Heather in Neverland Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I am sitting here watching reruns of season 1 and besides all the obvious reasons to love this show (beautiful characters, scenery, costumes, writing, etc.), I realized I love this show because it shows the career of "servant" as one of dignity and respect. I love the way the servants (most of them) approach their job as a career and put their entire effort into it. They pride themselves on being proper and dignified and even within the group of servants, the less-experienced servants show respect to the servants in charge like Carson. I am watching the episode when Matthew first comes to Downton and refuses to allow Mosely to help him at all... like he is somehow a better person for "not accepting" the help of the servant. In reality, he insulted Mosely and made him feel useless and disrespected. It reminds me of the househelp here. New expats arrive every year and say things like "Oh I could never hire an amah or a gardner" like it is a terrible thing to do (I remember thinking the same thing). In reality, for many of the locals it is the only way they can earn money, so by refusing to hire one "on principle" they are actually depriving someone of a job. Our amah is not some slave we treat horridly. She does an excellent job, takes great pride in her work, and we pay her well for it. It just so happens that over time we have also built a relationship with her that goes beyond employee but even if we had not, she would still do a good job because this is her career and she wants to do it well. I really, really like that show. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I completely understand! And I am totally in love with Downton Abbey. A few weeks ago I had a fellow church member approach me. Her daughter was having a hard time finding a job in our extremely rural small town. She wanted to know if I would be interested in hiring her dd to clean my house. While this has been my fantasy formquite some time, I did feel a bit bad about it at first.. Then I thought about it. This girl wants to get a car. She cannot find a regular job. She needed me just as much as I needed her. I agreed to hire her. She feels needed and better about herself because she is working toward her goals. I worship the ground she walks on because she comes and cleans without judgement.;) I love the servant storylines in Downton Abbey. Carson and Mrs. Hughes are my favorite characters. There is a dignity in serving others. Jesus did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I always see the previews of it on PBS, but I've never actually caught it yet. You piqued my interest now because I really liked that movie Remains of the Day for those reasons you're describing. :) I think I'll probably like Downton Abbey a lot. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 I always see the previews of it on PBS, but I've never actually caught it yet. You piqued my interest now because I really liked that movie Remains of the Day for those reasons you're describing. :) I think I'll probably like Downton Abbey a lot. :) then you will love this show for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 then you will love this show for sure! Thanks for the rec. I'll check the library. :) ETA: I just put it on hold. Thanks Heather. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I've enjoyed the program, but it does make me uncomfortable. It feels that folks who have servants are trying to put a certain apologetic spin on it. Servants do not go to parties as guests, or as a rule marry lords ;) etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I've enjoyed the program, but it does make me uncomfortable. It feels that folks who have servants are trying to put a certain apologetic spin on it. Servants do not go to parties as guests, or as a rule marry lords ;) etc. Sigh. You are right. Unfortunately. Even in America, class distinctions exist. We like to pretend we can rise, but in actuality we cannot. I know that I cannot. Even though I was raised poor white trash, even though dh and I both completed college, even though we make much more than the average American, even though I have embarked on a rigorous self-education path, and even though I have some sweet girl come and clean my house once a week, I will still always be considered "poor white trash." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Servants do not go to parties as guests ... My amah does. :D I personally think that Americans especially have a knee-jerk reaction when it comes to the idea of "servants" because of our past with slavery. It's like we are trying to put so much distance between our present and our checkered past that we think ANY kind of "service" career is wrong, bad, inhumane, etc. Should those who work as janitors, maids, cleaning ladies, nannies, chauffeurs, etc. be ashamed of themselves and their job? And if we all decided on principle to not pay anyone for these services and do it all ourselves somehow so we could be more noble, are we comfortable with putting all those people out of work? I have seen both sides. My brother works as a maintenance guy/janitor. He enjoys his work and feels like he is contributing in his way. He does not have a college degree and honestly, does not have the academic aptitude to try. That is just life. He accepts it and he has found a way to work hard, earn a paycheck, and feel good about himself. He likes his life and does not aspire to have mine. It took a while for me to accept it but now I get it. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I love Downton Abbey! Indy and I were in England shortly before the show premiered there and it was heavily promoted. We couldn't walk 20 feet on the street without seeing Maggie Smith's sporting a jaunty hat and a fierce look and the Tube stations were literally plastered with posters. I had to see it. I adore period shows (my degree is in English and theatrical costuming) and the clothes on DA make me swoon. I'm also really interested in how WWI changed the class division in much of England and how it changed the nobility. I like how it shows that (some of) the servants took pride in their work and were proud to have an honest job. BTW, as an American, I just want to say that I personally have absolutely no problem with having servants. I wish I had money for some. :D Of course the word servants seems antiquated. Perhaps that's why we call people who clean our houses, take care of our yards, etc. "help" instead of servants. "Oh, I have help come in and clean the house and take care of the yard." BTW, when James Bond deploys I have someone come in and help around the house. Loads of people who live on the economy (meaning off post) have live in help for housework or taking care of the kids because it's relatively inexpensive. There are a lot of young women from eastern European countries who come to Germany and look for work as well as older German women who are widowed and need extra income. The girl I used to have clean for us was from Hungary. She cleaned many of my friends' houses and charged a ridiculously low price. We all paid her more. She was probably making a mint off the Americans who overpaid. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracolumbus Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Sigh. You are right. Unfortunately. Even in America, class distinctions exist. We like to pretend we can rise, but in actuality we cannot. I know that I cannot. Even though I was raised poor white trash, even though dh and I both completed college, even though we make much more than the average American, even though I have embarked on a rigorous self-education path, and even though I have some sweet girl come and clean my house once a week, I will still always be considered "poor white trash." I completely disagree based on my experience and those around me. Both dh and I were raised 'lower middle class.' His father was a truck driver and mine an enlisted sailor. He's now a CEO and I am/was a lawyer. We're not exactly the 1%, but if I were a partner at a law firm, we could easily be. We choose a typical middle class lifestyle. Our wealthier friends (think 90210) also came from humble surroundings. I have a cleaning service and struggle a bit w/the concept b/c my friends think it's a bit much (and I'm afraid w/the implication that I'm lazy). But, I realized that I often hire out cooking help (eating/taking out) w/o any stigma; why not hire out cleaning help. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracolumbus Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 BTW, I, too, love Downton Abbey. It's the first tv show I've watched on a regular basis since the Sopranos. And I agree with you Heather, the servants are a much more fascinating study b/c of the dignity they bring to their jobs. One of my favorite moments was when Carson walked into the kitchen and everyone stood to acknowledge his position, which was earned through hard work, loyalty and polish. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I've been watching, too, and I really like the show, but I don't think service as an occupation was quite as nice and clean and glamorous as Downton Abbey makes it out to be. That's not the point of the show, really, so I'm not asking that the show address that. The servants who had achieved higher positions (butler, housekeeper, tutor, etc.) certainly had a respectable position and a fairly good life. Another view of the life of a servant is the PBS series Manor House. It's certainly a bit contrived since it takes modern "soft" people and asks some of them to be servants in an Edwardian-era house. But I would not have wanted to be a scullery maid (Daisy in Downton Abbey). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryCatherine Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Sigh. You are right. Unfortunately. Even in America, class distinctions exist. We like to pretend we can rise, but in actuality we cannot. I know that I cannot. Even though I was raised poor white trash, even though dh and I both completed college, even though we make much more than the average American, even though I have embarked on a rigorous self-education path, and even though I have some sweet girl come and clean my house once a week, I will still always be considered "poor white trash." You may have been poor growing up; I assume you're white. But that doesn't mean you are or will forever be poor white trash. Trash is trash - it has NOTHING to do with income. I struggled a long time as a single mom about other people's judgements of me. Then I realized they were MY feelings that I was projecting onto them. I have no idea if that is going on here or not, but thought I'd toss it out there. Now then, back to Downton Abbey..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Sigh. You are right. Unfortunately. Even in America, class distinctions exist. We like to pretend we can rise, but in actuality we cannot. I know that I cannot. Even though I was raised poor white trash, even though dh and I both completed college, even though we make much more than the average American, even though I have embarked on a rigorous self-education path, and even though I have some sweet girl come and clean my house once a week, I will still always be considered "poor white trash." Is that because you live in the same small town you grew up in? I don't really understand. In America, unless you have a criminal record, you can move and remake yourself at any time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Is that because you live in the same small town you grew up in? I don't really understand. In America, unless you have a criminal record, you can move and remake yourself at any time. I live almost 1000 miles away. I grew up in a city of 200,000 people. I