Poor Matthew died as Season 3 ended. We all sat in our seats as if dumbstruck, certain that Season 4 would begin with a resounding bang, including our attendance at his funeral and wake. Instead, viewers have been treated to a season of tepidness. Julian Fellowes has taken us on a journey in a Sargasso Sea of his own making, circling around familiar story lines and swirling his characters in a holding pattern until he can find a way to break them out.
Matthew’s death surprised us and set the stage for cataclysmic changes in the Crawley household. (Image: @Daily Mail)
Where are the high stakes conflicts? Where are the intriguing story lines that kept us on the edge of our seats from week to week? (And, no, the rape scene does not count. Sorry, Julian.)
We were expecting epic upheavals. (Image: Ian McKellen (King Lear), William Gaunt (Gloucester))
Granted that Fellowes was not given enough time by ITV to rest on his laurels and breathe before meeting the next season’s writing deadlines. Granted that the goings on at the Abbey still provide some of the best TV drama on our schedules, but none of us could have predicted the steady decline in the riveting story lines from earlier seasons. (Before I continue, I must share that my friend, Hillary, who watched each episode with me, thinks that I am being much too harsh on this season, and that my neighbors, whose judgments I trust, found this season to be an improvement over Season 3.)
Including a lack of time to develop his stories and characters, Fellowes’ decision to remove the writers who helped to make Season One a resounding success didn’t help matters. So, let’s examine the state of Season Four’s tepitude (Episodes 3-6 ), shall we? It is 1922, 6 months after Matthew Crawley’s death.
The Crawleys
The earl’s a nice old-fashioned man who gives a tenant farmer’s son a chance to pay back his daddy’s bills, but, then, in Epidsode 6, he’s shipped off to America to help his brother in law. We’ll see him in the Christmas special, but, still, tepid.
Cora is showing more backbone, but she still has no taste in ladies maids. She loves having her grand babies in the house, although Tom is threatening to move himself and baby Sybbie to America. Cora has no control over Rose, or Edith, for that matter. Tepid.
Rose is a flapper who likes to rebel. Her romance with beautiful Jack Ross (love his voice and brilliant white teeth) is, well, predictable.
Violet and Isobel are becoming strange bedfellow friends. Neither woman is given much to do, which has been disappointing. Violet’s been obsessed with petty theft of her things by a new young gardener (Pegg). She has very little proof, but she hates to be wrong and her stubbornness leads us into familiar territory. In the end she shows her good heart by rehiring Pegg, whom she had fired. Then she gets sick and is nursed back to health by Isobel, whom she slowly starts to accept as a friend. Not a major story line, to be sure. And what happened to the hints of romance between Isobel and Dr. Clarkson in Season 3? He’s not even listed as a major character on PBS’s site for Season 4. Tepid. Tepid. Lame.
Belowstairs
Thomas is still a snake, but one without a riveting story line. He’s lost O’Brien, his ally in nasty schemes, and has been reduced to plotting behind the scenes via Baxter, Cora’s new ladies maid. Baxter’s obviously reluctant to play along. She’s capable and willing (showing others how her sewing machine works), but, frankly, her story line so far is … diddly, insignificant. You get the drift. As for Thomas, he’s been shipped off to America along with the earl, so we can assume that they’ll both show up in the final installment. Lame
Mrs. Hughes is a nice motherly figure with whom all can share their secrets. Mr Carson remains an old-fashioned fatherly figure who keeps everyone in their place. And Mrs. Patmore is anything but a futurist. No change here. Their story lines are predictable, but, in this case, is that a bad thing?
Bates learns of Anna’s rape, relieving her of the guilt of omission but raising her anxiety that he’ll eventually go out and shoot the bastard, which he will, if Bates’s dark ruminations are an indication. “Your husband’s a brooder, and brooders brood.” Every time we hear their “theme”, we are reminded of the dark side to their story line. (They can never be happy for long. Even their night out is fraught with difficulties, except for Cora’s interventions.) Episode six ends with an image of Bates casting an evil eye in Mr. Green’s direction, leaving the viewers with a sick feeling that Seasons Two and Three are about to be repeated in the Bates/Anna “woe is us” story line. These star-crossed lovers are still rotating in a Sargasso Sea of repeated plot lines.
The Clueless Chauffeur
In yet another moment of stupidity, Tom Branson beds Edna Braithwaite, the scheming maid who was laid off last season for bedding him in the first place, but who inexplicably returns as O’Brien’s replacement as Cora’s lady’s maid. Tom was a chauffeur, right? So what’s to prevent him from driving outside of the village to find nookie at a safe distance? This plot line is stupid to the nth degree. Plus, does anyone really think that we’ve seen the last of Edna? Tom’s entertained the idea of taking himself and baby Sibbie off to America for a new life, which leaves Cora in a tizzy. We do get a whiff of a new romantic interest when Tom attends a political rally in Ripon. Despite many possibilities, Fellowes has poor Tom whirling around a Sargasso Sea of repeated plot lines. Where is the old Tom’s political fire? We miss that.
Edith. Oh, poor, poor Edith.
Edith finally gets her man, but then he disappears into the bowels of poverty-stricken, post World War One Germany. In his absence, she’s worried that she might be pregnant after a night of illicit love. What was Fellowes thinking? This season was Edith’s chance for a breakaway story line that would turn her into a strong and independent woman, instead we merely get … the same old, same old. Edith’s chance at happiness is snatched away when she finds out she’s pregnant and staring at the possibility of carrying a bastard and facing society’s censure. Fellowes missed a major opportunity to elevate Edith’s growth as a character to another level. He has her rotating around a Sargasso Sea of repeated plot lines – that of the loser sister. Disappointing.
