Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The Problem with Brits {or my thoughts on Downton}


*Warning: this is a semi-spoiler alert. I won’t name specific characters, but if you haven’t made it through Season 3 of Downton Abbey and you plan to in the future and want to be surprised, you should probably stop reading right about… NOW.

-So Season 3 ended with yet another death. Ugh.

-Can I just say I knew it was going to happen? The first second they showed that aerial shot of the car driving down the lane, I knew something was wrong. The scenery was hauntingly beautiful, and whenever it gets “hauntingly” anything around Downton, you know someone is probably about to bite the dust.

-But on this specific scene, I just knew. Long before it showed how carelessly he was driving. Long before it showed the truck coming from the opposite direction. Because if they were going to give us a happy ending to Season Three, there never would have been a car scene. There would have been a hospital scene where the family rushes in to admire the newborn and the babe is held up victoriously as the long awaited heir of the Abbey. That, my friends, is how it should have happened. But then they had to show that stupid car and the melancholy dirt road and they dashed our dreams of ever being happy watching Downton Abbey again.

-So what’s up with British actors anyway? Where is their longevity? Their steadfastness? Their commitment? Where are the Jennifer Anistons and the Kelsey Grammers of the UK? Who wants out of a popular, award-winning show after three seasons? Get with the program, people. Ten seasons or bust… at the very least.

-Speaking of steadfastness, were Jessica and Dan so overwhelmed with the filming of Downton that they had to get out? The seasons are SIX episodes long! Did this give them no other time on the side to pursue other projects? I realize they are long episodes, but I have to imagine that it is less demanding to film six 1-2 hour episodes than twenty-five {or more} 42 minute episodes of an American season of television. I mean in the history of Downton Abbey, Dan appeared in 25 episodes {over THREE seasons!} and Jessica appeared in only 20. Sounds like an overwhelming amount of work. Good thing you got out when you did.

-I was pretty mad about the ending. So mad, in fact, that when those annoying PBS people came on screen and started to ask for my money, I couldn't even get myself up off the couch to turn off the TV. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because after about five minutes of the annoying fundraising pitch, sweet little Angela Lansbury’s face popped up on the screen and cheered me up instantly. How can you be mad or sad when Angela is smiling at you? Answer: you can’t. This lady rocks. Think about… Murder She Wrote. Mrs. Potts on Beauty and the Beast. Bedknobs and Broomsticks. PBS knew I would need encouragement and they provided it in perfect form. Angela Lansbury for life.

-Then I tweeted something about Angela cheering me up and she retweeted me!  I mean it’s technically her PR account, and I doubt she actually did it herself, but it was her official Twitter account nonetheless. This is what I wrote in response:



The end.

8 comments:

Rhiannon said...

Haha, great post. Like you, I knew what was coming the moment they showed him in that car.

Why couldn't they just live happily ever after??

Kate @ A Creative Cookie said...

Yep, the car was a giveaway. Everything was too good to be true. I get so emotional over fictional characters!

Michelle said...

I was googling something several months ago and saw the spoiler that Matthew died. I was CRUSHED. But thankfully I had the whole season to emotionally prepare. But when Sybil died?! All bets were off. I did not handle that well!! And from what I've heard and read, they got super famous really fast from Downton, and they wanted to leave so they could take advantage of the fame and get better roles. It makes me SICK. I agree 100% with what you said about longevity and commitment. Plus, they were 2 main characters and 2 of the most well liked characters. I know the writer had no choice but to kill them off, but it's so sad. And I read that Dan refused to appear in any scenes again, so they couldn't even write a less tragic ending like him working in another country. Ugh! Way to disappoint the fans. And seriously, if I were an actor on that show, I would NEVER want to leave! The dialogue! The setting! The costumes! COME ON!!!

Claire@MyDevising said...

I think I'm still in denial that he's actually dead. But then when I think about the fact that the only option for him to be alive is to be paralyzed (AGAIN!), then I want him dead. I don't think I could deal with injured Matthew again. But seriously, our household is in mourning. We love(d) Matthew!

Jillian @ Hi! It's Jilly said...

Lol! You're crackin' me up. So cool that she retweeted you! Yes, I'm sad about the end, too. I think that no more Crawleys should have babies, because every time they do one of the parents die!

Beth @ The Goad Abode said...

It was so sad! I'm so glad you had Angela to console you. I watched on Hulu the next day and there was no after-show like on PBS. Ugh!

But you are so right, what is up with British actors being too taxed to continue with an internationally successful show for more than three seasons?!

Chelsea said...

Obviously the moral of the story is there is no happy ending at Downton! I was furious that they chose such a tragic ending.

This is totally different than when Denny died on Grey's Anatomy because although it was heart-wrenching, he was a peripheral character! Matthew and Sybil? Seriously?? WAH.

Beffy 55 said...

I knew something bad was going to happen at the hospital when Lady Mary stated that Downton Abbey now had an Heir. Just didn't know what until the car scene. I love, love your tweet. Who doesn't like Angela?

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