A "How M/M via DS Non-Ironically Ruined My Life Abbreviated 28 Day" Meme
So eolivet started this great meme on the first of February based on Mary and Matthew from Downton Abbey - and also Dan Stevens, who plays Matthew.
I know I'm a bit late to the table, but I thought I'd have a go too. I'll post all the days so far to catch up, so I'm not behind any more!
The posts will no doubt contain spoilers for all Downton Abbey, series 3 and the Christmas special 2012 included.
Here's the list of the days' questions:
Day 1 - Your first impressions of Matthew as a character.
Day 2 - Your first impression of Matthew and Mary as a potential couple.
Day 3 - Your overall impression of Dan Stevens prior to S3.
Day 4 - What other Dan Stevens-related media (including Twitter) did you consume because of Downton?
Day 5 - Most memorable Matthew scene in S1.
Day 6 - Most memorable Matthew scene in S2.
Day 7 - Your hopes and dreams for Matthew and Mary's S3 relationship, prior to S3 airing.
Day 8 - When did you first take seriously the idea of Dan Stevens leaving the show?
Day 9 - Most memorable Matthew scene in S3.
Day 10 - Favorite Matthew and Mary scene of S3.
Day 11 - How long did you hold out hope that Dan Stevens would sign for S4?
Day 12 - Most memorable Dan Stevens quote about Downton.
Day 13 - Favorite media quote/tweet about Dan Stevens.
Day 14 - When did you begin to suspect that Matthew was going to die?
Day 15 - Describe your thoughts while watching the Downton Christmas Special.
Day 16 - How has Matthew's death impacted how you view/regard S1?
Day 17 - How has Matthew's death impacted how you view/regard S2?
Day 18 - Other than Matthew not dying, what is the one thing you'd have changed about Matthew and Mary in S3 to make it immeasurably more satisfying?
Day 19 - Name one thing you'd want to see in S4 if Matthew were still alive.
Day 20 - Name one thing you want to see in S4 now that Matthew is dead.
Day 21 - How long do you think Mary will be in mourning for Matthew?
Day 22 - Do you think Mary will have more children other than Matthew's son?
Day 23 - Describe what you feel will be the main attributes of Dan Stevens' post-Downton career.
Day 24 - What is the chief reason you believe Dan Stevens left Downton?
Day 25 - Do you believe in the crack theory?
Day 26 - How long do you think Downton will run?
Day 27 - When it's over, where will Matthew and Mary stand in your annal of OTPs?
Day 28 - If you were Dan Stevens' PR team, how would you have handled his exit differently?
So, let's begin!
Day 1 - Your first impressions of Matthew as a character.
At the end of episode one, I was intrigued. There was a great set up, his mother and him eating breakfast in this nice, cordial setting, him getting that letter and looking up, his face a mixture of all sorts of different emotions. And I thought, oohh, I think I'm going to like you. I didn't have much more of an impression than thinking that tbh.
Then, in the beginning of episode 2, my impressions changed as quickly as a yo-yo. One minute I was thinking, ok, maybe he's not that nice after all, he's pretty stcuk up. Then Mary shows up and he runs after her and I liked him again, then I thought he was a bit of an idiot with how he treated Molesley, but then he showed Mary up twice, which was fun, and had a good talking to from Robert and made peace with Molesley... So my main impression then was that he was a bit of an idiot at times, stubborn and yes arrogant to a certain extent, but a nice guy who will try to make his way and peace in this new world he's been thrust into - make the best of a bad situation. I think too, I liked the relationship he had with Isobel. That they were so close was nice and cemeted the "nice guy" factor for me. And I mean that in a nice way - I like nice guys, especially ones with character and flaws like Matthew had.
So whilst I think my main impression was based more on shipping him with Mary, I definitely liked his character A LOT by the end of episode 2. I remember thinking he can really shake things up with this lot, really be a fun, entertaining spanner in their works.
TBH, because I watched the first 3 episodes in one go, I didn't have a lot of chance to think too deeply about his character, other than liking him and what he represented to the story - a modern man with modern ideas, about to really shake up their world! It was mainly afterwards I started to think much more about his character.