Lady Mary’s story arc: a trio of men and a passel of pigs
Good grief. What made the Mary/Matthew romance riveting was the sexual tension between the two characters. They were attracted and repelled at the same time, and viewers sat on the edge of their seats waiting for their fights to end, their first passionate kiss, first reconciliation, first breakup, second reconciliation, second breakup … well, you get the drift. Their romance was played out against a backdrop of serious, catastrophic events – the sinking of the Titanic and loss of Downton’s heir, the possibility of losing the entire estate due to bad investments, World War One, Matthew’s engagement to another, the influenza epidemic, etc. When the couple finally married we all sighed a collective breath of relief. Aaaah. And then they conceived the heir, George. Aaaah. But then a truck drove into Matthew’s path and splat! – the end of an epic romance and abrupt end to Season 3.
At the start of Season 4, we were not even privy to his funeral (bad decision), but given just a glimpse of his grave. This season began six months after Matthew’s death, with Mary walking around the Abbey like a zombie. She’s sad. She’s grieving. She can’t move. Her lower lip is as stiff as the upper. Tepid and predictable.
Then a childhood friend waltzes in (Lord Tony Gillingham) and she sorta, kinda perks up. No spark. No sexual tension. This new beau is no Matthew. I was expecting an actor on the order of a Benedict Cumberbatch or Richard Armitage. What we got instead was Anthony Foyle, a handsome man, to be sure, but one who’s chin I find worrisomely on the weak side. He’s in love with Mary, who’s still in love with Matthew, so, realizing she’s not about to budge, he puts Mary on the spot and says something like: Before I leave, promise to become my wife. If you do, I won’t get engaged to Mabel, a woman I don’t love. If you say no, you know my situation, I must get married. Mary resists. Smart woman. She manages a twinge when she thinks about her lost opportunity, but we suspect it was just indigestion. This lifeless story line can’t compare to the real character conflict offered up in previous seasons.
Yorkshire pigs wallow in mud at the poplar spring animal sanctuary in Poolesville, Maryland. Photo credit: Wikipedia.
Then there’s Evelyn Napier’s return. He who is interested in Mary but introduced her to Pamuk. ‘Nuff said. His interest in Mary is still palpable, but she rebuffs him at every turn. Napier never was an interesting character to begin with, except in his role as facilitator. This time he brings a guest in the form of Charles Blake, his boss and a government administrator. Blake, who served during World War I alongside Tony Gillingham, studies whether large estates can adapt and survive in a post-war society. He frankly doubts whether this can be accomplished, especially at the Abbey. Worse, he fails to share Napier’s enthusiasm for Mary, who, to give him credit, comes off as stiff as an ironing board. But there is chemistry between the two, which was sorely lacking with the other two gents. Sparks fly twixt Mary and Blake as they disagree on every topic, and while they might be failing to “connect” socially, they are surely noticing one another.
Image of scrambled eggs @wikimedia
The pigs arrive just when Tom is attending a rally in Ripon and no farmer is around to care for them. During an after dinner walk, Blake and Mary discover that the pigs, who are hopefully going to save the Abbey’s bacon, are dehydrated from lack of water. For hours Mary and Blake toil to save them. Mary mired in muck attracts Blake’s interest. They have a mud fight. They laugh. The fact that she can scramble eggs really twirls his cookies. By this time, Mary, a six-month widow, has acquired three suitors. Napier’s obviously out of the running. Gillingham piques her interest now that he’s engaged. But Blake? Well, his indifference-turned-to-admiration is sure to earn a widow’s heart. Or will it? Isn’t all this romantic intrigue over Mary while she’s still grieving for Matthew too soon? You decide.
Belowstairs again
Good grief. How sad is the quadrangle Fellowes conconted? Daisy’s angry. Daisy’s sad. Daisy mopes around. All because of Alfred, who aspires to be a chef now that he realizes he can’t have Ivy, a very uninteresting scullery maid. Jimmy’s story line intersects with theirs and it’s … you guessed it, tepid. He’s just another humdrum character. Alfred, who, as he leaves, acknowledges to Daisy that her romantic interest in him will never be returned, says goodbye to them all. Ho-hum. Yawn.
Where’s William’s daddy when you need him, and why hasn’t he come around to visit Daisy and tempt her with the real possibility of running her own farm and becoming a woman of substance? Hints were made all last season, but the result up to Episodes 6 is … nothing. I had imagined that our resourceful Daisy would make a success of herself this season and haggle with Mrs. Patmore over the price of fresh produce. A missed opportunity – big time.
The costumes. Do the 1920’s costumes really compete with Edwardian clothes? Click on my Pinterest boards and decide for yourself. I rather think that the Crawley women look dowdy compared to seasons past.
Reading the PR spin on PBS’s website, one would have thought that our high expectations would have been met. Were they? Have I left out anything important? Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? Feel free to leave your thoughts, pro or con.
Now, let the sparring begin!
Image links and attributions:
Image, Indiana Fireworks Explosion@ Daily Mail
Image of Mary, Lord Gillingham and Evelyn Napier
Jane Austen's World 
LOL. I actually enjoyed s4 for its frothiness (I found S3 quite ponderous–likely because Fellowes had to write out two major characters and it threw him for a [creative] loop), until the Christmas Special. This episode undid all of the goodwill I had towards s4 and revealed all of its shortcomings–and the superficiality on which Downton is coasting.. That’s kind of why I haven’t been livetweeting and why I stopped recapping this season. Downton is still enjoyable, but my heart isn’t in it anymore…*sigh*
Thanks for your insight, Evangeline. I miss our live tweeting and your recaps, but, as you said, this Season just isn’t worth the enormous effort we once devoted to this show.
Thank you all for overlooking the fact that this blog post needed serious proofing, which only goes to show that all published pieces require a fresh eye (or a good night’s sleep) to point out inaccuracies.
I am loving the commentary and the different points of view, and appreciate everyone’s insights.
It’s been so disappointing! WHY did the actor that portrayed Matthew have to go. I’m whining like Edith, I know. Poor Edith. They must have had some kind of birth control back then. Nothing is very edge-of-the-seat worthy. You are correct.
