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Post by Baby Fish Mouth on Mar 9, 2012 16:08:11 GMT -4
As a huge fan of Mary and Matthew, I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Please, Julian Fellowes, allow them five minutes of happiness before you bring back Imposter Burnface Patrick or some other wretched plot contrivance.
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baileydash
Lady in Waiting
Posts: 316
Dec 12, 2009 17:21:35 GMT -4
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Post by baileydash on Mar 9, 2012 20:17:13 GMT -4
So, wait, Pamuk was white? ::runs off to adjust TV picture:: I plead ignorance. I wasn't watching then. My honest apologies for not being better informed about the characters that have graced DA. Still, it remains true that England of that period was pretty racially homogeneous. I think adding aspects of racial ignorance to the already heady mix of British verses American cultural differences and deeply ingrained WWI era class distinctions, would make the show even more fascinating. But that's just me.
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Post by angelaudie on Mar 9, 2012 20:46:46 GMT -4
I would argue Pamuk was an example of someone of a different ethnicity than race. You can be white and still be Turkish. For what it's worth the actor that played Pamuk is of Greek decent. Still, even you argue Pamuk was a of a different race it doesn't change the fact that English people were not used to interacting with black people. If Martha, the name of Cora's mother, had a black lady's maid I highly doubt Carson or any of the other downstairs people would view that lady's maid as being just like the time Pamuk came over. But again I'm not really convinced Fellowes could handle all the nuances such a story would demand. And her maid is being played by a white woman so it's mute point. I predict Cora's mom and her maid's visit will have a lot of focus on the cultural differences between English and Americans. Cora seems to have done her best to fit in. Her mom probably won't care. I really hope there is a family dinner that includes Sybil, Branson, and Martha. So much comedic potential! I might have squealed when I saw those photos. I think the ones in the car are kinda adorable (a friend those are morning after post coital bliss since Mary is glowing and Matthew looks pleased with himself). I also hope they are allowed some happiness.
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Post by Augustus on Mar 9, 2012 21:37:51 GMT -4
Those in the country and hanging around in those circles, including their staff, certainly wouldn't have seen any black or Asian people, unless you had been sent out to SE-Asia or the West Indies. There were black and Chinese communities to be found in those days, but those were in big cities and seaports, for instance Liverpool mostly consisting of seamen. Yeah, I don't think they mingled that much.
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baileydash
Lady in Waiting
Posts: 316
Dec 12, 2009 17:21:35 GMT -4
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Post by baileydash on Mar 9, 2012 22:12:01 GMT -4
As a huge fan of Mary and Matthew, I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Please, Julian Fellowes, allow them five minutes of happiness before you bring back Imposter Burnface Patrick or some other wretched plot contrivance. I know I'm in the minority, but I find the Matthew/Mary romance to be one of the least interesting relationships on the show. It was just so predictable that these two would fall for each other. Why couldn't Fellowes have defied expectations and have the presumptive heir fall for the "plain" sister? And Matthew is too blandly goody-goody. He makes Edward Herman look third world. I know you're wondering why I bother to watch when I don't care for the show's anchor couple. Well, I love costume porn and Miss Maggie.
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Post by Baby Fish Mouth on Mar 10, 2012 12:54:05 GMT -4
I know I'm in the minority, but I find the Matthew/Mary romance to be one of the least interesting relationships on the show. It was just so predictable that these two would fall for each other. Why couldn't Fellowes have defied expectations and have the presumptive heir fall for the "plain" sister? And Matthew is too blandly goody-goody. He's kind of goody-goody, but I wouldn't call him bland. I love the fact that he has a spine when it comes to Mary. In S1 he's clearly in love with her, but he doesn't let her walk all over him. He's intelligent, has a sense of humor, and doesn't let Mary's indiscretion with Pamuk change the way he feels about her. And I would argue that kissing Mary while his fiancee and mother were right upstairs wasn't very goody-goody. For me the least interesting couple is Anna and Bates. Both nice people, but their storyline is so excruciatingly boring.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 29, 2024 6:31:48 GMT -4
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2012 13:18:11 GMT -4
I loved Anna and Bates back in season 1. The scene where she confessed her love was one of the best scenes ever. Unfortunately their story became exhausting in season 2 because they weren't allowed two seconds of happiness. I think Fellowes really messed up a few things from season 1 that had the potential to be awesome in season 2. For me, Sybil and Branson go into that category, too.
As a total Mary/Matthew fan I'd be more than happy if they actually make it to their wedding in season 3. I loved all their scenes in the Christmas special. It was such a Matthew thing to ask her if she was in love with Pamuk. In turn, I thought it was completely in character for Mary to make him kneel for his proposal. ;-) I love Mary.
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baileydash
Lady in Waiting
Posts: 316
Dec 12, 2009 17:21:35 GMT -4
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Post by baileydash on Mar 10, 2012 14:11:11 GMT -4
Mary's too young to be so damned haughty. I know that some of it is a mask for insecurity, but still.....
The dowager on the other hand, has earned her imperial bitchiness by way of the school of life.
As to macking on Mary while he's engaged, that's the one less-than-noble slip-up that I can't forgive Matthew. I mean, Livinnia was such a helpless, saintly, creature and was so obviously a mere speed bump to the grand l'amour that was Mary and Matthew, that it came across as especially cruel, even if it wasn't meant to be.
What or who is Fellowes going to sacrifice next to prove how deeply Mathew and Mary love each other? His Lordship's dog? That disgraced maid's baby? Baby seals imported specifically for the purpose of clubbing? We get it! Matthew and Mary are meant to be together! They share the most profound love that has ever existed between two people! Can we move on now?
Fellowes is shameless.
Here's hoping that the Irish, baby radicals come over and stir up some trouble soon. Everyone's still too smug at DA.
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Post by granolamom on Mar 14, 2012 19:54:54 GMT -4
IMDB lists Shirley MacLaine's character's name as Martha Levinson. I know that doesn't necessarily mean the character has a Jewish background, but it could mean that she does, thus providing the opportunity for Fellowes to explore anti-Semitic attitudes of the time.
For how many months must we speculate???
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Post by tabby on Mar 15, 2012 9:21:12 GMT -4
Lord and Lady Grantham were at the Obamas' State Dinner for David Cameron last night! Well, it was really Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern, but still.
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