# The Downton Abbey thread



## buckytom (Jan 5, 2013)

i think it was k-l who mentioned it elsewhere, but season three (remember to trill your rrrs) of downton abbey (aka downtown abbey in pa. ) Downton Abbey, Season 3 | Programs | Masterpiece | PBS begins this weekend (what is a weekend?), or more specifically, sunday evening at 9pm.

here's a thread for discussing what i think has been a really great series so far. 

believe me, it must be good if a series about rich people in england a hundred years ago has captured my attention, for anyone that knows me.

who's going to watch? what say you about season thrrrree?

free bates!!!!


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## pacanis (Jan 5, 2013)

smart a...


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## buckytom (Jan 5, 2013)

that will be quite enough. good day, sir.

i said GOOD DAY!


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 5, 2013)

Having seen it here, plus the Christmas special I am going to keep my gob firmly shut ! Keep away from Facebook  and Twitter in case of spoilers and don't speak to any strange English blonde women on cooking forums .


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## CWS4322 (Jan 5, 2013)

I am addicted to the series, hence, the reason I needed a yagi (sp) antenna tuned so that it picks up PBS. I had PBS at the farm, but couldn't get it here in the city with the antenna on the house. Now that I have an antenna that gets PBS, I plan on curling up on the couch under my Hudson Bay blanket with a cup of hot chocolate to watch the start of series 3. GQ, please don't spoil it for those of us who have had to wait for series 3 this side of the pond!


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## bakechef (Jan 5, 2013)

I've seen seen season 3 and the christmas special.....

I'm addicted to this show too.


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## Kayelle (Jan 5, 2013)

I'm glad you gave this a thread of its own Bucky!

I'm also glad to hear men are as hooked on this drama as women. As I mentioned before my Steve is really looking forward to the third season starting here in the USA on Sunday.

I'm particularly chomping at the bit to see our Shirley MacLaine added to the excellent cast of British actors!

We'll both be glued to the TV with a huge bowl of popcorn.


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## pacanis (Jan 5, 2013)

Well just to say, I joined Amazon Prime a few days ago and found all three seasons free to it's members  But after ten minutes of trying to understand women's voices, let alone with an English accent (something my hearing has a hard time with), I almost gave up... until I tried on a whim and found the episodes on Netflix! Along with closed captioning!!! 
The brief time I watched though, it looks like I could get into this. I like attention to detail and the first ten minutes were well done.


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## Kayelle (Jan 5, 2013)

Make some popcorn Pac, and be prepared for a DA marathon now that it has your interest! Steve has the same hearing/accent problem and the Netflix captions worked great.

I think Steve and I watched the entire first season on Netflix in one weekend.  For one thing, the number of episodes per season are far fewer than an American TV season.


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 5, 2013)

Certainly no spoilers from me I promise x


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## Kylie1969 (Jan 5, 2013)

I have not watched it but mum has..all 3 seasons and the Christmas specials from both last year and this year....she loves them!

She also likes the new Upstairs Downstairs too


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## pacanis (Jan 7, 2013)

Well, I've got season 1 under my belt. Netflix does not have the other seasons available for streaming, but Amazon does. Unfortunately, Amazon does not have the closed captioning available for those either... I tried to watch an episode, but was missing too much of what was being said, especially with the war going on. Fortunately Netflix does have season 2 and 3 available in DVD form. It will just take me longer to catch up, as a season is spread over two or three discs. Plus I will need to watch on the TV rather than on a computer, where I can stream anywhere.
Yep, I'm hooked. It's getting rather predictable though.


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## tinlizzie (Jan 7, 2013)

Wow!  A two-hour opener, chock full of events.  My goodness - there was a special on PBS just before the 9 PM show featuring the castle and its real owners.  Unfortunately I only found it about 10 minutes before it was over.  

Weren't the settings grand?  And the ladies looked lovely.  Besides the plot goodies, which ranneth over, everything about those two hours was really fine.  Worth waiting for.

I appreciate and admire your don't tell policy, Gravy Queen.

It's hard to pick a favorite, but Daisy for one seems so utterly believable.


