Downton Abbey Season 3 Christmas Special
It's a little weird to be watching a Christmas special in the middle of February, but hey, the episode didn't actually have anything to do with Christmas, so I guess it's okay.
First of all, What. The. Heck. Julian Fellows, what the heck, sir? Why do you not believe in happy endings for romantic relationships? It's only Edith who foresees an unhappy ending to hers, but everyone else suffers from this plight. Apparently Dan Stevens did not want to renew his contract, and so that is why they killed off Matthew. To be fair, I cannot think of any other plausible way of writing him out of the show, because it's not like he and Mary were going to get a divorce. But I did not know this obviously at the time of watching the episode, and Fellows had already caused mayhem to two other relationships, as well as providing us with a marriage that had been unhappy for decades.
I adore all the Mrs. Patmore-Mrs. Hughes scenes, especially the laughing about how ridiculous things are. I did not understand why Mrs. Crawley turned down Dr. Clarkson. I can respect her decision to do so, but in a season that had Daisy pining after Alfred for no discernible reason other than lack of options, I do not understand why Mrs. Crawley wasn't interested. On the other hand, perhaps it's for the best. So long as they are not actually in a relationship, maybe there is still hope for them. I am glad, too, that she had the decency to cut him off before he actually asked her to marry him.
I shipped Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson so much in this episode. May I make a request that season 4 have lots of scenes with Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson holding adorable babies? Mrs. Hughes continued to prove how awesome she is, though it came at the expense of her having fun at the fair, poor thing.
I was surprised that Jimmy and Thomas were both still working at the house when it was clearly so awkward and uncomfortable between them. I wish that Thomas had gone on to a different house, because I really don't think it was a good idea to put Thomas in a position of power over Jimmy. Given the circumstances, the way they handled making Jimmy and Thomas friends was tolerable. Not great, but what can you do?
I am not looking forward to Rose being in the house next season. I have little sympathy for obnoxious teenage characters. Obviously, her home life has not been the most supportive or nice of a home life, so it's not completely her fault, but I still don't like her, really.
I really thought O'Brien was going to be allowed to have a friend, but no. That bridge was burned effectively. Incinerated, I'd say. It totally wasn't O'Brien's fault. I feel sorry for Lady Susan, too. One imagines that the majority of her adult life has been very unhappy, and that she feels very trapped.
I generally enjoyed the episode, but I did not appreciate it ending on such a sad note. I did not appreciate it as much for the fact that it is sad that Matthew died, as for the horrible realization that we will now have to spend a great deal of time next season watching them deal with the fact that he is dead. Of course they should mourn him, but it feels a bit like they're recycling plot-lines. There was Edna and Tom Branson, which was similar to Jane and Lord Grantham, there's Edith and her editor, which is very much like Edith and Sir Anthony, but even more hopeless and scandalous, and now we've got major character death of a spouse again. I don't like the anticipation of Season 4 being so much a dread of what the aftermath of Matthew's death is. It's a gloomy place to leave us.
First of all, What. The. Heck. Julian Fellows, what the heck, sir? Why do you not believe in happy endings for romantic relationships? It's only Edith who foresees an unhappy ending to hers, but everyone else suffers from this plight. Apparently Dan Stevens did not want to renew his contract, and so that is why they killed off Matthew. To be fair, I cannot think of any other plausible way of writing him out of the show, because it's not like he and Mary were going to get a divorce. But I did not know this obviously at the time of watching the episode, and Fellows had already caused mayhem to two other relationships, as well as providing us with a marriage that had been unhappy for decades.
I adore all the Mrs. Patmore-Mrs. Hughes scenes, especially the laughing about how ridiculous things are. I did not understand why Mrs. Crawley turned down Dr. Clarkson. I can respect her decision to do so, but in a season that had Daisy pining after Alfred for no discernible reason other than lack of options, I do not understand why Mrs. Crawley wasn't interested. On the other hand, perhaps it's for the best. So long as they are not actually in a relationship, maybe there is still hope for them. I am glad, too, that she had the decency to cut him off before he actually asked her to marry him.
I shipped Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson so much in this episode. May I make a request that season 4 have lots of scenes with Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson holding adorable babies? Mrs. Hughes continued to prove how awesome she is, though it came at the expense of her having fun at the fair, poor thing.
I was surprised that Jimmy and Thomas were both still working at the house when it was clearly so awkward and uncomfortable between them. I wish that Thomas had gone on to a different house, because I really don't think it was a good idea to put Thomas in a position of power over Jimmy. Given the circumstances, the way they handled making Jimmy and Thomas friends was tolerable. Not great, but what can you do?
I am not looking forward to Rose being in the house next season. I have little sympathy for obnoxious teenage characters. Obviously, her home life has not been the most supportive or nice of a home life, so it's not completely her fault, but I still don't like her, really.
I really thought O'Brien was going to be allowed to have a friend, but no. That bridge was burned effectively. Incinerated, I'd say. It totally wasn't O'Brien's fault. I feel sorry for Lady Susan, too. One imagines that the majority of her adult life has been very unhappy, and that she feels very trapped.
I generally enjoyed the episode, but I did not appreciate it ending on such a sad note. I did not appreciate it as much for the fact that it is sad that Matthew died, as for the horrible realization that we will now have to spend a great deal of time next season watching them deal with the fact that he is dead. Of course they should mourn him, but it feels a bit like they're recycling plot-lines. There was Edna and Tom Branson, which was similar to Jane and Lord Grantham, there's Edith and her editor, which is very much like Edith and Sir Anthony, but even more hopeless and scandalous, and now we've got major character death of a spouse again. I don't like the anticipation of Season 4 being so much a dread of what the aftermath of Matthew's death is. It's a gloomy place to leave us.