DA Christmas Special (After the Rush)
So it's been a couple of day and the euphoria of finally seeing my couple in each other's arms has started to lift. It shan't go away, not entirely, but I should recap my feelings on the episode as a whole.
Mary/Matthew: Of course, my favorite part of the show. I feel the proposal scene was wonderful and beautifully shot. I think many of their scenes were well done and hit some of the emotional milestones we needed. What I loved besides this was that Mary realized, Matthew or no Matthew, she didn't HAVE to marry Carlisle. Finally others were saying it, Matthew and her father. Robert said it best probably, she shouldn't have a man that will take her biggest secret and use it to threaten her. I also loved Isobel being the voice of the audience reason by telling him (again) Mary is in love with him and there is no reason not to be with her. My only two notes of discontent which are minor, I promise, is I did not need the end scene of Carlisle. I know what JF was trying to do, that one could argue she did use Richard and she needed to at least thank you for the help he's given her thus far. Personally I think this was wrong. Richard knew what he was getting into from the beginning. And as time went on and he saw the bond between Mary and Matthew stay strong, he still insisted on being there. He made no attempt to really get to know Mary. He made no attempt to get to know her family. He made no attempt to say anything NICE about ANYTHING unless it related to him and his plans. This is where I feel he never really loved her, he saw her as a possession. And one he could control. And for that Mary doesn't owe him a damn thing. The other thing I would have liked to have seen was during the proposal Mary and Matthew both say it: I love you. Seriously, if they had I would have cut the audio, looped it and made a song. Of course it's already implied but as I agree with Mary saying she deserved a PROPER proposal, the audience deserved a proper admission.
EVERYTHING ELSE: Hee, I wanted to just lump the rest of the episode in this category. I won't. :D
Anna/Bates: The other big story. This was the most disappointing. I could say I'm proud of JF for not giving in and making an easy resolution by simply stating Bates was "Not Guilty." Oh my heart tore up hearing Anna yell in the courtroom. I really do love her and want the best for her but I don't think that will ever happen if she stays tied to Bates. My problem with the trial is how in the world did they gather all this evidence against him since it was mostly hearsay and circumstantial? Oh I know. Bates probably told them in a bulleted account about all his activities because he would do just that. I think I noted on something Anna said at the beginning of the episode that shed more light on my feelings of their relationship than anything else. She goes to see Bates the first time and he attempts to prepare her for the worst. But instead she tells him she will deal with it after it's happened, don''t force her to before. I've never seen a more depressing couple. Even North and South's Margaret and Thornton manage to come across as a more positive couple with all the death and depression surrounding their lives.
Daisy: This is the big surpriser for me. I never thought I'd appreciate her storyline. While I did feel for her being pushed into a marriage she didn't want, that was hardly unusual for the time and William was dying. She always saw him as a friend and friends can marry. She always acted like she was leading him on and while that may be true I grew tired of her wallowing in the guilt. My God, Matthew got over Lavinia faster. Anyway, at the end I did really come to appreciate the storyline even if JF took the very long way to get to it. I'm happy now Daisy has someone to really care for her and give her good advice. I do think Mrs. P loves Daisy but not as a mother. It's time Daisy got a promotion and moving up in the world. She's a good person with a good heart and it's nice to see someone improve their lot in life.
Edith: This storyline was odd to me. I did laugh at Edith saying she wouldn't give up on someone calling her lovely but I think this is meant to truly tie up her old storylines and allow her to move into a new direction with hopefully a new love interest for S3. I suppose when it came down to it, I am on Team Mary, but honestly I should be all about Edith because I could relate to her so easily. Her storylines for S2 were all over the place so hopefully we can give her something really good to watch and root for. Personally now that Mary has gone middle class and Sybil has wed a servant, I would think it would be wonderful that it would be Edith to marry the person with the highest social standing, though I want it be for love too.
Violet: I think Violet should start the world's first call in show for Downtoners. Can you imagine? How awesome would that be.
Lavinia: She called from beyond the grave to give her blessing for M/M. No, I didn't like that. Mainly because I had hoped it was Vera who was jerking them around the board. How awesome would that be?
Robert: I've forgiven him a little.
Lord Golddigger: This storyline was obvious but I kind of enjoyed it. I like the actress who plays Rosamund and I had been surprised they didn't use her more. Violet got to do some proper mothering and I did like Robert saying as long as Rosamund KNEW Golddigger needed the money then she still had the right to marry him. And I suppose I should feel sorry for Rosamund, I enjoyed the scene more for Anna's sake because it seemed that was the one moment that night she enjoyed herself. Bless her heart.
S3 Wishes: What I want out of S3 is a proper episode devoted to a high class wedding for Mary and Matthew. I also want to see them in bed together with smiles on their faces. I also want there to be banter and teasing between then. And then, if I could have my way after they are married, they could get into a fight and have hot angry sex.