I agree about the clothes, although Mary’s color scheme of purples and plums has really been lovely this season. On the Mary front, I’ve never gotten her appeal, so having 3 men panting after her when women are 3 to 1 after the war seems a little much, imo. As for the rest of it, I feel like the season is on a slow boil and I’m willing to see where these other storylines will go. At this point, I feel there’s an equal chance they’ll lead to something really interesting or just fizzle. Maybe there’s gotten to be too many characters to keep them all going with interesting storylines?? I do like how JF has been bringing Tom and Isobel out of their grief slowly and realistically. Frankly, I think 6 months is too short a time for Mary to already be having new romantic interests. Supposedly, she and Matthew were a great love, yet 6 months is long enough for her grieve? I don’t think so. I think Mary should have been on the back burner this season and, like you said, Edith made to shine. The whole scandalous romance/baby/possible abortion would have meant a lot more if we’d had a season of build up to it. If we’d gotten to see Edith and Gregson really fall in love, Edith take some command of her life and enjoy some success as a writer, etc. I would have cared a lot more when her love disappeared and she was suddenly having to make heartbreaking choices. As it is, I’m still not completely convinced Gregson is the great guy he seems to be. I haven’t seen him and Edith together enough to invested in their romance and all of sudden there’s a possible baby on board? Yikes, I feel like there was more care and character development in one episode between Mary and her pig man than half a season of Edith and Gregson. But, alas, I guess that comes from JF being in love with Mary and Edith always being written as the role of sad sack.
“pig man”…funny…hope JO doesn’t mind that nick name.
You make a good point that JF should have brought Edith to the forefront this season and really developed her character. I would have liked her to get strong enough to walk away from Gregson and maybe go up to Napier and take charge of him. I like Napier but he doesn’t take charge of his destiny…I mean we know that he’s always had a thing for Mary but when he has the opportunity to declare himself he doesn’t. What he did say at the dinner table to Cora though was “she (Mary) can take charge of me.” He really would be a better match for Edith. But I like your observations re Edith and Gregson.
To Mary’s credit, she’s not pursuing the men, they are pursuing her. She hasn’t opened up to anyone. Reminds you of the adage “when you’re not looking…” referring to when you’re not looking for a man that’s when it will happen. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Mary someday travels to America and meets her “Perseus” and/or “sea monster” there?
Carla,
Agree with you on all points regarding Edith and her relationship with Gregson, and, the fact that Fellowes could have given us so much more on those two. And, yes, it would have been nice to see Edith continue to come into her own in her journalistic endeavors.
It really does seem that J.F. is in love with Mary’s character and habitually demeaning Edith’s.
Also great point about the shortage of young men in post World War I – it would have been nothing short of a miracle for THREE handsome young men to be swarming around Mary at the same time…
I found out about Matthew a couple days before the happy episode where they’re playing ball. I stopped watching after that. I just couldn’t. I could barely take Sybil, Matthew would have been too much. I’d rather remember it happily.
Dear Vic,
I have to agree with your comment, and I quote ” I was expecting an actor on the order of a Benedict Cumberbatch or Richard Armitage.” If Richard Armitage were to suddenly grace the set of Downton Abbey (if not in S4 in S5) what a day that would be!!!! Ah! Mr. Thornton (“North & South”). Are you listening Mr. Fellowes?
Another point I thoroughly agree with you on is about the garments from the 20’s versus the Victorian era. They really were lack-luster in the 20’s doing nothing for a woman’s figure. And the hair-do’s. Not very flattering. But, Sargosa Sea and all, I’m still enjoying DA. Maybe if Mr. Fellowes reads this blog he’ll enlist the help of assistant writers for S5 and we’ll see Mr. Armitage appear on the scene as a 1920’s of 30’s version of Mr. Thornton visiting the South!
And Vic, you have a great sense of humor as we can see from the pictures you inserted! Made me laugh, especially the pigs! Weeeeeeee.
For me, learning of the Anna storyline, was the nail in the coffin. I can’t watch that. Fellowes should have given Anna, Cora, Edith strong women succeeding story lines. He should have shipped Mary w/ her sour face away! She can take old Carlson w/ her. HIs main job is telling us how wonderful Mary is & how they have a special relationship. And giving her 3 lovers after the war was ridiculous anyway. Fellowes needs to look @ the history of his own country & draw on that for story lines. But for his Anna storyline, I am so over this show~done!
• Vic, thanks for taking such time and consideration writing your commentary/review on the D.A. season 4 – especially for NOT throwing in the towel in spite of how bad (or in your words, “tepid”) things have become. Reading your commentary and, that of so many other witty and introspective posters here on your site is really a kind of ‘therapy’ to help us (or at least me) sort through the disappointing demise in the storytelling and therefore, the series!
• I disagree with your friend Hillary and your dear neighbors; things just seem to be slipping downhill consistently. I mean, compared to Seasons 1 and 2 when Fellowes bestowed upon us some outstanding writing and character & plot development, the episodes for season four have been a hybrid between melodrama (as in soap opera) and mundane repetition!
• I am in complete agreement with you that Fellowes should have asked for some really good assistant writers to help him out of his stalemate status and bring this show back up to the superb entertainment it once was. Something that his niece and wife have obviously not been able to help him do. Nepotism in this case is not paying off.
• And, he was either very clever in skipping over Matthew’s death and funeral and allowing the characters (and us, the viewers) to properly partake in grieving over that huge loss, or very lazy (or, “C – all the above). I know I’ve said this before and some will say “just get over it!” but I believe that Fellowes had an ego clash with Stevens at some point to have killed him off in such a quick and careless way. True, Dan wanted to do other projects but in an interview he did during the filming of season 3, he clearly stated that he was expecting to be around until at least the first part of season 4 so something went very wrong between those two (star and writer). Fellowes could have dealt with that departure in so many other possible and intelligent ways… you know, uhm, say, send him to America to sort out financial crisis for extended family members. Enuf said – really!