Day 2 - Your first impression of Matthew and Mary as a potential couple.
Gosh, I think it was love at first sight with these two! I remember after episode 1, watching the promo for episode 2 (even though I was about to watch it anyway, I still love watching the promos) and seeing a clip where Mary says about Matthew being arrogant and not like them. THAT was it, love at first sight! I just ADORE hate/love ships and given what Mary was shown to be like, I could see them really, really, really being an epic couple of Darcy/Elizabeth and Margaret/John Thornton proportions.
And they hadn't even met yet! When they did meet, at the start of episode 2, it just cemeted them as a ship for me. I didn't care that the first meeting was a bit contrived and cliched, I just loved them right away. Then, the rest of the episode was just adding cherries to the cake! I mean we have Matthew shooting Mary down TWICE at dinner, the family wanting them to get together and it pushing them apart even more and their chemistry and looks were sizzling and I was a goner, I'm telling you. I think in episode 3, when it felt like they were maybe pushing Edith/Matthew, I did wonder if I'd been a little hasty in my sudden shipping obsession, but luckily not, for the end of episode 3 onwards was all about Mary/Matthew for me.
I did still love the show, but it was Mary/Matthew that got me hooked, right after that episode 2 promo. I think I should add in here, that I liked Mary a lot from pretty much half way through episode 1, so that definitely helped with my shippiness!
Day 3 - Your overall impression of Dan Stevens prior to S3.
Hmm, I think a bit of backstory is needed here. I knew Dan Stevens already from other dramas he'd been in - most noticably Turn of the Screw and Sense and Sensibility. So whilst I didn't even know his name then, I recognised his face and knew I liked him as an actor already. And he was brilliant as Matthew, acted the part so well, that I was only just more impressed.
Then in a few interviews he sounded like a fun, witty, nice guy. He sounded like he cared a lot about his family (ahh, bless), was a brilliant actor with a promising career in front of him and that he was also pretty darn clever to boot. So all in all, it was a case of thinking, ahhh, what a great guy.
Day 4 - What other Dan Stevens-related media (including Twitter) did you consume because of Downton?
Well, as noted above, I already knew him from a few other dramas. I didn't watch anything else JUST because of him, but I did rewatch Sense and Sensibility and liked it even more this time around (though that was mainly because I'd now read the book!). I did follow him on twitter (and continued to do so, before I deleted my own account there), but then I followed a few actors from Downton on twitter too. I liked hearing their news about the show, the tidbits from filming and for a while him and Hugh Bonneville seemed to have such a fun bromance! I also liked some of the more witty things he posted on twitter, though not all of it.
I did watch Have I Got News For You that time specifically because Dan Stevens was hosting it, but then, I'd seen so many fun quotes from the episode on Tumblr, I wanted to find out where they all came from.
So really, other than liking the actor, I didn't really get into any other Dan Stevens related things. I do want to see Vamps though, partly because he's in it and partly out of sheer curiousity!
Day 5 - Most memorable Matthew scene in S1.
Hmmm, this is a hard one... IDK really. I loved pretty much all of his scenes...
I think, if I had to choose, I would go for the kissing scene one in episode 6. NOT just because they kissed, but I really think Matthew showed his character so, so well in that scene. I liked how he was so willing to just talk to Mary, ask her about her interests (politics) and truly listen to her answer. Treat her as an equal and put aside their differences. They are so comfortable for a while in that scene and it's lovely. And I liked that he did get a bit annoyed at Mary later on, not letting her play any more of her games and I loved that he stood his ground and told her straight.
I also loved that he was so willing to forgive Mary for her comments in the past (I take the kissing and subsequent proposal as a sign of that), when Mary confessed about her not really intending the comments. To me, I think it shows Matthew had a pretty good grasp of her character and how contrary she could be. I think it shows he already saw the real Mary, at least much more than others, and loved her for who she was, not just as a pretty face.
And his eyes in that scene! And the sizzling chemistry between them... And just how amazing the whole scene was acted! Gosh, it was just wonderful!
Hmmm.... I'm starting to think that most of my answers will have an M/M theme... But then Downton for me was pretty much all about M/M...
