Auld Lang Syne

[shanghaiedinla]

“I’m not shocked … just stunned, and desperately sad.”

[Downton Abbey S3/CS 2012 Spoilers Ahead]

These were the words of Downton Abbey’s Mary Crawley in S2 to Matthew’s erstwhile fiancée, Lavinia, when they learned that Matthew’s war injury would prevent him from fathering children or, as Matthew himself so delicately put it, being “properly married.” The CS 2012, an episode that

Comments

[eolivet]

Such good thoughts, as always. LJ, of course, froze as I was responding. Sigh...

It does not mean that because the show was more successful than any of them could possibly imagine, he can just pretend that his initial three-year commitment is the end of the story and he is off the hook.

That's SUCH a good point, and actually, isn't the reverse generally true? That the more successful a project is, the more its actors clamor to stay (for more money, obviously -- but still)? I'm struggling to remember any U.S. actor signing a short-term contract for a wildly successful series, fulfills the contract and says "Oh well, that was fun -- onto bigger and better things!"

I think of the UK actors who are legitimate "movie stars:" Ben Whishaw, Benedict Cumberbatch, etc. All of them fiercely loyal to their respective TV shows -- in the case of Whishaw, it's not even a highly-rated show! That's something DS never seemed to understand. Or gratitude. Nobody else complained about the long months of work -- not even JBF. So...why is DS different?

[shanghaiedinla]

Hi there!

All of them fiercely loyal to their respective TV shows -- in the case of Whishaw, it's not even a highly-rated show!

Yeah, and Whishaw is a much bigger name than DS. It will be some time (if ever) before DS is cast as Keats in a feature film or stars alongside Daniel Craig in a Bond flick (another reason his being "considered" to play Bond himself is a real stretch).

perhaps the original S3 was an inheritance battle, maybe followed by inheritance dispute (Polbrook resurfacing?) and an infertility plot in the middle of it

Those are great ideas ... are you a writer or something? ;-)

Seriously, I would LOVE to sit down with JF and ask what he really had in mind before it all blew up in his face.

I mean, there's "getting our just desserts" and then there's "Probably won't find you until rigor mortis sets in." But I guess that's why they had the lorry driver stop and discover him pinned under the car. We can assume he went for help (and may have even recognized him; Matthew had to have been between the village and the

[eolivet]

(another reason his being "considered" to play Bond himself is a real stretch). Exactly. Some comment I saw about DS summed it up really well for me: he's not "enough" of anything that allows a UK actor to make it big in the U.S.: He's not beautiful enough, he's not ugly enough, he's not interesting enough, he's not boring enough. He's kind of...average-looking, by the standards of British men in Hollywood. I also think it hurts him tremendously that he looks older than he is. Seriously, he looks 35, but can't pass for either 40 or 25. I feel like I've said this before, so apologies for repeating myself, but it bears repeating, and is another reason why this exit has been so difficult for so many to wrap their heads around: what exactly IS he leaving for? Heigl and even Caruso were being seriously courted by Hollywood for feature films (and Caruso DID actually do one where he was the star). By all reports, he is not. It's why the other reason has gained such traction, IMO -- because...seriously why else would he leave? As someone else

[shanghaiedinla]

I want the DA Tell-All book in 10 years. You know it's coming. ;)

Seriously. Reserve my copy while you're at it. :-)

I'm saying in some other universe, she has similar Hollywood ambitions And I think she does. In fact, she already has more of a Hollywood career than DS. She was in a *real* movie last year (albeit a bit part) and another well received miniseries. She's filming "Non-Stop" with Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore and is second billed (uh, *really* second billed, in a cast of recognizable names, not just because she's Doofus Tiddlywink's buddy in a cast of virtual nobodies). The difference is she cares about Downton and her character and enjoys playing Mary. And she should -- it's a great role

[eolivet]

*really* second billed, in a cast of recognizable names, not just because she's Doofus Tiddlywink's buddy in a cast of virtual nobodies

Hee! Why don't you have a Twitter? You'd be hilarious! Doofus Tiddlywink...I love it. :p

I mean her material in S3 wasn't nearly as good and I would be surprised if she receives as many award noms next year. Of the two, this was EM's season I think

I agree, and thus is the fallacy of DA and the Emmys. They've decided MD is their "girl," but all Mary did this year (other than an awesome 3x05) was hatch schemes to save Downton, look suitably Countess-like (sob) and angst vaguely about not having a baby. I'm honestly not sure EMG would be nominated, and certainly nobody else would be -- though HB probably has enough material to eke out a nomination based on 3x05-3x07.

That is, if the Academy even decides to give DA another look after American audiences turn on it in record numbers after the CS of doom airs here.

And I just wonder if MD will have the same enthusiasm for playing Mary in a world where

[shanghaiedinla]

Is a pale imitation of the show you wanted to do better than no show at all? I suppose we'll find out in September... :/

For me, the answer is a resounding "NO," but then I'm not the one raking in the $$$ and who'd be responsible for ending the run of a show that employs not just 18 cast members but hundreds of crew (who really DO need the work). So I do get it. But it's my prerogative to vote with my feet (or my remote) and that's what I intend to do. After I spread my prophetic message of doom to all innocent US viewers who are about to be sucker punched. And grieve during the hiatus. (Hey, we all have something in common with Lady Mary.)