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 7, 2013)

I'm curious, indulge me please , are some people really finding the accents hard to understand ? I can understand dialects being difficult , but most of the Downton accents are what we would call quite posh , errr apart from the servants that is but still no real strong dialects in there .


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## pacanis (Jan 7, 2013)

Gravy Queen said:


> I'm curious, indulge me please , are some people really finding the accents hard to understand ? I can understand dialects being difficult , but most of the Downton accents are what we would call quite posh , errr apart from the servants that is but still no real strong dialects in there .


 
I have a problem with women's and children's voices. The accent compounds the problem. Although the first few minutes of season 2 episode 1, where there was a lot of background noise from WWI and Matthew and Mosley were talking back and forth, were just as bad. It's my hearing more than it is their accent. 
A couple days ago I had no problem watching Beatles documentaries and understanding them. Thicker accent, but little background noise and men's voices


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 7, 2013)

Ah I see Pac, seriously my husband has a similar hearing problem , it's the frequency of female voices that he struggles with . Ooh I mean frequency as in higher pitched, not how much I talk ...........I think .


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## pacanis (Jan 7, 2013)

Downton Abbey is the only CC program I've watched where I literally could not stop reading and look away for one scene. So so surfing during DA, lol.


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## Kayelle (Jan 7, 2013)

I was so excited with the grand opener last night, that I recorded it  and watched it again this morning!  I'm glad I did, as I missed some  lines due to laughing in the grandmother scenes. As I expected, Shirley  MacLaine nearly stole the show for me with her wit and interaction with  the always entertaining Maggie Smith. What a dynamic duo they are! 
The wedding was a feast for the eyes!  My favorite scene though was between Robert and Cora when he told her the shocking news. The enduring true love they have for each other brought me to tears, and I was so proud of her loving reaction.

Gravy Queen, I think the problem of understanding is that most Americans  aren't familiar with British TV and are not used to hearing a total  dialog in British English. We are kind of trying to translate it in our  American minds, if that makes sense. After the first season I got used  to it. 

Woo Hooo......I can't wait for next week!


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## pacanis (Jan 7, 2013)

oops, I better stay away from this thread.
I saw the word wedding and am tempted to see if any names were mentioned, but better not...


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## Addie (Jan 7, 2013)

buckytom said:


> that will be quite enough. good day, sir.
> 
> i said GOOD DAY!


 
That would be "I *say* Good Day Sir." And I have always trilled my R's. Having been married to an Englishman, I understand the Queen's English quite clearly. Actually he had more of a Scottish brogue growing up in the Lakes District. He told my kids a lot of stories of his childhood living on Lord Cumberland's estate. His father was choir master.


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## Addie (Jan 7, 2013)

Gravy Queen said:


> Having seen it here, plus the Christmas special I am going to keep my gob firmly shut ! Keep away from Facebook and Twitter in case of spoilers and don't speak to any strange English blonde women on cooking forums .


 
Thank you Gravy Queen. I hate people who just have to tell you how the book, movie, story, etc ends. Let me find out for myself.


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## tinlizzie (Jan 7, 2013)

I heard an interview with the author, Julian Fellowes, today -- said he is working on Season 4.  Yay!


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## Addie (Jan 7, 2013)

So the questions for this season are:

Will they lose Downton Abby? (Don't think so. Then they would have to change the name of the show.)

Will Bates be found not guilty and finally freed?

Will Thomas finally get his comeuppance?

Will Mathew and Mary begin a family?

Will there be one big clash between Cora's mother and the Dowager Lady? 

And what about the maid that had the baby and had to leave service? She showed up at the place for homeless women. What is that all about. 

Will the dastardly newpaper mogul expose Mary in his newpapers?

Will the husband from Ireland be banned from the home for being too political and strongly anti-English? Will his English wife finally get fed up and return to Downton Abby without him? Will there be a divorce in the family?

Will the last daughter finally marry her much older gentleman with the bad arm? 

And lastly, each week for one hour prior to Downton Abby, there will be a showing of other great English houses that are still functioning showing how they are doing. Including Hampton Court. King Henry's VIII's castle.


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## bakechef (Jan 7, 2013)

We watch a good deal of tv shows from the UK, so we now understand the accents pretty well and a lot of the slang.  It took a while, but I couldn't imagine having to struggle to listen because of a hearing problem.  As it is we have to listen fairly close to get it all.