• Are my husband and I the only ones who’ve noticed that the wonderful, compassionate and uniquely tolerant Earl of Grantham has been transformed into a fussy old curmudgeon in Seasons 3 & 4???
• I love Elizabeth McGovern but Fellowes has mostly just given her the very limited opportunity to basically be a pretty backdrop throughout most of the series and this season proves to be no different…definitely “tepid.”
• Rose’s character offers so little to the story and we too, liked seeing Jack Ross but once again Fellowes has taken liberty by altering real history with his glossed over version – perhaps in an attempt to appease viewers with today’s political correctness. But the truth is that NO ONE called an African-Englishman a “Black” jazz singer in the 1920s. They would have referred to him in polite terms as a “negro” or “colored” singer (at best).
Let me add that my wonderful husband (who has also had some success as a writer/author over the years) is African-American and Native American (looking more African-American) and he was floored that Fellowes had Aunt Rosamund using the term “black” when that was not used until about 4 decades later in the 1960s.
• It’s kind of like that speech the Earl gave Alfred (and/or Jimmy) at the cricket match in season 3 about Thomas being different (meaning gay) and how we should all be more tolerant to those differences…W-H-A-A-T-D??? At the very most, even a tolerant and exceptionally compassionate Earl would have let Thomas go with references and there would have been no such speeches of tolerance for anyone who was gay in that time (no matter how much we wished it to be so).
• What a waste of some truly great talent in Penelope Wilton and Dame Maggie – their quips and different view of things provided us with some of the best scenes in past seasons. Although it was touching and just a wee bit amusing to see the D.C. forcing herself to be friendly to Isobel after learning that she nursed her with such loyalty for 2 days & nights.
• I think Carson (who is truly the best snob upstairs or down) continues to give us a good show as does Patmore and Mrs. Hughes so their continuity of character seems to be a good thing.
• Love your “Sargasso Sea” references and yes, if Fellowes puts Bates back in prison (or worse) over the smarmy Green’s attack on Anna, we’re going to be so over this show…please stop making this your main ‘martyr couple’ Fellowes – please.
Fellowes REALLY needs to let Tom find himself and at least some semblance of that passion he had for the working classes. We truly hope that the young woman at the rally in Ripon will inspire him to rekindle that fire within or, has living upstairs at D.A. without his lovely and forward thinking Sybil extinguished that for good?
Regarding Edith: Oh for Heaven’s sake, give this girl a break! I continue to wonder if Edith keeps getting a bad rap and no happy experiences because she’s not the ‘conventional beauty’ that sister Mary is. Then again, maybe Fellowes just likes to peg the same characters as his “go to martyrs?” Btw, I still say that Edith was never any more sharp-tongued or mean spirited than Mary – but are we lead to be more tolerant toward Mary because she’s the “pretty sister?”
SO agree with you about the ups and riveting downs between Mary and Matthew and after just six months she’s supposed to toss such a deeply entrenched love (or memory of) aside for one of these weak ‘substitutes?’
Lord Gillingham makes a nice friend and dance partner but a Matthew replacement? No way. Do we feel sorry for Evelyn Napier or just exasperated for him (from not knowing when to throw the towel in)?
Oh yeah, Richard Armitage…that’s another thing altogether! ;-)
Another completely inexplicable 360 degree turn in a character’s personality. When Blake tossed mud at Mary, I actually looked at my husband and asked, “Did he just throw mud at her?” Then, Mary’s throwing mud back and laughing – did someone slip a mickey in her wine at dinner??? And, would Mary even know where the eggs were in the kitchen, let alone how to scramble them in a pan…r-e-a-l-l-y? Remember, most family members of the elite never even ventured below stairs.
Oh, definitely too soon for Mary to be over Matthew.
Okay, THANK YOU for the therapy session (and if you and the other D.A. friends/posters on this site are really lucky, I’ll be too busy to comment on “The Downstairs” scenes)! /=P
Wonderfully funny assessment, Vic. The plot line that seems the most tedious is Daisy still stuck on her man. She never gets out of the kitchen or this silly romance and as you write, William’s father should show up to rescue her. As to Mary, we were astonished to see her make scrambled eggs. Would not think her capable of boiling water. The pig episode was the first where she laughed. Julian hasn’t given her enough zingers this season and the same for the dowager. More humor needed. Edith is depicted as a sourpuss looser, so it’s fine if that continues and because of her negative role, it’s better if she isn’t the main focus. Lady Cora has never behaved like an American heiress and she continues to be against type. They were snobby, pretentious and spoke with a fake British accent even in the States. Bates remains an interesting character and the only one written with a little suspense – we don’t know how far he’ll go to avenge Anna’s honor.
Note about the Vichyssoise mentioned in Ritz Hotel tryout. It had nothing to do with Careme so the show’s historians got it wrong. I have Louis Diat’s cookbook and he wrote it was an ordinary hot farmer’s soup from his family farm area, Vichy. (These hot soups formed the basis for supper – called souper. In the country, the main meal was at midday.) He simply made it cold for the summer in New York City. It only has onion, potato, leek and milk when made hot, and no stock, as the main ingredients, and cold he added cream. Modern recipes add stock which takes away from the flavor. I prefer to add just water and not milk and add cream at the end.
PS For anyone interested in knowing what all the actors in D.A. are doing outside the show (including our beloved, departed Matthew and Sybil), this web site provides a good deal of information:
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/downton-abbey/27964/the-downton-abbey-stars-invading-hollywood
I agree completely with your astute commentary. Feckless Fellowes must jump down from his pedestal and enlist the aid of other writers who can bring fresh takes on his old, worn-out story lines. What fun it would be to see Daisy rise up and show boring Ivy what she’s made of while thumbing her nose at Alfred as she marches onward and upward.
