Ambassador Pamuk, part of one of the worst plot twists in Downton Abbey. Screencap: me

By Samantha Gray

SPOILER ALERT:

Before you even begin reading this post, be aware that it will mostly be composed of spoilers from the last few episodes of season 2. Considering this site is frequented by Downton Abbey fanatics, I trust that you will likely know what I’m talking about already anyway.

While every soap opera is entitled to throw in some crazy plot twists, Downton Abbey does it with style and grace. Of course, this doesn’t diminish the fact that these plot twists are laughingly unbelievable, but here are some of my favorites:

1.      Lavinia suddenly and conveniently kicking the bucket.

This, for me, was one of the most disappointing plot twist, only because it completely gets Matthew off the hook in terms of the inevitable break between him and Ms. Swire. On the other hand, Mary’s still stuck with her old newspaper man, but now Matthew conveniently doesn’t have to break the news to Lavinia that he never really loved her.

2.      The Turkish ambassador dying after a night with Mary.

Going way back to the early part of first season, this was perhaps the first shocker that got us all hooked to the emotional rollercoaster that is Downton Abbey. We all know that Lady Mary can be quite contrary and difficult, but surely her cantankerousness is not enough to a kill a man after one night of lust?

3.      Matthew Crawley magically walks again.

If you are at all familiar with the most basic tenets of medical science, then you know that once someone is paralyzed, they actually never walk again. Of course, the show explains it all with some sort of “theory” about how Matthew was not actually every paralyzed, but even so, it takes several months, at the very least, for someone wheelchair-ridden to learn to walk properly again. Matthew’s miraculous recovery was certainly expected, but did they really have to make it so darned unbelievable?

4.      Patrick dies on the Titanic and comes back to life as a Canadian.

This is by far my favorite crazy plot twist in Downton Abbey. In the very first episode of season 1, we hear of this mysterious Patrick, a distant member of the Crawley family who is slated to be Downton Abbey’s heir. He’s hitched to Mary, but sinks on the Titanic before they get a chance to tie the knot. In season 2, Patrick comes back to life with a face disfigured from the war and an accent disfigured from supposedly living in Canada for several years. There are so many holes in Patrick’s story, that we can only assume he’s a fraud, although several hints dropped suggest that his story, in fact, may be true. However, Patrick eventually disappears just as quickly as he arrives so we never really find out. Here’s hoping that he comes back, following Matthew’s lead, with a miraculously healed face and a restored English accent.

What are your favorite Downton Abbey plot twists?

About the Author:

This guest contribution was submitted by Samantha Gray, who specializes in writing about online bachelor degree. Questions and comments can be sent to:  samanthagray024@gmail.com.

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Sherlock in his classic coat and scarf. Credit: BBC/Hartswood Films, Ltd.

I have a theory on Sherlock’s mental makeup, and it’s not the one that most people readily agree with. The prevailing thought by most fans is that he’s an up-and-down case of someone with Asperger’s syndrome, especially since Lestrade mentioned it in the S2 episode “The Hounds of Baskerville.”  however I and Moniqueblog reader Kathleen think there is a lot of things that could be argued here even though. Sherlock does have Asperger’s syndrome qualities, but does this make him a person with Asperger’s?

To be honest, I had avoided writing about this article for a while because I wasn’t quite sure how I wanted to tackle it (I didn’t want to step in any landmines with this!), but after having a conversation with Kathleen, who works with children with autism and has a son diagnosed with Asperger’s, she had several concrete ideas about what parts of Sherlock’s actions could make him be seen as a person with Asperger’s.

Sherlock deducing John in the car, ending with his line about what others tell him to do, which is to “piss off.” Screencap: me (via YouTube)

Sherlock as a person with Asperger’s

Before we launch into how Sherlock could be a person diagnosed (self or otherwise) with Asperger’s, let’s get the clinical definition of it first. Asperger’s syndrome is, according to the Mayo Clinic, is:

Asperger’s syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. Children with Asperger’s syndrome typically exhibit social awkwardness and an all-absorbing interest in specific topics.

According to the site Asperger’s is one of the many conditions along the autism spectrum. To quote the site, “[t]hese disorders all involve problems with social skills and communication. Asperger’s syndrome is generally thought to be at the milder end of this spectrum.”

There are several symptoms or qualities that goes along with someone with Asperger’s. Again, to quote the Mayo Clinic:

• Engaging in one-sided, long-winded conversations, without noticing if the listener is listening or trying to change the subject
•   Displaying unusual nonverbal communication, such as lack of eye contact, few facial expressions, or awkward body postures and gestures
•  Showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects, such as baseball statistics, train schedules, weather or snakes
•   Appearing not to understand, empathize with or be sensitive to others’ feelings
•   Having a hard time “reading” other people or understanding humor
•   Speaking in a voice that is monotonous, rigid or unusually fast
•   Moving clumsily, with poor coordination

As you can plainly see, Sherlock exhibits a lot of these behaviors, leading most people to assume he has Asperger’s. Kathleen’s observations from her work backs up the theory.

She told me that the way Sherlock launches into long lectures is a lot of what she’s seen in her own work with children with autism. “The way that he focuses on his ‘work,’ to the exclusion of eating, sleeping, dressing, sex, or anything else is also very much like a person with Asperger’s,” she said.

