Downton Abbey Series 5 Discussion with Possible/Probable Spoilers

[Huss417]

Posted: 9/16/14 at 5:49pm

This coming Sunday 9/21 Downton Abbey kicks off Series 5 in the UK. :) I'm not going to look at the trailer but posting it for those who want to see it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FZdk7LHQ0o

Updated On: 9/21/14 at 05:49 PM

[madbrian]

Posted: 9/16/14 at 8:47pm

Hey England, if I call all my Scottish relatives and ask them to vote "No", can we get Downton now?

[Scripps2]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 5:34pm

Thanks for the call Brian, it's available via the usual routes now.

[Huss417]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 7:12pm

Won't say much other than good start to the series. Started slow but sure ended on fire. :)

[Tag]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 7:46pm

^Thanks for the spoiler alert :|

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 9:12pm

I'm so happy to see that the show's losing some of its prudishness as the 20s progress. It was getting a little frustrating. Also happy they've abandoned the habit of cutting right before the most part of the scene. I was surprised and relieved SPOILER that we got to see Baxter's confession. END SPOILER. In earlier seasons that wouldn't have happened.

[Huss417]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 9:24pm

Sorry Tag.

Changed the heading to add "spoilers". In the past each Series we have a discussion when it starts.

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/22/14 at 12:23am

Yeah, I can't wait until January to watch it on PBS, so I just finished watching the season 5 premiere. It was good!

[lovebwy]

Posted: 9/22/14 at 4:48am

SPOILERS

I loved seeing Jimmy's hot tight little body when he got out of bed with that posh broad. I was hoping for an ass shot, but nope. I guess he's gone from the show now, right?

Barrow always seems to come up smelling like a rose. I want him to do more naughty gay stuff.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/22/14 at 10:07am

I don't know. I found it all very silly. I feel like the show started floundering in series 4 and is now just flailing, desperately trying to make sense of the new story lines introduced last year, but it's all looking rather shallow and desperate to me. I was mostly bored by the how predictable most of the episode was. Luckily, the show has created a devoted fan base to support it, but I feel like it's limping to the finish line.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 9/22/14 at 12:11pm

Matt, where are you watching?

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 9/22/14 at 4:24pm

I thought it was slow (until the end) but I'm willing to be patient while the groundwork is laid for future story lines. I felt the same way about the first episode of season 4. Basically, i was so delighted to have it back that I would have put up with a staged reading at this point. I have say, I dislike Gillingham more and more with each appearance.

Girly - there are ITV feeds you can watch the episodes on.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 10:28pm

Just finished watching episode 2. I don't think the writing is as strong as it could be. The downstairs stories don't seem as sharp as they should be.

On another note, these productions are co-sponsored by Masterpiece Theater. Why does the US have to wait to see them when there are US dollars invested?

[Tag]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 11:09pm

Thought tonight's episode was better than the premiere. Lots of character development (Thomas, Mary, Branson).

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:53am

Episode 2 was pretty good! I love the parts about what Mary wanted/what Anna bought and the thing that Rose really wanted. It's crazy to think how big those two instances were for 1924 when they are commonplace now in 2014. Next week's episode looks even better!

[Huss417]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 7:29am

I thought it was a good episode but lets hope the season doesn't start to drag over the "new witness" the police have. Still though a so-so episode of Downton Abbey is better than some other stuff I watch on TV.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 5:48pm

***Spoiler Alert***You've Been Warned***Spoiler Alert

Can someone who knows the history of birth control tell me what Anna was buying? Did she buy a single condom? If so, how did that work back then? Did they wash them out for another use? What exactly did Anna buy?

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 7:52pm

Gothampc, GREAT question because I was wondering the same thing!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 7:55pm

That's what I hate about the writing of the show. He just leaves certain things for you to figure out. I used to think it was in the cuts that PBS made, but watching the show the way the Brits see it, I see that the writing is a bit lazy.

[Tag]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 8:14pm

Is it really important to know exactly what she was buying? We know what it was for and that is the point.

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 8:15pm

Maybe Brits think differently? Maybe they are already smart enough to figure out what that was? Lol. But in all seriousness I would've liked an explanation as well, just like I would've liked an answer to Daisy's question when the *blank* that Rose wanted was brought to Downton (even though I could just look it up, but it was 2AM and I was too tired/lazy).

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 8:19pm

"Is it really important to know exactly what she was buying?"

I don't know. It depends on future storylines. They made such a big deal of having to read about it in a book and then such a big deal about it being a secret and then Anna is so embarrassed she doesn't even take her change. All that effort to not know what it is?

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 8:29pm

I personally think it is important. It had the potential of being a history lesson for those who were interested. I really wanted to know. It's sort of like look how far we have come with human rights.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 9:12pm

I could write this crappy story. I'll tell you exactly what is going to happen. Mary will come back from this weekend pregnant. She will decide to keep the baby but not marry the guy. She will be a modern woman and parade her bastard child all around Downton Abbey and right under Edith's nose and Edith will go off the deep end.

Seriously though, why is birth control such an important plot point to take up three scenes in one episode? (Mary urges Anna to buy it, Anna buys it, Anna tells Mary it is packed specially in her suitcase). Birth control will feature heavily in upcoming episodes. Are the Lord and Lady Catholic or Protestant?

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/30/14 at 3:25am

LOL!!!! That would be funny if that happens.

I assume they are Anglican.

I have a feeling Lady Rose will end up with the guy that Lady Mary did not choose, especially since she is apparently leaving the show so she'll be free to do a required worldwide publicity tour for Disney's Cinderella next year.