Downton Abbey

[Ladybug]

Isobel is the most annoying character to me. Still telling the Granthams what to do with their own house after the war is over . . . step off, lady. The Dowager Countess played her like a fiddle.

Last week I was getting annoyed with Sybill and Branson's secret garage rendevous #251 but this week it was Daisy's guilt over "decieving" William. The dude wanted to marry you before he died, he married you, he died, end of story. This plot is so repetative and boring. If Daisy doesn't want her widow's pension, she ought to give it to the unwed mother.

[tara57]

I just started reading a new library book: Below Stairs, the Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir That Inspired Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey, by Margaret Powell. The front and back covers have positive reviews from Julian Fellowes and Dame Eileen Atkins, co-creator of Upstairs, Downstairs.

The author started out as a kitchen maid and worked her way up to cook in big houses in 1920's England.

I am thoroughly enjoying her point of view and the descriptions of life and duties below stairs. It's interesting to read this with Downton Abbey in mind.

[baileydash]

Kudos to the actress who played Lavinia because she didn't play a character so much as a saintly plot device.

Yet somehow, instead of wanting to kill her, I actually felt for her.

And Matthew and Mary are beyond being irritant twits. They are that soap opera couple that I never root for because they wreck other peoples lives due to their inability to get over each other.

They get off on pining for each other from afar.

[angelaudie]

Kudos to the actress who played Lavinia because she didn't play a character so much as a saintly plot device.

Yet somehow, instead of wanting to kill her, I actually felt for her.

Yeah, it's not the actress's fault her character was given no depth. She did the best she could with the material given to her. I wish they had allowed her to recover and stick to determination to end things with Matthew.

They get off on pining for each other from afar.

I disagree with you here on M/M. They aren't the couple that confesses their feelings but won't because they feel obligated to other people. Matthew sincerely thought Mary didn't love him and vice versa. What else were they supposed to do but move on to other people? Granted they were entering the annoying soap territory but Lavina's death prevented that and I think if she had lived she would have made it clear she was not going to the one that Matthew settled on. Matthew is currently grief and guilt ridden so of course he's not going to run into Mary's arms. I think Mary would have dumped Carlisle long ago if he wasn't blackmailing her.

Matthew did get on my nerves with his insistence that he must marry Lavina because she was willing to care for him when they thought he was paralyzed (don't get me started on his sudden ability to stand). Yeah, Lavina would have been hurt about being dumped for Mary but I have a sneaky feeling she would have felt even worse if she had married him only for him to resent her for not being Mary.

Sybil and Branson are the couple I'm not feeling. When she told him he was her ticket out I kept wondering why Branson was so happy. She basically said, "Ehhh, you'll do!" dude.

[kostgard]

Wow. That really was nice of Saint Lavinia to die so Mary and Matthew could be together. So sweet!

Geez.

Man, Mary was really riding the bitch train in the first half, but I loved the way she handled Sybil and Branson running off. She was just the no-nonsense big sister and it was awesome.

I'm totally not buying Sybil/Branson either. They were cute last season, but I've felt no attraction/heat at all from her and he's turned into a dick.

At least Violet continues to be awesome. She still cracks off the awesome one-liners and despite her old-fashioned ways is the only family member who doesn't seem to have her head up her own ass.

[tabby]

I guess I should have expected it from Julian Fellowes, but I HATE the Robert/Jane storyline. Hate, hate, hate. Glad it went no further and that Jane's gone. Although I guess Robert nearly banging the maid made him more sympathetic to his daughter's running off with the chauffeur.

Granny Violet was very kind with Edith in that scene where they're arranging the wedding presents.

So, I'm guessing the reason they didn't figure out that Thomas's black-market ingredients were bad was because clueless Daisy actually made the cake (under Mrs. Patmore's instruction), and Mrs. Patmore didn't touch or taste them? I can't imagine something that's 2/3 plaster dust would behave like flour, but I admit I've never baked with plaster dust.

Still couldn't care less about Ethel and her baby.

[tara57]

Downton Abbey Valentines

[angelaudie]

I don't think Lavina actually died of a broken heart. Lavina most likely contracted pneumonia which is what killed many people during the Spanish Flu pandemic. Plus, Lavina was pretty healthy which meant the cytokine storm in her body would have been rather strong. The Spanish Flu was unique in that having a weak immune system might actually save your life since your body wouldn't attack itself as badly.

When Matthew was going on about how Lavina died of a broken heart he was grief stricken and guilt ridden. Grief stricken because he did care about Lavina so obviously her death would be sad for him. But I think what he felt more than anything was guilt. He felt guilty that he never loved Lavina like he should have. The fact he never argued he was marrying Lavina because he was in love with her proves that he wasn't in love with her. Fond of her yes but he wasn't in love. He felt guilty that he dragged Lavina on despite not loving her and therefore preventing her the opportunity to find love with someone who love her the way she deserved. Finally, he felt guilt that he apparently didn't hide his feelings for Mary as well as he thought and that he acted on them. What pisses me off is he's dragging Mary into this and declaring she killed Lavina too. Dude, you initiated the dancing, the "Oh, I want to throw Lavina over but I just can't!" conversation, and the kissing. Take responsibility for your actions Matthew and don't drag other people into them!

Violet, at least, remains an absolute gem. Her line that one of Branson's virtues is being a good driver was priceless! Also, she's wisely accepting the Sybil situation for what it is and is clearly trying to make the best of it. Mary is actually like that as well. I often wondered if the reason why Mary appears to Violet's favorite grandchild is because she sees so much of herself in Mary.

[Deleted]

I have to say that so far S2 is a letdown compared to S1. None of that sublime chemistry among the cast in S1, and the writing and plotline are not as strong. I'm still a fan, of course, but now I'm kind of waiting for the jump the shark moment to come anytime.

[kostgard]

I agree, and I hope that it's just a sophomore slum and not a permanent downgrade in quality.

I agree that Mary is a lot like her grandmother -entrenched in tradition, but with a practical nature and flexible when she needs to be. Maybe one day she'll be able to crack off one-liners like her granny.

With Branson gone, will Edith be the new chauffeur? She doesn't appear to have anything else to do now that the invalids have moved out.

And Daisy really is too stupid to live sometimes. Who doesn't taste the cake batter as you're making it to make sure it tastes okay (or just because cake batter is good)? Couldn't she have tasted it while cooking and asked Mrs. Patmore why it tasted wrong and they unravel the mystery then?