There were some other things Sherlock exhibits that she noticed–things that aren’t listed above. Kathleen said that one of the big things about Asperger’s is the “burning desire for friends.” This aspect is different than other forms of high-functioning autism, she said. “[S]adly, our poor dear Mr. Holmes attempts to make friends in a typically Aspergian way: by showing off,” she said. “And, also typical for someone with Asperger’s, although he wants friends, he isn’t willing to do those things necessary to make friends, ’cause all that social stuff is boring [or] difficult and distracts from ‘The Work.’”

Kathleen stated that the show got one subtle thing correct when it comes to how others realistically react to a person with Asperger’s. “[How people are written to react is] something that annoyed me a lot in shows like Bones, where everyone around the person with low social skills/autism thinks that the social “gaffs” are adorable,” she said, saying that she loved that when Sherlock told John what people thought of him when he showed off, Sherlock said that people would tell him to “piss off.” She also loved that in “The Blind Banker,” Sebastian said “Everyone at the uni hated [Holmes].” To Kathleen , this makes a point of showing that autism isn’t usually cute. ” It can be genius and it always offers a fascinating alternate view of the world–I love working with children with autism!–but it is  a disability because of how autistic people are treated by others,” she said.

However, Kathleen’s work also manages to break down some of the autism theory concerning Sherlock. As you’ve probably noticed, Sherlock not only has the ability to see the big picture in a case, but he has the ability to single out one piece of information. While people with autism do have the ability to, as Kathleen said, “[see] everything”  in a situation, they generally don’t have the ability to pull out just one item out of everything they see.

“It is more typical for a person with autism to be unable to locate any single item in a cluttered room (for example) because their senses are so overloaded with everything else that they see,” she said. “Perhaps this is something that adults with autism overcome? Or, perhaps this is explained by Holmes’s narrow focus of interest in detective work.”

However, she also told me that she’s read a comment on a blog about the  “Sherlock Holmes with autism” theory, which stated that people with Asperger’s aren’t able to make steps and create a plan to solve a problem, when, in fact, people with Asperger’s can create a plan. When a person with Asperger’s comes across a problem that is within their narrow focus of interest, she said, they can not only break down things into steps, but can also make amazing leaps of logic, much like Sherlock. Similarly to Sherlock, a person with Asperger’s interests generally don’t really gel with the everyday tasks of living. This is what creates the stigma that people with Asperger’s don’t know how to plan.

The big glaring part in the “Sherlock has Asperger’s” theory, she told me, was Sherlock’s ability to convincingly act as other people. We know from the stories that Sherlock is basically an actor, being able to disguise himself as virtually anyone he wants, even women, and, as Kathleen pointed out, Sherlock does the same thing to a degree in the show–pretending to be a lost, congenial guy in “The Blind Banker,” a vicar in “A Scandal in Belgravia,” and a grieving friend in “The Great Game.” However, Kathleen hasn’t ever seen this ability in the children she’s worked with. “Typically, they not only don’t see any point in pretending to be different, but they are also entirely incapable of it,” she said. She said the more realistic interaction for a person with Asperger’s is Sherlock’s awkward attempts at flirting with Molly–him noticing her hair was parted differently in the first season. To both Kathleen and myself, the fact that Sherlock does have the ability to seamlessly become someone else shows that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle didn’t write Sherlock with Asperger’s in mind. To me, Sir Conan Doyle wrote Sherlock, aside from an ode to his favorite teacher, as an alluring, Bram Stoker’s Dracula-type mystery, if nothing else.

Sherlock with his violin. Credit: BBC/Hartswood Films, Ltd.

Sherlock as a person with Asperger’s and HSP symptoms

So, we’ve already talked about the signs and symptoms of Asperger’s, but what about the symptoms of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)? I’ll get to that, but first, I have to say that I know there are quite a few people who don’t believe Highly Sensitive People exist. They think the term is bogus. While I welcome most opinions on this site, I have to say that if you don’t think HSPs exist, then you just haven’t come across one yet. I can tell you first hand that they do exist, because I am one.

During our conversation, I told Kathleen that I had read about The Highly Sensitive Person after my own self-discovery. Ever since childhood, I’ve felt misunderstood after being labeled “sensitive” and developing a complex after feeling ostracized for crying easily. Finally, after coming across the book The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron, I’ve finally understood myself.

Firstly, there are some traits that the HSP have that anyone can have, those traits being loyalty, thoughtfulness and sentimentality, being caring and compassionate, having an aesthetic sense, being creative, having a sense of appreciation for the arts, music, and other creative outlets, being concerned about the environment, etc. I’ve listed these together because I don’t want to give the impression that only people who are deemed “Highly Sensitive (HS)” can have talents, feelings, or interests, since that’s obviously not true. What I am getting at, however, are the more unusual traits which really differentiate HSPs from other people. An HSP, according to Buzzle :

• Is able to perform deep processing of information.
• Picks up on subtle things while in the process of learning.
• Is not able to learn well when over aroused.
• Is good at doing tasks that need deep concentration and focus.
• Is able to accomplish tasks with great accuracy, detail and speed.
• Is very painstaking.
• Is good at fine motor movements.
• Gets more affected by caffeine in comparison with non-bearers of this highly sensitive person trait.
• Can stay still for a longer time than regular people.
• Has a more active right brain.
• Is creative by nature.
• Is imaginative.
• Takes time to come out from the effect of some sort of stimulus.
• Can understand human emotions deeper than regular people.
• Is better at finding errors.
• Is good at avoiding errors and mistakes as well.
• Does not give his best on being watched.
• Does not work well when the situation is calm and relaxed.
• Tends to mix less with others.
• Prefers to feel and experience quietly by himself.
• Is a great organizer. This is one of the most positive highly sensitive person symptoms.
• Is inclined towards spirituality.
• Notices subtleties like changes in a person’s appearance, changes in some object’s placement.
• Performs well in the presence of known people.
• Prefers to play quietly.
• Asks deep and thought provoking questions.
• Gets easily disturbed by noise.
• Reads the mind and mood of others.
• Is able to notice slightest unusual smell.

