Don't read this if you haven't watched the last episode already! I should say Spoiler Alert but I read in the newspaper that Spoiler Alert made the list of overused phrases of 2012 so I'm just writing out the warning the long way.
First, the most annoying thing about the last episode is that I was interrupted 2,047 times while watching it. I need to watch it again tomorrow when all the kids are in school and Janey and I are just hanging out. "Mom, what time do I have to be home?" "Mom, I can't fall asleep." "Can you guys please be quieter in there?" "Why are you still up, I told you to go to bed an hour ago!" "Who is throwing that basketball against the wall? STOP!" Usually Janey and I can hole up in the den with the door closed for an hour-but two hours was pushing it with her also.
Second, it's just too much death! Poor Matthew. Why? I rolled my eyes a little, as I was dabbing them with a tissue.
I had a friend text me, "Do you think he is dead for sure? I am devastated! (so dramatic on my part) seriously why did they do that? It is so soap operaish. Maybe Cybill will come back as an evil look alike and she and Branson will reunite only to discover she is really just an imposter.
And a reader sent me an email that said, "That was the worse ending ever! You're the only person (on blogs or real life) that I know watches this. I was so mad when they killed Cybil off and now if they do this to Matthew. If I didn't love this show so much I'd hate it!
I woke up this morning and immediately checked Rachel's take on it. She write the BEST Downton reviews ever, and I'm waiting patiently for her to process her thoughts on the show, which are always spot on, with a most hilarious twist that only she can add.
Of course I do feel very sorry for Matthew, but I also feel very sorry for me, because I just lost the one thing I really really look forward to all weekend. This was the fastest season ever and I'm not ready to say goodbye till next year.
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I thought of you immediately after last night's finale. Horrible! The second they showed him driving down that road I said "no! they're gonna kill him! I can't believe they're gonna kill him!" my husband thought I was crazy. lol I feel the same way you do...if I didn't love it so much I would truly hate it after last night. ugh.
ReplyDeleteWe are a military family living overseas and I was able to watch this last fall when it aired in Britain. Over here the finale wasn't until Christmas Day and it was so sad! That said, they reason Matthew is gone is because Dan Stevens wanted out of the show. I read a long article published in a British paper and the writers begged him to stay or do a few episodes, but he wouldn't do it. They had no choice! They tried to convince him to come back for a few episodes so Matthew could work overseas or they could go to America or something. But he said NO! I think Dan Stevens is insane.
ReplyDeleteWell the actor who plays Matthew should have signed a contract for the 4th season. I'd heard way ahead of time that he would not be back so I wasn't as shocked as most I guess. Also heard last night on the live program that follows Downton on Houston PBS, that all of the others have signed on for 2 more years except Maggie Smith. Maggie always only signs for 1 year at a time. Anyway, there should be no more deaths in the family anytime soon. thank goodness, I don't know if I could take anymore.
ReplyDeleteI TOTALLY thought of you last night while I was watching!!!! DEVASTATING!!!!!!!!!!!!! The British don't understand...that we Americans can't just get rid of a character like that :D But, alas, I think he is really dead...from what I've read...they have moved on...and so shall we ;D I'm cracking up ....I think I may be a Downton Addict :D I'm even trying to talk and say things like they would :) I guess Matthew needed more money...and so, the Great US of A can provide that for him...all at our cost :( Poooooor Mary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am ready for season 4. I have hopes that Mary and Branson will team up in a non-love kind of way to help raise the new baby and Sybie.
ReplyDeleteI agree--terrible ending. I kept saying to my husband, "Is he really dead?" And he said, "yes, his eyes are open." I guess that's diagnostic. Awful ending! So soap opera-ish, plus he was the nicest character.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't shocked because I had accidentally read online what was going to happen. So I was mentally prepared ;) Such a bummer yes but the writers didn't have a choice as the actor wanted to leave. I am hoping Tom and Mary will end up together.