don't think of myself as trashy, but I won't deny my upbringing. Ideally, we can reinvent ourselves. Realistically, that is often not possible. Class distinctions are alive and well in America. People judge others based on looks, money, family, etc. It happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Socalmom Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I love Downton Abbey! Has anyone read The House at Riverton by Kate Morton? It gave me a different perspective on the life as a servent at an estate home. They don't have time to have much of a life outside of their job. Margie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracolumbus Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I love Downton Abbey! Has anyone read The House at Riverton by Kate Morton? It gave me a different perspective on the life as a servent at an estate home. They don't have time to have much of a life outside of their job. Margie I've got this on reserve from the library. I just finished The House at Tyneford," which is about a Jewish socialite who flees to England as a domestic servant to get away from Nazi persecution in Austria. This sort of situation happened during the war. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I'm on the tail-end of a stomach bug here so forgive me if I'm unclear. I love Downton Abbey. Some of my favorite characters are the servants, simply because of how they are portrayed, very respectfully & with dignity. However, I don't think it was reality at that time. Certainly not for the majority IMO. I am personally not comfortable with hiring help because of how I was raised - but I realize that I have issues in this area & if we were ever living in a society where it was the norm I'd have to get over it. My issues have nothing to do with pride, at least not it the sense of me being a better person for not wanting help. I don't see that attitude around me actually. I think most people would be thrilled to have help around the house (nanny, housekeeper, cook, gardner, etc). But people here can't afford it. My BIL, on the other hand, is a real piece of work. He wants to hire people to do everything because he's to good for that kind of work. That's the same attitude I see in many of the elite in DA. There's pride in not accepting help & there's pride in thinking its necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I love Downton Abbey. Some of my favorite characters are the servants, simply because of how they are portrayed, very respectfully & with dignity. However, I don't think it was reality at that time. Certainly not for the majority IMO I agree with that. I think it's also true that they weren't as a norm treated as well as the show shows. I remember reading that for a time it was the norm for a servant to only get off a 1/2 day every two weeks. No simple asking and getting time off to visit home, even for a family death, ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah C. Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Just so y'all know, Downton Abbey season 1 is on Netflix instant streaming. :D I've seen the first episode so far and I already love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Just so y'all know, Downton Abbey season 1 is on Netflix instant streaming. :D I've seen the first episode so far and I already love it. Just be sure not to watch the entire first season while sick in bed with the flu ... fever-induced dreams of the same scene over and over again, complete with the accents does not make for restful sleep. :lol: I seriously didn't think I would ever be able to dream again without British accents again! (Yep, just happened to me Thursday night ... I instantly fell in love with the show and had to keep watching.) Oh, and if you have an iPad, you can download the PBS app and watch season 2, episode 1 on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I love the show too. If you want to watch both seasons and the Christmas Special, you can do so here. Just X the pop-up adds. BTW, watch the "making of" or "behind the scenes" pieces both above & on the PBS site for some perspective on how the lives for people above & below stairs was then. You have to remember that everyone who could had servants. Labor was ample & cheap, but technology was sparse. Read about the T. Roosevelts or watch "The Happiest Millionaire." Remember that electricity was NEW and all those beautiful, natural fabrics had to be hand washed & ironed! Some of those estates have (had) 50 bedrooms!!! It would take an army to keep something like that going not to mention the grounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakim Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The first episodes of season 1 expire in a few days on the PBS site so I can't really pre-watch . . . is this series appropriate for all ages (my younger ones like slow period dramas, so not asking about interest level)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The first episodes of season 1 expire in a few days on the PBS site so I can't really pre-watch . . . is this series appropriate for all ages (my younger ones like slow period dramas, so not asking about interest level)? Well, there is Mr Pamuke & his death in Lady Mary's bed. Then later there's the evil Mrs Bates. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I would like to see Manor House again. I remember a scene where one of the maids had to turn around and face the wall as one of the ladies walked by on the stairs; lower-ranking servants were supposed to be essentially invisible and weren't even supposed to make eye contact with the upstairs people. I was also surprised at how little time children spent with their parents--no more than a couple hours a day IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The first episodes of season 1 expire in a few days on the PBS site so I can't really pre-watch . . . is this series appropriate for all ages (my younger ones like slow period dramas, so not asking about interest level)? There is also a scene with 2 men kissing in episode 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakim Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 There is also a scene with 2 men kissing in episode 1. Thanks, this helps as far as age cut-offs. I appreciate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I would like to see Manor House again. I remember a scene where one of the maids had to turn around and face the wall as one of the ladies walked by on the stairs; lower-ranking servants were supposed to be essentially invisible and weren't even supposed to make eye contact with the upstairs people. I was also surprised at how little time children spent with their parents--no more than a couple hours a day IIRC. When I think of Manor House, I think of the raw, chapped hands of the scullery maid from washing dishes virtually all day long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I don't like DA because of one character. I don't have any hang ups about servants or hired help IRL It's not exploitation. It isn't snobbery to have household employees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I don't like DA because of one character. I don't have any hang ups about servants or hired help IRL It's not exploitation. It isn't snobbery to have household employees. Out of curiosity, which one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I've watched the entire first season over the past couple of weeks which is something for me because I haven't faithfully watched a tv program in I don't know, maybe 10 years. My favorite character is Mr. Bates (of course!), and I have to say that the Dowager Lady Grantham has some great lines! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The first episodes of season 1 expire in a few days on the PBS site so I can't really pre-watch . . . is this series appropriate for all ages (my younger ones like slow period dramas, so not asking about interest level)? And a pivotal scene with a drunken man sexually assaulting (no details shown like nudity) a main character and disposal of a dead body afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) nm Edited January 15, 2012 by WordGirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 as someone who grew up dirt poor but is now "wealthy" - at least according to Obama (cough, cough), poverty or wealth is and has always been a state of mind and is more about behavior than the dollars you have in the bank. Trashy isn't eating at fast food restaurants, wearing inexpensive clothing, and not having the all the latest electronics. Trashy is not exercising self discipline. And, in my experience, trashy people live in both poverty and in wealth. I live almost 1000 miles away. I grew up in a city of 200,000 people. I don't think of myself as trashy, but I won't deny my upbringing. Ideally, we can reinvent ourselves. Realistically, that is often not possible. Class distinctions are alive and well in America. People judge others based on looks, money, family, etc. It happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Out of curiosity, which one? I can't stand the pretty daughter. Usually, I love these types of shows but I can't watch that character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I can't stand the pretty daughter. Usually, I love these types of shows but I can't watch that character. Mary? Well, she kind of bothered me at first. But now I like her in Season 2. And love the youngest one. The middle ds drives me up the wall -- what a horrid character. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 And a pivotal scene with a drunken man sexually assaulting (no details shown like nudity) a main character and disposal of a dead body afterwards. At first I thought you must be referring to something that happens later in season two. I didn't see it as an assault--nor did the character herself when she was asked if he forced himself on her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At first I thought you must be referring to something that happens later in season two. I didn't see it as an assault--nor did the character herself when she was asked if he forced himself on her. Ah, correct. And that is what happened in that episode in Season one. I think my mind was still stuck in Victorian prudish "mode". :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) Sigh. You are right. Unfortunately. Even in America, class distinctions exist. We like to pretend we can rise, but in actuality we cannot. I know that I cannot. Even though I was raised poor white trash, even though dh and I both completed college, even though we make much more than the average American, even though I have embarked on a rigorous self-education path, and even though I have some sweet girl come and clean my house once a week, I will still always be considered "poor white trash." Disagree. Might be where you are living, or your own self-image. Who is making you think you are white trash? My fil's folks were dirt poor, came from Poland, he grew up in the Polish slums of Chicago (his dad died when he was young and his mom scrounged to survive) yet thanks to GI Bill after WWII he got a college education and became a family lawyer. Dude ran for congress back in the 60's. No one thinks of him as white trash. My folks came from rural Kansas backgrounds - mom's dad died when she was six and she and her mom were shunted from relative to relative during the Depression. She managed to get through two-years of college, married my dad, worked for the president of a local LAC, and later completed her BA from that same college. My dad got through college after the Korean War - the first in his family to go to college. He ended up a bank vice president before retiring. Both came from dirt poor beginnings, but neither are considered white trash now. The key seems to be