Anyone interested ...

[tinlizzie]

No, that was only Season Two. Shirley McLaine will be introduced as Cora mother's from America. She goes head to head with Maggie Smith. And we have to find out if Mr. Bates gets out of prison. And what about Thomas, the footman? He is still up to his old tricks. Daisy has to ask for her raise and promotion to Assistant Cook. And Robert's sister is still looking to get married. And will Mary's scandalous behavior hit the headlines? Then there is the wedding for Mary and Mathew. Cora wants to go to Dublin and bring her daughter, the baby and the chauffeur back home. That is going to be Season 3's cliffhanger. It is 1920. The time of the Easter Rebellion in Ireland. Will Cora get caught in it when she goes to Ireland to bring her daughter and grandchild home? Robert's world is changing all around him. And he doesn't like change. And what about Daisy and William's father? Will she be the daughter he wants? So many loose ends and questions unanswered.

So no. We are not finished with Downton Abby.

Bless you, Addie, for this. But I stopped reading after the second sentence -- I want to watch the plot thicken as it cooks. I forgot you had previously mentioned Shirley MacLaine versus Maggie Smith. Is anyone capable of going head-to-head with Maggie?

 

[buckytom]

addie, the easter rising (ahem, not rebellion) at the gpo in dublin occurred in 1916. by 1920, the war for ireland's independence was nearly over.

 

[LPBeier]

Two more Canadian shows: Republic of Doyle was (is?) pretty good. I really like Rick Mercer's show.

I've just got on to another Canadian show that is excellent. It is still going, but I have been watching past seasons on Netflix. It is called "Heartland" and about a family who own a horse ranch in Alberta. For "Canadian Television" it is very good and family oriented.

I love Rick Mercer and have caught a few episodes of Doyle. Being a Canadian I really hate to say this but until the last few years I haven't really liked anything my country has had to offer in the way of TV series but it is getting better.

I used to watch a lot of BBC shows but haven't for many years. Food Network has been my mainstay for television I am afraid. I loved the early years of it when they had more foreign content such as "The Two Fat Ladies", Nigela Lawson, just to name a couple.

 

[LPBeier]

No, that was only Season Two. Shirley McLaine will be introduced as Cora mother's from America. She goes head to head with Maggie Smith.

Shirley McLaine and Maggie Smith? Guess who will be Netflicking Downton Abbey real soon!

 

[taxlady]

I've just got on to another Canadian show that is excellent. It is still going, but I have been watching past seasons on Netflix. It is called "Heartland" and about a family who own a horse ranch in Alberta. For "Canadian Television" it is very good and family oriented.

I love Rick Mercer and have caught a few episodes of Doyle. Being a Canadian I really hate to say this but until the last few years I haven't really liked anything my country has had to offer in the way of TV series but it is getting better.

I used to watch a lot of BBC shows but haven't for many years. Food Network has been my mainstay for television I am afraid. I loved the early years of it when they had more foreign content such as "The Two Fat Ladies", Nigela Lawson, just to name a couple.

What? You didn't think The Beach Combers or King of Kensington were great shows? <snicker>

I really can't take Heartland, but I have to agree that it is well done. I would recommend it if you like that sort of show.

 

[Addie]

addie, the easter rising (ahem, not rebellion) at the gpo in dublin occurred in 1916. by 1920, the war for Ireland's independence was nearly over.

Thank you buckytom. I am not up on Irish history except to know that a small piece of Ireland is still under British rule. And The Lay of Knock is a beautiful song. We have a very LARGE Irish population here in Boston. Two major sections of Boston celebrate St. Patrick's Day in all of its glory.

 

[Kayelle]

No, that was only Season Two. Shirley McLaine will be introduced as Cora mother's from America. She goes head to head with Maggie Smith. And we have to find out if Mr. Bates gets out of prison. And what about Thomas, the footman? He is still up to his old tricks. Daisy has to ask for her raise and promotion to Assistant Cook. And Robert's sister is still looking to get married. And will Mary's scandalous behavior hit the headlines? Then there is the wedding for Mary and Mathew. Cora wants to go to Dublin and bring her daughter, the baby and the chauffeur back home. That is going to be Season 3's cliffhanger. It is 1920. The time of the Easter Rebellion in Ireland. Will Cora get caught in it when she goes to Ireland to bring her daughter and grandchild home? Robert's world is changing all around him. And he doesn't like change. And what about Daisy and William's father? Will she be the daughter he wants? So many loose ends and questions unanswered.

So no. We are not finished with Downton Abby.

It's been a long long time since I've been this wrapped up in a TV series, if ever. You did a great job there Addie!! I was really sad to see season II end last night but what an ending it was!! I can't wait to see Shirley as the American mother of Cora, she'll sure give Maggie Smith a run for her money.
Does anyone know how long we have to wait for season III ?

 

[Addie]

It's been a long long time since I've been this wrapped up in a TV series, if ever. You did a great job there Addie!! I was really sad to see season II end last night but what an ending it was!! I can't wait to see Shirley as the American mother of Cora, she'll sure give Maggie Smith a run for her money.
Does anyone know how long we have to wait for season III ?

I searched PBS. No mention of Season Three. But then it was a while before Season Two was mentioned also. The Spring lineup should be coming out soon. I loved the line of the Dame Dowager when the jilted newspaper man said he would be leaving in the morning.