The sad sack story line that ties Edith down needs to be cut. Wouldn’t it have been far more fascinating to see her take on London and the old guard with her writing and independence?
As for Rose…she’s not my favorite. Perhaps if Fellowes would have made her a bit more flapperesque, she would have been an interesting character. Bringing Rose into the mix was unnecessary, the little time spent on her budding bi racial romance could have been better spent on developing Edith. My view on keeping within the time frame aligns with Jamey Lacey-July’s. As much as i wish equality existed in the 20s, it simply did not.
I’m worn out watching the constant angst of Bates and Anna…move on, please.
Rather than send the Earl and Tom to America, it would have been more fun if Cora’s mother and brother would have joined the family at DA bringing with them all their troubles and in your face American attitudes.
Love Violet and Isobell. Carson, Mrs. Hughes, and Mrs. Padmore continue to stay true to their characters and positions within the hierarchy of the staff. It seems Fellowes has the most problems with the younger set.
Thanks for providing a platform to get the disappointment and frustration with DA out. Whewwww…I feel better.
I completely agree with your synopsis. This season was just plain blah. So many possibilities that went …. nowhere.
I agree that this season has been disappointing—although I DO like the clothes; the evening dresses, especially! But what’s up with all the misogynistic story lines? Not that this is new for Downton; the men when they suffer, do it heroically for some noble cause. The women seem to horribly punished more often than not. Pick a female character: Cora, Mary, Edith, Sybil, Anna, whoever; have her act out, show some spirit, try to become independent, disagree with her husband/father and watch her have a miscarriage, get widowed, get jilted/knocked up, get raped and so on. The exceptions are my favorites: Violet (always good in a delightful, vinegary way!) and Mrs. Hughes (did you see her practically spitting poison at Anna’s vile rapist? loved her bravery!). So my wish is for Julian Fellowes to stop hating on his ladies. Remember who the vast majority or your viewing audience is good sir, and give us back a show worth watching!
Your summary was more entertaining in my humble opinion than the season itself!
I agree with your assessment of Season 4. Fellowes seems unable to move beyond the usual plot tricks and character development. Too many of the characters are unchanged or unable to change..I had hoped that Mary’s single status would lead to new, more interesting developments. This set of suitors, though, don’t add any sparkle or real interest. And it’s still too soon for Gillingham’s proposal and the kiss on the grounds.
Maybe it’s “Downton fatigue” settling in with me, but I find that some of the dialogue sounds more contrived and jarring than it might have before. When Isobel says she’s not a mother anymore, that’s not true. You’re still a mother, even if you lose a child.
What a brilliantly written insightful review of this season. I really enjoyed reading this. For the most part, I am in accord with your take, while still tuning in as Downtown is more interesting than most anything else being offered. As you mentioned. Thanks for a great post.
After PBS/BBC/I forget who disclosed Anna’s rape, I rather lost interest in turning on DT as soon as our local PBS started to broadcast S4. The “teasers” of the new season further muted my interest. Having read your analysis and the comments of others, I think I will simply have a DT marathon one rainy Saturday afternoon, armed with tea, cookies (excuse me – biscuits), my knitting. And my sound control. Between the vapid, predictable plot lines and the likely chat of the characters (how could Fellowes be so stupid about his reference to blacks as “black” and not “coloured” in the 1920s?) the sole value of this season may be to examine the costumes and evaluate Fellowes’s accuracy in keeping the hemlines correctly low (hemlines did not rise to knee level until the mid to late 1920’s and then after a year or two, began to fall; before that, they were at calf level at best and at one point were at two levels on the same frock).
Meh. Well, nothing good lasts forever.
Richard Armitrage is wasted as Thorin. Please, Julian, bring him to DT! How about an affair for Cora while the earl is away. Hey, he cheated on her, and with a much less interesting amour.
I don’t think the writer clearly understands the definition of “tepid”. I see the story line building, slowly, I admit, but still building.
Marilyn, I agree!
Constant excitement and action can seem contrived and unrealistic.
The fatlady hasn’t sung yet, so I’m enjoying the show!
Hi, this is Vic, the writer. I have looked up tepid and its uses and I stand by my assessment of using the word as a description of how I feel about this show. I think my readers have no doubt that my response to Season 4 is tepid. Tepidity means moderate warmth, so I am discounting this season entirely. Tepid also means a lack of passion or force. The word implies a change, usually to a colder state, but if you place a fire under a tepid liquid (or fire up the story line or develop a character), tepidity can change and build to a different level. So, I think in this last instance, we are in agreement. (?)
I’m in fact pleased with Edith this season. I must politely disagree with your assumption that Edith’s character missed an opportunity for growth…**quite** the contrary! By deciding to keep the baby, she emerges not as a coward, but as a strong, courageous woman who is willing to make the best of her mistake and keep plowing forward. I think she’s ending up as the strongest of all three sisters at this point…
Emily, you make an excellent point about Edith. She showed the same courage when she chose to arise from her bed and face her heartache and humiliation, the morning after she was jilted at the alter.
Songbird here.
I agree with you ladies about the courage Edith has shown. Let’s see what the next episode shows.
Oh, my, Soap is Soap, even on PBS. I do believe it might be time for the cast to be taking their final curtain calls. Sometimes the plot just does not have the legs to continue on for year after year, no matter how much we might like an individual character. So, as they said in the days of Empire, “Stiff upper lip now, ladies. No tears. We’ll be back with another for your amusement.”
Dear Vic,
I want to join Jamey Lacey-July in thanking you for this “after hours” DA venue for fellow DA fans. I so enjoy reading your comments and those of others even though I may not totally agree. You have given us a platform these past years to express our ups and downs as we have sailed through the seasons and now the Sargasso Sea – son 4 of DA.
Is there a way to communicate our concerns re the story line to Sir Fellowes? It appears (my guess) there will be a S5 and if so I’d like to see DA go out with a bang…not just a lack luster ending. And not a “splat” either.
