Masterpiece Theater shows (PBS)

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Originally Posted by ladygreco

Something is going on with the new maid, Jane. She keeps appearing in scenes with Robert. At the end of tonight's episode,
Mrs. Bates was found dead. Does anyone think O'Brien had anything to do with it?

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No. When would O'Brien have had time to travel to London with no one noticing that she was gone? O'Brien may delight in the misery of others, but she wouldn't murder someone just to mess with Bates.

When I mentioned upthread that Craig Ferguson had spoiled a major plot point on his show, it was Vera's death I was talking about. He talked about it when the season had just started airing here. He was speculating about who may or may not have killed her with his guest, who is a critic, and then (after some audience members groaned) looked sheepish and said "Whoops!" I was really glad I'd already watched the whole season or I'd have been really annoyed!

How many times can Sybil, feasibly, disappear out to the garage to talk to Branson? She's out there all the darned time and no one - except for Mary - seems to have noticed! She comes up with excuse after excuse to see him and yet still won't admit that she's in love with him. I've read interviews with the actors and they were frustrated too. With every new script and garage scene, they were practically shouting, "Just kiss already!" :lol

As a history geek, one of the things I love is how the characters are woven into major historical events. We get another one next week!

I do not think O'Brien killed Vera although I do think she might know people who would. I do not think Bates did it either, although he may be suspected. The setup was way too obvious with Bates arriving back at Downton with a bruise on his forehead after what he had said earlier to Robert about the best outcome being Vera's death. I think Thomas may have done it or arranged it if only to get rid of Bates by setting him up for a frame, but I have no reason to think that other than my devious imagination.

It's all deliciously reminiscent of Upstairs/Downstairs and the original version of The Forsyte Saga.

I'm all "Propriety be damned - you run off with Branson, Sibyl!". But I don't see how she could ever accompany him to Ireland. I don't think a member of the English upper class would fare too well in 1910s/20s Ireland.

I don't think Bates killed Vera but she needed to go away already. She got paid off. Surely there was some other man who would take up with her so she wouldn't be alone. Why would she want to be with a man who despised her?

The fake heir storyline was hatched and dispatched quite quickly.

Iain Evans needs to go back to being Ser Jorah. I dont know how Mary is going to get out of that match.

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Originally Posted by CCL

I'm all "Propriety be damned - you run off with Branson, Sibyl!". But I don't see how she could ever accompany him to Ireland. I don't think a member of the English upper class would fare too well in 1910s/20s Ireland.

I don't think Bates killed Vera but she needed to go away already. She got paid off. Surely there was some other man who would take up with her so she wouldn't be alone. Why would she want to be with a man who despised her?

The fake heir storyline was hatched and dispatched quite quickly.

Iain Evans needs to go back to being Ser Jorah. I dont know how Mary is going to get out of that match.

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I have a feeling that's not the last we've seen of Patrick. Maybe he'll turn up in season 3. :shrug

I think you mean Iain Glen, but yes, Sir Richard needs to go away! I was touched that Carson would even consider leaving Downton for Mary. He clearly adores her.

I think Vera just didn't want anyone to be happy if she wasn't. Maybe if Bates just wanted out of the marriage, she wouldn't have been so horrid. It was his love for Anna that probably pushed her over the edge. She was a miserable person, so she wanted everyone else to be the same.

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Originally Posted by Florimel

I do not think O'Brien killed Vera although I do think she might know people who would. I do not think Bates did it either, although he may be suspected. The setup was way too obvious with Bates arriving back at Downton with a bruise on his forehead after what he had said earlier to Robert about the best outcome being Vera's death. I think Thomas may have done it or arranged it if only to get rid of Bates by setting him up for a frame, but I have no reason to think that other than my devious imagination.

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I agree, I don't think that O'Brien killed Vera either. Nor did Bates. But I am suspicious that someone at DA knows something about it!
Am I just reading too much into the scenes with Jane and Robert? It is just a coincidence that she appears in the library, dining room, etc. for conversations with him? None of the other kitchen staff or maids have interactions with him unless he requests their presence.

