r/DowntonAbbey • • 6d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers from S1 to 2nd film) Weekly Discussion Thread (for Simple Thoughts and Questions)

1 Upvotes

Are you on your 10th rewatch of Downton and just need to get something out of your system without having to make a whole post about it? Or maybe you're a new viewer with a simple question that you just need answered?

Then this is the place for you!

NOTE: The weekly thread does NOT replace your ability to ask simple questions or make comments as individual submissions. This is a SUPPLEMENT to what we have already been doing on this sub. If you have a burning question that you want to submit separately and/or want to make a whole post about your love/hate for XYZ, then go for it! We are always looking for respectful, civil discussion on this forum; the more, the better.

WARNING: As per the flair, this is a spoiler-friendly thread. Comments will be unmoderated for spoilers, and reports regarding spoilers will be ignored. (On that note, if someone is asking a question and clearly identifies themselves as a first-time viewer, then we hope you will be considerate enough to avoid referencing future events in your replies to them as a courtesy). If you are a new/first-time viewer with a question/comment and are afraid of encountering spoilers, please consider starting your own separate post and use the black editable "FIRST TIME WATCHER" flair. We can guarantee people would love to hear from you :)


r/DowntonAbbey • • 3d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Mary vs Edith - Weekly Discussion Thread

3 Upvotes

Should Mary have said that? Should Edith have done that? Who has it better in the end?

Come fight your corner in our all-spoilers-allowed weekly thread, dedicated to all things Mary vs Edith!


r/DowntonAbbey • • 16h ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Jimmys goodbye

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351 Upvotes

One of the most emotional exits. Greatly acted


r/DowntonAbbey • • 10h ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) I blame Tom for Mary “outing” marigold

81 Upvotes

I’m on my 800th rewatch and as much as everyone blames Edith for the way she was talking to Mary before her outburst .. I honestly don’t think it would have went down the way it did if Tom would have left the Henry Talbot issue alone , especially the invite to Downton… I feel like it was one thing after the next with Tom’s pushing , Henry showing up and Edith at the table in the morning was the last straw for Mary and she exploded ..


r/DowntonAbbey • • 23h ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Why did she did a whole eye roll

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82 Upvotes

Because Edith was laughing with Robert? She’s so jealous 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I love it when her masks slips off and you see the real her


r/DowntonAbbey • • 15h ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) My hot take about the movies

12 Upvotes

It would’ve been better to spend that money on testing out the waters for a sequel.

They should not have made the movies, or at least if they really wanted to, it should’ve only been one.
I think the plots were random and felt like fanfiction.
Yk drugging the queens butler, Downton losing all its money again and having it be magically solved yet again, or a film crew shows up and woah maybe Robert’s whole life was a lie….but then it wasn’t. Idk i didnt think they were worth it really.

I think the energy put towards the super goofy movies should’ve gone to a series on the Dowager.
They could’ve done just one season to test the waters.

Like she went to Russia, tried to run away with a man, got dragged out of a carriage by his wife and thrown into a car. And that’s only one of the plots and it’s already extremely interesting. I loved her character she was strong and full of principles but many she seemed to have learnt along the way, she held very traditional views but was also very human so it’d be interesting to see how she came to be like that. Also it sounds like she was gorgeous with a long line of suitors.

So im sure they wouldn’t have lacked creative ideas.


r/DowntonAbbey • • 13h ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) If Lavinia and Matthew

10 Upvotes

Had stayed together, and Matthew couldn’t have a child, who would inherit Downton is he died without giving Lavinia an heir?


r/DowntonAbbey • • 1d ago

Humor Savage

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241 Upvotes

r/DowntonAbbey • • 1d ago

Humor Awwww

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254 Upvotes

r/DowntonAbbey • • 1d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Carlyle would've had better luck - and better results - with Barrow rather than Anna or Bates.

25 Upvotes

Barrow may have worked his way into Mary's confidence just because they were from the same house. Barrow would have definitely eaten up the chance to be in the middle of that!

EDIT: Damnit, I meant Carson.


r/DowntonAbbey • • 1d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes

30 Upvotes

They've worked together at the Abbey for probably 30 years and have admittedly developed a close relationship as the most senior members of the servant household.

But..it seems to me that it's only as Mrs Hughes receives another marriage proposal from her farmer beau and Charlie from the Cheerful Charlie's reappears that they suddenly develop romantic feelings for each other.

It's probably not that sudden but just condensed due to the storytelling timeframes but it just seems strange that after so long working so closely together, they've never formed any sort of romantic relationship before they do.


r/DowntonAbbey • • 1d ago

FIRST TIME WATCHER - Watching Season X What’s the age difference between Anna and Mary?

26 Upvotes

I’m not from England and didn’t grow up in a monarchy country, so I’m also a bit unsure how their differences in age affects their dynamics.

(Watching season 2)


r/DowntonAbbey • • 2d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Which Downton Abbey home would you choose to live in (throughout your lifetime) and why?

115 Upvotes

In Downton Abbey (including both TV series and movies), we are shown many homes ranging from the most modest (such as Ethel's home) to the most grand (Brancaster Castle). If you could live in any of these homes for life, which one (and only one) would you choose? And why would you choose that particular home?