Rosamund/Rosalund (?) I like her supportiveness of Edith in her dilemma. We have to remember even in today’s world a woman facing this predicament can still be terrified to be unmarried and pregnant, dependent on others financially, and making a life/death decision. And, maybe it’s because R lives in London but have you noticed how stylishly beautiful her dresses/gowns and hairstyle are in comparison to her country relatives from DA? I was hoping that by now JF would have brought a handsome and suitable suitor to R’s front door.
I agree with most of the comments about Bates and Anna. I thought after all that drama in S3 with “free Bates” that we’d have Bates and Anna planning for a family and someday buy that little B&B off by the seaside and we’d wave goodbye smiling through our tears. The attack on Anna was not predictable – even though it’s plausible – and it opened up too many opportunities for this couple to go into darkness – again. We all know that Bates is a “brooder” and that makes me nervous under the current circumstances.
William’s father: I agree with the comment above – where is he? I do realize that Daisy wasn’t going to go anywhere as long as Andrew was still around. She really cared for him. But now that he’s gone…he is gone isn’t he? She needs to take the opportunity right in front of her nose. She could turn the farm into a B&B, don’t you think? And maybe hire a foreman that could lead to a romance? Or not. Woman does not live by man alone. But, I would like to see “our” Daisy married to someone who adores her for who she is, a warm, strong and creative human being.
The “black” word issue: I agree with the comments. That was a big slip and I wonder how that went unnoticed? Socially/historically there was a popular “negro” singer at that time who was a bit of a playboy in the high-society circles that I think JF patterned his character after. But I’d have liked to see Edith cross paths with him than Rose. Rose is a very underdeveloped character on the DA set, though she adds a minute of cheerful relief here and there.
Tom: There is hope for Tom. I applauded that he went to the political rally and bumped into an intelligent young woman who is also political. This story line will be interesting to watch (at last!).
It appears to me Mary is beginning to run things at DA. I like her character but want her to continue to respect her father. Also, I want to see her battle it out with someone like she did with Matthew – that’s the kind of guy that clicks with her. She needs to be challenged. I think the “romance” JF is surrounding Mary with could have waited until the end of S4 and then in S5 see where they take us. And this is where, as another comment suggested, I’d love to see the likes of Mr. Richard Armitage!!!!! (Oh, my!) (I’m alright now and can continue.) I too wondered how Mary ever learned to scramble an egg. Maybe when Sybil was taking lessons she taught Mary? But I did notice she didn’t add anything to the eggs so they might have tasted a bit gamey; but then they were probably so hungry it didn’t matter. When Ivy showed up in the kitchen I don’t know why Mary had to make haste and leave. Did you see Blake? He just wanted a few more bites.
I enjoyed watching the DD and Isobel play cards “oh, goodie!” And the good doctor – looks like he’s over his amorous notions about Isobel…or is he? He certainly is in a lot of scenes with her and realistically yet in a gentlemanly fashion shows his irritation with her at times. I’m glad he’s still in the DA mix.
Like most of my fellow DA followers, Downton Abbey is a show I love to watch and yet love to throw mud at. Weeeeeee!
Now, who has Sir Fellowes email address so all these fabulous suggestions of ours can be acted upon? And can we begin a campaign to bring Mr. Armitage on the DA set, like they did in the Vicar of Dibley for their last two episodes!!!!
Just a couple of comments: I agree that the lady’s fashions have been rather dowdy. But all 20’s fashions seem that way, at least to me. I have never cared for that era in women’s clothing (by the way, my niece is getting married this summer and the theme is, you guessed it, 1920’s; so I’ll have to be searching for my own piece of frump soon). As to Mary wearing purple shades; lavender and gray shades were considered a “half mourning” color. In other words, about 6 months after a death, a lady was allowed to relieve her black mourning wear with lavender and gray tones.
Whew! I am exhausted just in the recapping of the episodes. But thank you, Vic, for all your energy.. .
So this is where I stand:
Yes, yes and yes I agree with you. You’re insights are delightful and spot on.
I have a few extraneous remarks:
I now actually miss O’Brien. I did not like her, but now I see why. She was very, very good. Her character portrayal left the rest in the dust. And it was in the bonafide tension with her fellow downstairs characters that made such a difference The new ladies maid simply does not create such tension.
I love the fact that Lord Fellowes honors older women. He could have killed off Mrs Crawley and the Dowager Countess by now — which is the way it would have unfolded in the U.S. — but there is far more of a respect for character actors in the UK. Actors from Ireland and the UK have a chance. I am not familiar with the rest of Europe but in that neck of the woods — Bravo! I love the friendship between the Dowager Countess and Mrs. Crawley. It truly means something. It may be minimal but is fleshes out a relationship; something that is very important and quite special.
Peg
I’m glad I never watch this load of codswallop that way I’m never disappointed,
I must admit I enjoy reading all these comments though makes the show well worth while ;)
:) :) :) :) :)
As always, Brian, I love your use of the word, codswallop.
Maybe after so much death last season Fellows thought viewers needed a break from the action. I’m in agreement with you on almost all points. I do enjoy the costuming. Why don’t Tom & Mary form an attachment? That would be interesting. Yes, Edith needs to rise up out if the mire for once. I’m tired of Anna looking so sad all the time. I thought her marriage to Bates would be blissful- now it’s just irritating because they are always in a slump. I wanted the doctor and Isobel to have a romance and save lives together-not just have boring discussions about mundane things and pass by each other on their way to town. Thomas has become plastic- bored with his promotion-yes, send him to America.
I like seeing Cora ‘do’ more. It seems she should have a few more things on her plate than just changing clothes and getting tucked in at night. Why can’t she be more involved with her daughter’s lives? It was really thrilling when she helped save Lady Mary from disgrace in Season 1, and was seen as more of a financial mind. Remember when she was misunderstood and became a victim of her lady’s maid’s soap revenge tactic? That was good drama. I like that Ribert isn’t being ‘impossible’ and allowing Mary to take charge more; giving HER a chance to pal around with Tom so she has something to DO. I’d like to see Tom take over all the pig stuff and she become a real mother to George and Sibie (when she and Tom finally form an attachment). She could have interesting interaction with the estate’s tenants from time to time.
