Anyone watch Downton tonight?

[elleng]

I did, not Oscars. Things to think about!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. It's a soap opera with great clothes. I love it.

And yes, I watched it instead of the Oscars, since I haven't seen any of the nominated movies. What will happen to Mrs. Bates???

[elleng]

2. Anna has got to survive,

but not without some drama between now and then. As Mrs. Hughes said, those 2 seem to be shadowed by sorrow.

The clothes don't entertain me as much as the well-described culture.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. She will. This is a soap opera, after all,

and even though some bad things have happened to some of the characters (they killed off Matthew, but they had to because the actor wanted out of his contract, and Matthew was boring anyhow), the series isn't dark enough to send Anna to the gallows. She is one of the most sympathetic and thoroughly good characters, the kind that soap operas don't mess with because they want mainly happy endings. She'll beat the rap and she and Bates will have a baby.

I predict happy endings as well for Mrs Patmore and Daisy, and I figure Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes will ride off into the sunset together. And Barrow will get his comeuppance somehow.

[hopemountain]

6. the entire downton family will

rally around her & she will suspect/discover she is pregnant while in jail

[elleng]

10. Oh GOOD,

I LIKE that part!!!

[Myrina]

23. ... but wasn't she at Downton helping prepare for that picnic thing when Green was killed?

No witnesses?

[elleng]

27. Yes, she was,

plenty of witnesses to her whereabouts.

[Phentex]

3. I am about sick to death of

the Edith bashing. In the beginning of the series, it seemed like she picked on people and gave as good as she got. But they have now stepped on her in so many ways that it's starting to come across as abuse.

And I also don't appreciate the way they are dragging out the murder case. In the same way they did with Bates, they'll wrap it up in a line or two and move on.

I loved the part about Daisy and how she's discovering a new world.

[WolverineDG]

14. Mary has been a real pill to her this season

Absolutely no sympathy for her sister, making fun of her & stealing attention from her, & all after Mary moped around for months after Matthew died.

I'm hoping she gets a happy ending & Mary gets the ass-kicking she deserves.

[broiles]

4. I'm just watching out of habit now.

Some shows go on for longer than the should and that's true of Downton.

[hopemountain]

7. so you decided to join us and spoil the party? nt

[cwydro]

8. Disagree.

I thought last night's episode was great.

I'm as into it as ever.

[elleng]

11. I agree,

more interesting 'stories' cooking.

[cwydro]

12. Yes!

[gratuitous]

9. Living on the Best-er, West Coast

I got to watch both shows in their entirety. Well, I would have if I watched the Oscars (not that there's anything wrong with watching the Oscars; it's just not my cup of arsenic and old lace).

[Flaxbee]

13. I'm sick of the Bates melodrama. Sick of it. Wish the story would focus

more on Violet and Isobel - two of the more interesting characters, IMO.

I wish the scene between Mrs. Drewe and Cora had been shown last week... THAT would have been interesting. It seems like some of the more interesting confrontations / conversations have been played out off-screen.

I love it, and will keep watching, but I've found it rather ... unsatisfying lately. Focusing on long overplayed drama (the Bates marriage dramas - sick and tired of it. How about some Baxter/Molesely action?) and not enough on Edith and Mary being completely on the cutting edge of accepted female behavior for the time and social status. It has become very fluffy. I don't want people dropping dead left and right, like with Sibyl and Matthew, but perhaps less side-issues (like, what the heck is Mrs. Patmore doing, still weeping over her long-dead nephew we've never met?) and more interesting Mrs. Patmore issues (like her owning a cottage now, or whatever. I love Mrs. Patmore.)

[cwydro]

15. Oh my goodness, I agree with you on the Bates!

Sick to death of them and their never ending issues lol!

Violet and Isobel are my faves, but I love Lord and Lady Grantham.

Mrs. Patmore and Daisy are fantastic. Also, the evil footman whose name I cannot recall at this moment.

[Fla Dem]

16. Barrows? nt

[elias49]

17. I think Barrows might be finding humanity...

seems to be a changed/changing man.

[elleng]

18. MIGHT be,

seeing SOME changes in him, since the failed 'anti-gay' process.

[cwydro]

21. He seems to be lol...

not sure I trust him quite yet.

Great character though.

[Flaxbee]

19. "Cora" (Elizabeth McGovern) came into my Wills & Trusts class one day in the 1990s...

her dad was my professor at UCLA Law ...

She was lovely, and the male students were transfixed.

I wish we could see her character kick some butt more -- she only occasionally gets to show her steel spine, mostly she's written as simpering and placating Robert. I do like Robert, though. Seems he can be jollied out of taking himself too seriously.

[Arugula Latte]

20. Agree with the dislike of the whole Bates-criminal story line.

Sick of it. The one where Mr. B. was in jail was drawn out long enough. Ugh.

I wonder who Lady Mary will bed next?

Also, does anyone know why Michael was killed off? Did the actor want off the series? Or could they not have Lady Edith's happiness go on too long?

Agree that Mary is being a giant pill to Edith this season.

[cwydro]

22. But, IS Michael dead?

Or will he show up again?

[Myrina]

24. ... or what about Patrick, the long lost cousin/heir ...

... it would be awesome if he popped back up from Canada and his identity was confirmed, and then he and Edith fell madly in love and inherited everything.

I'm sure Mary & Little George have a more valid claim by now but, it would be interesting ....

[Arugula Latte]

25. Oh wow. I'd totally forgotten about Patrick.

I think that was season 1 (?).

[Myrina]

26. Season 2, when Downton was rehabbing injured soldiers.

[cwydro]

28. I thought he was proven to be an imposter...

but I can't keep all the story lines straight lol!

I want to start all over and watch it again.