"Promise?" said the Dowager.

BTW, have any of you heard that my favorite actress Dame Judith Dench, of all times along with Meryl Streep, is going blind? She is 77. Her family reads all her lines to her now. My heart is broken. I don't think I have ever seen her give a bad performance.

 

[Addie]

Most of the time I have the TV on and couldn't tell you what is showing. But like you, Downton Abby has grabbed me. I have been watching Masterpiece Theatre since Upstairs, Downstairs. I have been watching PBS since it was called ETV and Julia Child was cooking in B&W. I have to admit it. I am hooked.

 

[tinlizzie]

As much as I love Downton Abbey, I would still place it about one notch behind I, Claudius, the all around best miniseries I have ever seen. It may sound stuffy, but believe me, it is not -- it's completely captivating. I really admire Derek Jacobi - he also shines in the Caedfel group.

Wasn't Nicholas Campbell's Da Vinci's Inquest series set in Vancouver? I liked that a lot - it seemed so real. Great cast.

I'll check out Heartland - I like down-to-earth stories. I watched Disc One of Rain Shadows, about two female veterinarians in Outback Australia. I don't think I'll order up Disc Two, speaking of going head-to-head, just because I liked the characters so much; watching the conflict while they adjust to one another was uncomfortable. I should probably stick to All Creatures Great and Small -- warmer, fuzzier.

 

[tinlizzie]

BTW, have any of you heard that my favorite actress Dame Judith Dench, of all times along with Meryl Streep, is going blind? She is 77. Her family reads all her lines to her now. My heart is broken. I don't think I have ever seen her give a bad performance.

I did hear that the other day - what a shame. She is so versatile. Anyone who can play James Bond's "M" as well as a shy spinster in the 1840's (the Cranford series), throwing in that role as a scandal-beset older teacher (Notes on a Scandal with Cate Blanchette). Yup; I'm a fan, too.

 

[CraigC]

I liked the mini-series Ivanhoe. Karen recorded The Tudors and she really likes Dr. Who. We both like the risque series starring a former Dr. Who actress Billie Piper. I'm sure there are many shows and movies we watch that are Canadian, but don't know it. I liked the movie Das Boot and have watched Pan's Labyrinth, even though they were sub-titled. Probably could have gotten through Das Boot without it, but I find it hard to keep up with Spanish as they speak so darn fast.

 

[bakechef]

Patience Little Grasshopper. Last season there were only four shows. This season there will be seven shows. So they have time to tie it all up. The first show was just the set up. the next six shows will begin to tie all the loose ends. This season ends with the end of the war. And they are already working on Season III.

Season 1 had 7 episodes! Don't tell me that you missed 3!

I watched all 7 on Netflix streaming

 

[Addie]

As much as I love Downton Abbey, I would still place it about one notch behind I, Claudius, the all around best miniseries I have ever seen. It may sound stuffy, but believe me, it is not -- it's completely captivating. I really admire Derek Jacobi - he also shines in the Caedfel group.

Wasn't Nicholas Campbell's Da Vinci's Inquest series set in Vancouver? I liked that a lot - it seemed so real. Great cast.

I'll check out Heartland - I like down-to-earth stories. I watched Disc One of Rain Shadows, about two female veterinarians in Outback Australia. I don't think I'll order up Disc Two, speaking of going head-to-head, just because I liked the characters so much; watching the conflict while they adjust to one another was uncomfortable. I should probably stick to All Creatures Great and Small -- warmer, fuzzier.

I LOVED All Creatures Great And Small. I couldn't get into I, Claudius. There were a lot of shows I would start to watch, then go to the hospital at the worst time and never get back into the story.

 

[tinlizzie]

Last night Notting Hill was on TV. I had seen it several years ago and was just going to skip it until I read the description, which listed Hugh Bonneville as part of the cast. So, just for curiosity I wanted to see what he looked like in this movie, which I think was from 1998. I dropped in long enough to see Hugh Grant at his boyish best and Julia Roberts as the important movie star, besieged by the press in London. Hugh Bonneville was awfully handsome; but from my current vantage point, his Lord Grantham is even better-looking. Coincidentally, PBS showed a special on the making of Downton Abbey, with the actors saying a few words about their respective characters. It was a strange feeling seeing them out of character, in their "civvies," almost like seeing them undressed.

 

[Kayelle]

I just finished watching season one of Doc Martin via Netflix streaming. It's delightfully quirky and down right odd in parts, but I love it and don't quite know why. Part of it is the scenery of Cornwall, as we visited there last spring and that whole part of England is just take your breath away beautiful.
I can't wait to get into season two.

 

[4meandthem]

A couple of flicks that come to mind are;

The year my parents went on vacation.
Swimming pool
Vera drake
House of flying daggers

 

[tinlizzie]

Another BBC production with Hugh Bonneville in the lead role was a 2-disc set fairly recent miniseries called Five Days. Not bad, but a pretty sad story in several ways. Via Netflix, natch.

 

[Addie]

News flash!

They are filming Season Three of Downton Abby. They should be done by the end of August. They didn't say, but I would suspect we should be seeing it somewhere around the end of September? Shirley McLaine and Maggie Smith go head to head.

 

[bakechef]

Just finished season 2 on hulu plus, enjoyed it very much, look forward to season 3