I kept the spirituality part in the list because religion is different than spirituality. A person can be religious and go through the rote motions of religion, but spirituality is, I think , a much deeper understanding of the subtle world. Spirituality and religion can go hand-in-hand.  But all of this is a discussion for another blog post.

Anyway, the main thing with HSPs is that we are able to feel things on a much deeper level. There are different levels of high sensitivity, just like there are different levels of autism, and while there are obvious things that are different between people with Asperger’s and people who are highly sensitive, you can see some similarities between HSPs and people with Asperger’s–noticing small details, tending to be less social, having, as Aron states, “a rich, complex inner life,” becoming over-stimulated by environmental stimuli, a feeling of being misunderstood or feeling different, seeing everything, etc.

The big thing that sticks out to me is that both HSPs and people along the autistic scale seem to shut down when they are over-stimulated. I know for a fact that when I’m in the house, I spend quite a bit of my time in my room, closed off to myself, and when I’m out, I’m generally section myself off a little, even when I’m with friends and family. I would like to think that Sherlock also can become overwhelmed by life in this manner and would shut down–one example being in “A Study in Pink” when Lestrade and his crew barge in to Sherlock and John’s flat accusing Sherlock of withholding evidence. Right when Sherlock’s trying to think is when everyone starts to talk at once, causing him to basically mentally combust for second and yell for everyone to stay where they are and shut up.  Another similarity that I’ve personally experienced is the ability to completely shut out everything once I get focused on a task, such as writing this article. I will go for hours working on the computer without getting up to use the bathroom, eat, or interact with people until I break down and have to go do whatever it is I need to do. I also sometimes have trouble looking people directly in the eye; I’ve always felt that to have someone looking directly at me is a lot of stimulation for me to handle, so I generally have to look to the side of them.

There are similar actions that HSPs and people with Asperger’s have, but in general, the reasoning behind the actions are completely different. For instance, communication with others.  According to an article from Suite 101:

Both a person affected by Asperger’s syndrome and a highly sensitive person may appear socially disinterested, awkward, and avoidant. However, whereas the autistic person withdraws from social situations due to disinterest, the highly sensitive person withdraws due to overstimulation. In the same environment, the autistic person senses less due to neurological dysfunction, whereas the highly sensitive person senses more due to an innate heightened neurological sensitivity and awareness.

The term “nervous,” attributable to highly sensitive people in social situations, points to the root of the sensation as a phenomenon of a sensitive nervous system. The person with Asperger syndrome, on the other hand, does not feel nervous, but rather appears less affected by outward stimuli.

The two have also been confused when it comes to diagnosing children. To quote Aron’s article about HSPs and people with Asperger’s:

Sometimes–not always–children with an ASD show acute sensitivity to noise, touch, or other sense modalities. Others are impervious to what most people would find uncomfortable, even to serious pain. Sometimes sensitivity and ASDs are confused because the child with an ASD may have little or no ability to regulate emotions, and sensitive children, too, are more emotional than other children. But with ASDs, these behaviors are due to incorrectly processing perceptual stimulation all the time, not just when overstimulated.

So, why do I think Sherlock might have some qualities of both Asperger’s and HS? Because not only does he exhibit low-level signs of HS like his intense love of music (and other forms of art from the written stories) as well as signs of Asperger’s such as awkwardness in social situations, intense focus on obscure hobbies and an intense drive, but he also has more unique attributes of an HSP, such as being able to sit still for long amounts of time, loves (and occasionally needs) isolation, has a very colorful mental space, can do tasks that require great mental focus, and, most importantly, he has a very deeply-running emotions.

To me, the “only-Asperger’s theory” has a problem when we get to the fact that Sherlock does seem to have mastered the ability to cover up his feelings. He’s made people think he’s a sociopath because that is what people expect; it’s obvious that he’s tried making friends before, and failed (probably due to some of the more Asperger’s-type responses he has). It’s also obvious that due to his obscure passions, not many people are going to want to be friends with him. It also doesn’t help that he deduces people, causing them to call him a freak and worse. With everything that has happened in his life when it comes to relationships, Sherlock has been deeply wounded and turned to drugs in order to cope with his emotions. Now, of course, anyone who has the propensity to be addicted to a substance could turn to drugs or alcohol in order to cope, but Sherlock’s emotions are a sore spot with him, so much so that he’s called them a weakness. I understand what Sherlock’s trying to say here; when you have deeper-running emotions than most, they can seem like a curse rather than what they’re supposed to be–a gift. Occasionally, emotions can rob you of the ability to see things logically, and logic and order are two things HSPs really want out of life. However, we don’t get it. Sherlock’s meticulousness, his necessity for emotional order and, dare I say, inner peace (maybe his dependence on John being a way to bring about that peace?), are all calling cards for the person with high sensitivity. When everything over-excites you, you just want peace, quiet, and order.

