Downton Abbey

[angelaudie]

I love Matthew but am still not sold on Mary/Matthew's love story. He is too good for her. After all, she dumped him when she thought he'd have no money so it's only fair that he moved on to someone else who seems to love him for what he is. I wouldn't mind if they didn't end up together.

I've heard Mary not being good enough for Matthew because she dumped him when it became possible he may no longer be heir. I have several issues with that argument. One when Mary first learned about her possible baby brother she still seemed willing to marry him. She pointed that they got along well and he was smart so perhaps he could advance himself the old fashioned way. It was only until darling Auntie Rosamond got her claws into her that Mary began to wonder and even then she was asking for more time. Yes, by our modern day view this is stupid and cold but back then this was something women had to seriously consider. Making the wrong marriage could ruin a woman's life. Now, I don't think Mary's life would be ruined with Matthew but he couldn't quite promise her protection either. Not to mention a woman marrying below her class was scandalous and as Mary stated to Pamuk she's not nearly as rebellious as people think she is.

I think it's also important to keep in mind Mary still hadn't told Matthew about Pamuk. Mary told Cora before she could accept his proposal she needed to tell Matthew about the incident. To me that shows more love and respect for him than Violet and Cora showed since they thought she shouldn't tell him. Since a woman's virginity was serious business back then telling Matthew was incredibly risky. Delaying giving him an answer also meant delaying telling him about Pamuk. In other words, I think saying Mary just cared about money is simplifying the situation a bit too much. The money factored in sure but so did other things.

Now, I do understand why Matthew withdrew his proposal. From his view it appeared Mary was considering rejecting him simply due to the heir issue. He doesn't know about Pamuk (apparently Matthew and Robert are the ones in England who haven't heard about Pamuk). He lives in a very black and white world (at least back then) so he's not going to think any other thing, aside from love, should matter. And frankly since he saw everything so black and white I wouldn't shocked if he had taken the Pamuk business badly if she had told him back then.

I happen to be very Team Mary. I'm sure you never would have guessed!

I violently shifted back and forth on Thomas. I felt sorry for him in the trenches, then hated him when he returned to Downton and acted like a total dick again, then went back to feeling sorry for him when his very pretty patient committed suicide.

Oh I know! I can't blame him for wanting out of the trenches. The man seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown at one point! Of course, he returned to his old self once he returned to Downton. O'Brien seemed to be only one happy to see him. Then the patient died and I went back to feeling bad for him. I guess it's nice to know Thomas has a heart though. O'Brien as well based on she treats Lang.

[tabby]

By the way, I was racking my brain to figure out where had I seen Cora and now I know. She was Robert De Niro's character's crush in Once upon a Time in America.She's aged, but in a graceful way and is still very pretty.

Elizabeth McGovern was a pretty popular Hollywood actress back in the 80s. She married a Brit and has been living in the UK for the last 20 years or so, and has been out of the Hollywood scene.

I wanted to like Edith when she learned to drive and then volunteered to help out on a farm, but the gleeful kissing of another woman's husband pretty much put paid to that.

Poor Carson, having to deal with - *gasp* - women serving at dinner! I loved when the housekeeper told him about how she eavesdropped on Bates and his wife, and he said that, if he were a gentleman, he couldn't possibly listen to any information received in such an underhanded manner. But, of course, since he's not a gentleman, let's hear it!

[Ladybug]

I have a question: is significant stuff really edited out of the original British version for American audiences? I have watched the first season both on Netflix and PBS and I noticed that a line or two was cut, but I assumed that it was done for time. Are whole scenes and storylines deleted? And if so, where can I get a copy of the original uncut British version?

[Karrit]

Jan 10, 2012 11:40:07 GMT -4 Ladybug said:

I have a question: is significant stuff really edited out of the original British version for American audiences? I have watched the first season both on Netflix and PBS and I noticed that a line or two was cut, but I assumed that it was done for time. Are whole scenes and storylines deleted? And if so, where can I get a copy of the original uncut British version?

I don't think you are missing anything of great importance. My understanding is that editing for the versions is because it was aired on commercial ITV in the UK, but non-commercial PBS for the US. There were 6 one hour episodes, plus a 2 hour Christmas episode in Season 2. So really 6 45 minute episodes/ 90 minute Christmas episode without commercials. So if scenes or lines have been edited out, they would probably be for continuity...you know coming back from a commercial or a previous episode with a scene that wouldn't be necessary or jarring when viewed in non-commercial form.

[Deleted]

Jan 10, 2012 0:40:05 GMT -4 angelaudie said:

I happen to be very Team Mary. I'm sure you never would have guessed!

So am I I like her a lot and do get why she sometimes acts the way she does. I love that she can see her mistakes and admits when she has been wrong.
I'm also very much Team Mary/Matthew. I'm waiting for my season 2 DVDs so I can watch the episodes properly (not via a somewhat slow stream). Sooo many good M/M moments

[Ladybug]

Thanks, Karrit.

[Sunnyhorse]

I didn't like Mary at all for quite a while in Season 1, and then all of a sudden I loved her. I pitied Edith at first and wanted good things to happen to her, but she's just become insufferable and mean.

[Deleted]

No, the US editing is a bit more than just flowing from commercial to non-commercial. It's not drastic, but a few of the back end stories for the downstairs staff have been edited out. One thing that I can remember now is O'Brien and Thomas scheming to get Bates into trouble that was completely edited out. Also when Mary told William to go home to his mother - there was a bit of back end to that as well in the original version. None of the editing took away from the central plots, but as a hardcore fan I wanted to view the unedited version.

[garnet927]

Jan 10, 2012 10:37:59 GMT -4 tabby said:

By the way, I was racking my brain to figure out where had I seen Cora and now I know. She was Robert De Niro's character's crush in Once upon a Time in America.She's aged, but in a graceful way and is still very pretty.

Elizabeth McGovern was a pretty popular Hollywood actress back in the 80s. She married a Brit and has been living in the UK for the last 20 years or so, and has been out of the Hollywood scene.

BTW, her husband, Simon Curtis, is the director of My Week With Marilyn. I hadn't realized that that's who Elizabeth McGovern was married to (I'm old enough to have seen some of her 80's movies back in the day.) until I read an interview with him when his movie came out.

[Augustus]

Jan 9, 2012 23:58:01 GMT -4 kostgard said:

And why the crap do these people put up with O'Brien? She's a sour bitch who always stirs up trouble. And lying to the new maid to get her to do inappropriate stuff? Do they honestly think it's just a little good-natured hazing? From O'Brien? Even if Lord Grantham or Cora are blind to a lot of this I'm really surprised that Carson and Mrs. Hughes haven't strongly suggested that they fire her.

Cora turns a blind eye, for she's quite attached to her. Lord Grantham however is quite aware, isn't exactly fond of her whatsoever and wouldn't mind firing her if the chance arises. There have been a few scenes that I remember where it's quite clear Cora is pretty much the sole reason why O'Brien is still employed.

Both Carson and Mrs Hughes share the same opinion when it comes to the scheming twosome O'Brien & Thomas, so while the latter's scheme is pretty much known to all, O'Brien is still in the clear despite her nastiness. As long as her secret is kept safe, that is.