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## LPBeier (Jan 7, 2013)

(Caution, this is my sense of humour talking, it is not a rant )

Okay, I have to interject here for a moment.  I was quite happy in the fact that I had no knowledge of this show, never watched it, didn't know who was in it.  It is not that I don't like period pieces, I actually love them.  I just didn't have time to get into a new series.

Then my cake community has a hat contest and the two winning cakes were based on Downton Abbey hats.  Hmm, a little curious but that is all.  Then you guys start talking about it and even get Pac watching it.  So, yesterday I looked to see if we get it and found out I can get the first two seasons through Zip - a mail-order video company.  We gave up Netflix because they didn't have anything we wanted.

So, I have not said a word to this point to TB and yesterday he comes home from the store with the latest TV magazine with none other than Downton Abbey on the cover, showing what's new for season 3.  He thought it was showing the new shows for January. 

So, now I have read up on it, and figure I will just head straight into season three and ask you all any questions I might have on the show.


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## bakechef (Jan 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> So the questions for this season are:
> 
> Will they lose Downton Abby? (Don't think so. Then they would have to change the name of the show.)
> 
> ...



If I were a stinker, I'd answer all of those....


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## Kayelle (Jan 7, 2013)

LPBeier said:


> (Caution, this is my sense of humour talking, it is not a rant )
> 
> Okay, I have to interject here for a moment.  I was quite happy in the fact that I had no knowledge of this show, never watched it, didn't know who was in it.  It is not that I don't like period pieces, I actually love them.  I just didn't have time to get into a new series.
> 
> ...



Ohhhhhhhh LP........ *please *treat yourself to seasons 1 and 2 first!! To just start watching season 3 now would be like missing out on the *Banquet* that is DA.


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## bakechef (Jan 7, 2013)

OOh, watch the first two seasons!

There are only 6-7 episodes per season, it'll be a cinch!


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## LPBeier (Jan 7, 2013)

Okay, I'm convinced!  I will watch the first two seasons and PVR this year's so they are ready!


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## Addie (Jan 7, 2013)

bakechef said:


> If I were a stinker, I'd answer all of those....


 
Oh horrors!!! But we all know how sweet your really are, so you won't do that. Besides I will tell Rob on you.


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## bakechef (Jan 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> Oh horrors!!! But we all know how sweet your really are, so you won't do that. Besides I will tell Rob on you.



I can't believe that you remembered his name, either you are a stalker or have a memory like a vault!

Oh I would never do that.   It will be fun seeing how everyone reacts to this season.  Like the others I enjoyed this one very much.


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## Kayelle (Jan 7, 2013)

LPBeier said:


> Okay, I'm convinced!  I will watch the first two seasons and PVR this year's so they are ready!



Glad to hear it LP! I was fascinated to learn in the first season just why Robert and Cora were married in the first place with her being an American. The dynamics in those days of those of British Title, and American women of "means" is very interesting indeed. That link is really the whole cornerstone of DA and you would have missed the foundation without it.


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## Addie (Jan 7, 2013)

Kayelle said:


> Glad to hear it LP! I was fascinated to learn in the first season just why Robert and Cora were married in the first place with her being an American. The dynamics in those days of those of British Title, and American women of "means" is very interesting indeed. That link is really the whole cornerstone of DA and you would have missed the foundation without it.


 
The Vanderbilt's sold off their daughter Consuela to the Duke of Marborough. And the Churchill Family (as in Winston) needed the money  desperately. Those estates are very costly to keep up. Mama got the royal title in her family that she wanted, the Churchills got the money they needed so desperately and the daughter got to be part of the most miserable marriage on record. 

Winston's mother Jenny also was sold off to a lesser brother of the Churchhill family. No title involved. And her two sisters were also offered up and married into other estates.


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## LPBeier (Jan 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> The Vanderbilt's sold off their daughter Consuela to the Duke of Marborough. And the Churchill Family (as in Winston) needed the money  desperately. Those estates are very costly to keep up. Mama got the royal title in her family that she wanted, the Churchills got the money they needed so desperately and the daughter got to be part of the most miserable marriage on record.
> 
> Winston's mother Jenny also was sold off to a lesser brother of the Churchhill family. No title involved. And her two sisters were also offered up and married into other estates.



