! Will try and find out!

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

I love the Robert/Cora backstory. I wish they would do a prequel (except they would have to find an actress as good as Maggie Smith for Robert’s mum). The conflicts around the whole thing must have been super dramatic.

I’ve thought this. It would be amazing. Agree though who would measure up to Maggie Smith?

MARY is my favourite sister. Been enjoying Downton again myself. Beautifully filmed and acted.

Didn't like Sybil the ending - had to skim over that.