# Downton Abbey



## Mouse (Oct 16, 2014)

No existing thread on this?

Anyway, new series here in the UK and I've suddenly decided to start watching it. I've seen bits and pieces of eps in earlier series but I've watched all this series so far. So, basically, I don't know much of what's going on.

What's the policeman doing? Did someone die?

What's with Lady Ethel/Enid/Edith (can't remember her name!) and the random child?

Also, Thomas Barrow is a fox.


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## TheDustyZebra (Oct 16, 2014)

I watched all four seasons in about a week, right after I got my Amazon Prime membership last year for my birthday. I watched to catch up, and then had to catch the new episodes that finished the season in January as they aired. I don't think we get the new season until January here...?

Err, can't remember what a policeman might be doing, from the end of the last season.

Lady Edith went away to have a baby that nobody but her aunt knows about, fostered it with a family in Sweden or Switzerland, and then changed her mind and brought it to live with a neighboring farm family that she had got to know. This will, of course, be interesting when the kid starts growing up looking like her, and I'm sure it will bite her in the butt. The father of the baby was a man she was going to marry, but he went to Germany and disappeared, possibly kidnapped with some other people, and nobody's heard from him. 

Thomas Barrow is a fox, and a weasel of the highest caliber as well. He's far more trouble than he's worth.


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## Mouse (Oct 17, 2014)

Ah thanks, TDZ! I thought it was Edith's kid and then changed my mind as the "mother" seemed to be going nuts that she was hanging round and I couldn't really work out what was going on. I ended up coming to the conclusion that she must be a relative other than daughter.

Mr Barrow is complex and tragic, I love him.


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## TheDustyZebra (Oct 17, 2014)

He'd like you to believe that. 

You ought to see about catching up on the previous seasons, if you can. It's really very addicting! And don't get too attached to anyone -- they do like to kill off main characters. Although, come to think of it, if you're starting with this season you'll be able to figure out quickly who is going to be killed in past seasons.


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## Mouse (Oct 17, 2014)

Well, I had a free afternoon today (I say "free", I mean I ignored all work) so I watched episode one of series one! Yay! And poor old Thomas with the nasty Duke. 

I did see the last Christmas special ep so I do know that that bloke ran himself off the road and died.


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## Dave (Oct 18, 2014)

Yes, I think way too much has happened for me to tell you it all. The policeman is investigating a 'possible' murder, and if it was a murder then probably Bates did it, even though he has a weak alibi. He does have a very strong motive, but that would spoil it if you are going to watch it from the start. Bates has already been in prison once for something he didn't do, but where he met criminal elements who could have helped him if he is guilty.

I thought the first Season was excellent but I expected that following the 1st World War and then Dan Stevens leaving it would gradually get poorer and poorer. However, the writing is so good that it just gets more complicated as time goes on. I fully expect that they can do a 'Godfather III' on it now and bring it right up to the present day with Downton Abbey becoming an Amusement & Safari Park and the latest heir a heroin junkie with his father in prison for tax evasion and insurance scams.


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## Mouse (Oct 18, 2014)

I think I know Bates' motive. I've read spoilers regarding Anna, so I'm guessing it'd be something to do with that?

I've watched the first three eps of series one now. That poor old Turkish guy dying was a bit random!


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## Mary Hoffman (Oct 18, 2014)

Now HE really was a fox!


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## Mouse (Oct 18, 2014)

He had nice hair.


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## FeedMeTV (Oct 19, 2014)

LOVE Downton! Feeling very sorry for poor Edith though I can only imagine the secret child won't stay secret for long.


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## Mouse (Oct 19, 2014)

I've almost seen all of series one now, just the last ep to see. 

So there's only five of us here who watches it? I know @Phyrebrat has a thing for Maggie Smith.


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## Dave (Oct 19, 2014)

Mouse said:


> So there's only five of us here who watches it?


Created and somewhat written by Julian Fellows and the winner of numerous awards, it isn't a surprise that it is one of the most widely watched television drama shows in the world. It is really popular in the UK and an absolute phenomena in the US. But maybe a Venn diagram of watchers of _Downton Abbey_ and readers of SFF wouldn't touch very much?

Also, I just want to correct something I said earlier - the police seem to now suspect Anna in this possible murder (I say possible because he clearly fell under a carriage which must happen several times a day. Haven't the police got better things to be doing? Like catching criminals?) But she obviously has both motive and opportunity, and no alibi. So, as a servant she is bang to rights. If she isn't hanged then we'll being seeing her making money from old rope next season.

Apologies for the spoilers as the US don't see Season 5 until next January.


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## purple_kathryn (Oct 20, 2014)

I don't really watch, I flick over to it, if I'm watching another channel and it's on a ad break or something.

I was going to ask what had happened to Lady Edith's Beau (I know he'd gone to Germany and wasn't heard of again but I wasn't sure if there had been any update to that)


and I can't imagine the police were overly concerned about the death of one of the lower classes either Dave


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## Mouse (Oct 21, 2014)

Speaking of Downton Abbey and SFF, I've noticed two GOT actors in it. Ygritte and Jorah. 

Anyways, I'm up to episode three of series two now!


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## Mouse (Jan 10, 2015)

I'm almost at the end of series three now. It's taken me a bit longer to get through it because I haven't had much internet connection, but I've just changed my package so I'm catching up.

Really enjoying it, but the leaps in time sometimes are frustrating, it feels like we're missing out on character developments and plot things that I'd have liked to have been expanded on. (Time leap example - one minute Sybil's barely pregnant, the next she's in labour and dying). 

What I don't quite understand, and maybe I've missed it somewhere, is how did Miss O'Brien know that Thomas was gay so that she could push him towards trying it on with Jimmy?


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## Allegra (Jan 10, 2015)

I watched three seasons and liked the first two better than the third. After Mathew died I lost some interest.


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## Cli-Fi (Jan 11, 2015)

Downton abbey remains to this day as my third favorite show of all time. It's the only show that can make me laugh and cry in the same episode. Not many shows manage to do, either. 

It really is a Masterpiece of storytelling and it is amazing to see how the family deals with change and history. First episode all the male heirs die on the titanic. 

If I was an agent I would snap it that original idea right up. I loved the episode where they get a telephone. Everyone was freaking out. 

My wip has been inspired by it but only to a small extent..


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## Mouse (Jan 11, 2015)

The ep I just watched was where Mrs Hughes got a toaster! That made me laugh. My current WIP has little bits of Downton in it too, Cli-Fi, but only teeny bits.


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## Mary Hoffman (Jan 12, 2015)

lady Edith's "beau" was killed in Germany by "brownshirts" - at least so she has been told. Some of us believe that Uncle Julian will resurrect him, preferably after Edith has fallen in love with someone new.


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## TheDustyZebra (Jan 12, 2015)

I have avoided this thread for spoilers because we didn't get the new season till this month, and now I see there weren't any spoilers for that anyway. I watched the season premiere last week and then discovered last night that (probably due to the Golden Globes) it was the same episode again this week. Argh.


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## Mouse (Jan 14, 2015)

I knew you'd not seen it yet, TDZ, so won't spoil. I watched the first ep of series 4 last night so I'm catching up with myself now and will soon have seen it all. 

I also ended up dreaming I was Thomas Barrow last night and he was being bullied by Jimmy. 

Also, I don't like Mr Bates. I think he's an arsehat.


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## Dave (Dec 27, 2015)

I just watched the final episode. I did like the series but I couldn't help feeling that the final episode was even more forcibly contrived than usual. Some of the subplots would have worked if spread out over a longer period, but everything happened so quickly, or else is such an unlikely order that it became too much. I could no longer suspend my disbelief. Without spoiling it for those who have to wait months to see this, after waiting for years with these will they/won't they romantic plots, this season has seen an impossible number of pairings, marriages, pregnancies and babies. The final half hour was just silly, with old romantic leads appearing out of the woodwork.



Mouse said:


> The ep I just watched was where Mrs Hughes got a toaster! That made me laugh.


Then you will be thrilled to know that Anna just bought a Hairdryer. The excitement was almost too much!


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## Cli-Fi (Dec 27, 2015)

Dave said:


> I just watched the final episode. I did like the series but I couldn't help feeling that the final episode was even more forcibly contrived than usual. Some of the subplots would have worked if spread out over a longer period, but everything happened so quickly, or else is such an unlikely order that it became too much. I could no longer suspend my disbelief. Without spoiling it for those who have to wait months to see this, after waiting for years with these will they/won't they romantic plots, this season has seen an impossible number of pairings, marriages, pregnancies and babies. The final half hour was just silly, with old romantic leads appearing out of the woodwork.
> 
> Then you will be thrilled to know that Anna just bought a Hairdryer. The excitement was almost too much!



I just watched it myself. They keep saying in the finale that they will be back... This may be a hint to rumors of that movie everyone is talking about. How that will work??? I have no idea! The servants' storyline finished up quite nicely unlike the royals storyline. One more Barrowesque plot, and more Spratt drama! Very fun, the Royals storyline was boring and just felt rushed and rehashed especially the same old stupid family tradition. At one point I felt like I was watching a different christmas special as nothing different really happened, Except they ALL suck at shooting! Even though they said they were good shots. lol. Oh the egos of Royalty.

Or maybe it was supposed to be unfulfilling and never ending because life is...


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## Dave (Dec 27, 2015)

I also have no idea how a film would work. Period dramas such as _Upstairs, Downstairs, The Sullivans, _and _When the Boat Comes In _managed to continue up to, or even through the Second World War. I expect they could jump ahead several years and set it just before the war. George would be old enough to serve. The servants would be likely be dead or have left service. I'm not sure it could hold onto the same audience, as you say it was all neatly tied up.


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