Having watched the whole season, maybe I have a different perspective. :shrug No one at Downton was responsible for Vera's murder. That's not a spoiler about who did or didn't kill her, btw. Now, whether some person or persons there will enjoy the aftermath of Vera's murder/death is another thing....

We don't know if Bates killed her or not at this point. My feeling is that he did not, but there is quite a bit of evidence to support the argument that he did.

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Originally Posted by Florimel

I do not think O'Brien killed Vera although I do think she might know people who would.

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I agree. She did put that soap beside the bathtub to cause Cora to have the miscarriage. However, that was only to protect her own self-interest, and it was pretty passive. I don't even think she was in the room when the accident happened. That's a far cry from murdering somebody in cold blood for no reason other than you hate somebody their spouse.

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I do not think Bates did it either, although he may be suspected. The setup was way too obvious with Bates arriving back at Downton with a bruise on his forehead after what he had said earlier to Robert about the best outcome being Vera's death.

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Totally agree.

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I think Thomas may have done it or arranged it if only to get rid of Bates by setting him up for a frame, but I have no reason to think that other than my devious imagination.

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Same as for O'Brien above.

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It's all deliciously reminiscent of Upstairs/Downstairs and the original version of The Forsyte Saga.

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Love it! :yay

--I also loved how Lavinia came back and put her foot down with Matthew.

--loved how Daisy is refusing to take the war widow benefits owed to her. I would have felt the same way.

--loved the nastier side of Sir Richard. I wondered when he was going to show his dark side. Maybe he's Rupert Murdoch's great-grandfather.

--loved the whole subplot with Edith and Patrick. The writers did a great job of keeping it ambiguous. For one moment, Lord Grantham thought he might be the real Patrick. Then in another, when P and E were out strolling, Edith basically fed him some information he could have used later if he were an impostor. Yes, he started it. "Do you remember the name of that mean governess?" But that sounded just like one of those trick questions that a magician uses to "read" somebody's mind. If Edith had said, "She was wonderful" then he could have used his amnesia as an excuse and moved on. But Edith told him the woman's name, which he could have used on another family member.

About the only thing I didn't like was Cora and Violet ganging up on Isabel to drive her away again. It just seemed catty. Whether they like it or not, her son is the heir, and if when he inherits he chooses to let his mother do what she wants with the estate, then that would be his prerogative. Maybe it's just class envy on my part, but I sympathize with Isabel and have not liked seeing the toffs treat her badly simply because they don't like her.

I take that back. There was one other thing I didn't like, the hint that Matthew might be getting the use of his leg back. It would be far more realistic to keep him the wheelchair since thousands of veterans came back minus limbs, disfigured, etc. It would also make the show descend into melodrama if he suddenly rises from his wheelchair like Lazarus, declares his love for Mary, vanquishes the evil Sir Richard (and I presume Lavinia), and settles down to live happily ever after and make little Matthew's and Mary's.

Just got notified by Amazon that my Season 2 DVD of Downton Abbey has been shipped, so I'm going to get to watch the rest of it before it airs here! (I know, I could watch online, but I want to see it in full-sized glory.) Very excited!!!!

You know the show is huge when it gets spoofed by The Onion:
Report: Watching Episode of 'Downton Abbey' Counts As Reading Book | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

I thought it was strange that the season 2 DVD would ship before the last two weeks of the show. Not that the episodes haven't been online for months, but the DVD release is different. I wonder if the ratings will dip. Probably not, since people who are big enough fans to buy the DVD will probably want to watch it on PBS anyway. I know I wouldn't miss an episode and I already know what happens! :lol

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Originally Posted by Critical

I thought it was strange that the season 2 DVD would ship before the last two weeks of the show. Not that the episodes haven't been online for months, but the DVD release is different. I wonder if the ratings will dip. Probably not, since people who are big enough fans to buy the DVD will probably want to watch it on PBS anyway. I know I wouldn't miss an episode and I already know what happens! :lol

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It may be strange, but I have it right now sitting in front of me on my desk. :-)