<p>It’s hard to believe Cora is her daughter.</p>
<p>^^No more so than it was hard to believe that Sybil was Robert’s daughter. Besides, Shirley may have raised Cora to be a “daughter of society” while she herself could not be. That wasn’t unusual with “new money”.</p>
<p>I just read up on Julian Fellowes- he is an interesting man. I have been watching the BBC show Monarch of the Glen and he plays a lord in it. </p>
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<p>And like similar period shows and movies, Shirley’s character like many Americans or lower-class Brits would regard the aristocratic/upper echelons of British society of this period as a bunch of overly pretentious entitled toffee nosed snots without common sense in dealing with the rest of society/world. </p>
<p>One area this has been shown in Downton Abbey is how Lord Grantham is shown to be exceedingly clueless in business/financial matters as shown by his enthusiasm for Ponzi’s investment program earlier and strong resistance to estate suggestions from more clued in younger and/or formerly lower-class folks like Matthew Crawley, Lady Mary, and Tom Branson. </p>
<p>Reminds me of Monty Python’s “upperclass twit of the year race”.</p>
<p>Just caught Maggie Smith in Othello in 1965 made for TV drama with Lawrence Olivier. 49 years ago. The eyes, the voice, and the profile . </p>
<p>Olivier in blackface …what a creepy discovery</p>
<p>Sorry, I can’t see any meaningful or enjoyable similarities between Debbie Reynolds’ 'Molly Brown" and Shirley McClain’s ‘Mrs. Levinson.’ Nope, none. Even Kathy Bates as Molly Brown in ‘Titanic’ was a hoot, albeit a brief one. There has to be some reason why Fellowes has underused the Levinson character. The only decent line McClain had was when she asked Matthew ‘Who are you and why are you getting my husband’s and granddaughter’s money?’</p>
<p>She hasn’t seen The Family since Matthew and Sybil died, has she??</p>
<p>Sigh… don’t want to wait until next December. I must learn how to watch it as it airs in the U.K.</p>
<p>Lots of strings tied up tonight.</p>
<p>Bummer! I thought it was a 2 hour special. And now I have to wait until NEXT January??? Nooooo …</p>
<p>I do love Mrs. Hughes!!</p>
<p>I thought it would be the full 2 hours too. Booo! I also got into a nice routine of watching last week’s episode just before the new one. Now, I feel gyped. At least it ended on a more happy note with several romances in the offing, especially with Mrs Hughes and Carson, and not too many characters leaving.</p>
<p>I was glad the noise about Bates + Green was made clear and now we can move on. Only problem I had about the ending was that nagging question about Gregson. Where did he go?</p>
<p>Anyone know why Baxter wasn’t too happy?</p>
<p>The American valet was hilarious and Daisy so good. </p>
<p>I also enjoyed Harold Levinson. I actually like almost all the unusual romantic pairing (lord Merton/isobel) and yet Mary and Tom still holding out. </p>
<p>I can’t decide whether Julian Fellowes likes Americans or hates us.</p>
<p>CBB, I saw the Christmas special when it first came out in the UK and there wasn’t anything left out of tonight’s episode. Only waiting will be for Season 5!</p>
<p>Who keeps an incriminating train ticket. Too contrived. </p>
<p>As soon as Anna walked into the room with the overcoat, I knew there would be a train ticket in it. Too obvious.</p>
<p>I liked Bates showing us his mad skillz, though. First he forges the letter, then he picks Samson’s pocket. Go Bates!</p>
<p>What a fun night! (I watched it twice) So much romance - Carson and Mrs. Hughes holding hands in the ocean -just ADORABLE! Only ten months to wait–<em>sigh</em></p>
<p>I thought it was a fun episode too, although as I predicted, I disliked seeing Paul Giamatti in the cast (and still don’t care for Shirley MacLaine). Their roles are so clichéd.</p>