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Martha
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| Posted: Feb 09 2013 at 1:26pm | IP Logged
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I've seen all of season 3 too! ;)
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Martha
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Feb 09 2013 at 1:41pm | IP Logged
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AmandaV wrote:
It was terrible. So sad. I've been frustrated with the writing this season, and now I'm beginning to remember the problem with soaps. Long long ago I followed a daytime soap. And I finally realized NOTHING is every resolved. There always has to be a new problem/conflict. And now I'm wondering if that's the road Downton is taking. The acting is a zillion times better, of course, and the costumes, and the characters are interesting, but the storyline as of late... You know, I wonder if the first couple seasons were really planned out in a storyboard form before Fellowes filled it in, but now, he's just sort of rolling with the cast changes and deciding as he goes. It doesn't seem to have an onward thrust or direction. And I hate what they are doing to Mary after we started to root for her and she and Matthew figured things out. okay, enough complaining! :)
Not that I'll stop watching, yet... there are still some great characters.. and my husband and I watch together after watching the old episodes in the late fall and its been fun. But its just not as fun as it used to be.. Is it just me? |
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I just read this piece about whether Downton is "just a soap opera" or if it matters.
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Lindsay
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Feb 09 2013 at 2:34pm | IP Logged
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Donna Marie wrote:
I saw all of season 3 because of the library 
Anyhoo..no spoilers, but I am so mad at them. When anyone catches up to me, I would love to discuss the series.
It is hard not spoiling things...lol...  |
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I have not seen it all, but I know what's coming- for some reason it seems really hard to avoid spoilers this time around 
I should unsubscribe from Downton Abbey Addicts 
I feel your pain, Donna Marie.
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JennGM
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 8:04am | IP Logged
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I'm sure you were talking about last night's episode. The "tolerance" of that activity/person is very upsetting. And that Thomas somehow gets rewarded and stays! Yuck.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 9:02am | IP Logged
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Yes, yuck. I am glad that he wasn't sent off without hope or a reference, but this seems weird. It backfired on Bates, who was trying to be nice. Lord G did, though, get to exercise some power, which I think he enjoyed.
He did handle it all very neatly, and I think that was a boost to his morale, considering all that went on with the estate.
Also, he has never liked O'Brien, and this was a way of thwarting her.
Now- will Thomas be reformed now that he was shown mercy?
And if so, who will be the new bad guy? Will it be Jimmy? Somehow I don't think so- he sways in the wind pretty easily. I'm thinking it might be Alfred!
He's ticked off about everything, and now he's second footman. Plus he is related to O'Brien.
On a different note, is not baby Sybil one of the cutest babies ever?
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4 lads mom
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 9:54am | IP Logged
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I agree with Jenn....What Thomas did was shocking and wrong...and it doesn’t seem to fit for the time period that they would have dealt with it with so much “tolerance”. I did get the theme of Thomas himself is not “foul” and I was glad he clarified that....but it didn’t seem to fit the way Lord G. dealt with this particular issue when he is so adverse to change in every other way, but suddenly with this issue, he is progressive?? I certainly didn’t want Thomas left out in the cold, but it didn’t settle with me either the way they left it.
Is it true that next week’s episode is the last one for the season?
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AmandaV
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CrunchyMom wrote:
I just read this piece about whether Downton is "just a soap opera" or if it matters. |
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Thanks Lindsay. I'll have to read. wasn't following thread anymore because of watching last week's episode late. Missed half of last nights so I'll have to jump back on here after watching tonight. But can I say, ack, only one more episode..!!?? And from what I sort of know is coming, from an accidental reading, I'm rather shocked we have only one episode...
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Amanda
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 11:14am | IP Logged
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I just hope James isn't going over to Thomas's way...
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 3:42pm | IP Logged
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I loved last night's episode. To me it really redeemed Robert, who, for all his faults and struggles really does love and care for those in his charge.
His battles with Matthew are about resistance to change, but more about protecting his tenants,to whom he feels a great responsibility and fatherly love. And his protection of Thomas was a wonderful example of a man in power showing mercy to one who truly needed it.
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AmandaV
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 3:49pm | IP Logged
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Didn't it have the feel of a season finale? I didn't realize til after when we looked up the order on Amazon/wi, and realized that the next one was actually the "Christmas special" and this two hour episode was the season finale. But the group of three: Lord Grantham, Matthew, and Tom embracing at the end in slow motion was nice.. and very season finale -ish.
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 3:51pm | IP Logged
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I also really applaud both Robert and Carson- not Carson's comments, which were not gracious, but the fact that he doesn't just dismiss Thomas. I am also touched by Robert's care for his tenants- I can't help siding with him when he and Matthew are together, even though I do see Matthew's point..
