Downton Abbey '14 season

[brothers]

We watched episode 1 last night. Not bad. I can tell you that there was a moment when I told my wife that if the "head guy" succeeded in keeping it a secret that his daughter's deceased husband had written a letter giving her all his assets, I would have stopped watching forever. Thank goodness the writers had the grandmother winning the argument with her son, and pretty much forcing him to tell his daughter the truth. I do find it interesting that the younger niece from Scotland has caught the eye of a fellow who seems to be a straight shooter. Sorry for not remembering any of the names or titles of any of the characters. That's pretty much how I am and always have been with names of real people, let alone fictitious characters.

[Kyle76]

I've read some negative reviews about the new season, but I thought this weeks episode was pretty good. I just hope we don't see Shirley Maclaine again.

[dosco]

My wife fired it up on our Apple TV last night and I decided to watch it.

It was interesting, and I got a chuckle out of the Matriarch laying down the law, lol.

I might watch more of them with my wife ... we'll see.

She and I are grinding through season 6 of Mad Men. *That* is a great show, I love it.

-Dave

PS: Later in the evening, on IFC, was the unedited-for-TV version of "The Shining." I saw the last 1/3 or thereabouts. It was interesting to watch since I recent re-read The Shining and its sequel Dr. Sleep. It was also interesting since I had previously only seen the edited-for-TV version ... the unedited version is (IMO) much better.

[Rufus]

I'm tired of it. Just too much of a good thing; it's time for Julian Fellowes, et al to move on and stop milking it.

[jww]

We have seen the entire season including the Christmas special. It has it's ups and downs (no pun intended) but overall it's not terrible in my opinion. Fellowes is is planning a new production and so season 5 is supposed to be the last -- which makes sense to me. I still say Season 2 was my favourite.

[texasPI]

We have seen the entire season including the Christmas special. It has it's ups and downs (no pun intended) but overall it's not terrible in my opinion. Fellowes is is planning a new production and so season 5 is supposed to be the last -- which makes sense to me. I still say Season 2 was my favourite.

Agreed on Season 2.

[jww]

Spoiler alert .... Shirley MacLaine comes indeed show up with her son played by Paul Giamatti. Paul, I think, does a good job of the American in England in the 20s. Shirley, meh.

Maggie smith, as always, saves or makes every scene she is in.

[Kyle76]

She and I are grinding through season 6 of Mad Men. *That* is a great show, I love it.

-Dave

We gave up on Mad Men last season. I'm not sure we watched a full show. We used to love it but grew tired of it.

[Kyle76]

Spoiler alert .... Shirley MacLaine comes indeed show up with her son played by Paul Giamatti. Paul, I think, does a good,job of the American in England in the 20s. Shirley, meh.

Maggie smith, as always, saves or makes every scene she is in.

Giamatti is a wonderful actor. I'll bet he's great, as he almost always is.

[Rufus]

Spoiler alert .... Shirley MacLaine comes indeed show up with her son played by Paul Giamatti. Paul, I think, does a good,job of the American in England in the 20s. Shirley, meh.

Maggie smith, as always, saves or makes every scene she is in.

Hooray for Maggie Smith. SM is an unmitigated pain in the posterior; she adds nothing except aggravation. Having said that, I won't be watching this season's series, however.

[maskaggs]

Spoiler alert .... Shirley MacLaine comes indeed show up with her son played by Paul Giamatti. Paul, I think, does a good,job of the American in England in the 20s. Shirley, meh.

Maggie smith, as always, saves or makes every scene she is in.

Had to give this some thought re: SM but I think you're right. Her character is poorly written in - we're getting beaten over the head with 'Hey look! It's a gauche American who doesn't know how to follow the rules in stuffy old England! Isn't she a real spitfire?!?!?!'

[jww]

SM is by far the most annoying character written into the show --- all the hype for Season 3 was to see Shirley and Maggie go at it --- Maggie wins every battle on that front -- whether in character or not.

