Downtown Abbey season 4 premiere -- possible spoilers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am just so bored with the "Barrow goes behind everyone's back and spreads lies and everyone is so stupid and gullible that they buy it" storyline. Wasn't that done to death? Its like watching the worst of the daytime soaps. I almost couldn't make it through the opener because of it. The rest I love, but he could do me in.

I thought once he was outed he would be more lovable.

[Anonymous]

The scene with the nanny and Sybil's girl made me gasp out loud; I did not see it coming. It made me think of how vulnerable their kids are, so segregated from all other adults.

And I just love that cook. She's just so fun to look at, such a character actor.

I think no matter what they do with Edith clothes and makeup-wise, she's pretty homely. However; I like that she's got hope for romance (although the stage is set for some tragedy) and that her career is going well. I like that the creators are taking time both precious camera time and story to focus on a young woman who isn't incredible looking--I mean, I love that they don't regulate her to being the side-kick but really are developing her character.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am just so bored with the "Barrow goes behind everyone's back and spreads lies and everyone is so stupid and gullible that they buy it" storyline. Wasn't that done to death? Its like watching the worst of the daytime soaps. I almost couldn't make it through the opener because of it. The rest I love, but he could do me in.

I agree. His character has a lot of potential when they make him a little softer but they keep insisting on this villain thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

FYI, both Diana and Nancy were Nazis.

No, Nancy Mitford was an opponent of Fascism whose novel Wigs on the Green satirized Mosley's Blackshirts. You may be thinking of Unity, who actually did go to Germany, and shot herself when war was declared. She survived, but with a serious brain injury.

15:30 is correct Nancy and Diana were not Nazis. Unity was the one enamored of Hitler and shot (unsuccessfully) part of her head off in an attempt to commit suicide when she realized he was going after England. Read "The Mitford Girls".

Diana was. She married a Nazi too and owned a diamond swastika:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Mitford

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The scene with the nanny and Sybil's girl made me gasp out loud; I did not see it coming. It made me think of how vulnerable their kids are, so segregated from all other adults.

And I just love that cook. She's just so fun to look at, such a character actor.

I think no matter what they do with Edith clothes and makeup-wise, she's pretty homely. However; I like that she's got hope for romance (although the stage is set for some tragedy) and that her career is going well. I like that the creators are taking time both precious camera time and story to focus on a young woman who isn't incredible looking--I mean, I love that they don't regulate her to being the side-kick but really are developing her character.

I give Edith props for acting all (20's era version of) sexy at the restaurant. She overcame her homeliness with the tilted naked shoulder and confidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The scene with the nanny and Sybil's girl made me gasp out loud; I did not see it coming. It made me think of how vulnerable their kids are, so segregated from all other adults.

And I just love that cook. She's just so fun to look at, such a character actor.

I think no matter what they do with Edith clothes and makeup-wise, she's pretty homely. However; I like that she's got hope for romance (although the stage is set for some tragedy) and that her career is going well. I like that the creators are taking time both precious camera time and story to focus on a young woman who isn't incredible looking--I mean, I love that they don't regulate her to being the side-kick but really are developing her character.

I give Edith props for acting all (20's era version of) sexy at the restaurant. She overcame her homeliness with the tilted naked shoulder and confidence.

I think that the actress, Laura Carmichael, actually looks quite pretty when all made up. She's good looking in a "normal" way rather than a Hollywood way.

[Anonymous]

Mary and Branson should get together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't flame as this could be part of the plot. Cora's maiden name was Levinson, often a Jewish name. Even though she and the daughters now seem to be Church of England, wouldn't she and the daughters be ethnically Jewish? My fear is that Edith's publisher and future citizen of Germany will be caught up in Nazism and dump Edith if they do marry. Not trying to spot the plot, but there is something off about the publisher

Julian Fellowes has said he doesn't want the show to go much into the 30s primarily because he doesn't want to have to deal with the advent of nazism and the English upperclass fascination with it. Makes sense to me. It would be extremely bad for the show if Lord G had nazi sympathizers to the house. But to make them all aghast would be historically inaccurate.

Yes I heard that same interview, but the actors have signed 3 year deals. Are they going to languish in depression era England? You know Lord Grantham will try to lose the Abbey again in bad investments. That's been done 3 times. I think it would be great to show England's fascination with Nazism because it is one of those little acknowledged history notes

I for one didn't know that. I love history - what reading material do you suggest to find out more about this topic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mary and Branson should get together.

I just don't see that. Mary's so chilly. I loved the Post's description of "50 shades of disdain." Sybil was full of spunk and always trying to push the boundaries that's why she and B made a good couple. There not doing much with his character though. I think he's the show's Isis replacement at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't flame as this could be part of the plot. Cora's maiden name was Levinson, often a Jewish name. Even though she and the daughters now seem to be Church of England, wouldn't she and the daughters be ethnically Jewish? My fear is that Edith's publisher and future citizen of Germany will be caught up in Nazism and dump Edith if they do marry. Not trying to spot the plot, but there is something off about the publisher

Julian Fellowes has said he doesn't want the show to go much into the 30s primarily because he doesn't want to have to deal with the advent of nazism and the English upperclass fascination with it. Makes sense to me. It would be extremely bad for the show if Lord G had nazi sympathizers to the house. But to make them all aghast would be historically inaccurate.

Yes I heard that same interview, but the actors have signed 3 year deals. Are they going to languish in depression era England? You know Lord Grantham will try to lose the Abbey again in bad investments. That's been done 3 times. I think it would be great to show England's fascination with Nazism because it is one of those little acknowledged history notes

I for one didn't know that. I love history - what reading material do you suggest to find out more about this topic?

That's why discussion of the Mitfords came up. Diana was married to the leader of the fascist party in the UK Oswald Mosely. Her political dealings got her arrested in 1940. She was caught stuffing pictures of Hitler under her baby's mattress.

http://www.amazon.com/Diana-Mosley-Mitford-British-Fascist/dp/0060565322/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389234732&sr=1-2&keywords=diana+mitford

http://www.amazon.com/House-Mitford-Jonathan-Guinness/dp/0753818035/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389234732&sr=1-7&keywords=diana+mitford

http://www.amazon.com/Nazis-Pre-War-London-1930-1939-Sympathizers/dp/1845190548