Happy Holidays, Happy Federal Day Off, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and Gelukkig Niew Jaar to all my readers. Don’t forget, my friends in the U.S., to tune in to PBS MASTERPIECE for the 6th and final season of Downton Abbey. You’ve asked for it, so I’ve dusted off my PBS press pass and I’ll be writing my tongue in cheek recaps and reviews of the goings on at the Abbey once again.
My dear U.K. viewers – please, no spoilers. You may comment and review, but DO NOT reveal vital plot information until the Episode has been shown in the States. I will watch the comment section like a hawk.
Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Patmore. Credit: Courtesy of Nick Briggs/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2015 for MASTERPIECE
Our two favorite downstairs friends will have an hilarious conversation in the first episode. Do tune in to view this masterful bit of writing and acting. How will we ever live without our downstairs friends after this season?
Lady Mary. Credit: Courtesy of Nick Briggs/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2015 for MASTERPIECE.
As usual, Lady Mary remains as cool as a cucumber when things get hot under the collar. Will her reputation suffer this time? Watch Michelle Dockery at her finest, snobbiest, upper crust self – you can just hear the ice crackling in her veins. Knowing of her personal tragedy, I can only guess how bittersweet this final year of filming must have been for her.
Lady Edith looks particularly lovely this season. It must be the 20’s fashion … or is it? Credit: Courtesy of Nick Briggs/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2015 for MASTERPIECE.
Will Lady Edith finally find the happiness she deserves? Some of my friends think she’s cattier than Lady Mary and dislike her ‘woe is me’ attitude. I, frankly, am on Lady Edith’s team, although one can’t help but admire Lady Mary’s talent for needling her sister at every opportunity. Edith does get in some zingers, but she’s largely on the defensive, since Lady Mary excels at creating a stir and bullying.
Violet, double the trouble, double the fun. Credit: Courtesy of Nick Briggs/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2015 for MASTERPIECE.
Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – she of the verbal ripostes and deadpan delivery, and absolute certainty that in all things she is always RIGHT, has her sights set on maintaining the status quo. In my opinion, Downton Abbey would never have experienced its phenomenal world wide success without Dame Maggie Smith. Just saying.
With the exception of Mr. Carson, the gents seem to be in a supportive position for now. I also placed no image of Cora, Countess of Grantham – whose presence is notably slight in this episode – on this post. Let’s hope her story will develop in the future and that she’ll get a major plot line of her own. After all, why should her daughters get so much of the drama when their mama is still such a hot chick?
From the PBS Pressroom: Downton Abbey | Series Six We return to the sumptuous setting of Downton Abbey for the sixth and final season of this internationally acclaimed hit drama series. As our time with the Crawleys begins to draw to a close, we see what will finally become of them all. The family and the servants, who work for them, remain inseparably interlinked as they face new challenges and begin forging different paths in a rapidly changing world. Photographer: Nick Briggs, PBS MASTERPIECE.
Well, there you have it. It’s count down time until January 3 in the U.S. Tune in to your PBS station and watch the final Downton Abbey season on MASTERPIECE. Here is the schedule as listed on MASTERPIECE’s site:
“Episode 1” premieres January 3, 2016
“Episode 2” premieres January 10, 2016
“Episode 3” premieres January 17, 2016
“Episode 4” premieres January 24, 2016
“Episode 5” premieres January 31, 2016
“Episode 6” premieres February 7, 2016
“Episode 7” premieres February 14, 2016
“Episode 8” premieres February 21, 2016
“Episode 9” premieres March 6, 2016
I will place my recaps/reviews on this blog at 11 PM (after the show airs EST and my bedtime.)
Jane Austen's World 
Edith should never have ratted out Mary in the Pamuk situation. Mary has never forgiven her.
Agreed, but if you recall, Mary’s constant sniping at Edith before she outed Mary was truly bullyish. The two sisters were at each other, but because Mary was going to marry the heir that Edith had a crush on, Mary had the upper hand. No excuse for Edith, but one senses that in this rivalry, Edith was always bested. Thanks for your comment. My friends are firmly on your side. Vic
Even Cora, Edith and Mary’s Mum, told Mary she had every reason to be gracious to her younger, middle sister since she (Mary) had so much and Edith did not.
