Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Downton Abbey Season 4 Finale - Rants & Raves


So where do I begin ? Should I start with the fact that I didn't even know this past Sunday's episode was the season 4 finale? 
Yes it's true. I had absolutely no idea because the season had simply gone by way too quickly. I felt like I had maybe watched four or five episodes? Nope, it was eight.
But I wonder is this simply because time passes quicker, or is it because this season it seemed like not a whole lot happened? 

This post is a combination of my thoughts on some of the characters and then some of the things I liked and disliked about the finale episode.

First off we come back with Edith having already given birth??? What the heck? I had a hard time believing she would really go through with the whole trip to Switzerland to begin with, and secretly hoped she would just cave in and tell her loving parents who I knew would have understood her and supported her. But no. I had to rewind the beginning of the episode twice just to make sure I had heard correctly. We didn't get to see any of her journey through the pregnancy or the adoption. Kind of a HUGE disappointment for me.

Not to get off track of the actual episode, but I have a bone to pick about Edith. I personally think her plot isn't really ever fully developed and somewhat rushed. I feel so much for this character and want desperately for her to find true happiness and not have to experience so much grief all of the time. 
If I had my way, I would actually want to see Edith and Tom together.

















Them both feeling like outcasts helps them relate to each other I think, and well let's face it. He is just such a great guy and sweetheart, which is something Edith desperately needs. 
I definitely DO NOT like the teacher Miss Bunting for Tom at all. She has to have some hidden agenda from the way she seems to be chasing after him.
Now onto Mary. I have come to love her more and more over the 4 seasons, but I still don't understand why she acts like a spoiled brat teenager when it comes to her sister. I mean she lost her other sister for crying out loud, you would think by now that she would get over her issues and treasure every day with Edith.
On a positive note, I do like her progression in working through her grief and the way she deals with all the different men who are after her. I started out really disliking the idea of her and Charles Blake, but now I feel they are actually a great match. Still I do like how they are taking it slow since all of us still have Matthew on the brain.

Cousin Rose has never been a favorite of mine. I think it's perhaps because too much time is spent on her story line and I would much rather see more focus on some of the other characters.
They really packed a lot of different plots into this last episode, but I felt like for a season finale a little too much was left undone. Isobel Crawley and her admirer for instance. First the Doctor was interested in her and now Mary's Godfather. How about we make something happen there? I do absolutely LOVE Isobel and Violet's interaction this season however. Violet is a pistol and the contrast of the two personalities is absolutely perfect. Edith's dilemma of course is another part that feels dragged out.

Daisy used to annoy me a lot but she really has grown over the years and I like what they are doing with her character. One of the most touching scenes I believe was the second to last episode where Mrs.Patmore said she was so proud of her. It was really sweet.
Thomas is one that I would love to smack upside the head. Where the story line is going with him being such a devious guy is beyond me. I felt we had so much of him and his ways in the previous seasons that it's beginning to get a bit old. He is always blackmailing someone, however I do love how it's caused Mr. Mosely to step up to the plate and show his manliness. 

It's hard to pick a favorite on the show but I absolutely LOVE Carson and Mrs.Hughes. They have really developed their growing affection quite well with such subtlety and it's just downright adorable. While I loved the ending scene of them both wading out into the water, I was slightly disappointed that it was the actual last scene of the season. I felt like more of a collective scene with all or most of the characters would have been nicer. Mrs.Hughes gets me every time with her honesty and loyalty. I admired her so much when she told Mary that no matter what she didn't blame Mr.Bates at all if he had done something bad while he was in London. They actually did a good job of misleading where Mary was going with her argument and I was so relieved when she threw that ticket stub in the fire.
But what the heck? We still don't know if Mr.Bates actually did anything or not. We went through such a time with him being in prison that I think dragging this incident out is a bit much.

While I've always enjoyed the scenes with Shirley McClaine, I felt like she was just kind of thrown in this season at the last minute. Her son Harold was a nice addition though, and his character could really develop into more especially with his love interest that came about while he was in London.

And then there is the Lord and Lady Grantham. There is simply never enough of them!

They are the most adorable couple with the biggest hearts. It was the first few scenes with them in the very first season and episode that won me to continue watching the rest of the seasons. 

A pro for the season finale was definitely having different locations for the scenes. It was a refreshing change from most of the scenes taking place either inside or outside the Abbey. One thing they can never go wrong with is the witty lines they have for the characters. When Violet says "Mary's men" I laughed out loud. In fact I laugh out loud a lot at her lines. I loved when Tom took her out onto the dance floor when they were at the ball.
Of course the wardrobe is always stunning, and sometimes I want to re watch each episode just to really grasp all the beauty in each scene.


I do hope this next season gives a little more than this one did. But either way I'm a loyal Downton fan for life. If only the show could go on forever and ever! 

Leave me comments on what you thought of this season and the finale. I would love to hear them!


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