ReplyDeleteSo sad though for all the UK viewers...I can't imagine watching this on Christmas night. So depressing!
I'm so deadgum mad! I can't believe they killed Matthew off. For the love of all that is good in this world, why?!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy don't they just kill everyone off and then we can all stop watching? It was bad enough when they killed Sybyl off and now Matthew! And yes, he is most definitely dead. Both he and Sybyl's actors did not sign on for more than 3 seasons.
I'm not watching this show anymore AND I'm going to sell all 3 season's DVDs that I bought.
I announced at 7:00, 8:15 and 8:45 last night: do not speak to me after 8:59 - terrible I know... Both actors chose to not renew their contracts sigh However, did you not LOVE Mr. Carson acting like a grandpa?
ReplyDeleteI'm still so sad! Poor Mary! I will still watch as there are still so many characters I love. Anna and Bates couldn't be any cuter, neither could Mr. Carson and you have to live Maggie Smith!
ReplyDeleteI guess the actor who played Matthew didn't want to return for season 4, which totally stinks. And I hate the way they killed him off, or that they killed him at all. Couldn't he have gone to America on business or something?!
ReplyDeleteMy teenage daughters watch it with me and they were screaming NOOOOOO! yet another fictional character mourning to go through! We were still in mourning for cybil!!! everyone else better stay healthy :)
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why it was only 7 episodes!! It seems risky to give so little when the show is so popular!
ReplyDeleteI am devastated over Matthew. I love Mary and Matthew together. I am hoping it will all be a dream! I can see, though, that with Matthew gone it will again be up to Lord Grantham to manage the estate and he is not forward-thinking so there will be issues and then Branson can rise up as a hero. But Branson is probably going to fall in love with a maid or something like that.
I hope the good Dr. will console Mathews mom through her loss and they will get married. They were sweet together last night.
ReplyDeleteWhy not just hire another actor for Season 4? Why? WHY?...I just don't get it. When they showed him all blissful driving down the road I knew it was all over for him. Ugh. I think I'm too invested in this show, lol. At LEAST he got to see his baby before he died, and he let Mary know how much he loved her. Still. Hire someone else!!! If the actor had actually died, that's what would've happened.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. It made me angry.
ReplyDeleteI know Matthew's actor said in an interview "I don't like doing the same thing more than 3 seasons." Well then why didn't they get a different actor!?
ReplyDeleteI agree, what a depressing season! Just when the family sees a glimmer of hope after an already dramatic and deadly season (Sybil's death, Edith being left at altar, losing the money... seriously, the Bates storyline was the only happy thing all season!) with the birth of the heir, then they end the season with an image of Matthew under a car with blood pouring down his face!?!? Why couldn't it have ended with Matthew presenting his son to Lord Grantham!?
I've never watched Downton. However, in the UK at the moment we have series called Mr Selfridge, all about the man who started the Selfridges store. This is one of the best period dramas I have ever seen. It's really popular over here and some say it knocks Downton on the head. So don't despair, I'm sure it will come your way soon..and a plus is that I don't think it is one bit depressing!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you've said here. I was so mad and irritated by the ending.
ReplyDeleteI was mad at the ending too. But, I read an interview with Julian Fellows (who wrote the show) and he said that he wanted to keep all the actors in forever, but they (the 2 that got killed off) had other opportunities so they wanted to leave the show. So, he had to kill them off. It will be interesting to see how they handle the huge change!
ReplyDeleteI started watching Downton Abbey on your recommendation and am now hooked as well. I too, sort of rolled my eyes, but was sad at Matthew's death. I will admit, knowing they did it because the actor didn't want to return helps me. I thought it was just poor decision making by the writers!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I just stumbled on this video and it made me smile. I thought you might get a kick out of it. :) http://youtu.be/0TegWM9Z8Jc It's Downton Abbey's take of What Makes You Beautiful.
I just started watching the series and don't think I want to continue! Matthew is my favorite character!
