Amph "What is a weekend?" The Downton Abbey Adoration Thread (unhighlighted spoilers after UK eps. air)

Spoiler

I can see Ellis fitting in quite well. I've seen him in 'Miranda' and he's got good range (within the bounds of a sitcom, of course). I think he's got potential and would do a good job, but I would be disappointed if he as wheeled in as merely a love interest for Mary. She's had her big love story, another would feel like going over old territory. Indeed, opening old wounds. In short, I'd welcome Ellis, but please Julian, don't get lazy. Mary and Matthew's relationship meant so much to me. Don't undermine it by pushing Mary into a quickfire romance. She's not that sort.

 

I actually could see Mary running Downton quite well. I don't think it has to be Branson. Mary could operate in a sort of "queen regent" role.

 

Yeah, but "ruling" only in the broader sense. I don't think she has the practical knowledge and skills for everyday management of the estate... not yet, anyway, I'm sure she'll learn quickly enough if she decides to step up.

Come to think of it, it would be cool if she learned and eventually got to the point where she'd be effectively running the whole place, when the whole show began with a "she can't inherit because she's a woman" premise. Her son would still be the heir, but she'd be the boss until he grew up.

 

Spoilers.

First images from series four filming.

Other news here... far more significant news.

Spoiler

Don't know how I feel about O'Brien leaving. I hate her, more than I hated / hate (I'm still not sure which) Thomas... but she was good to watch. It doesn't look like she's coming back at all. The door's been left open, but that's a big maybe. Another quick exit for a character who deserved more (in a quite different way, though ). Terrible shame. She needed to have a last cigarette with Thomas in the yard! Room for a new villain, though.

 

Dan Stevens' post-Downton look

It's pretty freaky how he looks like a completely different person (well, distant relation at best).

Still... hot damn!

 

If Carson saw him like that...

 

Another show caught up on...upon...whatever. I know Downton loves the melodrama and such, but that last death and its timing were hilarious.

 

But Lady Sybil's death was the absolute opposite. Wonderfully staged.

 

Having that sort of timing once is fine, and Tom has become one of the more interesting characters since Sybil popped her clogs.

But twice...

 

Yeah. Tom really came on following Sybil's death.

 

So Everton and I are bored, and came up with a game called "If the characters of Downton Abbey were given a laptop, what would they do with/about it?"

Here's what we've got:

- Lord Grantham would sell it at a loss.
- The Dowager Countess would enter it in a "Best Laptop" competition and win on the basis that she's the Dowager Countess. And rightly so.
- Lady Edith would use it to sign up for an online dating site.
- Lady Mary would hack Lady Edith's profile to discredit her.
- Sir Anthony Strallen would post a false profile on the same dating website.
- Lady Sybil would shop at avantgarde online fashion shops to annoy her father.
- Matthew would propose digitising Downton Abbey's accounts in order to run the estate more efficiently.
- Branson would use it to start a socialist blog.
- Thomas would hide it in the hopes of incriminating Mr. Bates.
- Mr. Bates would be falsely accused of stealing the laptop.
- Anna would remotely hack the laptop's webcam to prove that Mr. Bates didn't steal it.
- O'Brien would send spam e-mails from an anonymous server to spread vicious rumours.
- Mrs. Patmore would increase the font size in order to read online recipes.
- Mrs. Hughes would refuse to give the laptop's access password to Mrs. Patmore.
- Gwen would use it to enrol in an online secretarial course.
- In her last will and testament, Lavinia would tell Matthew to give the laptop to Mary.
- Mr. Moseley would brag about being an IT expert, but would break the laptop within two clicks.
- Mr. Pamuk would die from a heart attack while using it.
- Cora would delete Mary's internet history.
- Isobel would bicker with the Dowager Countess about everything related to the laptop.
- Martha Levinson would organise a LAN party.
- Ethel would clean the connectivity ports and sockets with a toothbrush.
- Rose would try and get past the parental lock in order to access X-rated websites.
- Dr. Clarkson would refuse to read the latest online medical journals despite free access.
- Daisy would receive and act upon a fraudulent e-mail about a dying Nigerian prince who wants to leave her all his money in return for her personal details.
- Isis would gnaw on the laptop's power cord.

- Mr. Carson would disapprove of the laptop, and all its possible uses, on principle.

 

Half of those are no good. They didn't have the Internet back then.

 

Oh and the bastard child who off to live with his grand parents would smash the keyboard repeatedly, causing the screens appearance to change in such a way you can't even begin to describe it, let alone search for a solution. This is my experience in the matter.

 

And as you two having nothing better to do, here's a challenge. What topic would character post on the JCC?

 

I chuckled at a few of those Mar - especially Mosley. I could just see Isabel and the Dowager Countess getting into a flame war. The Dowager is definitely a troll.

 

On Saturday I visited Highclere Castle. One of their infrequent open days. When I booked the tickets I presumed that a day in mid-April would have a good chance of decent weather. Alas, no. It rained all day. The tour of the castle itself was terrific... we got to see the dining room, the saloon, the drawing room, all the bedrooms and the library. I walked down the same the corridor that Cora, Anna and Lady Mary carried "poor" Mr. Pamuk. All the rooms were much smaller than one might think from watching the show. Still, it was pretty awesome. The dire weather prevented me from walking the grounds in the grand style I'd been hoping to, but nonetheless, I did walk the grounds in the rain. In defiance as much as anything else. Anyway, photographs were not permitted inside the property. It is a family home, after all. Still, I can't help but think it's an odd decision given that all the places on the tour have been on TV I suppose that's the Carnarvon's personal prerogative. There were staff on hand around practically ever corner, and in every room, to ensure the dictate was enforced. The staff were all very nice, though. I even ended up chatting about the end of the recent Christmas special to one. She didn't like it either. Anyway, the rules weren't going to stop me entirely. I sneaked a few shots, and also took some outside - which was of course fine.

My family came too. This is my Mum.



^That^ photograph is modelled on this screengrab (the weather made it impossible to seek other comparison shots in the grounds - or if not impossible extremely unpleasant). The bench is in a different place:



Some others. Just me:



The library (nobody I know in this photo). I caressed the furniture, and Lord Grantham's desk is in the wrong place. :



Lady Mary's bedroom:



The saloon:



All the indoor photos required a degree of planning, but this last one required tactics. My family distracted the staff with some questions, I posed and my Dad took the photo:



Finally, I didn't get a photo of the event, but I also made a point of standing where Carson stands in the dining room.

 

Admit it, you only upped this thread because you didn't get adequate response to your photos from Highclere Castle. Am I right?

 

I don't know what you mean...

But it is a Friday, so that's my official excuse.

 

i tried to get tickets to the Castle for my girlfriend's birthday and the damned place is sold out for the entirety of 2013!?!?!?!?

 

oh, and very good pictures, E.

 

You have to plan well in advance to get tickets. The numbers are limited, which is good because when you finally do get to see the place it's not crowded.

 

is an open day, as you describe, different to a day in which you purchase tickets in advance for?

 

I don't think so. As far as I know the only guaranteed way to see the place is to pre-book tickets. I think you can chance your arm by showing up on the day - I did see a small number of people in a day-tickets queue - but that's probably quite a risk if you're coming any distance.

 

Yeah, I think I'll plan for next year. Cheers!