Downton Abbey Love

As I am most passionate about many things...

I of course, am more than in love with the PBS Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey. 

 If you are not watching this show.. go watch it now!!

Trust me.

This post has SPOILERS.. so if you have not seen the series... read no further please.

Why do I love Downton Abbey so much???

It's everything.

The Time period, Costumes, Scenery, Characters,  Mystery.. Suspense... Romance.

It's all packaged very nicely in one show.. and with it's unique story telling...

I can't seem to get enough.

I also have enjoyed learning about the roles the servants played back in the day.
 I had no idea the Butler kind of ran the whole place.. and it's been exciting to learn about their places -- in service.. and to view life -- back in the day when Manners and Courtesy were very much still in existence.

When people ask me why this show is one of my favorites -- it's very easy to explain all of the eye candy within the Castle walls... but it is much more than that. 

 The perspective from the servants point of view is quite fascinating.. and the profound Character development sucked me right in.

Julian Fellowes brought the Characters to life for me.

I feel like I know each of them personally.. and I jokingly feel the need to find a way to get to Europe -- to tell Lord Grantham why he needs to boot O'Brien and Thomas out of the house.

For reals.

When I watched the American TV Series "Prison Break"-- I admit to having very passionate feelings of hate for certain characters... and the show ended up having a way of  telling each of the characters "where I came from" stories -- that made you end up feeling compassion and sorry for each of them.

It was brilliant.

I can see how Mr. Fellowes has done -- and is doing the same thing here.

When the series started... Mary bothered me so much... and I loathed Thomas and O'Brien.

While I still loathe Thomas and O'Brien.. and think it's absolutely ridiculous that a servant that was caught stealing.. would be back in the castle..( and now even a Valet to Robert ) my heart has softened -- only the tiniest bit for the terrible two. 

 However... my heart has now changed in regards to Mary.  I like her a lot.

It's fun to be so passionate about fake people. haha!

I have opinions of each of the Characters... and while I like most of them a lot..

I have 5 Favorites.

I want to explain why.....

Robert Crawley aka Lord Grantham won my heart when he stopped the car sending Bates away.

I seriously wanted to hug him myself for his return.

  He seems very diplomatic.. honest.. and good.

The only time I was angry with him.. was when he  kissed the servant Jane.

 I was furious in fact. 

 I may have even been yelling at the TV.. as if he could hear me.

How could this Noble man do such a thing???? 

 ~ And with his wife in the other room on a possible Death bed?  My husband Chad told me that this very thing probably happened quite a bit -- in those days.. but  this made me sooo very sad... because other than that -- I felt he was the only one to always count on for wise decisions in the house.

Even though he made a BIG  mistake.. I still adore him.. and my heart was happy at the end when he and Cora were in her bedroom -- and she asked him if he was happy.. and he responded with something to the effect of: " I have no reason to be un-happy." 

 Awwwwww. Perfect.

Now.. just tell Cora about your mistake.

Most people are surprised that Mrs. Crawley is a favorite character of mine.  But.. she is.

I like that she went head to head with Violet. ( Lady Grantham )

I like that she pushed for things she knew to be right ( like saving the Farmer that was dying ) and I admire the role of Nurse that she took on--being the type of woman that she was.

I do feel that she was treated a little un-fairly.. as Cora and her butted heads quite a bit... but I do think that most of Cora's opinions come from Ms. O'Brien.  -- Which of course I loathe.

Oh Anna.  Probably the best soul on the show.  Everything she is is good.

She is loyal to the family... kind to every servant ( even those that have -- and continue to plot against her love and husband -- Bates. )  I admit.. if it was me -- working with Thomas and O'Brien -- I would have quit my job or had a nasty fight... since most of  Mr. Bates problems have all come from the terrible two.  

Anna is full of Integrity... and I just love her.

My 5th Favorite Character... is of course Mr. Bates.

Is their a man more Honorable and full of Integrity on the show?  Nope.

So... what about the other Characters?

 So many of them I love... a few of them annoy me ( Daisy )-- and a few of them I feel sorry for.

 I could be here all day discussing them all.. but I won't. 

 I do want to share a few things about some though....

Edith.  Poor Edith.

I disliked Edith in the beginning.. but now I feel just the opposite.

I would love to write Mr. Fellowes and ask him: What did Edith do to deserve such unhappiness?

Seriously.. she was willing to take a Farmer.. a burned victim.. and a much older man.. but no.

Edith is always the forgotten one.

My hope.. is that a DASHING man comes into her future.. and not just "anyone."

She deserves it!!!

Ahhhh... Matthew and Mary.

How I love them finally together?  Too much.

I could "feel" the love they had for each other since the beginning -- when they met.. and I knew it wouldn't take long for them to realize it.

One of my favorite  "Emmy award" moments with Matthew and Mary -- was the Episode where she took care of him -- in the hospital.  You could FEEL the love she had for him.

I wished she would have told him there and then.

I do admit.. I felt really bad when Lavinia saw them dancing.

So much so-- that I almost couldn't enjoy the moment of their first kiss because I knew someone would walk in on them. 

I love their story.

So happy they ended up together in the end of Season 2!

 Hopefully they stay together!

Dear Mr. Fellowes.

PLEASE bring some happily ever after to Mr. Bates and Anna in Season 3.

With much love to you for creating DA,

Ann Marie

OK.. maybe I have 6 favorite characters.

Maggie Smith... you are more than amazing.

Hands down.. Violet has the best lines in the whole show. 

 The end.

Happiest Moment in the first 2 Seasons for me.

But I cried through quite a few parts. 

Can't wait to re-watch the show and absorb many of the amazing quotes!

************

With my new obsession for DA... I find myself googling about it a few times a day.

Have you ever seen the cast in the real life?

See if you can tell who each of them are.

I think O'Brien is the most shocking out of this bunch.

**********

FUNNIEST thing I have seen about DA on the net so far?? 

The paper dolls I found that someone created.

This page is my favorite.  It's so brilliant.. I could die with it's brilliance.

" Thomas and O'Brien" with conspiring action and evil play set.

Evil mask

Evil soap

Evil Flour

Evil Facial hair.

bahahahahahahahahaha!!!

What do you think of Downton Abbey?

Let's Discuss!

Today I am Grateful for:

Refinancing our house!

Tax returns!

Paying off Debt!

The Weekend!

Downton Abbey-- move over Twilight.. another passion is in town!