Addie, I hope those aren't spoilers!


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## Addie (Jan 7, 2013)

LPBeier said:


> Addie, I hope those aren't spoilers!


 
No I would never do that. Just a bit of a history lesson.


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## Addie (Jan 8, 2013)

Consuelo Vanderbilt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My error. It is Consuelo, not Conseuela. Her family owned the Breakwaters at Newport, Rhode Island.


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 8, 2013)

Do get hold of the first 2 series, it will all make better sense. I used to half watch it as my husband liked it ,but I missed the gist of what had happened so I got a boxed set and started from the beginning, so much better, and then of course, you are hooked.......


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 8, 2013)

The only American series I struggled to understand was The Wire, had to have subtitles on for that.


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## CWS4322 (Jan 8, 2013)

Addie said:


> The Vanderbilt's sold off their daughter Consuela to the Duke of Marborough. And the Churchill Family (as in Winston) needed the money  desperately. Those estates are very costly to keep up. Mama got the royal title in her family that she wanted, the Churchills got the money they needed so desperately and the daughter got to be part of the most miserable marriage on record.
> 
> Winston's mother Jenny also was sold off to a lesser brother of the Churchhill family. No title involved. And her two sisters were also offered up and married into other estates.


Not to forget, women could not inherit the estates back then, so the women were married off and in exchange, the husbands got the money. We've come a long way!


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## Claire (Jan 9, 2013)

Haven't followed this entire thread, but one thing I love about my Friday happy hour group is that a couple are BBC/Masterpiece Theater fans and we discuss this over drinks on Fridays.

I loved it when the new groom chose the Irish rebel to be his best man!


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## tinlizzie (Jan 10, 2013)

If you like DA for the history as well as the soap opera factor (I love both), you might like to order the Netflix DVD of another BBC Masterpiece Theater show, this one an Anthony Trollope book -- _The Way We Live Now_.  It provides a look into a scoundrel's shady business practices and the consequences.  This was set before Downton Abbey --prior to the turn of the 20th Century -- but can reel you in once you start.  Sadly, things don't seem to have changed so much.


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## Kayelle (Jan 10, 2013)

I'm glad to see this post Lizzie. _The Way We Live Now _has been on my Netflix list for some time and now I'll check it out to be sure.


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## bakechef (Jan 10, 2013)

The way we live now, is also on Netflix instant watch, I may give it a go.


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## jabbur (Jan 10, 2013)

I finally gave in and watched the first season today.  Got all 7 episodes in since DH was teaching and the yungun was at band practice.  We stream through our Wii.  Does anyone know if you can stream amazon stuff with it too?  If not, I'll have to watch season 2 on the computer.


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## buckytom (Jan 10, 2013)

tinlizzie said:


> If you like DA for the history as well as the soap opera factor (I love both), .


 
i certainly do, from a personal familial standpoint. my grandfather was heavily involved in movement to "toss off the yoke of english rule" in ireland while living in co. leitrim (a border county just outside the six counties that the english refused to allow to be free.) my grandfather was fairly wealthy from having served in the u.s. army during world war 1, receiving 2 purple hearts in action overseas, and then took his disability pay from the u.s. government back to live in ireland after the war which he invested wisely. my dad was raised in a nice house with indoor plumbing and electricity, private schooling, a maid, and a car of their own. most of these things were very rare in the north midlands of ireland back in the early twenties.

my dad has often talked of things that are mentioned in the show by the chauffeur tom branson (who married lady sybil). things like the black and tans, the fenian brotherhood and the r.u.c., and so on.


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## tinlizzie (Jan 11, 2013)

buckytom said:


> i certainly do, from a personal familial standpoint. my grandfather was heavily involved in movement to "toss off the yoke of english rule" in ireland while living in co. leitrim (a border county just outside the six counties that the english refused to allow to be free.) my grandfather was fairly wealthy from having served in the u.s. army during world war 1, receiving 2 purple hearts in action overseas, and then took his disability pay from the u.s. government back to live in ireland after the war which he invested wisely. my dad was raised in a nice house with indoor plumbing and electricity, private schooling, a maid, and a car of their own. most of these things were very rare in the north midlands of ireland back in the early twenties.
> 
> my dad has often talked of things that are mentioned in the show by the chauffeur tom branson (who married lady sybil). things like the black and tans, the fenian brotherhood and the r.u.c., and so on.