Ivy is stupid. There have been so many missed plot changes (opportunities).
These characters are milling around- almost as if Julian were afraid to take chances with them, and knowing that the writing staff has changed makes sense. There is a lost feeling of collaboration in the character’s development. Maybe as an Americans we are too impatient and unappreciative of long drawn out story lines that take months (seasons) to meld, and it’s all just a part of the Downton experience I’m not ‘getting’. Perhaps Fellows has been caught off guard and really jolted (understandably) by so many of his best actors jumping the Downton Abbey ship to run off to Hollywood to make movies. Maybe it’s a plot- give them boring roles to play which won’t allow them to shine and then be stollen away?!
I won’t turn my back on DA, but I also had expected (hoped for) more risks- interracial flirting doesn’t count for much and neither does the shockingly sad rape scene. Come on Julian Fellows!! We still believe !
Thanks for the re-cap, Vic! Too bad JF didn’t allow Edith to be the one to take care of the pigs and have a romantic fling–wasn’t she the one to go and work on a farm in Season 1 where she was actually driving a tractor? I had high hopes for her…I think she could/should actually be the center character rather than Mary–she’s much more interesting! JF is missing the benefit of these episodes to really portray the true characters. I think he should trim the cast and concentrate more on a select few…
Footnote on fashion–I agree with you with respect to preferring the Edwardian era over the Twenties. The former so elegant, but the latter so saucy; and facilitating Edith’s evolution before she was handed that pregnancy script.
Also, I thought that in the family portrait photo at Sybbie’s Christening, the women of DA were in a palette of lavender. Yes, very appropriate for half-mourning, but I think the color has shown up over the seasons.
You said it, sister! I pretty much agree with everything you said! Very ho hum so far! Can’t even recall any favorite moments or quotes – kind of forgettable! Definitely echo your thoughts about Mr. Mason – he is one of my favorite characters and loved his relationship with Daisy! :)
You’ll be happy to know that he does show up again for a very short time, but not long enough in my book.
Well, Vic, get the guys with the guns and hand me my bandana – or just throw me into the back yard with your neighbors and friend Hillary – because I for one, am loving the new season and think it’s a vast improvement over last season’s constant downer. (Do you remember? You said yourself that last year was uneven at best, at worst….well, never mind.) While some plot lines this year are a bit tepid – the kids in the kitchen make me want to slap each of them – the lines are consistantly better. Lots of good zingers from Granny, of course, but Robert, Cora, Isobel and Mary are getting their two-bits in as well. I like that everyone is showing a sense of humor. I like that we are following a very real journey from grief to recovery for Mary, Tom and Isobel, as well as the others. I find Branson’s character arc very believable. He was this rather thoughtless, fired up almost-revolutionary pre-war. The war took some of his ideals away but he never stopped loving Sybil. Returning to Ireland after the war took the wind out of his sails. He returned a different man. Then he loses Sybil and now he’s going to have to rethink his whole life. Edna may seem like a stupid plot line but it showed Tom as human – lonely, confused… Mary’s journey has been so compelling, perhaps because Michelle Dockery can make you love her and hate her all at once. She has also followed a character arc through the years, changing and growing, regressing and then starting to recover. Last year I felt that she was as flat as a pancake and that the chemistry between she and Matthew had gone out the door. (There are theories on that but that’s a conversation for another day.) Now I feel that the sadness is real and she is slowly coming to terms with it. I don’t think we are meant to favor one beau over another this season- these guys are really presented to make us curious. I’m in the camp that isn’t convinced that Mary will settle down again soon. Gillingham is handsome but would only follow her around like a puppy dog. Ditto with Napier – He is such a nice man but not the strong personality for Mary. Charles Drake might make the grade depending on how Fellowes developes him, but we’re not going to know this season. Perhaps Tom will be the dark horse…or perhaps next year a new person will come on the scene. These are all things that keep us intrigued. Edith’s predicament is compelling, too, because the girl who called her sister a slut years before is now in hot water herself. I want her to figure out her life and I feel for her more now than ever before.
I could go on for hours but if anyone wants a different perspective I recommend following the conversations on the PBS/Masterpiece website. There’s a lot of analizing and comments that are very enlightening. And for those of you who want excitement – leave DA now. That’s not what it’s about. This show is a drama about how society changed from pre-war to post-war and how one family does or does not handle it. No explosions, shoot-outs, blood and guts, explicit sex or vulgar language. Fellowes has gotten it wrong more than once but this part is totally accurate – and he has said that he’s never written for the masses. I was the first one last year to prdict doom and gloom. And I took a long time to get excited again. But I can see now that the departure of two main characters has led the story in a whole new direction. And I like it! So shoot me… there you have it.
You nailed it; nearly every character is grappling with a personal setback and all are having to make adjustments to the ‘downsizing’ going on in there home.
JR is showing us the anguish and growing pains that often occur along the way.
As in life, some adapt and change for the better and others seem only able to revert to their old ways.
What I appreciate about JF is that there is a real continuity to his characters.
Right, Barbara, they grow and they change but you keep wanting to know more. I forgot to mention the wonderful journey Granny and Isobel are on – will they be friendly enemies or just friends?
Before reading your comments I was of one mind…but I’ve been re-watching Season 4 from Episode 1 to the current episode and now I and agree with your many of your comments. .
Re Mary and “Mary’s Men” – I agree that these men are just enough to entertain us and Mary’s character and that next season Fellowes will have to deliver the real man for Mary. I’m still campaigning for Richard Armitage. My storyline would run like this: Tom gets political again, runs for some office, and works with some high ranking, strong political/government figures who represent land reform, one who is RA and Tom then invites him to DA. Can you see Mary when in walks RA??? But JF would have to wait for the last three or two episodes of S5 to bring him in and end DA on the Christmas Special with a final scene reminiscent of “North & South.”
