AAR

[Lynda X]

Like many of us, I'm really looking forward to this which will begin in the US in early Jan.

Here's an early preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe3-LBSkYw4&feature=player_embedded

[Tinabelle]

Me, too! I just watched Season 1 again and am counting the days until Season 2 begins in January. I went onto the British home page for the series and got some inkling of what's coming up. Looks like some interesting plot lines will develop.
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[NoirFemme]

You can keep up with all the news at my site: http://edwardianpromenade.com/resources/downton-abbey-portal/

[Elaine S]

I sure hope that the 2 hour Christmas Special is included at the end of Season 2 for all you outside the UK! Be still my beating heart!!!!

[NoirFemme]

[jebe]

This really is one of the best shows I've seen in ages. Love it! Can't wait to see the Christmas special, which I've already spoiled for myself by reading on the internet . Love, love, love this show. Matthew Crawley, in league with Mr. Darcy for to-die-for heroes!
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[CD]

Well, I've just finished watching the second series on DVD and was a little disappointed, mostly due to the writing. What I loved about the first series was how tight and sharp the writing was, but the second series felt unfocused and a bit of a rush job, to be honest. Too many storylines, too many of which went around in circles, and the pacing was all over the place.

However, the bar was set extremely high in the first series. The second is still superb (if increasingly soapy) entertainment and the acting, sets, costumes etc are just as impeccable. Due to the time period, the themes are a lot darker and there were moments of extreme pathos, often unexpected. One of the moments that got me reaching for my hankerchief involved Thomas of all characters!

As an aside, I have to say that I barely tolerated Matthew and Mary in first series, and the second pushed me into outright irritation. Goodness sake, they deserve each other...

Haven't yet seen the Xmas special so hoping that that redeems the series somewhat.
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[jebe]

[Charlotte McClain]

These are available in the iTunes store for the iPad. First season is $9.99, second $14.99.
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[Claire]

After watching the first season, on the pbs repeats, I can't wait for season 2 (tomorrow night!). Are we really supposed to be rooting for Matthew and Mary? I thought he had more chemistry with her sister Sybil when he saved her at the rally. Mary is hard for me to warm up to. When she wavered on marrying him when she thought her mom was having a baby and the issue of the entailment, that really irked me. Didn't she admit she loves him? What's the problem then? I'm finding I really like Bates (Brendan Coyle from North and South!) and Ann's almost romance downstairs. I like Lord Grantham in general- what he did for the going blind cook-for instance and of course the lady dowager countess (did I get that mangled? hehe) who has great lines.

The reviews seem like this season won't be as good as 1 but still entertaining.

[xina]

I started watching on Saturday night for the first time. OMG...I am a fan. It was wonderful to watch. I am going to have to catch up and watch season 1.
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[ChrisReader]

I enjoyed both seasons of Downton although I have to laugh sometimes at how anachronistic a lot of the family's actions are.
(Would a daughter of an Earl really run across a fancy lawn party to hug and jump around with the chauffeur and the second maid? In front of everyone? I very much doubt it. )

I think it's interesting that Julian Fellowes also wrote Gosford Park as the aristocrats in that are shown to be generally awful and the family in Downton is usually shown as familiar and generous to their staff. Maggie Smith is curmudgeonly but very likable in Downton but plays the evil version of pretty much the same role in Gosford Park.

Though I was happy to see the "main" couple together by the end of the Christmas special I confess to not entirely warming up to her and wanting to shake her more than once.

[maggie b.]

I am so glad to hear the comments about Mary and Mathew. I thought I was alone in not quite liking Mary. She can be so selfish.

RE season two - I felt that every time the authors were heading somehwere interesting they pulled back and splashed fairy dust on it.

WARNING! SPOILERS FOR SEASON TWO AHEAD!!!

Where they pulled back and maybe shouldn't have:

- Thomas's near affair with blind man at beginning of Season 2 Would have been nice to see him show a little humanity and genuine emotion.
- The Lavinia/Carlisle/Mathew/Mary mess. It would have been nice if it wasn't so convenient. Poor Lavinia dies and then Carlisle professes how much he loved Mary. I wonder if he will even publish or if his love will keep him from destroying her.
- The Mathew can't walk oh wait, no he can fiasco.
- I didn't like the storyline with the Earl and the maid named Jane. It wasn't going anywhere, why throw it in?
- Sybils marriage being done off screen. I hope she does get to return and we see how she is doing.
- I was disappointed in Edith and Sir Anthony's conversation. She should have laughed and told him she'd worked very well thank you with patients who reqauired real nursing. She could deal with his little problem without any trouble. (Though spoilers for next season show things may work out for her in terms of marriage to someone.)

I'm looking forward to Season 3 but I hope they don't just take the family to the brink of tragedy and then surprise! everything works out. I hope they let at least one of the main characters really get hit by tragedy.

maggie b.
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[D Rogers]

I am nearly through the second season (watching it on DVDs). I am at the point in the series when Mrs. Bates is killed. Okay, so I rolled my eyes at my husband, and he says "let's just guess what the cliff-hanger is going to be. ..." Well, I doubt we need to do much guessing.

I don't know; I still like it and will finish it out, but it just seems to me that the show has the feel of being written "on the fly," now. Someone else mentioned that she or he felt this season was a bit disappointing because it doesn't seem as tightly written, and I agree. Plus, the characters behave in inconsistent ways (certainly Thomas and O'Brien are inconsistent). Now I know that people do behave in inconsistent ways, but it just seems to me that much of the time the reasons that the characters have to behave differently is to suit the plot changes--not because it's believable that the characters would feel that way (that Thomas, suddenly, has to stand up for William's return home because of class solidarity--Thomas is for his own solidarity; he doesn't give a fig about class warfare or William). I did believe his compassion for the blind soldier, but not his compassion for William.

O'Brien's sympathy with Lord Grantham's shell-shocked valet made sense to me, and I could believe that one, but with too many changes (or revelations) of this kind, I just feel sort of strung along. (Did anyone believe for a minute that Matthew would be crippled for life--uh, no.)

I am enjoying Maggie Smith in this and will be sorry to see her go. She's been my favorite character in the show.

Denise

[jebe]