Oh and for future days, if anyone reads this, could you enlighten me on the "crack theory" thing? IDK what that is... :-{
I know I'm a bit late to the table, but I thought I'd have a go too. I'll post all the days so far to catch up, so I'm not behind any more!
The posts will no doubt contain spoilers for all Downton Abbey, series 3 and the Christmas special 2012 included.
Here's the list of the days' questions:
Day 1 - Your first impressions of Matthew as a character.
Day 2 - Your first impression of Matthew and Mary as a potential couple.
Day 3 - Your overall impression of Dan Stevens prior to S3.
Day 4 - What other Dan Stevens-related media (including Twitter) did you consume because of Downton?
Day 5 - Most memorable Matthew scene in S1.
Day 6 - Most memorable Matthew scene in S2.
Day 7 - Your hopes and dreams for Matthew and Mary's S3 relationship, prior to S3 airing.
Day 8 - When did you first take seriously the idea of Dan Stevens leaving the show?
Day 9 - Most memorable Matthew scene in S3.
Day 10 - Favorite Matthew and Mary scene of S3.
Day 11 - How long did you hold out hope that Dan Stevens would sign for S4?
Day 12 - Most memorable Dan Stevens quote about Downton.
Day 13 - Favorite media quote/tweet about Dan Stevens.
Day 14 - When did you begin to suspect that Matthew was going to die?
Day 15 - Describe your thoughts while watching the Downton Christmas Special.
Day 16 - How has Matthew's death impacted how you view/regard S1?
Day 17 - How has Matthew's death impacted how you view/regard S2?
Day 18 - Other than Matthew not dying, what is the one thing you'd have changed about Matthew and Mary in S3 to make it immeasurably more satisfying?
Day 19 - Name one thing you'd want to see in S4 if Matthew were still alive.
Day 20 - Name one thing you want to see in S4 now that Matthew is dead.
Day 21 - How long do you think Mary will be in mourning for Matthew?
Day 22 - Do you think Mary will have more children other than Matthew's son?
Day 23 - Describe what you feel will be the main attributes of Dan Stevens' post-Downton career.
Day 24 - What is the chief reason you believe Dan Stevens left Downton?
Day 25 - Do you believe in the crack theory?
Day 26 - How long do you think Downton will run?
Day 27 - When it's over, where will Matthew and Mary stand in your annal of OTPs?
Day 28 - If you were Dan Stevens' PR team, how would you have handled his exit differently?
So, let's begin!
Day 1 - Your first impressions of Matthew as a character.
At the end of episode one, I was intrigued. There was a great set up, his mother and him eating breakfast in this nice, cordial setting, him getting that letter and looking up, his face a mixture of all sorts of different emotions. And I thought, oohh, I think I'm going to like you. I didn't have much more of an impression than thinking that tbh.
Then, in the beginning of episode 2, my impressions changed as quickly as a yo-yo. One minute I was thinking, ok, maybe he's not that nice after all, he's pretty stcuk up. Then Mary shows up and he runs after her and I liked him again, then I thought he was a bit of an idiot with how he treated Molesley, but then he showed Mary up twice, which was fun, and had a good talking to from Robert and made peace with Molesley... So my main impression then was that he was a bit of an idiot at times, stubborn and yes arrogant to a certain extent, but a nice guy who will try to make his way and peace in this new world he's been thrust into - make the best of a bad situation. I think too, I liked the relationship he had with Isobel. That they were so close was nice and cemeted the "nice guy" factor for me. And I mean that in a nice way - I like nice guys, especially ones with character and flaws like Matthew had.
So whilst I think my main impression was based more on shipping him with Mary, I definitely liked his character A LOT by the end of episode 2. I remember thinking he can really shake things up with this lot, really be a fun, entertaining spanner in their works.
TBH, because I watched the first 3 episodes in one go, I didn't have a lot of chance to think too deeply about his character, other than liking him and what he represented to the story - a modern man with modern ideas, about to really shake up their world! It was mainly afterwards I started to think much more about his character.
Day 2 - Your first impression of Matthew and Mary as a potential couple.
