Anonymous wrote:Why is Mary the only sister with her own personal maid (Anna)?

They've shown Anna with the other sisters before - I think she serves them all?

I love Mary's restrained acting, because it is much more true to character than constant over-the-top emoting. She is a haughty, demanding, even flinty person at times, who has been schooled to operate like an automaton with devastating small talk and perfect manners, unless special circumstances throw her out of her usual persona to reveal a likeable personality underneath. Of course Mathew's death has made her more somber.
Actually I find her quite realistic for her time and station in life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are they making Cora look like such a goofball when she talks this season? Anyone else notice this?

She was especially weird with that maniacal smiling in the restaurant.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mary the only sister with her own personal maid (Anna)?

Hm. good question... is it because she is married?

I thought Anna was with her before she got married, but coul dbe wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are they making Cora look like such a goofball when she talks this season? Anyone else notice this?

She was especially weird with that maniacal smiling in the restaurant.

She seems like a kid when she pouts. I don't like her as part of that cast.

Anonymous wrote:Why are they making Cora look like such a goofball when she talks this season? Anyone else notice this?

She was especially weird with that maniacal smiling in the restaurant.

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mary the only sister with her own personal maid (Anna)?

Hm. good question... is it because she is married?

The dad (forgot his name) has no shame in how he gets and wastes OPM, especially women. He should shut the f up as to how the estate is controlled. It's not his money.

Why is Mary the only sister with her own personal maid (Anna)?

Anonymous wrote:Why are they making Cora look like such a goofball when she talks this season? Anyone else notice this?

I think her speech has always been weird. An American, married to a Brit, living in Britain, portraying the same.

Why are they making Cora look like such a goofball when she talks this season? Anyone else notice this?

I follow a blog for another Brit TV show Doc Martin where the Baby is the center of attention. Today someone complained that George and Sibbie did not have enough attention from Mary and Branson.

PP here - I also thought that when Mary was recounting the proposal, saying "He's going to propose. He's going to propose!" that you could see her come alive. It is subtle, but mostly in her eyes and the color of her cheeks.

I have to disagree about Mary. Women in her position were expected to just be pretty ornaments, learning all the social niceties necessary to hook a suitable husband. That is why she is so veiled. Matthew was unique in his ability to unlock her heart. He changed her for the better, and she knows it.

I think the actress does a good job of portraying a woman who is annoyed at her lot in life (as just a vessel to be married off, before she had the heir of Downton, of course), not very nice to her sisters, yet maddeningly divided between being rebellious and pragmatic.

For example, when she chased down Sybil and barged into the hotel room to stop her from eloping with Tom, I think that showed a lot more of her complex character. Willing to keep the secret for the two lovers and help them, but not at the expense of such a public scandal.

As for Rose - I think she is absolutely Mary's foil. Where as Mary is more cerebral and broods, Rose just loves life. She loves men, and she doesn't care about their background. It is like she doesn't even see differences. She wants to dance, and she doesn't care where, why, or with who.

Anonymous wrote:For those that thought Edith's boyfriend woudl become a Nazi, it's not likely, it's 1922, and WWII deosn't start until 1938.

FWIW, the Nazi party was gaining some power in 1922 -- they lost a lot of steam after the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 -- stuck at 3-5% of the vote -- only to regain it after the Depression hit. If he were going to Munich, it is entirely possible he fell in with -- or against -- the Nazis.