For MMSC: Downton Abbey Season 3
 

Whadidya think? (Once you've seen it)

I fully confess I read all about Season 3 on the intertoobs, but I won't post spoilers. ;)

Anyone else who has a soft spot for ITV's period soap, feel free to chime in.

Wondering who is going to save Downtown Abbey? Mary's new husband says he can't and Grandmama Shirley MacLane's character said she can't. I think it would be interesting, if the other girl's beau, the older guy with the disabled arm, were to be the one to save the Abbey. Surely, they can't all move out of the Abbey?

Unfortunately for me my daughter and her friends have been watching it online as they've all already aired over there. I've begged them not to tell me anything but the gasps and the occassional "noooooo", etc. I have sadly heard about certain events.

I won't spoil anything either but yes it was good to see Thomas, Branson, the dowager countess :D et al once again.

Finally! :)

How did you like it?

I liked it better than I did any of Season 2, though Fellowes' dislike of Americans started to wear on me. Seriously? He thinks that's how society Americans behave? Did he not see Titanic? Read The Two Mrs Grenvilles? Or anything by Edith Wharton, for that matter?

(pause while I remember how much my 24-year-old self adored The Two Mrs Grenvilles. Sigh. And The House of Mirth is still one of my favorite novellas)

So I thought Shirley MacLaine was a bit wasted (she's one of my favorite actresses, so I am biased, I admit). But overall I enjoyed. I think Tom the Irish former chauffeur is super cute so I'm happy to see him back. And of course Maggie Smith does no wrong in my eyes.

My goal this week is to find an opportunity to say, "I say, have you done something jolly with your hair?"

I liked her line about the party when she said, "nothing succeeds like excess."

And I liked Martha's defense of Edith's choice of man, with her quip about "all those things you people find important."

I find it bizarre that Cora was totally okay with the loss of Downton's money, seeing as how the threat of losing the Abbey was her driving force in the first season, while Robert was all, "Eh, what can you do?" then and now is all "Omigawd! The moooonnneeeeeeey!" Inconsistent writing on Fellowes' part.

Yes, I thought there were some turnabouts in some of the players too. Last year I thought that Mrs. O'Brien was a bit of a villainess, but this year she doesn't seem that way. She did a good turn when she hid the shirts.

That was a great line! :tro:

Personally I cannot stand Shirley MacLaine but I also really don't like Elizabeth McGovern (does she not have the most annoying voice?) and the actress who plays Mary.. I do so love Sybil and Edith!

Please let us know when you used the line and I shall try to say it to someone as well.:D

(Yes I love Tom too but Thomas is my absolute favorite. So sexy).

Oh my, i fell in love with her in Once Upon a Time in America, 1984..good gangster flick...had an angel face in that movie..:{>:
Still looks good..

The Apartment is one of my all time favorite movies ever. For that movie alone I'd love MacLaine, but I add onto it that many, MANY years ago I did a way-the-hell-off-broadway show with a woman who had been in "The Turning Pointe," a 1979 movie with MacLaine and Anne Bancroft about ballet dancers (this actress played the young ingenue role). She told me that Shirley MacLaine was one of the kindest, most giving actors she'd ever met and was very, very nice to her. So I can't dislike her, unless maybe she bites the head off of a puppy on live TV or something. Then I might re-evaluate.

I like Cora better when she actually has something to do. She's become awfully Stepford wife since season one, and I couldn't believe she'd put up with the abuse the Brits were heaping on her own mother. I don't mind McGovern's voice- I've known a few Americans who have lived in Britain for awhile and they do get this weird hybrid accent, which I think she does well. But oy, the character is a limp noodle.

With you about Mary, though. I was actively rooting against her and Matthew last year. Never would have thought Edith would become my favorite sister, but she is!

Thomas is an extremely good-looking guy, yeah. And I love the rift between him and O'Brien!

I'll keep you posted with the line. Today the only people I've seen are my husband and the UPS delivery guy. And he shaves his head.

Yep. I gotta agree with you. She's still looking good.

And Once Upon a Time in America was a great movie - almost 4 hours but classic Sergio Leone style. Only watch the full cut. They used to have a butchered cut down version that was terrible circulating about, but ever since the DVD came out the long version is the prominent one.