Downton Abbey

[rock_girl]

Naughty Tom! Not sure he's much of a revolutionary if he can't even throw the ruling classes out of their houses and set them alight. He's not even burning them in their beds. I'm guessing there's very quiet run in his future and do wonder if he'll be drafted in by Matthew to help sort out the estate.

Poor Ethel, there's no way her story ends with her moving up to being a maid. I'm really hoping that now she's sent her son off with his grandparents that she'll start wanting to be a film star again. She's still pretty and she doesn't have a child at home to explain away. Otherwise, what a rubbish storyline. Really disappointed with the way things went. I know she's supposed to be selfless for the sake of her son, but why couldn't she have accepted the money and kept him with her while sending him for occasional visits with the grandparents?

I don't much care for new footman, and up until he totally ignored Daisy for the pretty new maid I was on the other footman's side. Not so sure now.

Tbh, it was a pretty so-so episode. I wonder if we're going to see Anthony again. I like seeing Edith coming out in favour of women's rights, but can't help thinking that it's been done before. I don't want her running off with a chauffeur when she very clearly wants to be married to a gentleman, even if he is old and disabled.

[Irishy]

I'm enjoying this season. Although was sure Mrs Hughes's toaster was going to set the place on fire last night. Heartbreaking to watch Ethel say goodbye to her son although this is probably the most realistic and 'true to the times' sad thing they've done so far.

[rock_girl]

Not Sybil :/

What a horrible episode.

[LilMissMetaphor]

Holy crap! :crying-blue:

[Maude]

I knew what it was before the doctor even said it. It's hard to believe. :crying-yellow:

[Guest Anonymous]

:( Nooooo.

[Deleted03]

I thought

pre-eclampsia was cured by ending the pregnancy... I never realized that acting too slow would mean that she would not die while pregnant but die after giving birth.....

Once again men deciding women's fates make bad decisions.

[xDreamerx]

Still shocked. Cried so badly. She was my favourite.

[Claddagh]

I feel so sad about Sybil. She was also one of my favorites.

I saw the previews for next week's episode and am wondering how that's going to go. Something like what happened to Sybil could really tear the family apart.

[Guest Anonymous]

I feel so sad about Sybil. She was also one of my favorites.

I saw the previews for next week's episode and am wondering how that's going to go. Something like what happened to Sybil could really tear the family apart.

Happily, in Downton, things tend to get sorted out inside 80 mins....

[AnnaSofia]

I'm completely stunned :shock:

I had heard that someone was going to die this season, but I was otherwise spoiler free, and never would have guess Sybil (which is stupid, given how easy it is to throw a dead into a childbirth plot., I should have known).

The scene with Anna and Thomas was amazing.

[Rachel333]

Yeah, I cried. That was really upsetting.

[emesbe]

That may have been the most realistic, emotional, blubbery (on my part), death I have ever seen on screen. Wow. That was some damn fine acting.

[Markie]

So, episode 7 has aired. We have a reason to keep Tom and baby Sybil at Downton, Thomas has been well set up by O'Brien, Mary has shifted her alliance from Daddy Dearest to hubby, Edith has a new job and Robert was slightly less unsufferable than in the previous episodes. Only one episode left in the regular series. Looks like it will focus on Thomas and introduce a new character (Rose? flapper family member?). Will Bates help Thomas out?

What are everyone's predictions for the Christmas episode? I think Mary will get pregnant, but we may not find out if she will carry the baby to term or if it is a boy/girl until season 4. The drama may have something to do with the flapper flirting with Matthew.

[caito]

I cried like a baby during Sybil's death scene. I had to stop in the middle because I couldn't handle it :( I eventually finished it but felt like crap for awhile after. Ugh.

I need to watch the latest episode. Better get on that.

[Guest Anonymous]

Well, I cried for Thomas in episode 7 who seems to be getting his come-uppance for being gay. :roll: And Poor Ethel who it seems will be departing at the end of the series. Boo, hiss to the nasty Mr Carson. :(

Loved Edith's hair and her flirting with the newspaper editor. Was really glad that the whole Bates-in-prison saga came to an end - that was the most annoying plot to hit Downton so far.

I'd love the series to end with Lady Mary pregnant, to give birth to a daughter and a whole new can of entail-related worms in the Christmas episode.

I'm wondering where the Alfred-in-the-kitchen story will go. I think he's be a lovely replacement cook for Mrs Crawley but he's have no fellow kitchen staff to flirt with over there.

[LilMissMetaphor]

Some on TWOP are speculating that James/Jimmy is gay and in denial. But if he were, I don't think he would have told O'Brien that Thomas was always touching him, would he? (a couple of eps ago) Wouldn't he have thought that that would set her mind going in that direction?

Boo, I wanted Branson's brother to be a hot and wilder version who might start flirting with Edith or someone. Not a middle-aged mustached fart who was pretty tame after the build-up. Maybe they are saving something for the next episode.

[Guest Anonymous]

Some on TWOP are speculating that James/Jimmy is gay and in denial. But if he were, I don't think he would have told O'Brien that Thomas was always touching him, would he? (a couple of eps ago) Wouldn't he have thought that that would set her mind going in that direction?

Boo, I wanted Branson's brother to be a hot and wilder version who might start flirting with Edith or someone. Not a middle-aged mustached fart who was pretty tame after the build-up. Maybe they are saving something for the next episode.

I'm imagining something will happen next week where Thomas saves the day (again) which makes it difficult to sack him. And although being gay is an abomination to Carson, it is perhaps not quite as bad as being a woman who consents to sex out of marriage, so he won't have to be sent away like Ethel.

I wasn't expecting to see Branson's brother again. There is a lot to tie up next week without him being there.

I am wondering how Anna and Bates will be able to get to and from the house to dress and undress Lord Grantham and Lady Mary at all hours once they get their cottage on the estate. How will that work? They seem only to get 5 hours sleep a night as it is?

[crazyforkate]

OMG, freakin' Sybil! Just got caught up with S3 and what the hell?! We'll see what comes next, I guess...

I'm a Crawley myself (though we don't have an abbey, sadly), so my whole family is absolutely addicted to the show. Hope it has another series.

[xDreamerx]

I'm still so sad about it. She was my favourite. The baby being baptized Catholic was interesting (and hilarious).

[Deleted03]

So this season is over? Why is it so short :(

I did find that the end was a let down. It's like there is a deus ex machina every time and everything that was so controversial ends up being settled down at the same time for everyone, with in the end very little drama.

[Claddagh]

It's hard to believe the season is already over. I've heard they're doing the Christmas special but no idea if there's a season four.

I really did feel bad for Thomas in parts of the season. It makes you wonder what they're going to do with him and others in the Christmas special. That and if there will be a season four?

[Deleted03]

It's hard to believe the season is already over. I've heard they're doing the Christmas special but no idea if there's a season four.

I really did feel bad for Thomas in parts of the season. It makes you wonder what they're going to do with him and others in the Christmas special. That and if there will be a season four?

I googled a bit and found that all had signed for a 4th and 5th season except the actors playing Matthew, Sybil and O'Brian. Of course Sybil is not an issue anymore. but it has not been renewed yet.

[rock_girl]

Damnit. I knew Thomas would be staying and he provides tension, but why did he have to be saved and then be given a promotion? I think I just really hate smokers :lol:, seeing him with his gross cigarette smoking right next to other people makes me want to slap someone.

Not sure I liked the scene at the doctor's. Felt a bit silly to have Matthew ask whether his wife had visited and then to run into her right after the appointment. And now everything's fixed and she'll be knocked up by the Christmas special?

I wonder what's going to happen to Edith. It seems like she's going to get caught up with another old man who's completely unsuitable for her. Part of me wants her to pair up with Branson, which is a possibility since they'll all be living at the house, but I don't think even Edith could suffer marrying the chauffeur. That was strictly Sybil's domain.

Speaking of Branson, I find him very, very, very boring. What happened to the revolutionary? Now he's just a single dad living off his dead wife's family, trying to keep them in the black.

I feel sorry for poor O'Brien. She just can't win. Now she'll have Thomas around and in a position of power to torment her during the next season.

Overall, it was ok... but not really what I was after. Doubt I'll be watching the Christmas special this year. I think Downton should have ended after the second series.

[Guest Anonymous]

What a disappointing series finale... not that any series ever ends now, what with the predictable Christmas specials.

No idea at all why they introduced a new character in Rose, so close to the end, who did nothing at all for the storyline.

Am glad Thomas is staying on, but what a piss-poor story line - Gay people are an abomination - oh no they're not - oh yes they are - on no they're not - I know, let's promote him instead of sacking him. Jolly ho. They could have done so much more with all those characters than simply bleat in a very un-1920's way about the rights and wrongs of sacking someone for making an unwanted pass at the second footman.

And the cousin Matthew and Lady Mary nonsense. Such a lazy storyline. What was this miraculous 'small' operation that Lady Mary apparently endured without anyone noticing, from which she recovered without a hiccup and which guarantees her fertility in time for the Christmas special? Clearly the 1920s fertility doctor is rather more advanced in his practice than the maternity practitioner who brought on Lady Sybil's demise. Oh but we'll not talk about it in any detail, because the series is nearly ended and there are too many other loose ends to tie up.... :roll:

Poor show, Julian, poor show. :?