Downton Abbey 2/16 thread *Spoilers*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bates killed both his first wife and the valet. Wafts complicated is they were both for 'noble' reasons-so does that make it ok?

No, it doesn't make it okay. Initially, I thought Bates was romantic and touching...just lovely. However, there's something about him this season that has caused me to pause. He seems dangerous and scary. If he has, indeed, killed one/two people because of his desire to be with his love Anna that means he's a murderer. Anna just better make sure that she stays in good favor with him.

[Anonymous]

Anna and Bates are turning into a 48 Hour Mystery!

[Anonymous]

I really think Bates killed the wife. Not sure about Greene.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really think Bates killed the wife. Not sure about Greene.

I think he did, too. I also think Anna thinks he did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think Bates killed the wife. Not sure about Greene.

I think he did, too. I also think Anna thinks he did.

Me too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think Bates killed the wife. Not sure about Greene.

I think he did, too. I also think Anna thinks he did.

I agree and she seemed confident and afraid that he would kill Greene if he discovered that he was the rapist. Wow, I can't believe that she sat at the dining table next to Greene in order to hide the truth from Bates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anna was the maid for all the daughters before Mary got married.

Whatever happened to the Abbey having actual maid staff? All of the downstairs characters are fairly elite service staff (butler, housekeeper, ladies' maids, valets, footmen, etc.) - what about the people who wash the dishes and do the laundry and empty the chamber pots and clean the fireplaces? In Season 1, Daisy was a "house maid" and had tasks like that (and wasn't allowed in rooms at the same time as upstairs residents), but then she got promoted to the kitchen and we haven't seen real service staff since.

There's background staff, but you just don't get to meet them. Look closely, you'll see under-maids, hall boys, etc.

At dinner, the lower servants don't get to have their dinner at the same time as the upper servants.

Also -- Thomas has been referring to layoffs, etc. Domestic servant numbers were declining steadily from the pre-war period through the 20s and 30s, what with all the labor-saving devices, the financial crises hitting the great houses, and competent domestic staff starting to work in the factories, etc. Of course the Depression will put a stake through the heart of most great houses.

Even though this is true, the Downton staff is bloated and doesn't show housemaids etc. and in the past everyone took their meals at the same time. The writers just weren't thinking logistically.

Thank you 15:24! I brought this point up before on a previous DA thread. It just really bugs me. I know the real DA is in incredible disrepair as are many historical houses like it b/c cost wise it's incredibly expensive to keep up. Maid service and household repairs definitely went by the wayside as time marched on, but no way in reality would you have 2 or 3 staff just to serve dinner and not have a scullery maid or two!

[Anonymous]

Bates did not kill his wife

Bates did not kill the valet

Anna thinks he killed the valet

I think the truth will be revealed when Cora's brother arrives from the States. Robert will allow Bates to perform some valet duties for brother, and he and Bates will work out what happened. Branson will be involved too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bates did not kill his wife

Bates did not kill the valet

Anna thinks he killed the valet

I think the truth will be revealed when Cora's brother arrives from the States. Robert will allow Bates to perform some valet duties for brother, and he and Bates will work out what happened. Branson will be involved too.

Your little scenario, uh, no.

Bates is being described as the homicidal type by his own wife that's quite revealing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bates did not kill his wife

Bates did not kill the valet

Anna thinks he killed the valet
I think the truth will be revealed when Cora's brother arrives from the States. Robert will allow Bates to perform some valet duties for brother, and he and Bates will work out what happened. Branson will be involved too.

Completely agree with the bolded. There is no way Bates is guilty, though we are supposed to think he might be. Team Bates!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bates did not kill his wife

Bates did not kill the valet

Anna thinks he killed the valet
I think the truth will be revealed when Cora's brother arrives from the States. Robert will allow Bates to perform some valet duties for brother, and he and Bates will work out what happened. Branson will be involved too.

Completely agree with the bolded. There is no way Bates is guilty, though we are supposed to think he might be. Team Bates!!

I wonder why "we" are supposed to think Bates is guilty. The whole rape storyline was unnecessary if he's not guilty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bates did not kill his wife

Bates did not kill the valet

Anna thinks he killed the valet
I think the truth will be revealed when Cora's brother arrives from the States. Robert will allow Bates to perform some valet duties for brother, and he and Bates will work out what happened. Branson will be involved too.

Completely agree with the bolded. There is no way Bates is guilty, though we are supposed to think he might be. Team Bates!!

I wonder why "we" are supposed to think Bates is guilty. The whole rape storyline was unnecessary if he's not guilty.

Well no it's not unnecessary because the fact that Anna (and others, soon) thinks he killed the valet is going to affect their relationship. I think if it were IRL I would be sure he was guilty, but because it's a show…the writers might just make him innocent for the fun of it. Or do something else --some other weird twist, like have one of the other characters have done it, or have one of his other victim's spouse do it…just some other random twist…assuming it's not wrapped up this season, the writers might even be waiting to see how the public responds before deciding how to handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bates did not kill his wife

Bates did not kill the valet

Anna thinks he killed the valet

I think the truth will be revealed when Cora's brother arrives from the States. Robert will allow Bates to perform some valet duties for brother, and he and Bates will work out what happened. Branson will be involved too.

If you watched ahead in Britain this fall and are a spoiler--ooooh, I'll be very mad.

[Anonymous]

How do you pronounce "valet"? The characters say it with a hard "T" but I thought it was pronounced without the emphasis on that letter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bates did not kill his wife

Bates did not kill the valet

Anna thinks he killed the valet

I think the truth will be revealed when Cora's brother arrives from the States. Robert will allow Bates to perform some valet duties for brother, and he and Bates will work out what happened. Branson will be involved too.

If you watched ahead in Britain this fall and are a spoiler--ooooh, I'll be very mad.

NP. This is definitely not a spoiler.