Thank you for personalizing DA for us, BT.  I'm sure we'll all be more attentive to the Lady Sybil/Branson story line as it moves forward.

I'm sorry to show my ignorance (and could Google it I know), but might you say something about those latter things you mentioned -- my knowledge of them is scant if not nonexistent.


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 11, 2013)

buckytom said:


> i certainly do, from a personal familial standpoint. my grandfather was heavily involved in movement to "toss off the yoke of english rule" in ireland while living in co. leitrim (a border county just outside the six counties that the english refused to allow to be free.) my grandfather was fairly wealthy from having served in the u.s. army during world war 1, receiving 2 purple hearts in action overseas, and then took his disability pay from the u.s. government back to live in ireland after the war which he invested wisely. my dad was raised in a nice house with indoor plumbing and electricity, private schooling, a maid, and a car of their own. most of these things were very rare in the north midlands of ireland back in the early twenties.
> 
> my dad has often talked of things that are mentioned in the show by the chauffeur tom branson (who married lady sybil). things like the black and tans, the fenian brotherhood and the r.u.c., and so on.




That's fascinating Bucky, where I am from we practically all have Irish heritage . It's not far from me yet I have never been to Ireland, have you been or do you have plans to go ?


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## Kayelle (Jan 13, 2013)

*Disclaimer: don't look here if you haven't started on season 3....

Since we are all foodies, I found this interesting blog *Downton Abbey Cooks

*Enjoy! *


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## tinlizzie (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks, Kayelle.  I'll bet we could put some of that gorgeous wedding fruitcake on a plate for the coffee klatsch.

If anyone would like to take a look at Julian Fellowes, there is a BBC series available through Netflix called "A Most Mysterious Murder" on two discs.  The description calls him "novelist, actor, director and Oscar-winning screenwriter" (Gosford Park).  The mysteries are actual unsolved century-old murders that Fellowes presents in an Alfred Hitchcock manner -- he's quite droll.  I could have sworn one of the women victims was our Mrs. O'Brien from DA.


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## Kayelle (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks Lizzie, I'll give that a look see.

I started watching the old classic series "Upstairs Downstairs" but after the second episode, I gave up.  The "British Speak" *so* hard to understand, and the characters are unlikable and annoying. Downton Abbey it's not! I can hardly wait for the new episode of DA tonight, although I'll be watching it on the website in the morning  as "The Golden Globes" and I have a date this evening.


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## Addie (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks Kayelle. I have it marked for reading at three in the morning when I am wide awake.


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## buckytom (Jan 14, 2013)

tinlizzie said:


> Thank you for personalizing DA for us, BT. I'm sure we'll all be more attentive to the Lady Sybil/Branson story line as it moves forward.
> 
> I'm sorry to show my ignorance (and could Google it I know), but might you say something about those latter things you mentioned -- my knowledge of them is scant if not nonexistent.


 
i can't really comment on any of these things as i would have a certain bias that would essentially cause me to speak of these things in a political light which is disallowed at dc, and i'm already in enough trouble here of late for much more trivial matters. 

all the same, be careful if or when you search about these topics and consider their source from which the information about them has come. the victors usually write the history in any given situation, but both the english and irish have had a lot to say over the years about "the troubles" as it has come to be known.