Penelope Wilton, on the other hand, is fabulous as Isobel Crawley, Lady Grantham's foil and friend in one. In the Season 1 DVD special features, there is this great interview with the two of them --- Penelope going on about how she couldn't believe she was getting to act with Maggie Smith, and Maggie taking it all in her stride. She is a force to be reckoned with on screen, and a very classy lady off. What more could you want? SM I could do without, but have to admit to wondering who might have been a better fit .... perhaps no one else was willing to play the whining American in 1920s England. Apologies to our US members --- it's the way the role is played, and often the way brit TV portrays American ex-pat or travelling characters seen as instigators.

[maskaggs]

Apologies to our US members --- it's the way the role is played, and often the way brit TV portrays American ex-pat or travelling characters seen as instigators.

No need to apologize, Wendell. Many of our compatriots have historically refused and continue to refuse to acknowledge that other cultures may live differently. To be sure I wouldn't want to live under the upstairs/downstairs system but the show implies that SM as the self-righteous American not only perceives problems in Downton society but surely thinks the way things are done back in 'Murica are inherently better. Nevermind the massive, massive financial inequality of 1910's America.

/end rant

[Thalay Sagar]

No, season 1 was the best. But agreed on Ms. MacLaine. But who knows, maybe she brought unknown expertise to the series from one of her past lives.

[Kyle76]

but the show implies that SM as the self-righteous American not only perceives problems in Downton society but surely thinks the way things are done back in 'Murica are inherently better. Nevermind the massive, massive financial inequality of 1910's America.

/end rant

I don't think it takes a "self-righteous American" to perceive the problems in Downton society, as they are the central theme of the series: Victorian England could not survive in the postwar world, and the different ways that each character adapts to inevitable changes is truly the raison d'etre of the show. The portrayal of Cora's American mother as brash, outspoken and more than a little out of place in "proper" English society is not terribly unusual in British productions. It would have been refreshing to see Fellowes follow a different path with the character and probably no less boring than the Ugly American stereotype. I am anxious to see how Cora's brother is portrayed.

[jww]

... I am anxious to see how Cora's brother is portrayed.

I think you'll be pleased --- I was. He has a similar attitude to his mother, but sees things with a more open mind. I liked his character a lot. Nice to see Giamatti in a role where he doesn't bear razor burn all over his neck (read John Adams). He's a great actor -- seriously, I have not disliked anything I have seen him in, and he does the role credit. They bagged a great actor for the role for sure.

[maskaggs]

but the show implies that SM as the self-righteous American not only perceives problems in Downton society but surely thinks the way things are done back in 'Murica are inherently better. Nevermind the massive, massive financial inequality of 1910's America.

/end rant

I don't think it takes a "self-righteous American" to perceive the problems in Downton society, as they are the central theme of the series: Victorian England could not survive in the postwar world, and the different ways that each character adapts to inevitable changes is truly the raison d'etre of the show. The portrayal of Cora's American mother as brash, outspoken and more than a little out of place in "proper" English society is not terribly unusual in British productions. It would have been refreshing to see Fellowes follow a different path with the character and probably no less boring than the Ugly American stereotype. I am anxious to see how Cora's brother is portrayed.

Indeed, and perhaps I conveyed the wrong idea to begin with. I simply meant the way Fellowes conveys SM's perception of Downtown society would indicate that _all_ Americans are self-righteous, brash, and haughty in the face of dying social systems. My beef is with SM's characterization, not the suggestion that Victorian/Edwardian society was on the downswing for good reason.

[Kyle76]

Giamatti: from John Adams to Ben Bernanke to the troubled wine snob in Sideways -- the guy has range.

Mike, I think we're on the same page. Cheers.

[jww]

Fellowes follows some interesting old biases indeed.

[brothers]

I think I might like that particular character better if she'd been written with a bit more grace, but I understand that character was what the creator wanted at the time.