Downton Abbey: Series 1, 2 and cast career discussion thread — Page 7

No spoilers, I promise, though it's painful not to be able to discuss this because even when I try to remember where the US is exactly now at, I realize my thoughts are coloured by what I know.

Season 3 will be in mid September in the UK just as the past seasons (or series as the Brits oddly call them) were... I still find it ironic how PBS doubted this would be a hit initially and reportedly even debated cutting the little money and funding they're contributing to the series (which is why of course some 30 minutes were cut from Season 1 when they aired it). Obviously they've realized they were wrong.

I found this New Yorker review (which only covers up to last week's in the US so is obviously spoiler free) actually pretty amusing and fair handed... I do find it a bit funny that suddenly, both in N America and the UK this year, people have started to feel kinda defensive towards liking DA, often justifying that they do know it's a soap (something Julian Fellowes called it from the start), like there's some sort of guilt associated with getting wrapped up into the drama of it all. Typical too, I suppose...

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2012/01/23/120123crte_television_nussbaum?currentPage=all (it's half way down the page after a review of Luck).

Yeah, in the UK the show is on ITV (not BBC much to BBC's apparent annoyance judging by their biased articles about the show), so airs with commercials. The UK has less than US tv and each episode runs about 50-51 minutes I think. Season 1 as you say had the premier and finale running closer to an hour and fifteen minutes for a 90 minute timeslot. The first season had 7 episodes (I forget how PBS shuffled these around for airing though some were chopped up and re-arranged with the actual cuts being fairly minor, though ones they felt would move the action along faster for US viewers--there's a good site with all the mentions). The US release of the show on DVD is un-cut.

I always find it kinda amusing how PBS now seems to release DVDs of their programs often before they're done airing. Though the UK BluRays are already out and I believe region free, so maybe they thought people would just order those anyway. This season is 8 episodes plus the 95 minute or so Christmas special, which really acts as the season ender storywise (it fit into a two hour time slot with an extra hour for a great behind the scenes thing).

This is old news, it aired after Season 1, and probably already posted on here, but in case not, the great "Uptown Downstairs Abbey" parody (with Kim Catrall, randomly and Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders) that aired for the UK's Comic Relief Charity special last year:
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dMlXentLw

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3YYo_5rxFE

So the Christmas special is technically the finale? Does anyone know if it will be on the DVDs released here in the US?
Also, add me to the people who misted up at Sunday's episode. So sad to see such an innocent character fall victim. And Matthew's pain was just so difficult to watch- I too hope for a miracle!

Why would I be referring to you if you haven't revealed anything? How narcissistic and clueless can you get?

Vanity (and stupidity), thy name is Scripps2.

Read through the thread and see who dropped plot points along the way for episodes that haven't aired in the U.S. yet. It's more than one poster. And reason enough for me to stay away, but you just gave me another nice one.

So have fun. No reason to check it out again with thoughtless spoilers and vain bitter idiots who can't even figure out what's going on.

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Best12bars: As I was the only Brit posting about the current series your comment was clearly a reference to me.

Unless you made a mistaken assumption about someone else's nationality.

Either way, the "stupidity" of your mistake and the "vanity" and "narcissism" of your birthday cake comment remain entirely your own.

I'm so tempted to order the season 2 DVDs... SO tempted.

I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve. I want to open all the presents NOW! But, I know that if I do, I'll be sorry when I don't have any to open on Christmas morning.

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I may have to do the same... I can't hold back!

Let's have a Downton Abbey party!

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I believe Eric is Canadian.

I'm Canadian in Victoria/Vancouver depending on work (which does make it a bit confusing because I was living in Montreal when I joined here years back, despite what my status says). I did live in the UK for months and Ireland for four though, if that counts for anything... (But I watched Downton Abbey via torrents as it aired--have too many friends in the UK, andbelong o too many UK based forums to be able to wait and simply avoid all the spoilers)

I knew you were Canadian, Eric. I also know from your posts that you're a gentleman: good-natured, reasonable, objective and friendly. I appreciate your posts with or without spoilers.

I think Shirley MacLaine is a splendid piece of casting. She's a nuanced actress who will not pull the focus. I'm really hoping Fellowes will get back to having history grow out of the characters rather than slapping it on them like an adhesive label and there's a real chance for that to happen here...

CONJECTURE ALERT

There's a distinguished history of American women having influence on British public life in the 1920s (the first female MP to sit in the House of Commons was American born). Perhaps this is the direction that the Countess and her mother will go in.

Any thoughts on Patrick Gordon?

After seeing the preview I thought perhaps the soldier was the previous heir, but after listening to his story, I, too, thought perhaps he was an imposter.

I, too, am concerned that Bates will be accused of her murder

Of course Bates will be accused of her murder...the question is did he actually do it?

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