I’m SO TIRED of hearing viewers skewer Edith when she tried several times to mend the bonds with Mary (when she was about to get married to the older Lord – can’t remember his name!) she wanted to get a photograph of all 3 sisters together and Mary was barely civil about it..
THEN, when Fellowes killed sweet Sybil off, Edith asked Mary to sit with her by Sybil’s bedside as that would be the last night the 3 would ever be together, and AGAIN, Mary stuck her nose up and begrudgingly agreed and in that very moment when she could have shared mutual grief with her surviving sister, she once again, made one of her icy barbs. Edith was sincere and by now, Mary – being the oldest but hardly the wisest (except for her sharp tongue) should have been glad to put the past behind her and forge a new and happier relationship with her one remaining sister.
Finally, Edith was only about 16 or 17 in that 1st season and overheard Mary saying rather cruel things about her, to their mother, and exposed the truth about her sister because Mary had (once again) crushed her heart and spirit.
I’m SO OVER Mary! She’s been saying mean and snobbish things to, and about people since the series began and then she turns around and often says, “Oh, don’t pay attention to anything I say, I never do!” referring to her constant acrid remarks and behavior. That MIGHT have been overlooked to some degree when she was 19, but at 30 something…isn’t it time she grew up and took some hot baths to warm up that icy blood and mean spirited soul?
I think Fellowes clearly has issues about class and peerage. He is obviously a talented screenplay writer (Vanity Fair 2004, Gosford Park 2001, and From Time to Time 2009), but he’s clearly smitten with some of his own characters like Lady Mary and set on perpetually punishing others (like Edith) whom he may see as a bit too much like himself.
In his writing, Lady Mary can do no wrong and poor Edith can do no right. It’s interesting to note that Fellowes was from an upper middle class but married an aristocrat (Emma Joy Kitchener) with titles throughout her blood line and eventually given the title of “Lady” by the Queen. Fellowes then changed the family name to “Kitchener-Fellowes.” So, while we see Edith’s character develop into a loving Mum and a smart, savvy business woman for her time; we see virtually no change, growth or improvement in Mary’s character. Still, Fellowes defers to her in his script writing but that has never convinced me to join in on imbibing the “Mary Kool-Aid.”
I can only hope that Fellowes steps out of his slightly bizarre treatment of these two female characters and allows Edith to have some well earned happiness, and for Mary to lie in that icy slab of a bed she’s made for herself.
Rant concluded. ;-)
PS I agree with you Vic, Dame Maggie Smith has been a constant source of wit and humor throughout the series. With so few interesting or compelling characters left ‘upstairs,’ and now, with Tom and little Sybie gone off to America, Smith is the one constant.
Thank you, lacy. Agree!
Seen it, loved it and looking forward to the final Christmas episode tomorrow night. You are in for a treat and that´s all I´m saying.
Yes, the Christmas special. Let’s hope you all see the fine ending that this series deserves.
So glad to have you back blogging Vic! I look forward to your views on DA – I have been very good about not reading a thing about it!
Will you be blogging about it too, Deb? That would be wonderful.
Alas! no Vic – I leave the brilliant commentary to you and Laurel Ann!
I do think that DA is a tribute to the art of the story. It has been a beautiful visual treat, but in the end it is the story that enables. Thank you, Vic. You are a ficilitator.
Thank you, Margaret. Merry Christmas.
Dear Vic, You mentioned a personal tragedy in Michelle Dockery’s life?
Yes/No? Thank you. Alicia12/16/47 Sent from my MetroPCS 4G LTE Android device
Her fiancé died of a rare form of cancer just a few weeks ago.
Hooray!! I have so missed your wonderfully witty and often spot on evaluations of DA. So glad you’re back in action, Vic. I’ll look forward to each weeks commentary! (And I’m still very sad for Michelle Dockery – such a sad event to happen right during the holiday season. )
Thank you, Lynne. *blush*
Hello we had family in town and missed episode 1. Do you think it will be posted to the pbs website in time to catch up before watching episode 2 live next week? Thansk
David! Good news. Episode one will be shown January 3rd 9 PM EST, and 8 pm central…..
Vic, many thanks. Clearly I had my dates crossed, so greatly appreciate the correct information on the airing of Episode 1.
Wishing you and your family the very best in 2016!