The idea that Sherlock could be between Asperger’s and HS is backed up by the fact that some in the mental health field are not only beginning to recognize HS, but they are also beginning to think that high sensitivity and autistic disorders are along the same spectrum. In fact, high sensitivity is finally being recognized as as a trait of autism. ABC News also had a special report on a girl who finally let others know about how her severe autism causes her to have extreme sensitivity to the world around her. In fact, a lot of what is listed as traits for HSPs, such as deep thinking, can be linked to the emotions and feelings of people with autism that are now being illuminated by technology and one-on-one work.

Sherlock spending time alone until John interrupts him with news about Irene Adler. Credit: BBC/Hartswood Films Ltd.

So what am I saying with this whole article? Basically that 1) the world of the mind is more complex than just one label and 2) Sherlock can act as a positive role model for those that do reside along the autistic scale.

“I love that in Sherlock on BBC, not only is autism portrayed as a disability, but our Mr. Holmes has overcome it and has made for himself a very fine life: a way to make a living (admittedly, I imagine Holmes with a trust from his parents or many secret hand-outs from Mycroft) and a best friend (heh, or lover, if you’re a shipper?),” Kathleen said. ” His unique skills (and all people with autism have unique skills, some more practical than others) have allowed him to form valuable relationships that other people can fairly easily obtain with mutual interests or positive social interaction.”

I’m sure Sir Conan Doyle didn’t realize how resonating Sherlock Holmes would be to generations, but due to modern psychology, Sherlock has just become an even more layered character than ever.

If you want to learn more about Asperger’s, go to the Mayo Clinic as well as autism-society.org and the National Institute of Mental Health and the UK’s National Autistic Society. To learn more about HS, visit The Highly Sensitive Person as well as Evolving Times. To learn more about how the two classifications can get confusing, you can also visit this site, which has a great video made a person with Asperger’s who talks about the differences and similarities of high sensitivity and Asperger’s. This forum also has a good discussion about the differences between the two classifications.

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The next episode of The DowntonCast is here! Here are the show notes for this episode:

DowntonNews

Shirley MacLaine as Cora’s mother

Critics reaction to the ending of season 2

Roaring Twenties in season 3

Julian Fellowes’ Titanic miniseries coming to ABC

Misery Addiction (Dr. Bev)–related to Mr. Bates

Break

Donate to the DowntonCast through podOmatic (downtoncast.podomatic.com)

Support Moniqueblog.net by visiting Moniqueblog.net and buying something from the Moniqueblog Amazon store and/or my Zazzle store

Season 2 (synopses: iTunes)

2.1: The original UK version, Downton Abbey Season Two begins with Part One–The Great War unsettles life at Downton and Isobel’s surprising news about Matthew rocks the family further. New maid Ethel ruffles O’Brien’s feathers and Bates returns with life-changing news for Anna.

2.2: Carson strives to keep standards high with disastrous personal consequences. Lady Rosamund is eager to unearth Lavinia and Carlisle’s secret. The death of a wounded soldier motivates Isobel and Sybil to see Downton in a different light. Shellshocked new valet, Lang, arrives as William gets his call up papers and is love in the air for both Edith and Mary?

2.3: Tensions flare between Isobel and Cora. There’s worrying news about Matthew and William. Ethel’s flirting with Major Bryant lands her in more trouble than she could ever imagine. Branson decalres his feelings for Sybil, and Robert goes out of his way to bring Bates back. O’Brien sticks her nose into Mrs. Patmore and Daisy’s business.

Character Spotlight: Edith

After this episode, future episodes will talk about each remaining episode of Season 2, so next week’s episode will be a recap of 2.4.

If you have comments, leave them in the comments section or email me at mljcollegeblog@gmail.com. Also remember to subscribe to the DowntonCast for free at iTunes (click the “DowntonCast” button to the right). You can also view past episodes in the Downton Abbey/DowntonCast page linked in the tabs above.

*Theme: “Suite for Strings Op. 40 Prelude Allegro Vivace”, Edvard Grieg (uploaded by ccradiocc-classic-morning)

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Ashley and I are thrilled to announce that The DowntonCast is now on iTunes! WHOO!

If you like what you hear and you want to subscribe, simply search for it in iTunes under “Podcasts.” You can also go to the direct iTunes link for it here as well as subscribe to iTunes via our podcast host, podOmatic, at our podOmatic page, downtoncast.podomatic.com.

Episode 2 should be up by this weekend, so stay tuned! And, if you happened to miss the first episode, it is embedded below.

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Logo for PBS Online Film Festival. Credit: PBS Pressroom

PBS has issued a press release about their inaugural Online Film Festival, which will take place between Feb. 27 through March 30. To quote the press release:

The Festival, featuring award-winning films with a wide array of styles, perspectives and subject matter, will run from February 27 through March 30 and can be accessed via the PBS website and the PBS YouTube channel.

“The theme of the PBS Online Film Festival is ‘Watch Us Surprise You,’ as we think many will be surprised by the depth and breadth of video content that’s available on PBS.org,” said Jason Seiken, Senior Vice President of Interactive, Product Development and Innovation for PBS. “PBS and member stations have always been a home for independent film and we’re excited to launch this first Festival and introduce viewers to these diverse stories and voices.”

A People’s Choice award will be given to the film with the most votes. Visitors can vote for their favorite film by “liking” it either on the Festival’s page on PBS.org or the PBS YouTube channel. The overall winner will receive top placement on the PBS.org homepage, video portal and YouTube page, promotion on PBS’s social media channels and an official badge for their site.

