307 replies to this topic

[TWoP Roxy]

From zap2it.com:

Wedding guests -- including Cora's American mother -- descend on Downton Abbey.

Edited by TWoP Roxy, Jan 5, 2013 @ 1:55 PM.

[name234]

It was perhaps wrong, but as Mary descended the stairs with Robert and Carson looking on, all I could think was, "Mary has two dads!"

[AnalogHeart]

The shift from the wedding to coming back from the honeymoon was so abrupt, I thought I was watching a commercial for future episodes! That was whiplash-worthy. Nice to see everyone back again

[peggy06]

I thought Shirley Maclaine was fine. Not over the top at all.

Maggie Smith's expressions during "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" were priceless.

Mary annoyed me. She really can't see past her own interest, can she? You would think she'd have more delicacy, in the circumstances. She did look lovely in her wedding dress, though.

Glad they're resolving the Edith/Sir Anthony subplot.

Bored with Sybil and Tom.

The Bates subplot brought things grinding to a halt every time it surfaced.

[jane08]

I had forgotten about the rapid timeline and abrupt editing of this show! The cut from the wedding to after the honeymoon was way too fast. I enjoyed it overall, though the Bates storyline is a huge yawn.

[Jschoolgirl]

I wish we had seen more of the wedding, but I loved the carriage ride through the village!

[BlackieBear]

It's so good to see DA back. I thought the episode was wonderful, the outfits beautiful and a nice progression of the story line. I do hope that some one can clarify something for me regarding Mr. Mosley and Alfred; what's going on? Do they want to get rid of Mr. Mosley ? I could not follow that storyline. And why they are trying to sometimes help Alfred. Maybe it's not been clear yet but I do feel that I am missing something.

edited for punctuation.

Edited by BlackieBear, Jan 6, 2013 @ 11:18 PM.

[Lived In Inch]

Surprisingly I didn't notice the edits. I don't think there was any this time. They just put the first and second episodes together. I am glad it's back, even though I watched it already. It just means it will shorten my Downton-less state by a month.

[not Bridget]

My, isn't Robert useless! His one "job" has been to keep Downton solvent & he blew the money in an investment he was warned against. He complained about the "sacrifice" he made for the place; what were they, exactly? He did marry Cora for her fortune but supposedly fell in love with her. Then he didn't want his youngest daughter at her sister's wedding because she married an Irish chauffeur; he was dreadfully rude to the guy until Tom kept the wedding from being cancelled at the last minute. So Robert managed to be civil. Oh, and he criticized his mother-in-law at the dining table where everybody can hear.

Then he decided Strallan isn't good enough for Edith. He wasn't too old before--but he dared to get wounded in the War. The War that Robert spent in uniform in his library. As Downton's fortune trickled away....

ETA: But the show and most of the cast are so very pretty! Except for the prison--of which I've already seen too much.

Edited by not Bridget, Jan 6, 2013 @ 11:24 PM.

[gammigee]

It was perhaps wrong, but as Mary descended the stairs with Robert and Carson looking on, all I could think was, "Mary has two dads!"

Wrong - NOT! I said the same thing!

[bagatelle1]

I can watch Maggie Smith being the Dowager Countess and know I've seen that act before, in other movies of hers. Yet, I still adore her and wait for her scenes, because they are the best and she seems so convincing in that role.

Shirley MacLaine, on the other hand, is just Shirley MacLaine landing an acting gig on a period drama television series and I don't believe for one second she is the mother of Lady Grantham. Maybe they should have hired someone less famous.

[Jschoolgirl]

Did anyone else hear an anvil when Robert referred to his chest exploding?

Edited by Jschoolgirl, Jan 6, 2013 @ 11:33 PM.

[nilyank]

Branson is cuter than ever and he is so much better that prat that spiked his drink. Branson might not have wealth or a title, but he way more noble that other guy.

While I believe that Mary and Matthew are meant for each other, it doesn't the fact that I think that Mary is a self-centered bitch.

I love Edith and I wish her beau was a cutie like Matthew and Branson.

Finally, those zany Americans. Informal dining wherever anyone wants to eat. Carson barely survived the night.

[peggy06]

Did anyone else hear an anvil when Robert referred to his chest exploding?

Oh yeah. It was such an odd choice of words. The more natural way of putting it would be to say you're so happy you might burst.