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JennGM
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I've been clueless...it did seem season finale-ish, because it was 2 hours long. We started watching without realizing it would be a 2 hour commitment. Dh had just gotten back from retreat and wanted to keep pausing it to talk to me...and then when we realized it was 2 hours long, we had to stop that pausing!
I thought the whole cricket game was out of the blue. Lord Grantham making decisions because of good Cricket players? Weird and weak writing to me.
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AmandaV
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 3:59pm | IP Logged
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JennGM wrote:
I've been clueless...it did seem season finale-ish, because it was 2 hours long. We started watching without realizing it would be a 2 hour commitment. Dh had just gotten back from retreat and wanted to keep pausing it to talk to me...and then when we realized it was 2 hours long, we had to stop that pausing!
I thought the whole cricket game was out of the blue. Lord Grantham making decisions because of good Cricket players? Weird and weak writing to me. |
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We had just gotten back from an evening mass and a quick dinner and missed part of the first half getting the kiddos to bed.. then, surprise, we got an extra hour! But we missed a few bits of that, too. No pause since we watch on live local PBS HD, no cable. So we'll catch up with what we missed tonight online. That's probably how we'll watch next week, too. Really miss that pause button. :o)
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Amanda
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dinasiano
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 4:01pm | IP Logged
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I feel somewhat confused and disappointed. As much as I love the show, I am always confused about time. How much time has passed since Sybil's death in that episode? In the coming attractions, Mary is very pregnant, at least 6 months or so it looks.
The whole Thomas thing was weird. I really can't see everyone reacting like that. If that was the case, he should have come out of the closet a long time ago. Not only will he be allowed to stay on but he's getting a promotion?!?!? I don't know....I kind of expect Robert to come out of the shower in the next episode and declare it all a dream lol
Dina
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CrunchyMom
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I think Amanda is right and the time jump is because, when it originally aired, the next episode was the Christmas special? It is a British thing, but I'm pretty sure it is separate from the regular Season and maybe even considered the beginning of the next one as much as it is a continuation of this one.
I'm not sure what to make of the whole Thomas thing, but I'm kind of thinking the reactions are all realistic enough. I mean, as was said, they all "knew" but now they KNOW. It isn't *that* different, and he isn't really out of the closet in that they aren't telling the young girls or the ladies of the house or anything like that. I'm sure he'll have to be even more discreet now.
As atrocious as his behavior was, he was being manipulated and taken advantage of spitefully, as were the other young men. I think what is more unrealistic than their reactions is that someone as savvy as Thomas could have been so easily manipulated and tricked into making such a mistake.
I felt that Bates' reaction as well as Lord Grantham's quip about Eton was probably pretty close to how men of the time viewed the act. I'm not sure it was right, nor did it acknowledge how James really was a victim (what a violation, to be approached in such a way, regardless of one's orientation!), but I think men in James's position would have been expected to suck it up.
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Lindsay
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teachingmom
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 5:17pm | IP Logged
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I missed the quip about Eton - and I was watching. Can you tell me what was said?
I personally felt that the acceptance of his homosexuality and defense of Thomas by so many of the characters was not very true to the time. I can't imagine that he wouldn't have been fired immediately in real life at that time. It seemed that modern sensibilities had worked their way into the writing to me, and I was disappointed in that.
Not that I didn't have compassion for Thomas's suffering and situation. Just that it seemed unrealistic for the time period for person after person to hear the story and still be so accepting of Thomas. You know what I mean?
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 5:25pm | IP Logged
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The Eton remark was something Robert said- about how often someone had tried to kiss him when he was a student and how he couldn't make a big fuss about it each time. It was the way it was.
On a different note completely, what will happen with Edith? Is the editor's wife really insane? Could he be lying? I hope not- he seems nice enough.
Oh- and I thought Edith looked especially good in green.
Branson seems to have really mellowed and matured- taking so much in stride and speaking wisely. I liked him so much more in this episode then earlier in the season.
And just what was the mysterious surgery Mary had? I'm very curious as to what could be done in that time frame medically for fertility issues.
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teachingmom
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 5:29pm | IP Logged
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I have to admit that I'm a bit worried that they will have Edith have a romantic relationship of some sort with the editor. That is so sad about his wife (if true), but he would still be off limits. It was very exciting to see a nice man be interested in her and her response to that though.
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Martha
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 6:18pm | IP Logged
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Lord grantham basic quips that there were odd fellows like Thomas at Eton when he attended and they often had a rough time of it.
I don't get the impression any of them are less than disgusted with Thomas. I think they were. They simply don't think he deserves to spend the rest of his days in prison for kissing someone. That and lord grantham wants to win his cricket game and avoid scandal.
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: Feb 11 2013 at 6:21pm | IP Logged
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Next week's episode will skip ahead one year. Just a FYI for those who struggle with the time issues.
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Any Downton Abbey fans?