The PBS Online Film Festival will feature short films produced by a number of public broadcasting organizations including Independent Television Service (ITVS), POV and the National Minority Consortia (Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), National Black Programming Consortium (NPBC), Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) and Native American Public Telecommunications (NAPT)).

Each Monday in the festival, there will be a group of short films linked together through a common theme. Here’s the layout for the festival, according to the press release:

“Real Stories” (February 27) 

Seltzer Works (POV)
Third generation seltzer filler Kenny Gomberg is the last bottler in Brooklyn.

The Archive (POV)
A man and his giant record collection (that no one wants).

Once Upon a Rooftop (CAAM)
The world of Hong Kong rooftop dwellers whose lives are tenuous, but filled with an enduring hope.

I Survived (NAPT)
A first-hand account of Sgt. Samuel Tapia’s experience when his convoy hits a roadside bomb.

“Growing Pains” (March 5)

Man in the Mirror (NBPC)
Jason is popular, athletic, with a girlfriend…and boyfriend? As he tries to figure it all out he is pushed to take a stand.

Life’s Poison (NBPC)
A son has to deal with his dead father’s legacy before it ruins his future.

Clara Como El Agua (LPB)
She’s white. She’s also black. Mostly, she’s rejected.

This Gay and Age (POV)
A young filmmaker examines how media has influenced expectations of gay teens.

My Name is Seven (CAAM)
Seven secretly loves break dancing, but is worried that his skills are mediocre. But Seven quickly ups his game to impress Michi, a champion dancer.

“Girl Power” (March 12)

Keao (PIC)
Keao follows a young woman’s journey of self-actualization through the use of ancient cultural practices.

Flawed (POV)
A woman is uneasy about beginning a relationship with a plastic surgeon.

Women and Girls Lead: Meet Beverly (ITVS)
Beverly Kearny, the University of Texas Women’s Track and Field Coach, leads by example to moldyoung women into confident, fearless winners.

All Falls Down (NPBC)
Three best girlfriends meet a group of boys on their daily commute, and each person is challenged to figure out who they are and what they want from a relationship.

“Who Are We?” (March 19)

Sunshine: Single Dads (ITVS)
Single parenthood becomes even more complicated when the parent is a father, and that father is gay.

Black Folk Don’t: Tip (NBPC)
Part of a series of short films exploring common stereotypes, the film askswhether this is a dated idea or still true today.

Bullet Proof Vest (ITVS)
Nine-year-old Jyeshria wants a bulletproof vest—and she’s dead serious.

The Migration (NAPT)
An eco-fable from the not-too-distant future ponders the role of Native seeds in the survival of humanity.

“Offbeat” (March 26)

Horse You See (NAPT)
Meet Ross, a horse from the Navajo reservation.  Hear his story and thoughts about being a horse.

34x25x36 (POV)
This film shows the inner workings of the Patina V mannequin factory outside Los Angeles and the musings of the designers who decide what the perfect female body should look like.

Future States — Play (ITVS)
This film imagines a not-too-distant future where video games have become indistinguishable from reality.

The Festival will be hosted by filmmakers Patrick Epino and Stephen Dypiangco, co-founders of The National Film Society.  With a uniquely brainy and offbeat style, the National Film Society produces weekly web videos about movies, filmmaking and pop culture. More on the hosts can be found at youtube.com/nationalfilmsociety and facebook.com/nationalfilmsociety.

More information and a preview video for the PBS Online Film Festival can be found at pbs.org/filmfestival. For updates on the Festival, follow #PBSolff on Twitter. Also, you can watch a video about the festival here:

Watch Sizzle Reel on PBS. See more from PBS Online Film Festival.

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IT’S FINALLY HERE! The first episode of the DowntonCast! I’m excited, especially since it turned out well. Check out the show below, and take a look at the show notes: –Intro –How we got into Downton Abbey –Recap: Season 1 –Character Spotlight–Bates (how he changed from season 1 to season 2, what we would have liked to have seen for the character, etc.) –DowntonNews: *Downton Abbey season 2 finale ratings *Interview with Julian Fellowes *Personality Test *Paper Dolls –Final Thoughts –Outro Also, here’s the Strawberry Letter we reference in the podcast episode. It has no bearing on the plot of Downton Abbey, we just think that Anna’s situation sounds like it could be  Strawberry Letter. Not this one, particularly. Take a listen. Theme Song: “Suite for Strings Op. 40 Prelude Allegro Vivace”, Edvard Grieg (uploaded by ccradiocc-classic-morning)

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Lord Grantham as his house becomes a part of the war. Screencap: Me (from YouTube)

Synopsis (iTunes): Downton is turned upside down with the arrival of the wounded officers. Branson intends to make General Strutt’s visit a day no one will forget. William’s return results in an awkward surprise for Daisy. Could there be skeletons in Lavinia’s closet and is Bates back in Downton?

My thoughts: My thoughts, in one word, is “Ugh.” As season 2 wore on, it began to feel like I was walking through mud. Things, particularly the Pamuk situation, were unresolved and there were big storyline errors, resulting in some characters not using common sense. Thomas is re-hired by Lord Grantham to head Downton while it’s acting as a convalescent home due to the suggestion of Lady Grantham (which was through the suggestion of O’Brien). However, both Lord Grantham and Carson discussed the fact that Lady Grantham didn’t know what Thomas had done before he quit to escape firing. For some reason, the idea that Lady Grantham shouldn’t be bothered with this information is used as an excuse to have Lord Grantham decide to come back, when it’s basically so the writer can have Thomas come back into the picture in a quick way.

