Oooh, that sounds intriguing. Was that the one about Turing?
First thing I saw him in was A Single Man, in which he played Colin Firth’s deceased lover.
I was surprised to see Mary interested in a race car driver too, considering how Matthew met his end. She’s always appeared to be one of those people who can compartmentalize and not extrapolate one experience to others.
Mary wants passion in bed. Enuf said
The marriage was nice and all, but where is the excitement? We are half way through the final season and still the main story line driving the plot is an incredibly dull and ordinary dispute over who should administer the local hospital.
In the past we had the heir to the title and the estate, and Mary’s intended, die on the Titanic. The new heir, a middle class lawyer, is suddenly thrust way above his previous station with all the social complications that brings. Thomas the footman reveals himself as gay and makes a pass at an aristocratic guest. which goes wrong, in an era when homosexuality was a serious crime. Mary has a one night stand with a handsome Turk who literally dies in her arms, and the body must be quickly and secretly moved by women in their night gowns Sybil gets caught up in a political riot. Sisters Mary and Edith take turns sabotaging each other. And, oh by the way, World War I breaks out.
And that was just Season 1.
Compare that to the incredibly weak sauce we have today.
Oh, so THAT’S what that night with Pamuk was about! 
After all, Mary AUDITIONED a potential husband and rejected him!
Mary and Edith are still at each other’s throats but Edith is getting the upper hand now every once in a while. Cant wait until Mary finds out about Marigold.
@Scipio, we’ve also thought this season’s plot lines aren’t as exciting as in the past. In fact, DH says his blood pressure while watching is lower than in previous seasons. So much of drama - lost Marigold, the Carson will they or won’t they marriage, etc - seems to be wrapped up in one episode. And, although the on-going hospital plot line must be building to something, it is tedious. I’m still enjoying, however, and am willing to cut Julian some slack as he wraps up. Many of the British series that I’ve watched through the years just end; my understanding is that they leave an option to pick up a series again, but sometimes don’t follow through. That would be frustrating!
@Scipio : you’re right. That first season had so much more in terms of storyline. I definitely feel that its all winding down now; now it’s subtleties and nuances. good thing that the this season was not the first season. however, i’m still enjoying it.
i think the scene with mary and henry at dinner was “hot” – she looked beautiful and desirable; he looked like a confident player. although it was short, i enjoyed it.
I think this season has a valedictory air. After all, we’ve been with these characters a long time. I enjoyed it very much.
And I think it’s a good thing he ends it before the General Strike of 1926.
OK, teach me something, @consolation: What was the General Strike of 1926? (Yes, I could google it, but you’ll give me just what I need to know.)
It was a sympathy strike in support of coal miners, who were being asked to accept a significant pay cut and work longer hours. It spread to all kinds of transportation workers, and others, and pretty much shut down London and other cities and the railroads, despite volunteers stepping in. Problems with distribution of food, etc. There was some violence on both sides.
My understanding is that it was a shock to British society that changed things forever, just as the Great War had done. Only this time it was class warfare.
I would have liked to see some shake up…like Mary falling in love with an American.
Barrows will join the Communist Party.
The General Strike of 1926 was nicely depicted in the “Brideshead Revisited” series back in 1981 and on “Upstairs Downstairs” in 1977. The strike had peers and aristocrats rushing out to volunteer to work at manual labor in an effort to break the strike and put the working classes back in their place. If any Downton fans haven’t seen the Brideshead series I strongly recommend you rent or buy it.
Watch “Upstairs, Downstairs” I saw it on youtube. Still think DA is just a remake.You’ll recognize every character and plot line. This last season is lame because they got out of the plot lines of the original USDS.
The plots to Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs are somewhat different, but they cover much the same time span, so the same Big Events loom large in both: the Titanic, WWI, the Jazz Age, etc. And Downton Abbey certainly has many of the same stock characters that Upstairs Downstairs had:
- The aristocratic Lord and Lady of the house (although in USDS he didn't actually have a noble title)
- Their eldest child whose spouse dies and who can never quite find true happiness.
- Their younger daughter who is a socialist and suffragette and gets into scrapes because of it
- The stalwart butler who is a conservative defender of the Old Ways
- The stout cook.
- The uneducated kitchen maid who works to improve herself and move up in the world
- The ambitious young house maid who also seeks to move up in the world.
- The devoted older house maid/lady's maid.
- The ambitious chauffeur who moves up and out of merely driving cars,
Goodness – I watched USDS when it was on originally – in the '70s sometime??
ETA: I just looked it up: 1971 to 1975.
But Lady Marjorie did! OK, she’s actually on the same level as Lady Mary et al since her father was also an earl. But she was unquestionably the aristocrat of the couple.
I never liked USDS much. I couldn’t stand the maid who was supposed to be such a character. Looked it up: Pauline Collins playing Sarah. Ugh. Also couldn’t stand James.
I infinitely prefer DA, over all.