Gosh, I think it was love at first sight with these two! I remember after episode 1, watching the promo for episode 2 (even though I was about to watch it anyway, I still love watching the promos) and seeing a clip where Mary says about Matthew being arrogant and not like them. THAT was it, love at first sight! I just ADORE hate/love ships and given what Mary was shown to be like, I could see them really, really, really being an epic couple of Darcy/Elizabeth and Margaret/John Thornton proportions.
And they hadn't even met yet! When they did meet, at the start of episode 2, it just cemeted them as a ship for me. I didn't care that the first meeting was a bit contrived and cliched, I just loved them right away. Then, the rest of the episode was just adding cherries to the cake! I mean we have Matthew shooting Mary down TWICE at dinner, the family wanting them to get together and it pushing them apart even more and their chemistry and looks were sizzling and I was a goner, I'm telling you. I think in episode 3, when it felt like they were maybe pushing Edith/Matthew, I did wonder if I'd been a little hasty in my sudden shipping obsession, but luckily not, for the end of episode 3 onwards was all about Mary/Matthew for me.
I did still love the show, but it was Mary/Matthew that got me hooked, right after that episode 2 promo. I think I should add in here, that I liked Mary a lot from pretty much half way through episode 1, so that definitely helped with my shippiness!
Day 3 - Your overall impression of Dan Stevens prior to S3.
Hmm, I think a bit of backstory is needed here. I knew Dan Stevens already from other dramas he'd been in - most noticably Turn of the Screw and Sense and Sensibility. So whilst I didn't even know his name then, I recognised his face and knew I liked him as an actor already. And he was brilliant as Matthew, acted the part so well, that I was only just more impressed.
Then in a few interviews he sounded like a fun, witty, nice guy. He sounded like he cared a lot about his family (ahh, bless), was a brilliant actor with a promising career in front of him and that he was also pretty darn clever to boot. So all in all, it was a case of thinking, ahhh, what a great guy.
Day 4 - What other Dan Stevens-related media (including Twitter) did you consume because of Downton?
Well, as noted above, I already knew him from a few other dramas. I didn't watch anything else JUST because of him, but I did rewatch Sense and Sensibility and liked it even more this time around (though that was mainly because I'd now read the book!). I did follow him on twitter (and continued to do so, before I deleted my own account there), but then I followed a few actors from Downton on twitter too. I liked hearing their news about the show, the tidbits from filming and for a while him and Hugh Bonneville seemed to have such a fun bromance! I also liked some of the more witty things he posted on twitter, though not all of it.
I did watch Have I Got News For You that time specifically because Dan Stevens was hosting it, but then, I'd seen so many fun quotes from the episode on Tumblr, I wanted to find out where they all came from.
So really, other than liking the actor, I didn't really get into any other Dan Stevens related things. I do want to see Vamps though, partly because he's in it and partly out of sheer curiousity!
Day 5 - Most memorable Matthew scene in S1.
Hmmm, this is a hard one... IDK really. I loved pretty much all of his scenes...
I think, if I had to choose, I would go for the kissing scene one in episode 6. NOT just because they kissed, but I really think Matthew showed his character so, so well in that scene. I liked how he was so willing to just talk to Mary, ask her about her interests (politics) and truly listen to her answer. Treat her as an equal and put aside their differences. They are so comfortable for a while in that scene and it's lovely. And I liked that he did get a bit annoyed at Mary later on, not letting her play any more of her games and I loved that he stood his ground and told her straight.
I also loved that he was so willing to forgive Mary for her comments in the past (I take the kissing and subsequent proposal as a sign of that), when Mary confessed about her not really intending the comments. To me, I think it shows Matthew had a pretty good grasp of her character and how contrary she could be. I think it shows he already saw the real Mary, at least much more than others, and loved her for who she was, not just as a pretty face.
And his eyes in that scene! And the sizzling chemistry between them... And just how amazing the whole scene was acted! Gosh, it was just wonderful!
Hmmm.... I'm starting to think that most of my answers will have an M/M theme... But then Downton for me was pretty much all about M/M...
Oh and for future days, if anyone reads this, could you enlighten me on the "crack theory" thing? IDK what that is... :-{