Downton Abbey, season 3

[osprey_archer]

I have, through nefarious means, been watching Downton Abbey season 3, and have been duly punished for this nefarity, because Downton Abbey season 3 is full of pain. It's the kind of pain you can only feel when a really good show is being really, really mean, and while I like angst as much as - indeed perhaps more than - the next person, THERE IS A LIMIT, AND OH GOD, DOWNTON ABBEY HAS SURPASSED IT.



SIR ANTHONY STRALLAN LEAVES EDITH AT THE ALTAR. I AM GOING TO HUNT HIM DOWN AND KILL HIM WITH THE SHEER POWER OF MY BRAIN.

The next episode does not appear to involve the Crawley sisters burning down Sir Anthony's house. I am not sure that would actually make me feel better. I am not sure there is enough vengeance in the WORLD to make me feel better. How could he do this to Edith? He's all, "I'm too old and crippled to make you happy! I'm leaving you at the altar as a weird way to raise your self-esteem so you will have the young man you deserve!"

WTF, SIR ANTHONY. THAT WILL NEVER WORK. You have just trampled Edith's self-esteem in the dust and all but ensured that she's going to be a miserable and lonely girl for, if not the rest of her life, certainly years! She's not a particularly resilient person! Way to plunge her into MISERY AND DESPAIR, Sir Anthony!

And I was so on board with Edith/Sir Anthony! A May/December romance that is actually rather romantic, thought I! How interesting! And how awesome that Edith will finally be happy!

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

I hope Sir Anthony dies of a long, slow, dire wasting disease.



I'm going to go lick my wounds and finish that story where Sybil brings Gwen tea while she is ill. It is fluffy and light and very very fluffy and will hopefully succor me in this dark time.

(I will discuss later Sybil & Branson in season 3. I thought Branson in season 3, episode 1 was mortifying enough to spawn a post, but it has been trampled in the dust by SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER DIE DIE DIE BAD CHARACTER DIE.)

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

When I saw your subject line I was thinking, "What?! I've missed the start of a new season?! But then I got to the nefarious-means part."

There gets to be a point in one's investment in a show in which one is TERRIFIED that it will do something to WRECK EVERYTHING. I think Downton Abbey is maybe there? Aaaaahhhh...

What is it with men on DA being into heroic self-sacrifice that actually *hurts* the beneficiary of their action (Mr. Bates, I'm looking at you! And, judging from what you're saying, Sir Anthony is another on that pattern.)

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I don't even know! Mr. Bates is really the king of this sort of thing, but lots of them do it, you're so right. Gallant, futile, and actually-harmful-to-its-beneficiaries self-sacrifice becomes a very frustrating plot device eventually.

Although I think Bates really did kill Vera; I'm curious to see how the show will deal with that if they do go there.

Obviously Anna is going to stick with him not matter what (I don't think being this blindly loyal to someone is really a virtue, at this point), but what will the other characters think?

[anomilygrace.livejournal.com]

I have one thing to say that is not a spoiler: YOUR BODY IS NOT READY.

Also I wish the show runners were capable of remembering Branson's characterization from one ep to the next. It'd be so nice.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Ha, I've nearly given up hope. I think they don't know quite what to do with him, so instead they give him awkward dinner conversation about how tailcoats are the costume of an oppressive class.

I mean, yes Branson, that's certainly worth discussing, but how about you and Sybil talk about it after dinner instead of mortifying her in front of all her relations?

I did like Matthew and Branson becoming friends, though. I think that has potential. Maybe they can burn down Sir Anthony's manse. Someone has to take revenge somehow!