Poll: Downton Abbey finale

[315]

Thoughts? Comments?

[meowmaps]

I love the chemistry between Mary and Lord Gillingham but something tells me that she and Blake will end up together because of the whole opposites attract thing.

[ECB]

Feb 22, 2014 16:10:00 GMT -5 meowmaps said:

I love the chemistry between Mary and Lord Gillingham but something tells me that she and Blake will end up together because of the whole opposites attract thing.

i agree. Plus I feel like she doesn't go for the obvious. I think she likes gillingham and would be happy with him, but I think she's attracted to Blake.

[munkii]

I like Gillingham, but her reaction to Blake's true status gave it away that she much prefers him over Gillingham.

[pooh8402]

Mary and Blake will end up together I'm sure.

I am glad that Ivy took the opportunity to go to America. It's a good opportunity for her and it will get her away from Daisy. Daisy is kinda a bitch to her.

The thing at the end with Carson and Mrs Hughes was adorable.

I'm glad Edith will have her daughter close.

All in all, a nice solid episode with minimal drama to close out the season.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using proboards

[Wallflower]

Special snowflake here ... neither. Both seem like good guys and I'd hate to stick them with Mary for the rest of their lives. (As you can tell, I don't like Mary - she's just such a snob and bitch, with only occasional flashes of human being to act as a counterpoint.)

[hopecounts]

Feb 24, 2014 12:29:38 GMT -5 Wallflower said:

Special snowflake here ... neither. Both seem like good guys and I'd hate to stick them with Mary for the rest of their lives. (As you can tell, I don't like Mary - she's just such a snob and bitch, with only occasional flashes of human being to act as a counterpoint.)

See I feel for Mary (I also like Scarlett in GWTW even though she is a bitch too...) 
I get why she is so snobby and bitchy, the one thing she loves most in the world which is Downton can never be hers simply because she doesn't have a penus. Instead it goes to a distant relative and now her son.
Put yourself in her shoes, say you want to be a doctor but women weren't admitted to medical school for example. Imagine how easy it would be to become bitter and bitchy that simply because you were a woman you were not considered worthy or smart enough to do the thing you want most to do.

My guess is she followed Carson around a lot as a young girl (based on their interactions and closeness, I mean he was the one she cried with for goodness sakes) and imagined being mistress of Downton before her position was made clear to her. That is why she was willing to marry Patrick to be Countess, not for the title or money but for Downton itself.

I am dying to see where the Edith story goes, there is no way that the baby's connection goes unnoticed. I imagine that someone is going to question why Edith is spending so much time at the farmer's home and questions/talk will start. 

[perkyderky]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  I kind of think both men are pretty hot, but Tony is just a smidge hotter, so for that purely superficial reason I hope he's around longer, but as characters, I like them both equally, though agree with the majority that Mary likes a challenge and Charles certainly challengers her more.  I do wonder if Fellows will be clever about who Mary chooses or if he'll just go for drama and ratings when the time comes.  I don't dislike Mary, but I was getting pretty pissed at her when she wanted to take the "moral high ground" on Green/Bates....hello pot, this is the kettle!  I'm glad she bit her tongue and hadn't acted on anything yet.  But then again, true to form, she did everything to avoid scandal and forgave in order to save the family name.  Maybe I should like her less.....


 

[PatBenatar]

I know this isn't popular, but I like Napier. Too bad he won't win.

Out of Blake/Gillingham, I like Gillingham better.

I didn't care much for Edith's storyline this season. I thought she could do better than Michael.

[Wallflower]

Feb 25, 2014 14:27:45 GMT -5 perkyderky said:

Maybe I should like her less.....

Yes, yes, join me over on the dark side! lol

[meowmaps]

The finale was pretty anti-climactic. I was actually a little bored. :/

Barrow was so one-dimensional this season. I didn't even understand the whole tattling on Branson thing. I mean, really? Did he think Lord Grantham was going to downgrade him from son-in-law to chauffeur because he had a lady friend over? Give me a break. I like that Baxter is getting out from under Barrow's threats. I'm sure we'll find out more about her past next season. Baxter and Moseley are so cute together.

