Comments | silverducks: Downton Abbey Christmas Special

silverducks

Downton Abbey Christmas Special

Dec 27, 2012 15:59

Ok, so I finally had chance to watch it last night and I was definitely not happy with the ending - but I’ll come to that later.

Firstly, I just want to say that as a whole, I quite liked the Christmas special. It was nowhere near as perfect as the last, and I wasn’t too keen on setting it in summer, but for the most part, it was good.

So here are my ( Read more... )

downton abbey, fandom musings, mary & matthew

Comments 22

clunkhall December 28 2012, 10:38:41 UTC

Hello ( ... )

silverducks December 28 2012, 12:53:03 UTC

Yeah, all the hate that's been thrown at Dan Stevens bothers me too. I too am disappointed he decided to leave, especially as Fellowes so desperately wanted him to stay, but it is HIS life, not ours! He obviously had his reasons ( ... )

ctrent29 December 29 2012, 03:23:37 UTC

I don't blame Dan Stevens for wanting to leave the show. If I did that, I might as well feel the same for Jessica Findlay-Brown. And both of them, in my opinion, had every right to leave the series if they wanted. Matters are still up in the air about Maggie Smith. But I'm still confused as to why Fellowes couldn't hire a new actor to portray Matthew. I think it could have been done ( ... )

silverducks December 29 2012, 22:23:46 UTC

Yeah, if I'm going to blame anyone, it's the powers that be for not realising it would be far better to end it after 3 series. As you say, it's a nice balance.

The Christmas special this year could have wrapped everything up so well. Instead, they forced many plotlines and new characters onto us just to keep it going.

Oh well. Nothing to be done about that.

One thing I will say though, I'm glad they didn't get another actor to just play Matthew. That sort of thing usually ruins a character completely!

evangeline_h December 30 2012, 05:09:20 UTC

I was never a Mary/Matthew fan (well, I was when he left her at the end of S1...it opened them both up for interesting plots that never materialized) but I feel for you M/M shippers ( ... )

silverducks December 31 2012, 19:42:57 UTC

I think that has a lot to do with why Dan Stevens decided to leave.

And I agree, I do think Fellowes bit off more than he could chew - it was just too popular and I think the pressure was very high. I also think ITV changing their mind so often with episode length/number etc didn't help.

But I also think that, whilst there are stories still to tell, the main core stories have gone now. I think it will be difficult to get another series arc type story now. And mini episodic stories are not going to sustain the show for long.

It also needs another good love story, because more than anything, I think that's what gets people hooked!

Maybe Fellowes will pull off series 4 - I hope he does, but we'll have to wait and see.

evangeline_h January 5 2013, 23:21:29 UTC

I wish Dan well, and hope the rampant disappointment and hatred (eek!) his departure has aroused doesn't end up hurting his pursuit of meatier roles ( ... )

silverducks January 11 2013, 01:21:26 UTC

I do think that if Fellowes had stuck to a definite END to the show - the original 3 series arc - he wouldn't have written himself into a corner. I think he had to pad it out much more, add extra characters and go beyond his comfort zone to keep it running!

I really do think that the show would have been best ended after the series 3 Christmas special.

it doesn't bode well for the tenor of the audience and critical reaction that most of us are just resigned and hopeful instead of cheering with glee.

Perfectly put! Couldn't agree more!

Sigh - Downton Abbey could have gone out on a glorious high, but nope, the powers that be decided otherwised!