if you have a few family heirlooms it's easy to share and remember the details. if you have a huge mansion full of heirlooms maybe they all just blend into the background.

But in other episodes they did know the history of things important or of interest to them personally. Antiques Roadshow and the like are popular shows because people don't know the history of things in their relatives/parents homes. I'm sure can find instances paintings and other valuable objects found in the trash or garage sales. Plus, if their librarian knows why should they need to know? I'd want to know, but not everyone does.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I think it was probably really realistic for them to be like "Oh, wow -- I never even noticed that. It's definitely someone...." They lived with that stuff, but it's not like they picked it out or anything. They said they had a librarian that was in charge of it all (and apparently on vacation or something the one day they needed him?).

And, honestly, if you pulled out your grandmother's photo book.....would you be able to ID the people in it? Or would you be like "I think that was Great Aunt Phoebe. Or wait, maybe that was Grandma's best friend. Definitely one of those, unless it was her cousin Rose. Might have been her." Or who painted the random landscape hanging over your mother's piano?

My grandmother had one photo of her family, and I could identify everyone in it. My mom didn't have any paintings unless she did them herself let alone a piano.

However, my MIL had a long family history and heirlooms to go with it, so yes, I even knew who the people in the photos and the paintings were. Sometimes she would tell me and sometimes I would ask after seeing something repeatedly for years--and I only visited.

The women should have at least known who painted the paintings, there's a few by Van Dyke and it's not as though the writers had to be incredibly lazy by inventing some never before seen character. They have a historical advisor to the show as well lots have been written about Highclere Castle:
http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/antiques-of-downton-abbey.htm

Ok, you know your family history, but how many friends and acquaintances know theirs? I know plenty of people who struggle to name second cousins (people who have a common great-grandparent), let alone their great grandparents names.

No the point is, I we didn't have paintings of dead relatives or famous artists. But if we had Napoleon's desk, we'd definitely know it.

Great houses like Downton Abbey/Highclere Castle, put on lavish parties, entertained for most of their existence--of course the host/hostess/heir would know the history, style of architecture, and what century the tapestries came from, or who painted the frescos. Also, everything would have been inventoried to the last tea spoon b/c of inheritance laws.

It just shows the lazy writing of the show and made the characters look simple minded.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Carson is being really boorish with his new wife, and aside from how he diminishes her constantly with all his demands and criticism, can you imagine how horrific it must be for her to have him lying on top of her huffing and puffing like a walrus? Sweet mystery of life.

I'm hoping he'll expire in the act, and she'll squirm free, with a nice future running the B&B. And Barrow gets to step in as butler.

Maybe her and Mrs Patmore can run away together.

I want Mrs. Patmore and the pig farmer to get together, but the two women running the B&B together would be great too.

That would make a great spinoff! I'd watch it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I think it was probably really realistic for them to be like "Oh, wow -- I never even noticed that. It's definitely someone...." They lived with that stuff, but it's not like they picked it out or anything. They said they had a librarian that was in charge of it all (and apparently on vacation or something the one day they needed him?).

And, honestly, if you pulled out your grandmother's photo book.....would you be able to ID the people in it? Or would you be like "I think that was Great Aunt Phoebe. Or wait, maybe that was Grandma's best friend. Definitely one of those, unless it was her cousin Rose. Might have been her." Or who painted the random landscape hanging over your mother's piano?

My grandmother had one photo of her family, and I could identify everyone in it. My mom didn't have any paintings unless she did them herself let alone a piano.

However, my MIL had a long family history and heirlooms to go with it, so yes, I even knew who the people in the photos and the paintings were. Sometimes she would tell me and sometimes I would ask after seeing something repeatedly for years--and I only visited.

The women should have at least known who painted the paintings, there's a few by Van Dyke and it's not as though the writers had to be incredibly lazy by inventing some never before seen character. They have a historical advisor to the show as well lots have been written about Highclere Castle:
http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/antiques-of-downton-abbey.htm

Ok, you know your family history, but how many friends and acquaintances know theirs? I know plenty of people who struggle to name second cousins (people who have a common great-grandparent), let alone their great grandparents names.

Then the historical advisor probably also confirmed for them that the family wouldn't know much about the house, although it did seem a bit exaggerated (not knowing why it was called an abbey??).

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I think it was probably really realistic for them to be like "Oh, wow -- I never even noticed that. It's definitely someone...." They lived with that stuff, but it's not like they picked it out or anything. They said they had a librarian that was in charge of it all (and apparently on vacation or something the one day they needed him?).

And, honestly, if you pulled out your grandmother's photo book.....would you be able to ID the people in it? Or would you be like "I think that was Great Aunt Phoebe. Or wait, maybe that was Grandma's best friend. Definitely one of those, unless it was her cousin Rose. Might have been her." Or who painted the random landscape hanging over your mother's piano?