[perkyderky]

Feb 25, 2014 16:22:44 GMT -5 PatBenatar said:

I didn't care much for Edith's storyline this season. I thought she could do better than Michael.

The only time I thought Edith got any semblance of an interesting story line was when she became a writer...and then that quickly turned into her romance with Gregson.  I wish the writers would give her some sort of depth--heck, it even seems that she too struggles with being so "blank".  I hope next season they allow her to develop, one way or another.

And to the person that said Barrow was so one dimensional this season, I totally agree.  I mean, every story needs its "villan" but in seasons past, he was at least a bit more clever about it. 

As a whole, I thought this was the weakest season BY FAR.  Hopefully it doesn't become a trend and this was all just leading to something else....

[hopecounts]

I agree this was a very weak season.
I'm hoping that it is a temporary lapse and next season is really good, especially since it is likely the last.
I was really hopefuls at first because of the whole Nanny thing that they were going to do so,etching interesting with Barrow but they just let him lapse back into a cardboard villain.
I do think the tattling on Branson will have a point I really think they may be setting up the possibility in Lord Grantham's mind that Tom has had lady friends so that if he does step up to help Edith it's believable.
Alternately it could be that it's just opening their eyes to the fact that Branson is relatively young and will likely want to remarry at some point and all that encompasses,

[perkyderky]

Feb 25, 2014 19:54:17 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

I do think the tattling on Branson will have a point I really think they may be setting up the possibility in Lord Grantham's mind that Tom has had lady friends so that if he does step up to help Edith it's believable.
Alternately it could be that it's just opening their eyes to the fact that Branson is relatively young and will likely want to remarry at some point and all that encompasses,

Right, I do wonder IF anything will happen at all about the whole "lady friend" issue.  My guess is that Cora may be a voice of reason, with some reservations.  As in, "we don't mind you falling in love again, but don't your courting it in front of us, and MAKE IT WORTH IT."  I'm assuming that Branson would still be able to be the Administer (or whatever the title is, I forgot) of the estate, regardless of whether he is family or not. 

The best thing about this season were the tiaras.  Lots of occasions in which to get be-jeweled and I like that.  I especially LOVED the tiara Cora wore for most of the last episode.  I thought I saw a few that we've never seen before, and that's a good thing in my view.  Clearly, I don't mind some superficiality in my shows.  Mary has hot suitors, and the ladies wear pretty jewels. 

[hopecounts]

Feb 26, 2014 11:19:13 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

I found it strange that all season men were tripping over themselves to be with Mary, who is presumably now at least 30 years old and has another man's baby, while no one gives Edith a second look  (wilted) Is it just because Mary owns such a large part of Downton?

This season was definitely weak. The Anna/Bates storyline got boring for me (sorry bb), and I agree with everyone that Barrow was too one dimensional. Cora seemed to be on quaaludes the whole season, and the Dowager seems to be going soft in her old age (I prefer my Violet sharp-tongued).  

Yes, or at least presumably based on the facts we have, mainly that Mary was left everything by Mathew and that the Grantham money is tied up in the entailment. 
Mary already has a sizable fortune/property of her own as half owner of Downton for life (unless/until she transfers it to George at his majority) unlike Edith who will have some inheritance from Robert but currently is essentially penniless and lives on his largess.

 

[niemand88f]

The Bates train ticket, coat donation thing was stupid and felt so forced that I was rolling my eyes whenever they talked about "russian refugees". I thought it seemed pretty clear in the penultimate episode that Mary was probably content to let her suspicions lie. And seriously, 8 months (I think based on Edith's storyline) since the rapist died, and Bates NEVER thought to throw away his incriminating train ticket???

