Downton Abbey - Am I Missing Something?

[propita]

He was proved right with what happen to Shrimpy. Shrimpy didn't change/modernize and they're losing the estate. Robert modernized, albeit under protest, and they've become self-sufficient.

But I still like the idea of Daisy becoming independent. And I like her relationship with her "dad."

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Perhaps the "Canadian" heir, Patrick, will return. Even though the new baby is the Earl's grandson, Patrick is still closer in the succession than Matthew was and his son will be.

I still think it's really wierd that females can't even be used as the throughline to a male heir, even if females can't inherit the actual title. (And how does that make any sense in a country that has had at least 3 or 4 female monarchs by this point?)

I enjoyed the third season, but I didn't like it. It felt too aimless, there wasn't a "Big Bad" plot element that affected everyone, and the storylines were all over the map.

Personally, other than Matthew's death, I liked Season 3 far more than Season 2. The conflicts felt more natural. Season 2 mostly contrived conflicts by throwing Lavinia Swire & Sir Richard Carlyle into the mix to deliberately keep Matthew & Mary apart. (And, seriously, they had to turn Sir Richard into an absolute beast just to create a character that was too mean even for Mary. Lucky for the writers, all they need to do was cast Iain Glen. The man exudes menace just by breathing.)

Plus, as troubled as I am by Matthew's death, I think the deaths in Season 2 were a bit too convenient. I mean, Lavinia just had "dead meat" written on her forehead the second anyone even mentioned "influenza epidemic." And William's death was also fairly convenient for Daisy. She got to marry him, take a war widow's pension, got a new surrogate father out of the deal, and never even had to perform any wifely duties because he spent their entire 2 days of marriage bedridden, dying of his war wounds.

But, I will say that no scene in Season 3 quite matches the ecstatic high of that scene in Season 2 when Matthew & William unexpectedly returned after being missing in action. Mary seemed so much nicer during the war.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

He was proved right with what happen to Shrimpy. Shrimpy didn't change/modernize and they're losing the estate. Robert modernized, albeit under protest, and they've become self-sufficient.

But I still like the idea of Daisy becoming independent. And I like her relationship with her "dad."

We also know he was proven right by history. From what I've heard, it took a while for the producers of the show to find a suitable location for Downton Abbey since most of those big houses were demolished after the war and split into smaller estates. The house they use on the show is one of the few left standing.

BTW, have we ever learned anything about Daisy's family? What kind of background is she from?

 

[auntiehill]

And now we have to wait a year for the next season.

 

[propita]

Daisy says she has no family. I don't remember what happened to them. She mentioned it to her "dad."

The reason the estate can't go through females is that it's entailed not just to the "issue" of whomever entailed it, but entailed to "male issue" only, i.e., through the male line. It wasn't uncommon at one time in England. Nowadays, in the US, it is sometimes possible to be overturned based on discrimination, the particular words would be stricken.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

And yet, if Lord Grantham's title passed directly from him down to his theoretical grandson, skipping over Mary completely, you could keep the line of succession so much cleaner and yet still maintain your stupid sexism. How did the British ever expect to keep their empire when they were so busy maintaining stupid, arbitrary rules instead?

 

[J.T.B.]

How did the British ever expect to keep their empire when they were so busy maintaining stupid, arbitrary rules instead?

The rules evolved to fit an agricultural society where land equaled wealth and the aristocracy had military obligations. In the industrialized era, yeah, it seems kind of arbitrary and stupid!

 

[diankra]

And yet, if Lord Grantham's title passed directly from him down to his theoretical grandson, skipping over Mary completely, you could keep the line of succession so much cleaner and yet still maintain your stupid sexism. How did the British ever expect to keep their empire when they were so busy maintaining stupid, arbitrary rules instead?

It's just become an issue again because Parliament's putting through legislation to ensure that William and Kate's first child will be the heir to the throne regardless of its gender (whereas under the old rules a girl would be displaced by a younger brother). Various noble families have been saying 'If you can do it for the monarchy, why not sort out our inheritances while you're at it?' At which point JTB's point about trying to avoid separating the title and the land cuts in...

 

[Gov Kodos]

Well, this Miss O'Brien news should make the next season quite different. http://tv.yahoo.com/news/downton-abbey-shocker-another-key-character-departs-203802840.html

 

[Nerys Myk]

Maybe Lady Shrimpy's O'Brien clone can sign up.

 

[feek61]

I love the show. It is very well written for the most part with great characters and interesting story lines. I also like that the entire family can watch it.

 

[T'Bonz]

Well, this Miss O'Brien news should make the next season quite different. http://tv.yahoo.com/news/downton-abbey-shocker-another-key-character-departs-203802840.html

*sigh*

 

[cardinal biggles]

So, how will O'Brien make her exit? Personally, I think they'll softsoap it.

 

[Gov Kodos]

She was driving the truck that caused Mathew's accident. She'll be on the lam and running a cabal of evil staff members set to destroy Downton Abbey. Branson's questionable Irish revolutionary connections will be critical to stopping her, but will run him up against Lord Grantham and Mary. The Dowager Countess will be critical to resolving this and bringing about the final Downfall of the evil Miss O'Brien.

 

[Samurai8472]

The 4th season will end with an exciting battle in the kitchen of Downton Abbey. Mrs Hughes will sacrifice herself and Daisy will rise as head chef

 

[cardinal biggles]

There can be only one... head cook.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

So, how will O'Brien make her exit? Personally, I think they'll softsoap it.

I thought the Christmas special this year opened the door to O'Brien's exit. She told her rival (the lady's maid to Mrs. Shrimpie) that she wanted to travel and was jealous that her rival got to travel and she didn't. Then, O'Brien is more in tune with what Mrs. Shrimpie wants than her rival. I thought it was opening the possibility that O'Brien goes to work for Mrs. Shrimpie -- the Crawleys get Rose, Rose's parents get O'Brien.

Plus, now that O'Brien knows that others know the phrase "bar of soap," she's not going to want to hang around Downton Abbey much longer. True, Bates doesn't know what it means, but O'Brien doesn't know that.

 

[auntiehill]

^True. I think that would make the most sense. We'd get a replacement O'Brien and the whole plot line about the competing maids would make more sense in the grand scheme of things.

The phrase was "her ladyship's soap." If O'Brien had a brain at all, I'm sure she'd find a way to get out fast, while the getting was good.

 

[cardinal biggles]

It appears my soap pun totally went over all your heads.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

^Better over our heads than under our feet.