<p>My thinking is that American and Canadian accents are similar enough that the producers probably didn’t feel a need to make that fine of a distinction in their choice of actors to play “Patrick.” Unless they have a particularly heavy Canadian accent, it’s often pretty easy for many Canadians to pass for American. Think of Lorne Greene, Peter Jennings, and Alex Trebek - Canadians all. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I think it’s preposterous that the Titanic-induced amnesia would also make “Patrick” forget his native accent and suddenly speak with a Canadian accent simply because he found himself in Canada after the shipwreck. Now we are getting out of soap opera and into science fiction/fantasy.</p>
<p>British TV uses that odd twangy accent for Americans all the time. The movie producer from Hollywood in Cold Comfort Farm sounds just the same. It’s a weird sort of upper midwest accent that never sounds realistic to me. Agree about a British adult not losing his British accent in 6 years, but you are forgetting this guy (Peter/Patrick) has amnesia (real or invented), so maybe he FORGOT his British accent, and he is speaking the way the TV series creators think that Canadians speak.</p>
<p>My guess is that he’s an imposter , Edith will figure that out, he will return at a critical moment and she will provide enough support to his claim that she thinks they will marry and inherit. Take that Mary!<br>
Imposters were not unknown at the time, most famous being a woman who spent decades claiming to be one of the Russian Tsarinas. Mentally ill people are frequently sure they are someone else.</p>
<p>Maybe this was addressed earlier on the thread, but is it true that we in America are getting an abridged version of the series?</p>
<p>If so, could this be why the writing seems so trite in some areas, or awkward? We have these quick little obnoxious scenes with daughter #3 and the chauffeur. And Bates and Anna just seem to have one stressful/painful scene after another. Matthew’s mom Isabelle is becoming a caricature.</p>
<p>I sound like I’m complaining, I know. I really love the series (but the writing could be better in areas.)</p>
<p>The Daily Mail article refers to cuts in the first season - don’t know if PBS cut any of the second season. But let me assure you that here in the UK there was general disappointment with Season 2 and incredulity at the absurd plot jumps and twists. As I posted earlier, I almost gave up but so glad I stuck with it as it I felt it all came together satisfactorily at the end ( for me anyway - not talking though about loose ends getting neatly tied). I’m hoping there will be a return to form in Season 3 as Fellowes has acknowledged weakness of second season was due to very rushed writing</p>
<p>Oh, and I’ve really enjoyed the discussion of American-Canadian accents! It can be painful listening to British actors on stage and TV here playing N. Americans. For all the jokes about Dick van Dyke’s cockney, they don’t seem to realise there’s more to a Yank accent than simply a twang. Most common accent used is deep South which is just ridiculous in many settings. Went to see Master Class in the West End last night and the stagehand at Julliard apparently hailed from Alabama…</p>
<p>RE: O’Brien. I would agree with that theory (O’Brien kills Vera). We know that she feel tremendously guilty over the loss of Cora’s baby and that she expressed to Thomas that, in effect, she would do anything to protect the family. The thing that keeps the audience off-stride, and diverted, from this theory is that O’Brien doesn’t think much of Mr. Bates/Anna, so we wouldn’t expect her to do anything that would seem to help them.</p>
<p>Some British actors are pretty good at playing Yank and some are not. Jane Seymour, Damien Lewis, and Hugh Laurie can all do a pretty convincing American accent. Laurence Olivier was downright dreadful when he tried to play an American. Kate Winslett is so-so. She can hold it together for long stretches of dialogue but then slips back into Brit from time to time.</p>
<p>Going the other way, to my American ears, I thought Rene Zellweger was pretty good as Bridget Jones, but Natalie Portman had a quite lame attempt at a British accent in “V for Vendetta.”</p>
<p>placido, interesting points. It occurs to me that O’Brien murdering Vera could, from her point of view, kill two birds with one stone: she would protect the family from the revelation of Mary’s indiscretion, and she could get Bates arrested for murder, since he is the one with the obvious motive and possibly opportunity. One would have to go back and examine the timeline to see if the Bates setup would work.</p>
<p>The absolutely worst American accent I ever recall was done by an actress in the original Forstye Saga production (the one with Susan Hampshire, and Nyree Dawn Porter). She was supposed to be a Southerner. Absolutely excruciating.</p>
<p>Consolation, I remember that! I don’t remember the name of the character (or actress), but she was Jon’s wife. What a wonderful series that was…</p>