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## buckytom (Jan 14, 2013)

Gravy Queen said:


> That's fascinating Bucky, where I am from we practically all have Irish heritage . It's not far from me yet I have never been to Ireland, have you been or do you have plans to go ?


 
you might be sorry you asked.  

why yes, my last trip to ireland was back in 2003. i saw a lot of ireland that most visiting americans have or will ever see (or will ever want to, really.)

i started in dublin staying with friends in the suburb of balbriggan for a few days, then went with them to their family's home in west belfast. while in belfast i visited a lot of political and historical sites such as the sinn fein headquarters, divis tower, both sides of falls road and shankill road taking pictures of the political murals along the way, paid my respects at the gravesites of bobby sands and the other hunger '80's hunger strikers, and a number of other places along the same lines. 

i also toured up the coast road to see the place where the titanic was built, and then visited derry for a day, having lunch in a pub in the bog side and shopping along the wall where bloody sunday occurred. again, i can't really speak to these things here.

but then i went off on my own driving down through kilkenny and into ballinamore, the town where my dad grew up. i even found the house my grandfather built back in 1920, finally owning it free and clear under the saorstat eireann act (a free irish state) in 1922. when the current owner learned that i was in town, he invited me to visit for tea and videotape the house to show my dad when i returned to the states. he even showed me my grandfather's original plans and deed to the house as a free irishman.

next, i travelled across central ireland to co. sligo to photograph some castles, then to co. mayo to the town of westport, partying there for an overnight before doing my pilgrimage up and down croagh patrick, the mountain where st. patrick was said to have built a church and banned all the snakes from ireland. (he was a very thorough saint, even removing all of the snakes' fossils as well, lol).

finally, i went back to ballinamore and then down to mullingar in co. westmeath before heading back to dublin, then back home to america.

so yes, i've been to ireland. 

back to downton abbey and the folks who were able to live that way on the money they made from enslaving other nations. 

oops. that one slipped out. 

i'm hoping that the tom branson/sybil relationship will mention some of the goings on in ireland in '22 in future episodes of downton abbey.


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## tinlizzie (Jan 14, 2013)

Message received, BT.

I gave up the Globes last night to watch DA.  But the Globes will, I hope, be another thread.  

Nice, juicy episode wasn't it?  I was pleased to have watched the full hour last evening of the program on the current owners of Highclere Castle, including that other shoe about the family name Carnarvan.  So great-grandfather was the man who with Howard Carter opened the tomb of Tutankhamen in the 20's.  Too bad that couldn't have been worked into the DA story line.  The current owners have had replicas made of some of the tomb's wonders -- the pieces are in the 'basement' and are visited by tourists.  The butler serving the family now shares his time besides butlering by selling tickets for the tours that are helping the Earl keep the castle maintained, said to run about $1 million a year what with constant repairs.  He said the money they get for the DA filming is really a help, as well.


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## buckytom (Jan 14, 2013)

i saw that, "the secrets of highclere castle". it was very interesting.

a large part of why people really like da is that it's not only really well written, but a combination of soap opera and comedy sprinkled witb historical references.

as such, there's how matthew came into his recently inherited fortune after the disappearance of the other heir to lavinia swire's father's fortune at one of his tea plantations in india.

there's the reference to the east india  company - company rule / british raj, as well as leaving a loose thread about the other heir's whereabouts. again, very well played.


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## tinlizzie (Jan 14, 2013)

I do hope the present Earl of Carnavan gets a nose-hair trimmer for Christmas next.


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## Kayelle (Jan 14, 2013)




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## Kayelle (Jan 15, 2013)

*I love all the one liners......






*


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## tinlizzie (Jan 16, 2013)

I thought Lady Mary looked awfully nice at the Golden Globes -- but so thin!


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 16, 2013)

Buckytom that was a fascinating read! You put me to shame for not getting my arse over there yet !!


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## LPBeier (Jan 16, 2013)

I am still hitting a bunch of dead-ends trying to find the first two seasons.  Our Canadian Netflix told us "it will be in Canada soon but we don't know when".  They have been saying that about the Gilmore Girls for 3 years!

We have a "disk in the mail" service called "Zip" and they have it, but the waiting list is really long.

I was given a few links to it online but they were dubious sites wanting my credit card info before telling me they have it and I wasn't about to give it to them.

So, I am staying away from this thread as much as I can until I start watching it so I don't read any spoilers.