My grandmother had one photo of her family, and I could identify everyone in it. My mom didn't have any paintings unless she did them herself let alone a piano.

However, my MIL had a long family history and heirlooms to go with it, so yes, I even knew who the people in the photos and the paintings were. Sometimes she would tell me and sometimes I would ask after seeing something repeatedly for years--and I only visited.

The women should have at least known who painted the paintings, there's a few by Van Dyke and it's not as though the writers had to be incredibly lazy by inventing some never before seen character. They have a historical advisor to the show as well lots have been written about Highclere Castle:
http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/antiques-of-downton-abbey.htm

He has had some bad luck but he still was a jerk for a long time. And he acts all pouty about his job. He should feel lucky he's getting a recommendation after all that he's done.

Anonymous wrote:Barrow? Meh - he made his bed...

Daisy is so over the top isn't not believable and starting to get annoying.

Wow, so harsh! What about:

-he saved one of the daughters after she caused the fire from the letter

-he is kind to George (child)

-he lost his money in the fake investment

-his awful treatments he endured trying to cure him of being gay

-his time in the service

-the one relationship he had turned out with the guy mocking him as he told him it was over and that he would deny their relationship

-knowing you're the only one being let go and everyone else knows it

He's a lost soul with bad luck. At least they show a soft side to him so that you have to realize he had had pain and disappointment most of his adult life. Much, much more like able then the dowager's maid. They show nothing to explain why she is how she is.

Yeah, I think it was probably really realistic for them to be like "Oh, wow -- I never even noticed that. It's definitely someone...." They lived with that stuff, but it's not like they picked it out or anything. They said they had a librarian that was in charge of it all (and apparently on vacation or something the one day they needed him?).

And, honestly, if you pulled out your grandmother's photo book.....would you be able to ID the people in it? Or would you be like "I think that was Great Aunt Phoebe. Or wait, maybe that was Grandma's best friend. Definitely one of those, unless it was her cousin Rose. Might have been her." Or who painted the random landscape hanging over your mother's piano?

I also had the idea that Barrow should get Carson's job. The problem is that Mary is calling the shots and never would sack Carson -- even to keep her son's favorite person. (Does she even realize Barrow is her son's favorite person??). I guess I can see Carson having a heart attack and being convinced to step down to take it easy, with Barrow taking over as butler. It does seem short sighted to keep the old guy as butler, and let go of the one person that might be qualified to take his job. In a decade they're going to have to find someone totally new to be butler? Seems dumb. They should get rid of Mosely (much as a I like him...).

I think we're all rooting for Barrow now. And he is so sweet with the kids. I guess that's probably how Carson was with Mary thirty years ago (or twenty years ago? I can never keep track of how old these girls are supposed to be now.) I guess if she was just coming out when the Titanic crashed, then she was born in maybe 1894...and we're at what, 1926 or so now? So she's maybe just thirty?

It wasn't usual at the time for girls to be educated about much of anything, let alone the history of the house they lived in. That was not their role.

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone else find it weird that Cora, Edith, and Mary knew next to nothing about the house they've lived in the majority of their adult life/all of their lives? Not knowing the name of the painters, the architects, or who was in the paintings made them seem pathetic.

I agree. You'd think Cora would have made sure they knew all about the history of the house as part of their education growing up. I think they've just always taken it for granted and never thought to investigate more deeply.

Anonymous wrote:I was hoping that we would see a softer, likeable Carson after marriage. He was so sweet to Mrs Hughes during the engagement. I want her to blow up at him, him to show contrition and them to finish the show as a super cute older couple.

+1
She desperately needs to set him straight. But was that 'done' back then?

Anonymous wrote:It's a little sad that Mrs Hughes seems to have a bit of longing for Mrs Patmore's independence, entrepreneurial spirit, and future, while Mrs Patmore seems to long s but for Mrs Hughes' married state and companionship (though not longing for Carson!).

Carson is going to get his. Mrs Hughes is going to blow her stack!

Can someone refresh my memory about what Mrs. Patmore is doing? Was it a B&B? Can't remember.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I felt badly for Barrow too. But I'm another who thinks something is wrong with Carson and they are leading up to Barrow's redemption and becoming the butler

Huh. I was thinking that Mosely would get a teaching job and Barrow would stay on in his position, but your idea makes more sense since Mosely's position would be a demotion for Barrow.

I was thinking along these lines too - that Carson would get sacked and Barrow would take his place. Especially since Carson has said several times how very secure his job is and that every grand house needs a butler. Pretty much foreshadowing his own lay off. But he and Mrs. Hughes are old enough now to have a nice retirement, so it's not like it would be terrible news for them, right?

I hate the way Carson expects Mrs. Hughes to spend her days overseeing the work of Downton, and then come home and do the same thing for him - cooking, cleaning, making the bed just so. He's really become insufferable.