Mary/Matthew: Of course, my favorite part of the show. I feel the proposal scene was wonderful and beautifully shot. I think many of their scenes were well done and hit some of the emotional milestones we needed. What I loved besides this was that Mary realized, Matthew or no Matthew, she didn't HAVE to marry Carlisle. Finally others were saying it, Matthew and her father. Robert said it best probably, she shouldn't have a man that will take her biggest secret and use it to threaten her. I also loved Isobel being the voice of the audience reason by telling him (again) Mary is in love with him and there is no reason not to be with her. My only two notes of discontent which are minor, I promise, is I did not need the end scene of Carlisle. I know what JF was trying to do, that one could argue she did use Richard and she needed to at least thank you for the help he's given her thus far. Personally I think this was wrong. Richard knew what he was getting into from the beginning. And as time went on and he saw the bond between Mary and Matthew stay strong, he still insisted on being there. He made no attempt to really get to know Mary. He made no attempt to get to know her family. He made no attempt to say anything NICE about ANYTHING unless it related to him and his plans. This is where I feel he never really loved her, he saw her as a possession. And one he could control. And for that Mary doesn't owe him a damn thing. The other thing I would have liked to have seen was during the proposal Mary and Matthew both say it: I love you. Seriously, if they had I would have cut the audio, looped it and made a song. Of course it's already implied but as I agree with Mary saying she deserved a PROPER proposal, the audience deserved a proper admission.
EVERYTHING ELSE: Hee, I wanted to just lump the rest of the episode in this category. I won't. :D
Anna/Bates: The other big story. This was the most disappointing. I could say I'm proud of JF for not giving in and making an easy resolution by simply stating Bates was "Not Guilty." Oh my heart tore up hearing Anna yell in the courtroom. I really do love her and want the best for her but I don't think that will ever happen if she stays tied to Bates. My problem with the trial is how in the world did they gather all this evidence against him since it was mostly hearsay and circumstantial? Oh I know. Bates probably told them in a bulleted account about all his activities because he would do just that. I think I noted on something Anna said at the beginning of the episode that shed more light on my feelings of their relationship than anything else. She goes to see Bates the first time and he attempts to prepare her for the worst. But instead she tells him she will deal with it after it's happened, don''t force her to before. I've never seen a more depressing couple. Even North and South's Margaret and Thornton manage to come across as a more positive couple with all the death and depression surrounding their lives.
Daisy: This is the big surpriser for me. I never thought I'd appreciate her storyline. While I did feel for her being pushed into a marriage she didn't want, that was hardly unusual for the time and William was dying. She always saw him as a friend and friends can marry. She always acted like she was leading him on and while that may be true I grew tired of her wallowing in the guilt. My God, Matthew got over Lavinia faster. Anyway, at the end I did really come to appreciate the storyline even if JF took the very long way to get to it. I'm happy now Daisy has someone to really care for her and give her good advice. I do think Mrs. P loves Daisy but not as a mother. It's time Daisy got a promotion and moving up in the world. She's a good person with a good heart and it's nice to see someone improve their lot in life.
Edith: This storyline was odd to me. I did laugh at Edith saying she wouldn't give up on someone calling her lovely but I think this is meant to truly tie up her old storylines and allow her to move into a new direction with hopefully a new love interest for S3. I suppose when it came down to it, I am on Team Mary, but honestly I should be all about Edith because I could relate to her so easily. Her storylines for S2 were all over the place so hopefully we can give her something really good to watch and root for. Personally now that Mary has gone middle class and Sybil has wed a servant, I would think it would be wonderful that it would be Edith to marry the person with the highest social standing, though I want it be for love too.
Violet: I think Violet should start the world's first call in show for Downtoners. Can you imagine? How awesome would that be.
Lavinia: She called from beyond the grave to give her blessing for M/M. No, I didn't like that. Mainly because I had hoped it was Vera who was jerking them around the board. How awesome would that be?
Robert: I've forgiven him a little.
Lord Golddigger: This storyline was obvious but I kind of enjoyed it. I like the actress who plays Rosamund and I had been surprised they didn't use her more. Violet got to do some proper mothering and I did like Robert saying as long as Rosamund KNEW Golddigger needed the money then she still had the right to marry him. And I suppose I should feel sorry for Rosamund, I enjoyed the scene more for Anna's sake because it seemed that was the one moment that night she enjoyed herself. Bless her heart.
S3 Wishes: What I want out of S3 is a proper episode devoted to a high class wedding for Mary and Matthew. I also want to see them in bed together with smiles on their faces. I also want there to be banter and teasing between then. And then, if I could have my way after they are married, they could get into a fight and have hot angry sex.