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## buckytom (Jan 16, 2013)

Gravy Queen said:


> Buckytom that was a fascinating read! You put me to shame for not getting my arse over there yet !!



thanks.

my friends over did the political thing a bit with me (which i truely  found fascinating from a familial and historical standpoint) but i'm an american first and foremost so i would have to admit the second part of my trip when i went off on my own across the entire country was my favourite part. boy, is it tricky to drive stick lefty on the "wrong" side of the road. plus, being on small roads in farm country i often had to drive off into a ditch when suddenly approched by farm equipment or animals. lol.

besides being 1/2 irish, i'm half norwegian so genetically i have a lot in common with the english. and as an american feel we have no better partner in the world over the last century, so it's all well and good.

getting back to down"town"  abbey, the show insults americans just as much or maybe more often, so i wonder if anyone else cringes a little when an elitism pops out of say the old dowager's gob. 

 the preview's of this week's episode looks bad for my irishman, though. something about running away from sybil. i'll be tuned in for the repeat broadcast on tuesday night.


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## jabbur (Jan 16, 2013)

Just got all caught up!  Nothing like watching a series in quick succession!  I started this season 1 over the weekend and finished with the season 3 episode 2.  I've even watched the Highclere special.  I had to sign up for hulu plus to see the Christmas special but plan to cancel it before the one week free trial is over.


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## Kayelle (Jan 16, 2013)

jabbur said:


> Just got all caught up!  Nothing like watching a series in quick succession!  I started this season 1 over the weekend and finished with the season 3 episode 2.  I've even watched the Highclere special.  I had to sign up for hulu plus to see the Christmas special but plan to cancel it before the one week free trial is over.



 Are you now as hooked as some of us jabbur? If nothing else it's really a feast for the eyes, yes?

The Highclare special was really interesting but I haven't seen the Christmas special and I have Hulu..I need to check on that.


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## pacanis (Jan 17, 2013)

OK, I'm back. All caught up.
I started with season 1 streaming on Netflix (CC). Then had to get the season 2 DVD's from Netflix in order to get the CC. Then watched the first two episodes of season 3 streaming through Amazon, which were also CC. I had to pay for those, which I guess is why they aren't available to watch free on hulu.
Then on a whim I went to PBS's site and the first two episodes of season 3 are avaiable there for a limited time, but they are the American version. I have been watching the UK versions. For the heck of it I started episode 2 and the first five minutes were nothing at all like the one I watched last night on Amazon  It appeared even the episode's main storyline was different. Interesting. I will continue watching the UK version through Amazon.

Oh, and check this out, Amazon offers closed captioning if you watch season 3 on the computer, but not any "outside devices" they called it. I called to ask. So even though I can stream Amazon's instant videos through my Playstation 3, not all the features are avaiable.
I discovered that I can stream right from my laptop to my TV with an HDMI cable, so that's what I did.

Today I will watch episode 3 of the UK version. I am curious if it will resemble the Amercian version episode 2 that I started to watch.

And I think the only thing that disappoints me in the series is the way some of the characters seem to flip-flop who you think they are. Especially Hughes and O'Brian. I preferred the more stern Mrs Hughes, who was like the female version of Carson. And I have no idea whose side O'Brian is on. Both it appears. She must be bi-polar


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## Addie (Jan 17, 2013)

LPBeier said:


> I am still hitting a bunch of dead-ends trying to find the first two seasons. Our Canadian Netflix told us "it will be in Canada soon but we don't know when". They have been saying that about the Gilmore Girls for 3 years!
> 
> We have a "disk in the mail" service called "Zip" and they have it, but the waiting list is really long.
> 
> ...


 
Did you try PBS.org? They have a store. I know you live in Canada, but PBS is greedy and will sell to anyone, anywhere. You can get DVDs of any show they air. Or just google PBS/Downton Abby. As for spoilers, everyone here is on their best behavior. It has already aired in England and they aren't telling us anything either.


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## pacanis (Jan 17, 2013)

I just finished episode 3 UK. It was the episode 2 that I started watching on PBS. I wonder why or how the UK got an extra episode, but it looks like if I picked up watching the shows this Sunday on TV I'll be in sync.


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 17, 2013)

Lol,Buckytom I just love the old dowagers one liners


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## buckytom (Jan 17, 2013)

lol, yeah, they're great. i'll have to remember some to paraphrase for future use.


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## Kayelle (Jan 17, 2013)

BT, I see from your avatar that you're *Dressed for a BBQ. 


*


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## buckytom (Jan 17, 2013)

yes. quite.

mr. pacanis lost my shirts. 

lol.


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