18 Comments

1. 

   jimh(leave it to beaver)

   March 3, 2015 at 7:54 pm

   She brings a lot of class to an already classy show…wouldnt be the same without her!!!

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     jimh(leave it to beaver)

     March 3, 2015 at 7:59 pm

     Some believe shows today need to have sex, nudity, gory violence and foul language to be with the times or no one will watch…DA proves that theory wrong and that all one needs is a classy well written drama and they(viewers of all ages) WILL watch…Bravo, Downtown Abbey!!!

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     • 

       maryjeans

       March 4, 2015 at 12:19 am

       Agree 100%. Uninspired writing needs sex and innuendo to get cheap laughs. Almost any line from DA could stand alone. The whole tone of the series spins a dream state. I often wish they would show two versions of a show or movie, one with all the cheap jokes and scenes removed for those of us who enjoy that. Bravo indeed to Downton Abbey and to PBS as well.

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     • 

       Shay

       March 4, 2015 at 1:55 am

       Amen to both notions, jimh!!! Downton Abbey is my absolutely all-time favorite program, and I cannot imagine a winter without it! It is always the perfect viewing option for those long, cold January/February Sunday nights, and such a treat after the hustle and bustle of the holidays! I look forward to it each and every year, and once the final episode of the season airs, it’s quite a letdown. While I sadly suspect we may be facing the end of the series, I certainly hope to the contrary. It is possible that all of this talk is merely a bargaining chip not only for Mr. Fellowes and his most precious program, but Dame Maggie, as well. Given she is a national treasure, she deserves every prerogative to make her tenure at Downton as lucrative as she can, particularly given her advancing age and formidable talent….this woman IS the heart of the show! I also think that perhaps her words were taken a bit out of context….it seems that she was simply stating the obvious….that her character was near to reaching her logical date of expiration, and as such, how much longer could she realistically survive??? All I know is that I want Downton to last as long as is feasible, whether in the form of prequel/sequel, a yearly Christmas special, or even feature film. And if that means we must be deprived of “The Gilded Age” on these shores, then so be it. No matter how fantastic it may be in theory, I cannot fathom that it could possibly surpass the quality of the original Downton , especially in the absence of a sublime muse like The Dowager Countess of Grantham, Lady Violet Crawley! Long may she live!

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     • 

       Rodd

       March 4, 2015 at 5:44 am

       I wholeheartedly agree, Jimh!

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     • 

       Michael (not Fairman)

       March 5, 2015 at 7:54 am

       Isn’t it interesting that despite the success of DA, which I think has shown there is an audience out there desperately craving the kind of programming it represents (good writing, good acting, not relying on cheap stunts, graphic violence, overt sexuality, etc.), we keep hearing, pretty much, from the U.S. networks that shows like that “can’t succeed” and they keep doing the same kind of programming they’ve been doing and that is gradually losing audiences.

       Ditto for the daytime soaps specifically. I think DA is prime proof that there’s still an audience out there for what I would call “traditional soap,” and yet nobody’s tried that formula in at least two decades on daytime, in favor of gimmicky storytelling and cheap ratings stunts (that aren’t working–look at the ratings!). Go figure.

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     • 

       Shay

       March 6, 2015 at 3:33 am

       So true, @Michael not Fairman)!!! Downton manages to portray romance, relationships and all other aspects of life for both young and old with the greatest levels of gentility and good taste, and we cannot get enough it! Even the love scenes are always dealt with in a classy manner. And yet….look at the raunchy, trashy antics to which we are treated on American daytime drama to the obvious delight of a small, but most vocal minority here at this very website. No doubt they would be thrilled beyond belief were Edith to become a 3X3 unwed mother with plenty of “who’s the daddy” candidates, Mary and her next beau to share a snappy shag on Matthew’s grave, Robert and Cora to tease a three-way with Simon Bricker, Carson and Mrs. Hughes to get their freak on in her sweet, but simple, sitting room, Isobel and Lord Merton to suffer carpet burns after a vigorous roll on the sumptuous oriental rugs and of course, the Dowager Countess to loosen her corset and flash Spratt whilst swinging from her crystal chandeliers in the adulterous company of Prince Kuragin….or perhaps even a toy boy! Oh, the humanity! Of course, I say it all in jest, but it is merely my way of illustrating absurdity by being absurd.

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   • 

     Shay

     March 6, 2015 at 2:19 pm

     Right you are, jimh, but I’ve been thinking: Downtown has had an Ivy, a Daisy and Rose, two Marigolds, and of course, the inimitable Violet! Isn’t it time for a “Hyacinth?” (As in “The Lady of House,” Bu-cket?) I adore Patricia Routledge and would love to see her pay a visit to the Abbey before it closes its doors for the final time. Seems rather appropriate, wouldn’t you say, since this show is the ultimate example of “Keeping Up Appearances?”

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2. 

   louisa

   March 3, 2015 at 10:41 pm

   I always thought her comments were blown out of proportion. I hope Dame Maggie and Downton are with us for many, many years to come! It is one the best TV shows ever.

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   • 

     Don H

     March 4, 2015 at 3:26 pm

     Louisa. I agree with you. I wish they had 30 episodes a season instead of 8 or 9. That’s one show I can’t get enough of.

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3. 

   Patricio

   March 4, 2015 at 3:56 am

   Ms.Smith is the heart and soul od the show not to mention the comic relief. The show would survive without her, however,it would be a diminished show.

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     Shay

     March 7, 2015 at 3:38 am

     You are most welcome, Patricio!!!! I heartily agree with your sentiments regarding Dame Maggie….I absolutely love her! As an avid Downton fan, I eagerly read every piece of information available as to the developments of the show, so I am more than happy to share it with like-minded posters. By the way, filming of Series 6 has just commenced in the UK, and is being covered in the British press on an almost daily basis.

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4. 

   Shirley Strickler

   March 4, 2015 at 7:34 am

   Most of all I’ll miss Tom can’t believe they are shipping him to America, loved him and Mary together:(

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     Don H

     March 4, 2015 at 3:32 pm

     Shirley, you have to remember that this show was scripted early last year and filmed during the summer when it was thought that season 5 would be the last season. THEN it was picked up for season 6. So, last Sunday’s finale was supposed to be the end of the show, so some story lines were wrapped up. It quite possible that Tom Branson could come back. Frankly, I hope he does.

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5. 

   lizzy

   March 4, 2015 at 12:31 pm

   Dame Maggie Smith is and always has been wonderful in whatever she is in and she would not suffer one bit without Downton but the viewers would and so would Downton.

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     Shay

     March 6, 2015 at 4:00 am

     Here, here, Lizzy! However, as you probably already know by now, the real question is not if Dame Maggie and her irrepressible Violet will be around for Season 7, but if there will indeed be a Season 7 at all! I have been reading with great interest in the British press on this very subject, and apparently, the call is not down to Julian Fellowes because he doesn’t own the show…NBC does. Hence, it is in their hands to choose how long Downton remains, although Mr. Fellowes seems to at least have creative control over his product since he is the sole writer. That leads me to surmise that the future of the Abbey comes down to how long the American network is willing to wait for the debut of his next project, “The Gilded Age.”

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     • 

       Patricio

       March 6, 2015 at 7:13 pm

       Hello shay thank you for you’re “insider tip” which makes perfect selse to me.

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6. 

   janet

   March 7, 2015 at 1:12 pm

   I can say I really enjoy the show, want Violet to return. I also got the idea she was saying, how long do you think Violet can go on, Not Maggie.

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