[karinothing]

Feb 26, 2014 11:59:03 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Feb 26, 2014 11:19:13 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

I found it strange that all season men were tripping over themselves to be with Mary, who is presumably now at least 30 years old and has another man's baby, while no one gives Edith a second look  (wilted) Is it just because Mary owns such a large part of Downton?

This season was definitely weak. The Anna/Bates storyline got boring for me (sorry bb), and I agree with everyone that Barrow was too one dimensional. Cora seemed to be on quaaludes the whole season, and the Dowager seems to be going soft in her old age (I prefer my Violet sharp-tongued).  

Yes, or at least presumably based on the facts we have, mainly that Mary was left everything by Mathew and that the Grantham money is tied up in the entailment. 
Mary already has a sizable fortune/property of her own as half owner of Downton for life (unless/until she transfers it to George at his majority) unlike Edith who will have some inheritance from Robert but currently is essentially penniless and lives on his largess.

 

Regardless I think it is weird that everyone overlooks Edith. I mean she is still a girl from a decent family and I imagine most folks would consider marrying her marrying well, regardless of her income.

[hopecounts]

Feb 27, 2014 20:44:20 GMT -5 karinothing said:

Feb 26, 2014 11:59:03 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Yes, or at least presumably based on the facts we have, mainly that Mary was left everything by Mathew and that the Grantham money is tied up in the entailment. 
Mary already has a sizable fortune/property of her own as half owner of Downton for life (unless/until she transfers it to George at his majority) unlike Edith who will have some inheritance from Robert but currently is essentially penniless and lives on his largess.

 

Regardless I think it is weird that everyone overlooks Edith. I mean she is still a girl from a decent family and I imagine most folks would consider marrying her marrying well, regardless of her income.

Remember that there are many many more women then men of Edith and Mary's age and class right now because most of the upperclass men were killed in WWI.
the men are able to pick and choose and if they just want a girl from a good family a spinster is not going to be high on the list when there are dozens of eligible young women to choose from. 
Which is why I never got why the Dowager and Robert interfered in her engagment. The fact that many women were not going to be marrying due to lack of men was already known and discussed fact so they should have encouraged the marriage for her sake rather then basically consigning her to a life of spinsterhood (which if it was what she wanted would be fine but she clearly wanted to marry him).
mary would be in the same boat except she has the added interest of money at a time when many men in the upper class needed it,so it pulls her up a bit in the competition.

[Wallflower]

We're talking about Mary's money and ownership of part of Downton as lure for men, but none of the actors are playing it that way. The writing and acting are totally supporting the idea that Mary is irresistable to these guys ... some kind of uppercrust catnip. I mean, if they have all these women to pick from, are you really going to pick one who's cold and bitchy?

It's interesting - I hadn't thought of Edith's failed engagement in those terms, hopecounts. But you're right, give the severe lack of men post-WWI, they should have been glad that Edith had found someone.

So, do we think Michael Gregson will ever be found, or is he just lost the chaos building in Germany?

[hopecounts]

Feb 28, 2014 8:55:38 GMT -5 Wallflower said:

We're talking about Mary's money and ownership of part of Downton as lure for men, but none of the actors are playing it that way. The writing and acting are totally supporting the idea that Mary is irresistable to these guys ... some kind of uppercrust catnip. I mean, if they have all these women to pick from, are you really going to pick one who's cold and bitchy?

It's interesting - I hadn't thought of Edith's failed engagement in those terms, hopecounts. But you're right, give the severe lack of men post-WWI, they should have been glad that Edith had found someone.

So, do we think Michael Gregson will ever be found, or is he just lost the chaos building in Germany?

They're British cold and bitchy works for them ;-)
Seriously that's a good point and a real failing in the writing so I'm watching it and adding motives to them for why.

Though I still think Mary is a very very Scarlett O'Hara type character, bitchy and cold, and not beautiful but so fascinating men are drawn like a moth to the flame.

As for Gregson I think it depends, the actor playing him was doing a play but I'm not sure which came first him leaving DA or the Play. If he left to do the play he may be available to return and if so Gregson may pop up, if he was let go then not so much.