education. Folks who value and work for an education are never looked on as "white trash" as far as I can tell, no matter what their background or economic status. If you think folks consider you white trash - well, that proves THEY are trash, not you. Edited January 15, 2012 by JFSinIL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) Disagree. Might be where you are living, or your own self-image. Who is making you think you are white trash? My fil's folks were dirt poor, came from Poland, he grew up in the Polish slums of Chicago (his dad died when he was young and his mom scrounged to survive) yet thanks to GI Bill after WWII he got a college education and became a family lawyer. Dude ran for congress back in the 60's. No one thinks of him as white trash. My folks came from rural Kansas backgrounds - mom's dad died when she was six and she and her mom were shunted from relative to relative during the Depression. She managed to get through two-years of college, married my dad, worked for the president of a local LAC, and later completed her BA from that same college. My dad got through college after the Korean War - the first in his family to go to college. He ended up a bank vice president before retiring. Both came from dirt poor beginnings, but neither are considered white trash now. The key seems to be education. Folks who value and work for an education are never looked on as "white trash" as far as I can tell, no matter what their background or economic status. If you think folks consider you white trash - well, that proves THEY are trash, not you. Exactly. America is the land of opportunity. An immigrant can come here and in one or two generations, be the next Donald Trump. But in his native country, he is lower than pond scum and will always be. And yes, the key is education. I also come from severe poverty in a rural town -- but tho' my people were the "talk of the town" or from the other side of the tracks -- that label did not stick to me as I left and ventured on in life. My high school counselor told me as the daughter of an illiterate farmworker from Mexico, all I could do after high school is be a clerk or secretary. Really? Screw that. I became the first person in my family to go on to college and graduate. Did quite well. The mindset can trap one into believing "labels". And if someone insists you are "white trash" it just goes to prove they have a HANGUP or prejudice... not you. Rise above it. In America, anything is possible. Edited January 15, 2012 by tex-mex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I can't stand the pretty daughter. Usually, I love these types of shows but I can't watch that character. Mary? Well, she kind of bothered me at first. But now I like her in Season 2. And love the youngest one. The middle ds drives me up the wall -- what a horrid character. :glare: I agree. Mary really bothered me throughout most all of season 1, but she has seemed to soften a bit in season 2, at least thus far. Edith, though, she is a horrid character. I mean, I guess I can see why - Mary was always put first and Edith seemed as if she was lost in the shuffle as she grew up. But there comes a time where one must grow up and Edith hasn't seemed to realize that yet. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I agree. Mary really bothered me throughout most all of season 1, but she has seemed to soften a bit in season 2, at least thus far. Edith, though, she is a horrid character. I mean, I guess I can see why - Mary was always put first and Edith seemed as if she was lost in the shuffle as she grew up. But there comes a time where one must grow up and Edith hasn't seemed to realize that yet. :glare: I think I am warming up to Edith with this week's episode. I loved the fact the General complimented her work. *gasp* :001_huh: I am not liking Lavinia at all -- and love the devious duo of Thomas and O'Brien paired up once again. Eeeee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I never watched Season 1 but I did see the first episode of Season 2 last night and I do believe I am hooked. Now I have to go hunt down the first season so I can make sense of everything. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I agree. Mary really bothered me throughout most all of season 1, but she has seemed to soften a bit in season 2, at least thus far. Edith, though, she is a horrid character. I mean, I guess I can see why - Mary was always put first and Edith seemed as if she was lost in the shuffle as she grew up. But there comes a time where one must grow up and Edith hasn't seemed to realize that yet. :glare: I dont know... I think that Edith gets an unfair chunk of criticism. I mean, which female character (elite) has actually "grown-up"? Sybil & cousin Isobel are the only ones I can think of. Aunt Cora certainly hasn't & Lady Mary didn't start until she started feeling her future being seriously unsure & actually fell in love. Edith is getting there so far this season & I don't feel her timeline is any more stretched-out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5forMe Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Anyone else wondering why Downton Abbey appears as such a HUGE place yet when the convalescent home is brought to Downton the Crawleys have to practically fall over the patients. It seems to me that, the patients could be there without the Crawley's being affected at all. So bizarre. I realize it makes for a good story, but seems unrealistic to me. Lord Grantham's mother was a total crack up in this episode. DH and I were laughing at several of her lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingiguana Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/index.html You can watch them online here (assuming there are no restrictions where you are.) We were on the list at the library for months before I found this site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.