The Lang/O’Brien situation is interesting. Like I said, we can see a more maternal side to O’Brien that is nice to see after seeing the mean girl side for so long. We learn that O’Brien’s brother was afflicted with PTSD like Lang before getting sent back to war, where he died. This is a nice little touch to O’Brien’s character, and similar to Thomas and Rob James-Collier, O’Brien consistently gets good lines and the actress that portrays her, Siobhan Finneran, gives her depth that makes O’Brien feel like a complete, rounded person.

Livinia, Mary, Matthew, Carlisle, blah. They’re in a triangle. I forgot to mention in the S2 Ep. 2 recap that I don’t get how Mary has suddenly Mary has decided to not act like the wily creature she is and actively steal Matthew back. From how she’s been characterized, the “I had my chance” behavior seems like something she might think about, but not something she’d actively do. I mean, she stole Edith’s chance for happiness even though she realized she was only playing a game with both her sister and Matthew’s hearts. Why not keep doing that? I realize that we are supposed to be seeing the growth of her character, but I just thought she would have learned this particular lesson a bit slower. Like, if she went along with her aunt Rosemund and dusted up drama about Livinia’s secret, then Matthew could have gotten mad at her and said, “Don’t you see? You had your chance! I’m with Livinia now! Leave us alone!” And then she could have had a hissy fit/crying session in her room with either Carson or Anna or her mother comforting her. That’s how I’d do it, anyway.

New maid Ethel is flirting with the officers, particularly Major Bryant (Daniel Pirrie). Mrs. Hughes is doing her best to keep them apart, but her efforts are in vain. This will come back to haunt both Mrs. Hughes and Ethel later on.

Lastly, the Daisy/William subplot. It’s interesting, particularly because Daisy is now more comfortable in the Downton house and is now showing her true personality. I understand why Mrs. Patmore pressured Daisy into letting William think Daisy was in love with him since he was going to war and could never come back. It would seem Mrs. Patmore assumed William wouldn’t come back. But perhaps Daisy is right that it would have been best to break his heart. At least the honest truth would be out. However, I think Daisy was caught between a rock and a hard place, because even if she did break it off before he went to war and he died, then Daisy and/or Mrs. Patmore might feel like Daisy sent him off with a broken heart, which removed him of the will to live.

In any case, that’s pretty much the entire episode. Well, briefly, I’ll address the Bates thing. Bates is back in the village because he “can’t stay away”. I believe this is when we learn of the money Bates has come into and his plan for separating himself from his wife. He said he found that she was unfaithful to him. I would have liked to have seen that.

I’m not saying I would like to see her getting it on with another man, but what I am saying is that I would like some sort of visual proof that she did have an affair and that he did come into some money and that his mom was actually buried and all that. I would have liked to see what he was doing in London. We saw what Anna did in London, something that simply could have been explained to us. But they took their time with her storyline and showed us her trip to find out the truth behind the Bates stealing scandal. I would have liked to have seen the same thing with Bates and his money thing.

I’ll attempt to have Episode 4 recapped soon. I have all of the notes written down for all of the episodes–it just takes me a while to get back to them.

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Thomas trying to provide morale to Lt. Courtenay. Screencap: Me

I know I’m behind with these. There’s a reason for that: one, I have been doing real life things again. Second, Downton Abbey‘s actually become a chore to write about. Not because there’s nothing to talk about, but because there’s so much that happens each episode. Also, after seeing all of the episodes up until the last one (which will air Sunday), the storylines have just gone off the rails, so much so that it’s ridiculous even for a soap opera. Or, perhaps it seems more ridiculous because this wasn’t originally presented as a traditional soap opera; it was presented as a costume drama where stuff happens to rich people and the people that work for them. In any case, I’m determined to finish all of the recaps, so let’s get on to Episode 2.

Synopsis (iTunes): Carson strives to keep standards high with disastrous personal consequences. Lady Rosamund is eager to unearth Lavinia and Carlisle’s secret. The death of a wounded soldier motivates Isobel and Sybil to see Downton in a different light. Shellshocked new valet, Lang, arrives as William gets his call up papers and is love in the air for both Edith and Mary?

My thoughts: I think these thoughts will be quick.

Firstly, hat with Carson having disastrous consequences? I don’t remember any such thing happening in this episode.(EDIT–I do remember what happened. Carson had some type of heart trouble. I wish we knew what it was, since it’s, according to what Lord Grantham was told, it “wasn’t a heart attack.”  What was it, then, that would make Carson double over in heart attack-like pain?)

I’m going forgo everything that happened in this episode to strictly talk about Thomas. Basically, everything else is a bit of filler anyway, even though it’s really sad to see William go to war, seeing how he is one of the nicest characters in the show. His arc is basically second to Thomas’, seeing how William’s unconditional love for Daisy makes some later complications for her. Anyway, Thomas.

We see that Thomas does have a caring heart. He has just made a really good job of hiding it under layers of cattiness and offensive-levels of toughness. When we see how he genuinely wants Lieutenant Courtenay (Lachlan Nieboer) to get better and succeed. He also gives a little insight into his own plight as a gay man. And when we see Lt. Courtnay commit suicide, we get a rare glimpse of just how affected Thomas can be by life. It’s a great moment of acting ability on showcase, and it seems that Thomas increasingly gets the best moments in the show. I am sure he’s a fun character to write for, and Rob James-Collier seems to have really gotten into the mindset of Thomas, adding more layers than there probably were written in by the writer.

