Sunday 23 September 2012

Downton Abbery S03E01 Season 3 Premiere Reviewed

Dear Readers,

After the Season 2 Christmas special and season finale I didn't know how the time would pass and how I would be able to wait for Season 3.

But I've discovered time passes quickly regardless of whether you are having fun on or not... anyways on to Season 3.

I've mentioned this before, and I'll say it again but I really do love the title soundtrack for Downton Abbey. You immediately get this warm feeling inside you and you know the next hour is going to be a good one. downton is a family saga, and you once again start from where you left off with renewed interest in the family's and their servants' lives.

As expected this episode centred around Mary and Matthew's wedding, with Sybil and Branson..I mean Tom's arrival adding to the drama. I think Shirley McLane’s addition to the cast as Cora's mother was built up a bit too much, she rather disappointed, being plain old mean and not half as witty and entertaining as Dowager Countess

Enter the Wicked Witch of the West: Cora's m other Martha Levinson arrives at Downton Abbey, will her arrival 'put a pall over the bearings'


 Ok let me get the unpleasantness out of the way Sybill looked horrible, I know she's supposed to be pregnant and poor, but she had so much potential, and it just seems like a waste of a pretty face. Sigh!

Sybil Branson previously Lady Sybil not looking her best


The only good looking man to enter Downton Abbey since the late Mr.Pamuke in Season 1 shows himself to be a rather immature spoilt brat who spike's Tom Branson's drink to make him act out...quite a turn off.


I think the show needs to introduce a regular Tall Dark and Handsome young Prince or Lord or something-who seduces Sybill and marries her. She's already shaken the shackles of tradition by marrying below her class, now she might as well completely break them and by getting a divorce and remarrying!..Too sensational for Dowton Abbey?

  
Edith is desperately still trying to charm the old dude, she's now the only single Crawley girl. OK maybe they could give Edith a TDH, instead of an old, injured, fogey, I mean the two are sweet together but oh so boring...she will definitely have an affair once she's married so why not give her some one interesting to begin with??

edith, downton abbey, season 3, episode 1
Edith determined to woo old Sir Anthony Strallan- who after noticing her different hair do said ' Have you done something jolly with your hair?'!



Mary and Matthew do not disappoint by having an argument on the eve of their wedding and to add the usual will they or won't they drama. The bromance between Matthew and Tom is charming and he brings Matthew round-very convincingly.


Mary is an angelic vision in white on her wedding day (she looks so innocent). It was interesting to see how simple and graceful a Lord's daughter wedding was in those days...although in the county and village it seemed as big as an affair the Royal Wedding was in London or even in Britain as whole.

Downton Abbey, Mary standing on the staircase in her wedding dress
Mary  makes her appearance in front of her father and Carson, and quips: 'Will I do Carson ?
  
The woolly brained Lord Grantham has foolishly managed to speculate away most of Cora's fortune and Cora, like the superficial yet soft character that she is comforts him by telling him lets enjoy and have the best wedding ever- as this may be the last (extravagance of our lives). Maybe that's what's well-to do wife's role was (is?)? I dunno!  But it seems to work on Lord Grantham like a soothing balm! I'm just glad the writers have ensured that they both remained true to their characters..Even if they look silly to us now..I guess they intended to show how different things were.

 
The murder mystery of Mrs Bates remains and Anna is determined to keep looking until she gets to bottom of it ,I think that nasty newspaper empire owner prolly hired someone to mix poison in Mrs .Bates tea or something....although at times when Mr. Bates temper simmers just below the surface ...you do wonder whether...but no he's too good  a man-or is he?

Bates in jail, how will he get out, downton abbey season 3 episode 1
Guilty or not?


Below stairs, a new footman has been hired, Mrsh Hughes nephew, and Daisy went on strike for a bit to protest that a new kitchen maid wasn't hired, and that she hasn't been promoted due to the new economical restraints on the household. Woosley is once agai nfeeling rather sorry for himself and insecure as Matthew refuses to take him on as his valet when he moves after the wedding, it looks liek they will be staying at Downton in the near future.

Episode two airs tomorrow in the U.K- Enjoy!

Source for the images:
http://downtonline.com/gallery
http://www.itv.com/downtonabbey/photos/series-three-preview-photos/



 

2 comments: