Yes, arrrrrggghhh is right - and I even knew he was going to die but thought maybe it would be in Season 4. Don't ever look up stuff on Wikipedia if you don't want to run the risk of seeing a spoiler.

My Ravelry Downton Abbey group has over 500 posts just for this final episode. Lots of cussin' and discussin' going on. You have to be a real diehard fan-atic to get this riled up over a fictional TV series. LOL! I'm still blubbering over Sybil's death.

Teresa

Hope anyone who has not seen it is not reading this thread. Anyone who doesn't want to run into a spoiler should have the sense not to open any DA threads.

The minute I saw him driving that car, I knew it was all over. I already knew he was leaving the show at some point, thanks to a friend who spilled the beans. The writers did create some great cliffhangers for next season. Can;t believe we have to wait until next fall to see it. Sigh.

The PBS beg-a-thon afterwards was kind of annoying.

I wondered why no one was discussing this show over here!! :) I LOVE it! So much that I think I may need to be medicated to be able to tolerate the looooooong wait to next season. I love how artful language was in those days.

I love everything about this show. Still mourning the loss of Sybil. Can't believe the cliffhanger for next season, though, Pam, I knew, too, when he was driving that car....so what about what the naysayers say about his storyline...his gorgeous eyes and that smoooooth voice. One of my faves. :(

I love the meals, too! The kitchen fascinates me. My china is the one they use when the ladies are served breakfast in bed! It used to be the breakfast china in the dining room, too, but a different china seems to be used this season.

I'm not one of those gals that can quote movie lines like the guys can...but when it comes to THIS show, there are so many brilliant lines...I can fire off quite a few!

(Tired of James, though...and Alfred)

I also adore Call the Midwife and that will be on in the spring, along with Mad Men, another favorite of mine, to make the wait more tolerable.

I love all the manners. Life is just so tidy, at least on the surface. Lots of turmoil under the surface! Except for her belated loyalty to Cora, O'Brien has no redeeming qualities. I was furious that Thomas got to stay on. He did not deserve it. Imagine if Richard had known that it was Thomas who locked the dog in the shed! Humph.

So, will Branson stay on with the family? Will Daisy leave to start a business with her FIL? What will Mary name the baby? Will Edith carry on with a married man?

I read that the next season will start six months after Matthew's death, so I guess we won't see a scene where the family learns of Matthew's death.

Didn;t you just love the scene where Mr. Carson was holding Sybbie? And the way Bates looked at Anna? What a great show.

I was going to try to talk about it without giving anything away, but it's just not possible.

I'm wondering how they are going to manage the crash without the perfect genius boy wonder. I had a love/hate reaction to his character. I liked him but he was just way too perfect. Sure was/is pretty, though. I knew someone else was going to be killed off, just because of that cartoon that's been making the rounds on Facebook. Have y'all seen it? I don't know how to move something from Facebook to here.

I thought Shirley McClain was going to have a little more presence. I knew she wasn't going to be in all the episodes, but I thought they should have had her come when Sybil died. She is her grandmother, after all.

I figured we'd have to wait till next January, like this year. I'm glad it's going to be back in Fall.

Now I'm waiting for Sherlock, another wonderful PBS/Masterpiece show.

Sally

DH and I just watched all 3 seasons of Downton Abbey within a 3 week time frame, I bought them in one swoop, and having watched the finale last night, I am experiencing a feeling of letdown and withdrawal pain this morning, :(

I thought it was a bit predictable that Branson seems to have become the target of the new maid Edna, she senses he is vulnerable.

I loved the clothing, men and women.

I personally liked how the Thomas dilemma was handled: the tolerance and intolerance issues came to the forefront
in a way I was not expecting. Richard referred to his boarding school experience and was not phased by it.

Overall what I liked most about the series was the honesty in portraying human behaviour with it's strengths and weaknesses.

Yes, I agree with the honest portray of human behavior. The clothes are spectacular, and I can't get enough of seeing the house and the rooms.

I sort of wish it had been Mary instead of him. I want to smack her every time she opens her mouth.

I pointed out to my kids how they all lined up outside when anyone arrive, then told them that the least they could do is go to the door when they hear their father come in from a long business trip. I'd like to get them to start calling me "Ma - ma", but I think that might push them over the edge! :)

AM

And just where were my footmen tonight when I needed help carrying in the bags of groceries??? You just can't get good help these days!

Teresa

They must be off with my lady's maid. I missed the dressing gong for dinner. :(

I'm sort of mad about Matthew's death. It seems way too dramatic, right on the heels of Sybil's death.

I have a theory that Carson is Lady Mary's father. I think it was mentioned that the relationship between Robert and Cora wasn't good in the early years but grew later on. An explanation for Carson running away and ending up in a Vaudeville act, perhaps?

I dunno, I think Carson is way too proper for that to be the case.

Sally