I’ll touch on something else really quickly–it is a) interesting and annoying how the Lavinia/Carlisle thing basically amounted to nothing and b) how caring O’Brien actually is. Perhaps the death of the baby shocked some care into her, but she can be a nice person when she wants to be. I’d suppose that Thomas is the bad influence, but Thomas is also the only family she’s seemingly got and vice versa for him. Thomas was the only person O’Brien wrote to when he was in war, and aside from preserving his life, O’Brien is the only reason for him to have a reason to come back. Interesting dichotomy.

After seeing most of the episodes now save for the final one, I’m basically done with Mary and her tired plot. More on that later. Also, Bates’ wife issues start getting insufferable at this point. Blah.

That’s pretty much it.

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Rosamund and Mary in London. Screencap: Me

My sister and I have been gorging ourselves on the second season of Downton Abbey, so this recap may be shorter than the rest simply because I’ve been watching tons of these episodes. I have been taking notes, though. Anyways, let’s get into it.

Synopsis (iTunes): Cora makes a discovery that throws the inheritance issue into chaos, and under pressure from her aunt Lady Rosamund Painswick, Mary is prompted to keep Matthew waiting for an answer to his proposal. Robert arranges for Mrs. Patmore to see an eye specialist, and O’Brien digs up more compromising information about Bates, but the Earl’s response to it comes as a surprise. Thomas leaves the Abbey and Mary exacts vengeance on Edith for her treachery, while the household is rocked by a shocking announcement.

My review: It’s been a few days and a few episodes since I’ve been in the mindset of Episode 7. But, I do have some things to talk about. Both good and bad.

The good is that Mrs. Patmore finds an ally in Mrs. Bird, the cook for Isobel and Matthew. That was fun to see. However, how they decide to become friends is a little rushed. Also Mrs. Patmore gets her much-needed surgery, which is great! I’m glad the issue was resolved without her getting fired, which is what might have happened on another show (no innuendo there–I’m just saying it might happen on another show).

We also find out that Anna is made of a lot more than Bates is. I know I said Bates is one of the saints of the show, but he’s also a very slow worker when it comes to shaking people off, getting rid of dead weight, allowing people to take advantage of him and holding on to shame and insults (some of which he just accepts even though he’s innocent). If Bates had just told Lord Grantham all of this from the beginning, it would have been a lot easier for Bates in the house because Lord Grantham would always be on his side. Heck, Lord Grantham was already on his side! He took him back even after Carson had misgivings about him! All Bates needed to do would be to tell Lord Grantham everything.

Gwen gets the job! That’s great, but that also means we might not see her anymore. I say “might” because I still haven’t watched all of Season 2 yet, and Gwen was one of the best characters on the show. I really want to see her at her new job.

Thomas is a weird character. On the one hand, I feel bad for him because he has bad taste in men and, like so many tragic characters, just wants to be loved. On the other hand, he has callous things, like when he just talks bad about William’s dead mother in front of the guy. This incurs a wrath in William so terrible that he whoops Thomas’ butt old-school style, something I was glad to see.

I think Thomas acts this way because  of what I’ve been saying, which is that he does not like showing vulnerability because he’s not allowed to be his total self. Oddly enough, that show doesn’t really paint that picture well, since everyone seems to know about him being gay. But that’s what we’re supposed to believe. He goes a little above and beyond holding his emotions in when he lashes out at others for no reason, particularly men that are well-liked, like William and Bates, but I think that’s because he wishes he came from a close-knit family like William, were well-liked like both William and Bates, and could basically be the men they are–men who are accepted by society. Now, I already have a huge thing about Draco on this site, and I’m tempted to have a huge essay spot for stuff dedicated to Thomas as well, but while Thomas (and Draco) are very interesting from a mental study point-of-view, would I humor Thomas (or Draco)? NO. I’d probably go AWOL like William. Then I’d probably get fired, but I think, like William, I’d have the backing of Carson and Mrs. Hughes. If we’re speaking simply from the psychological aspects, Thomas is very intriguing.

O’Brien and Mary really learn a lot in this episode through their own mistakes. O’Brien sinks to her depths of depravity when she decides to murder Lady Grantham’s unborn child as a way to get back at her; at the time O’Brien thought that Lady Grantham and the Dowager Countess were trying to replace her, even though Lady Grantham was only trying to help the Dowager Countess find a replacement lady’s maid. Sadly, the baby does die due to O’Brien’s actions, but before the death happens, O’Brien catches herself and tells herself that she’s not this type of person. However, she realizes it too late. Also, the baby was a boy, someone who could have solved all of the Crawleys problems when it comes to finding a male heir. O’Brien has become a lot more sullen and thoughtful after this incident. She also hasn’t told anyone.

Mary is really odd. On the one hand, she can be rather mature. But on the other hand, it’s like she forgets everything she’s been thinking and becomes childish and immature. Her immaturity–trying to get back at Edith for telling the Terrible Awful–along with Aunt Rosamund’s (Samantha Bond) meddling, causes her to lose out on marrying Matthew. He gets fed up with her games and decides to just cut out of Downton altogether. Mary finally realizes the result of her childishness and, frankly, stupidity. All that needs to come out now is that Pamuk died in her bed. Hopefully that comes out sometime later in Season 2. (Sorry for calling her Rosalind in another recap!)