[hunterhunted]

This money plot is just reminding me of all the reasons I dislike Mary. "No, you dumb Americans, I want my decrepit English inheritance because I've been planning all the fancy parties I would have since childhood! Oh, we keep a small county's worth of people employed? I guess that's nice. Divest my uncle of his money so I can live my dream!"

I love how not a single Grantham is able to actually articulate how and why it's important to keep Downton Abbey in the family. Our grand tradition...the farmers. Whatever. Also it's quite likely that the sale of Downton would have no impact on the tenant farmers who would keep supplying the new owners.

My, isn't Robert useless! His one "job" has been to keep Downton solvent & he blew the money in an investment he was warned against. He complained about the "sacrifice" he made for the place; what were they, exactly? He did marry Cora for her fortune but supposedly fell in love with her. Then he didn't want his youngest daughter at her sister's wedding because she married an Irish chauffeur; he was dreadfully rude to the guy until Tom kept the wedding from being cancelled at the last minute. So Robert managed to be civil. Oh, and he criticized his mother-in-law at the dining table where everybody can hear.

Then he decided Strallan isn't good enough for Edith. He wasn't too old before--but he dared to get wounded in the War. The War that Robert spent in uniform in his library. As Downton's fortune trickled away....

I wasn't really impressed with Robert tonight or Mary. I'm also tired to the Anna Bates: Junior Detective.

[peggy06]

I love how not a single Grantham is able to actually articulate how and why it's important to keep Downton Abbey in the family. Our grand tradition...the farmers. Whatever. Also it's quite likely that the sale of Downton would have no impact on the tenant farmers who would keep supplying the new owners.

This was a real weakness of the storyline, I thought. It was pointed up by Violet and Mary's big scheme to show the importance of Downton. For days, Cora's mother has been getting in digs about how things never change, and she's obviously not over-impressed with the setup. How is a grand party going to convince her otherwise? Just doubling down on the things she considers outdated.

And Mary's sense of entitlement (to others' money) was quite off-putting. She's been one of my favorite characters, too.

Edited by peggy06, Jan 6, 2013 @ 11:51 PM.

[Tess23]

I've forgotten how DA keeps the plot zipping along at a rollicking pace. Have also forgotten (happily) about Cora's incessant simpering. But oh so happy DA is back!

[gammigee]

Does anyone else think that Edith will marry Strallan, he will kick the bucket on the honeymoon, and she will save DA when she inherits?

[Jschoolgirl]

Does anyone else think that Edith will marry Strallan, he will kick the bucket on the honeymoon, and she will save DA when she inherits?

He isn't that old; Edith's probably 30, tops. So he is 55 at most.

(I'm watching again to see the carriage ride one more time!)

[Cecilia08]

Oooooh, gammigee, I love your theory! Wouldn't it be nice if the overlooked sister saved the day!
I will admit to being a sap, but I loved the scene of Mary walking down the stairs and her father and Crowley in awe, I loved the carriage ride thru the cheering villagers, and I wanted the wedding to go on for an hour. Show, how do you do this to me?
On the other hand, the Bates prison plot line actually started making me laugh every time it appeared. And if I were Anna I would get mighty sick of Bates being all "I'm innocent, but whatever, you do your little detective work and I'll just nobly rot in prison."
Mary and Graany Grantham did not come off well in terms of their money-grubbing from Shirley MacLaine. No, you don't deserve more American money just because you dine in white tie. Would have been a more effective pitch if they'd toured Shirley thru the village and estate and let her see that livelihoods depended on the manor.
Tom is a tiresome prig.
Great to have the show back, though it turns me into a sap.

[Jodhaa]

Review

Grade C

http://www.avclub.co...sode-one,90461/

[hunterhunted]

I completely forgot about the ridiculousness that was Chekhov's oven. I predicted that it would "go off" during the wedding and not the important (not really) dinner party. That foreshadowing was as subtle as an anvil.

I hate cast bloat, but seriously could they not have hired a couple or extras to play Mary and Matthew's friends. what about Mary's friends from season 1. Those two seem to have no friends anymore and it is ludicrious, especially with Matthew. Did he not have any war buddies, school friends, or any friends when he was so very middle class to be his best man? He was lucky Branson was there otherwise Matthew would have had to choose one of the downstairs staff in order to scandalize the family.

Edited by hunterhunted, Jan 7, 2013 @ 12:31 AM.

[Sighphi]

Mary is back, baby! Oh how i missed hating you from series 1. This alone made these opening episodes awesome. Carlisle was too much of a villain for me to hate in series two so im glad that we are back to Mary causing her own misery.

I also thought tremendously quickly after what transpire with their story that when Edith marries Stranllan at the last possible second before all goes to hell the dude is going to die and she is going to end up with everything he has saving Downton.

And if we ever get to Downton Abbey The Next Generation, Edith could take the role of The Dowager Countess. She is going to be the old lady that tells it how it is.

[Rozen]

Does anyone else think that Edith will marry Strallan, he will kick the bucket on the honeymoon, and she will save DA when she inherits?

Was totally thinking that. Edith still has some Pamuk karma to work through, imo.

Lavinia died because you broke her heart? Oh please, get over yourself. She died of Spanish Influenza which killed about 3% of the world's population. And who are you to know what was in the heart of Lavinia's father? Take the money or don't take the money, but stop inflating your ego.

But Matthew's such a stud, how could Lavinia ever recover? If anything, I would think Lavinia died of exasperation after her patient selflessness got dumped for "I can't live without money" Mary Grantham.

Edited by Rozen, Jan 7, 2013 @ 1:52 AM.

[cwaldo]

Have also forgotten (happily) about Cora's incessant simpering.

Huh? She had the most level headed reaction to any of them regarding Robert loosing her fortune. While both Mary and Robert are reacting very badly to the whole money situation, I have to say, Matthew is being pretty freaking arrogant himself. Lavinia died because you broke her heart? Oh please, get over yourself. She died of Spanish Influenza which killed about 3% of the world's population. And who are you to know what was in the heart of Lavinia's father? Take the money or don't take the money, but stop inflating your ego.

[cyberducks]

Mary and Matthew deserve each other - she is an entitled and self-centered bitch and he is a self-important goody-two-shoes who needs to get over himself. I hope they make each other miserable. And don't get me started on Robert.

Good to have this show back - the only costume drama I have ever watched on PBS that gets me all mad and bothered about some of its characters.

[Brn2bwild]

I love how not a single Grantham is able to actually articulate how and why it's important to keep Downton Abbey in the family. Our grand tradition...the farmers. Whatever. Also it's quite likely that the sale of Downton would have no impact on the tenant farmers who would keep supplying the new owners.

And it's not like the only options are keep everything or sell everything. They could, I don't know, give up the house in London. Or open up their home to the National Trust for part of the year, which I think a lot of great houses were starting to do, now that they were getting more difficult to maintain.

[SnarklePuss]

So they made a big deal about Tom being the best man, but who was the maid/matron of honor? I assumed it would be one of the sisters, but they showed both of them in the pews.

Mary looked a lot like her mother in the wedding dress.

So Mrs. Levinson kept going on about the excesses of Downton and how they weren't worth saving because times had changed, yet she has a (presumably huge) mansion in Newport? I've toured some of those homes, as well as others such as Biltmore in Asheville, and the common thread is that the owners eventually had to give them up because they couldn't afford the taxes or the upkeep, especially for summer homes. How is that so different from Downton?

[McBrien76]

The shift from the wedding to coming back from the honeymoon was so abrupt, I thought I was watching a commercial for future episodes! That was whiplash-worthy. Nice to see everyone back again

That's because Carnival Films have re-edited for the US market. UK episode 1 ended with Matthew and Mary standing at the alter in the church. The shot of them returning from honeymoon was actually the opening scene from UK episode 2.

You need to remember that Downton Abbey is made for the UK's main commercial network ITV,so episode 1 is only 66 minutes long when viewed without adverts and thus too short for the Masterpiece slot, hence why part of episode 2 was added on to fill the time.

[jjj]

I thought the Masterpiece slot is one hour? I saw the other UK episodes are 47 minutes long.

Mary was attended by the child bridesmaids, which is done for some high-level weddings (such as the British royal weddings, with child attendants for the bride and a best man for the groom). But choosing Tom was certainly last- minute!
.

Edited by jjj, Jan 7, 2013 @ 3:29 AM.