It seems Susan’s disapproval is mainly to do with the fact that the Aldridges are 1) Jewish and 2) new money. But can’t the same technically be said of Cora? I never got the sense that she disapproved of Robert’s marriage; she confides in Cora and even entrusts her with Rose. If anything, she’s closer to Cora than she is to her own cousin!

I guess it could be 3) none of the above and she’s just a bitch, as observed by her spreading the rumor about Mary and Pamuk and stealing O’Brien lol…I just hate when JF writes characters who are so consistently awful that they are practically caricatures. I kept waiting for a reveal that Shrimpie was the one who tried to frame Atticus and was downright shocked to discover it was the most obvious possible culprit…

Disclaimer - yes, she can definitely be annoying, or a bit pushy, but her heart is in the right place, but I think she gets overlooked

However, so many times she goes out of her way to help:

• Ethel
• Working with the women who have 'fallen over'
• Mr Grigg
• DA during WW2 (possibly controversial!)
• Helping Sybil onto the nursing course
• Having Lady G and the girls to luncheon after Sybil dies
• When the Dowager has bronchitis
• Going to France with the Red Cross
• Her generosity to Mary about Henry
• Caring for the Dowager after Lord G's ulcer bursts, even though they are in a row
• Mr Drake with the operation
• Defends Branson to Miss Bunting when she questions his socialism
• Saves Dr Clarkson from embarrassment when he almost proposes
• Intends to care for Lord Merton when it's thought he's dying
• Is respectful of his horrible children (personally she should have told them to grow up)

What else?

Why Susan and Shrimp are called Lord and Lady Flintshire. , but Rose is Rose McClare? What is the etiquette for the family names? Aren’t all the Granthams?

• Edit one word

Wondering who everyone's favourite evil(ish) character is. For me it's either Duke Crowbourgh or Richard Carlisle.

The Duke was played and written so well - perfectly encapusled the brand of arrogance and entitlement that can come with the aristocracy.

Carlisle was also well played, and I can help but think how bad things could have gotten for Mary if she had married him.

I'm halfway through season 4, and I love the show.

But I swear, these people could have prevented 75% of their problems if they just knocked before entering someone's bedroom! Everyone is barging in all over the place!

Who do you dislike more? Edna Braithwait or Sarah Bunting? I'm pretty even although Edna was definitely more sneakish

Edit: I completely forgot about Tom and what happened There's no contest

Did people really get that dressed up to eat dinner every night? Even when it was just immediate family there? I find it hard to fathom.

To all the Edith fans, Robert/Carson/Bates haters, and everyone else in all the different camps (even that one person who doesnt like Violet or Mrs. Hughes), let's find something positive to agree on. And let's make it something positive. We can hopefully all agree that we all hate Mr Green, but I'd like if we all had something positive to all agree to.

Here are some suggestions, O'Brien had great one liners. The actors reactions to Denker are priceless, as is the exasperation of Dr Clarkson to Isobel. Shrimpie might have had one of the best lines in the show.

Looking forward to hearing from everyone and seeing what we can all agree on!

Just noticed in S01E02, while Cora and the dowager are having tea, there's a cat by the window sill. Was that a mistake or was it her cat? I know they have cats to take care of pests but would they let it into the tea room? Or was that normal?

currently rewatching downton abbey from the beginning and i'm bitter about the fact that apart from few light hearted moments in s1, thomas' storylines are always so sad and heartbreaking... i wish the writers would've given him more funny and happy scenes with the rest of the downstairs staff, like the one where he and daisy dance together while william plays the piano. i don't know, what do you think? :)

I anxiety watch Downton… it’s my comfort show and when the series ends, I start again. 😂

The other night I had a full blown dream that I was in Downton and was in line to marry Matthew Crawley.

I need to find a new show to binge. lol

I think Jimmy gets lots of hatred about the kiss incident while he's only a victim here, first O'Brian's then Thomas'.

First of all, he was SAed. Not as much as now but even in those times the concept of consent and privacy existed. Thomas could've waited and made a move on him when he was at least awake, it wasn't as if he was leaving or something.

Everyone who came to know in Downton treated it off-handedly and very indifferently. Of course it's common to treat minor harrassments like this especially in those times, I won't argue on that, but acting this cool about a homosexual act, which would be twice as a criminal offense if it WAS consented, is kind of weird. Not wanting police to be involved and bring a(nother) scandal to the house for something as small was one thing but condemning Jimmy and taking Thomas' side is another. I'm not sure but probably a lack of reference wasn't surprising either. (Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think even after Anna's rape anyone advised her to report it, going to doctor yes but not the police)

Another thing is Jimmy's mentality. After the kiss, he was shocked and out of it and was giving Thomas silent treatment without doing anything more. He was already uncomfortable with Thomas being touchy all the time and it was made worse. The problem was Alfred imo, he'd seen them in bed and kept being uncomfortable around them, giving Jimmy funny looks, attracting attention to them and implying something serious had happened.

Later O'Brain instigated Alfred to tell Carson everything he'd seen and put it in his head that maybe Jimmy was acting up. Then used the same trick on Jimmy to force him into having Thomas sacked. As much as Downton people had modern views, the society did not and Jimmy was rightly afraid that if Alfred did something about it and make him a willing partner, he would pay the consequences too, add O'Brain's whispering and we have Jimmy trying as hard as he could to prove it was unwanted and he's disgusted with it.

I think we must also consider that Jimmy was very young. The actor was 24 but I guess he was supposed to be 21-2 and much younger than Thomas, although his backstory wasn't much explored but he'd lost his parents young and their deaths could've been very close to each other. His lack of family support made him more desperate to do something to save his face.

I didn't intend for it to turn out this long but I hope it shows my point clearly.😅

On my millionth rewatch. What actor do you imagine playing Matthew’s father in a prequel? He must have staggering blue eyes and be an excellent early physician.

Like Brad and Angelina were Brangelina and Ben and Jennifer were Benifer.

What names would you give Downton Abbey couples?

Daisy & Andy are easy .... Dandy
Tom & Sybil
Carson & Mrs. Hughes
Cora & Robert
Mary & Matthew
Mary & Henry
Mary & Charles Blake
Mary & Tony Gillingham
Mary & Kamal Pamuk
Mary & Evelyn Napier
Mary & Sir Richard Carlisle

Damn Mary, slow down. You're going through men too quickly!

S5E4, the infamous dinner scene. Watched it last night and I noticed something. Sarah Bunting is in the house again to give Daisy her lessons. Before dinner, she runs into Cora and Isobel. Cora has been feeling (rightfully) sidelined by Robert as of late, and he's been taking exception to the presence of Simon Bricker. Isobel encouraging Tom to invite his friends as she puts it seems either uncaring or oblivious on her part, knowing that Bunting purposely tried to get Robert's goat. She's all "Bravo for speaking your mind!" But Cora? As a long time hostess who knows how to deflect bad situations, she's all "Of course you must stay for dinner" rather than the more practical "Too bad you're too busy to stay for dinner". And there's Tom, realizing he's about to go waltzing across a minefield. He asks her to be nice. As if.

And then at dinner, Cora is again seated next to Bricker, who is making himself all too obvious, and Cora discouraging it while smiling the whole time. And Isobel brings Bunting into the conversation by asking how the lessons are going. Well, that's sure to liven up the dinner conversation.

Then Bunting accusing Robert of not knowing Daisy's name. Mary chimes in, mentioning her name, and Bunting says that he knows it now. Robert only defends himself with "I knew it before." What he should have said was that Daisy was the widow of William, who died from injuries he got while saving the life of his son-in-law, now also dead. That would have shut them all up, Bunting, Isobel and Cora.

Yes, it's too much to say that Cora and Isobel were in a conspiracy to aggravate Robert, but they could hardly have planned it any better if they were.

Since the servants lived at Downton and ate all their meals there, what would they have spent money on other than clothing? I’m sure many of them sent money to their families to help out (and we know Mrs. Hughes was the sole support for her sister), but I’m curious as to what else they would do with their money.

And I realize they weren’t earning a great salary, but without the daily living expenses, they must have been better off financially than farmers or people who worked in the shops.

This just occurred to me. Laura Edmunds might be considered a friend of Edith's in season 6, but other than Madeleine Allsopp being Rose's friend, and Evelyn Napier, no other friends of that generation of the (extended) Crawley family turn up. Mabel Lane-Fox is too much of a 'frenemy', and well, to be honest I hesitated to include Evelyn Napier because of his torch for Mary. Mary mentions a Laura Dunsany once, but we never see her.

I rewatched the sweet little scene with Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter at the chapeau shop, and only GOT IT this time around.... One was very amused 😄

I must admit, my favourite moments with her are ALWAYS when she is with the Dowager Violet Crawley...

Does anyone else find this scene ridiculous? 😂 like I know it’s supposed to be a foreshadowing of their love story, but it just seems so stupid to just see him peeking and cheesing in the window like that. I didn’t really think so the first ten(? 11?) times I watched this but last time and now this time I just crack up at it. I feel like it was either a last minute add-on or just poor writing.

Did you notice as seasons went on Mrs. Crawley started to dress more elegantly?

Cora's mother, anticipated eagerly before her arrival, was the topic of conversation when Robert remarked, "Thank goodness your mother isn't here, otherwise she'd have quite the spectacle to witness." Cora chuckled and replied, " Don't worry about my mother, she has enough drama on her own. "

Mrs. Levinson, who dazzled the entire room upon her entrance, exchanged words with those she wished to engage with while completely ignoring others. She spoke without allowing anyone else a chance to interject, treating responses as interruptions as she swiftly transitioned to the next topic.

Her every word was piercingly accurate, hitting the nail on the head each time, much to the chagrin of those around her.

With the confidence of an American and the wisdom of someone who has seen it all, Mrs. Levinson's insight was evident in her maid, who observed everything downstairs with keen interest and greeted her beloved with enthusiasm.

When Aflred asked, "Aren't you meant to be gathering information for Mrs. Levinson?" She replied dismissively, "She is well aware of your intentions, why would she need me to gather information?"

Each member of the team bore the unmistakable mark of their leader, and Mrs. Levinson was no exception, exuding confidence and shrewdness inside and out.

During Downton's crisis, both Mary and her grandmother hoped to elicit Mrs. Levinson's sense of responsibility to aid the estate financially. However, she calmly responded, "I can do that. I'll host all of you in America, including covering Cora's wardrobe. As for the rest, I'm afraid I can't help."

I must say, I admire the way conflicts are handled in Downton, especially Mrs. Levinson's equanimity. Her composure was evident even when she declined a suitor's pursuit for wealth; she declined directly without disdain or indignation. It's proof that two people with differences need not become enemies.

As she shared whiskey with Robert, Mrs. Levinson remarked, "People must adapt to the world, adapt to nature. I hope you find the strength to survive amidst this process."

In that moment, I felt Mrs. Levinson's gaze transcended time, seeing into the future.

Her most radiant moment was when, faced with Mary and her grandmother's attempt to impress her with a traditional English dinner, the stove broke down right before the crucial dinner, leaving them with nothing to serve! Mrs. Levinson immediately organized Carson and the others to prepare a buffet, turning the tables in an instant and making that evening at Downton truly memorable. The way she held Dowager Countess ' hand and sang with heartfelt affection is a memory I cherish.

Mrs. Levinson, the masterstroke indeed!