WORLD WAR ONE BEGINS. And this is how we end Season 1. Stay tuned for Season 2 recaps! I’m now caught up with everyone else!

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Bates before revealing his past. Screencap: Me

The one thing that threw me off with this episode is that it’s suddenly two years since Bates has been working there, when nothing in the scripts leading up to Episode 6 have indicated any really big shift forward in time. I think this leap was done in order to “show” us that Bates and Anna’s relationship is more far along than we originally assumed it was. Anyway, this is really the only clumsy thing about this episode, so I thought I’d get it out of the way first.

Well, I guess there’s another clumsy thing that I forgot to mention. This happened a few episodes ago, but what made Matthew like Mary? What about her, aside from being (excuse my English) a bitch, wanted to make Matthew ask for her hand in marriage in Episode 6?  Also, it’s a little funny to wonder why these two like each other and if Edith could have had  a chance with Matthew when watching the show from a 21st century perspective–from today’s perspective, it’s uncouth to marry your cousin, no matter how removed they are from the family. (I read that Matthew is their third cousin, twice removed.)

Anyway, this episode is centered around one of the women’s rights rallies/riots happening in town. Sybil and Branson are attending, but it soon gets to be too much for a Lady to be out in, and Branson whisks her away for fear of her safety. (Isobel, who also happens to be at the rally, wants Sybil to be safe as well.) When Sybil’s father finds out, though, he’s mad, especially when he finds out that all of the women (save for his mother) were in on it. Lord Grantham basically forbids Sybil from going back to the rallies because of the politics involved. He might be open-minded, but he’s not really a liberal. Women’s rights threatens the aristocracy because if women’s rights gets passed, then other things, like limiting the gap between the haves and have-nots, might be put up for a vote. Then, what prominence or importance would Downton Abbey have?

Needless to say, Sybil goes back to the rallies by tricking Branson into thinking she has some other business to attend to. The rally turns nasty, and thankfully Matthew was at his practice. He meets up with Branson and Sybil right as the riot starts –and when Sybil gets knocked out cold. They take her to Matthew’s house where his mother can patch her up. Mary is also taken to the Crawley House in order to see her sister and take her home. However, Mary is once again given the cold shoulder by Matthew when he puts all his attention toward Sybil and not her (again, she’s being a spoiled brat. Her sister was hurt, for goodness’ sake!). In any case, Branson is barely hanging onto his job; Sybil has threatened to run away if her father fires Branson for something that was her doing.

Sybil at the rally. Screencap: Me

This episode is pretty much “Mary’s not hot stuff anymore,” because Edith manages to charm Sir Antony away from Mary, proving to Mary that she’s got competition when it comes to entertaining possible suitors. Good for Edith. However, that Sir Antony’s a little old for her. He should be thinking about that all of the time. I would, if I were him, but I guess he’s not since he did ask her out on a date.

Edith and Sir Antony. Screencap: Me

We learn more of William. In fact, we see Mary bonding with him on a certain level. I guess since she’s got nothing better to do–all of the men in her life are occupied–she decides to talk to him. We later find out that William not only comes from a good home, but his mother’s also near death. His mother doesn’t want him to know she’s ill, but Mary thinks it’s best for him to go be with her. She arranges some time off for him, out of the kindness of her heart.

O’Brien and Thomas rope poor Daisy into their scheme of getting Bates sacked. They pin Thomas’ theft of the wine on Bates and gets Daisy to tell a fake story to Carson about seeing Bates with the wine. Thanks to William (“There are no lies in our [his parents'] house,”) Daisy comes to her senses and tells Carson the real truth. O’Brien and Thomas are on the ropes now, but Bates tells Carson, Anna, and Mrs. Hughes in private that his past might get him fired anyway; in the past, he was a drunkard and was arrested for theft. He hasn’t touched a drop of wine because of his former alcoholism. He puts forward his resignation, and Carson says he’ll mull it over after conferring with Lord Grantham.

Meanwhile, we’ve learned that Mrs. Patmore does have cataracts, but she probably won’t want to get any treatment in order to save the eyesight she does have. Also, Gwen gives Sybil a lesson in the social hierarchy of England, saying that the haves can expect to get what they want because they expect it. The have-nots, however, never expect anything to happen to them. However, Sybil promises that she will find Gwen a secretarial job.

Finally, the Dowager Countess finds out about the, to quote The Help‘s Minny Jackson, “Terrible Awful” that Mary has been a part of. At first, the Dowager Countess is horrified, but Lady Grantham says that she couldn’t turn her back on Mary, even with the Terrible Awful. Eventually the Dowager Countess decides not to turn her back on family, either.

The Dowager Countess’ reaction to the Terrible Awful. Screencap: Me

One last thing that I noticed–Branson is basically Harry Spargo (Neil Jackson) from the 2010 revival of Upstairs Downstairs . They both are political radicals, they both form attachments to one of the ladies of the house, and they both are a part of rallies,  giving out pamphlets, and the like. I’m not saying it’s a good or bad thing, but there are a few characters who are basically counterparts to other characters on either incarnation of Upstairs Downstairs. Like, for instance, Mrs. Patmore is like Mrs. Bridges from the original 1971 version of Upstairs Downstairs.

Anyway, another good episode. I’m almost to the climax of the first series, Episode 7!

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