ReplyDeleteI did know Matthew was leaving but that didn't make it any less disappointing.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to read a fun blog and fun reviews on DA each Monday morning, check out www.dawnathome.typepad.com. Dawn is just all around lovely as is her blog! The comments are well worth the read as there are some serious DA fans over there!
Also, if you haven't seen PBS Call the Midwife yet, do not pass go and do not collect $200 before running to Target and getting the first season! It starts again on PBS on 3/31 and it's FABULOUS!
Incidentally, the Mr Selfridge series is set to start on 3/31 also and I've heard great things about it too!
I feel so smart and educated when I watch these quality TV shows. It's going to be a long 11 months without DA!
Blessings!
The eight of January the last episode of Downton Abbey went on TV here in Portugal . I had to be so careful with all my friends that live abroad I just forgot about it. Matthew had to leave because he signed two movies in the States before DA was so famous... I recommend " call the midwife" very good also.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I love your blog .
Rita
Agree. Downton without Matthew?? But I had heard that he wasn't going to sign on for another season, so I was expecting it, but WOW. I can't imagine loving it as much without the Matthew-Mary story. Of course we'll still watch it though to see how they bring it all together?? :)
ReplyDeleteWe watched it knowing that it was Matthew's last show which was terrible because every scene he was in we were like ...is he going to die of a hunting accident, or is the train going to crash, is Edith's new guy going to kill him. Terrible way to watch your favorite show!!!! At least he died a happy man. But so sad. I think I would have rather they find a replacement actor to fill his shoes. Too much death!!
ReplyDeleteAlthough it's terribly tragic and part of me can't believe they killed him off, I also think it's brilliant in many ways. Think of the parallel between Branson and Mary now, and the fact that Mary will have to make that "good" part of her that Matthew cultivated and loved, known to all. It's so sad, after they've developed his character and the Mary-Matthew relationship, but in some ways that is more true to life. Other elements of the show that make me happy: Mr. Carson taking on the grandpa role, Thomas finally having a happy moment when Jimmy befriends him, and of course Anna and Bates. Definitely worth watching next season!
ReplyDeleteMy sentiments exactly!
ReplyDeleteI was just plain mad. I agree with other commentors that I would've accepted a different actor as Mathew over his death (even without those amazing blue eyes). Or maybe the director should've cut his losses and canceled the show, ending the season on a happy note and tying everything up into a pretty little bow. Most of the story lines were resolved anyway. When I really think about it, the whole season was a disappointment. Mathew, Sybil, and Branson were the most interesting characters because they all challenged the social conventions. Now that Sybil and Mathew are dead, and they have turned Branson into an aristocrat who can no longer think for himself, what is there left to go on? So sad.
ReplyDeleteI had a suspicion because Annie was googling a picture of Matthew a couple weeks ago and stumbled across the info. I can't believe I hadn't heard about it! She was so upset she had to tell my husband. So I suspected something bad was going to happen to her fav character. It seemed so abrupt to end him that way. Esp. after what we went through with Sybil! I guess they are both leaving the show....but still.
ReplyDeleteYou are right that you have to have silence when watching the show so you can understand the accents and pick up all the great dialogue! Maggie bought me Season 1 script, so that will be fun to read. I also have the "world of DA" or something like that - lots of pictures and tidbits about the times. So maybe those would hold you over.
Mike and Annie were so mad they might boycott next year....but that's a long way off. I wish they would broadcast it here at the same time as England, tho.
I hated the ending. Matthew's actor quit. Hence the ending.
ReplyDeleteJullian Fellows put out a statement Monday saying it was the only resonable way for matthew and Mary's love story to end. But the underline tone of the statement was it is not my fault blame Dan Stevens, So I shall be blaming him. He is so selfish, doesn't he know what he has done to us.
ReplyDeleteI immediately had to google "Is Matthew really dead?" Seems he had the nerve to go "pursue other interests" (selfish, don't you think?). My mom said, "Serves him right if he never gets another acting job."
ReplyDelete