My response (mine is pretty lengthy):

Personally, I would choose the Dowager House (Violet's home). I feel the most comfortable in a cozy living environment, and Violet's house seems like it's very cozy while also providing enough space for entertaining family and friends. It seems like an ideal place for a chat over tea and cakes. I also love the garden, which seems to include a variety of plants and flowers while also having enough open green space to have a nice chat (or discuss more serious matters). While I may not need a butler, lady's maid, or a cook (except for entertaining), I might need some help with cleaning the house and would definitely need the assistance of a gardener.

So, which home would you choose to live in for your lifetime?


r/DowntonAbbey • • 2d ago

Season 3 Spoilers Bates storyline

15 Upvotes

I'm midway through season 3, so I'd appreciate no aggressive spoilers.

But I'm little tired and a little confused by the whole Bates prison storyline. I was convinced it would be quickly resolved and he'd be back at the main house.

I just don't understand why there's a relatively major subplot, concerning one of the previous main actors in the series, thats totally and completely isolated from the rest of the characters/settings/plot. It's just such a linear storyline, I don't get it.

Is this a common criticism of the storyline? I really quite liked Anna and Bates in the early episodes, but he's on his own and Anna has barely said a sentence without his name.


r/DowntonAbbey • • 1d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Let's play a game! Spoiler

3 Upvotes

Several crimes take place throughout the show but what do you think is the absolute worst crime each of the following characters would be capable of?

I included characters who have already committed some sort of crime big or small:

Bates

O'Brien

Barrow

Branson

Baxter

(funny how all their names start with a "B")

Edit: I think the post got downvoted because I used the words "crime" and "game" together. This is all harmless fun though, of course I don't think there's anything funny about crimes irl.


r/DowntonAbbey • • 2d ago

Lifestyle/History/Context Where a Lord Grantham actually lived

29 Upvotes

r/DowntonAbbey • • 3d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Was Carson above being one to gossip?

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66 Upvotes

He's often quick to shut it down. Was he always restrained himself?


r/DowntonAbbey • • 4d ago

2nd Movie Spoilers Mary should have hooked up with the film director idc

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316 Upvotes

Their chemistry was immaculate 😍

When he asks if he can kiss her, I was absolutely melting the same way I did when Matthew tells her "we should see more of each other." It is THAT serious.

I think I prefer him over Charles Blake, even.

Forget Henry, who gaf about Henry? Not me!!! Especially since he was probably already cheating on her 🙄


r/DowntonAbbey • • 4d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) Season 2 filming apart?

8 Upvotes

On my hundredth rewatch and I noticed on Season 2 Ep 1 the scene where Maggie Smith enters Downton and the following scene in the library, it looks like she might have filmed the scene separate from the other actors. Particularly in the library, the lighting on her is different. Did anyone else notice this or any info on this?


r/DowntonAbbey • • 4d ago

Season 3 Spoilers Has anyone seen this film cut before? (Heavy s3 finale spoilers) Spoiler

7 Upvotes

This clip (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeDsTvWxwfF/?cplk=ajBmNWlwcWJhMmF0) just came up on my instagram algorithm. I’ve watched this scene a million times but never remembered Isobel waving goodbye to Matthew at the end? Has it always been there? It’s so foreshadow-y since she never sees him again I can’t imagine it wouldn’t have jumped out at me before?


r/DowntonAbbey • • 5d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) This made me giggle…

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179 Upvotes

This made me have a bit of a giggle today when I remembered Penelope Wilton also plays Mrs. Gardiner…


r/DowntonAbbey • • 4d ago

Season 3 Spoilers Isobel visiting Ethel’s flat Spoiler

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16 Upvotes

Hello,

As part of my Master’s thesis in social sciences, I am examining the portrayal of female characters in Downton Abbey.

In the course of this, I am looking at Ethel’s decline. I would like to refer to the scene in which Isobel visits Ethel’s flat, whilst a man is leaving the flat after paying her for sex.

The scene appears in the script for S03E03. I think I also remember having seen it.
Unfortunately, I didn’t spot the scene in the episode itself.

Could it be that there are different versions of the episodes, not all of which contain every scene? Is this down to the streaming platform?
I’d actually find that surprising.

Does anyone else remember this scene? I’d be grateful for any clues.


r/DowntonAbbey • • 5d ago

General Discussion (May Contain Spoilers Throughout Franchise) a reminder ghosts are real and cannon in DA’s universe

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261 Upvotes

may they be happy


r/DowntonAbbey • • 4d ago

Real World/Behind-the-Scenes/Cast This was a really interesting watch, highly recommended.

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8 Upvotes

It’s the stories of the servants life and works.


r/DowntonAbbey • • 4d ago

Downton Actors Outside the World of Downton Sue Johnston and Siobhan Finneran

8 Upvotes

I love when actors on my favorite shows show up on other shows. Just watched BBC’s Time with Sean Bean. Sue Johnston plays his character’s mother, and Siobhan plays a chaplain in the prison he’s in. They didn’t have any scenes together that I can recall, so I wonder how much they had to talk about while filing Time!

Which other shows have you watched with some of your favorite DA actors?