(forgive my editing mistakes)
I love Armitage but feel he may be too old. That said, there’s potential for many men. Mary will no doubt marry again only when she finds someone who challenges her in her sulks and keeps her intelligence challenged as well. I love the story line you created, though – do we think Fellowes is reading along?
Hi Lynne,
As I said from the start, DA still provides some of the best TV drama out there. I watched the entire season, except for the Christmas episode, one afternoon with a friend, who, as I mentioned, disagreed with me. While I slept through many portions during that first go round, she avidly watched the development of each episode.
I welcome all points of view, and your reasoning is valid. When reviewing DA, I don’t read other discussion boards or reviews until my own observations are written. After the season is over, I will read other reviews and discussions avidly. I find Ellen Moody’s POV on Ellen and Jim Have a Blog, Two to be quite interesting and comprehensive, and her reviews will be among the first that I will turn to.
My own preferences for drama are Shakespeare’s plays, which are anything but subtle. This may give you an idea of where I’m coming from. Presently, I am rewatching each episode as it is aired and am more readily able to see the development of the characters as their stories unfold. I still feel that many opportunities were missed after Matthew’s death. While Edith’s pregnancy provides a real dilemma that many fertile women of that era faced, what happened to her career as a journalist and independent woman?
Lady Cora’s interaction with her grieving daughter, Rose, her house guest, and the worried Edith are minimal at best. Thomas has no real purpose, except to be evil. His time, I suppose, will come in Season 5, which is probably under development as I write. The love quadrangle below stairs has made few fans and takes up valuable air time. As I have mentioned, Mrs Hughes, Mrs Patmore, and Mr. Carson are fine as they are. The two doyennes are indeed striking an odd but endearing friendship.
As you noted, British society did change dramatically after World War I and it will continue to do so until the management of these great country estates becomes close to unsustainable and they all but shut down after World War II. We have not yet seen in DA the need to drastically reduce the staff in order to keep up with expenses and taxes, and perhaps this development is coming as well.
For the time being I will keep watching, but I agree with Evangeline Holland of Edwardian Promenade, who, like myself, used to live tweet for PBS – “Downton is still enjoyable, but my heart isn’t in it anymore”. This is one reason why I no longer recap every episode or research background information that illuminates the era for this blog’s readers.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your thoughts, which are so different from mine, and which have sparked an ongoing conversation.
Glad I didn’t bother to watch it, then!
Oh, Vic: thanks for mustering the energy to add an update to the tepidness of Season 4. ~yawn~ I agree 110% with your opinions and plot devices of what SHOULD have happened. The sole reason that I’m still staying with D.A. this year, is what I call “The Good Wife Effect.” I’ve been a massive fan of that show since day one but last season’s arc was enough to lose over half of it’s viewing audience. Repeat plots, utterly unncessary plots (Kalinda and Bad Boy Husband) and you felt after watching the season that you couldn’t justify losing that time on Earth. However, THIS season is as good as the first one ever was and I can only hope/wish/pray that Fellowes has some “birdie” who reads viewers comments and updates us on our ennui.
What I WISH had happened this year: 1) We pick right up at the end of last year and have to deal with everyone finding out about Mathew and the entire funeral process so the characters and viewers could grieve properly. 2) Edith’s man becomes a citizen of Germany, Edith moves to Germany and DOESN’T BECOME PREGGERS! She would be a wonderful way to learn about Hitler’s rise and it’s affect on the world. 3) NO ONE is courting Mary the entire year! Let her grieve and instead of Randy-Eyed gents blowing into Downton willy-nilly, allow MARY to become entranced with someone, down the road. Please let HER take the reigns for a change. 4) END THE DAISY/IVY/JIMMY/ALFRED storyline, forever!!!! Dump Jimmy, allow Daisy to get her farm, Alfred…couldn’t care less what happens to him, along with Ivy. They could Mary and move away for all I care. 5) NO RAPE! NO RAPE! NO RAPE! Geez, is Fellowes allergic to happiness? Allow this couple to be the link to happiness that the other’s desire and have Anna become pregnant, from Mr. Bates! 6) Tom stays put. 7) Have Thomas turn into a NICE man, proving that a “Leopard CAN change it’s spots!
And everyone else I didn’t mention, carry on. :D
Liked reading this, though i don’t think it is all tepid. I like Gillingham, even if he isn’t Matthew. I adored Matthew, and I think it would be too much to watch his funeral. (Plus I think it’s a jab at Dan Stevens to not put a funeral scene in.) But I think Edith should have aborted the baby because if Michael came back, it would be a better storyline. The current one is kind of predictable.
Agreed, Chloe, Matthew’s funeral would have been awful!
I also think the decision might have been a bit personal, too.
Of course, the big question is: why did Dan Stevens really leave?
I thought it was time I clicked the like button for this post, Of course it’s not for this program, which I’ve never watched (I did see a few previews) but for the delight I get from reading all the comments to Vic’s Post,
The many obviously intelligent people addicted to this load of I wont say it never ceases to amaze me. I just love reading all your comments and never wonder what I’m missing out on by watching this …… this is so much more interesting and fun I thank you all :)
Unlike many of the people I know, I have been disappointed by Downton. I share this blogger’s view that JF’s writing is not the freshest. I have enjoyed his novels a lot, though: Snobs and Past Imperfect. So I can’t help but be puzzled by a sort of laziness that seems to come over him when he writes this show, especially considering all the immense praise it usually gets.
I really enjoyed the episode the episode last Sunday. It was much more substantive than the previous. Perhaps Mr. JF has heard everyone!
That is encouraging! Maybe I will start watching again.
I quite agree- this season is the pits.