# Downton Abbey S3 - spoiler-free until broadcast in the U.S. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 2, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791 "2013-01-02T01:45:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 50
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/981 "2013-02-19T18:05:07Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > …Predictions: Rose and/or Edith get caught up in the suffragette movement, and Tom feels the call of Ireland once more when the Free State is established in 1922. > > Now that the season’s over, here’s the earlier open-spoiler thread: [Downton Abbey -- Series Three (open spoilers) - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=659458) Women in the UK won the vote in 1918–but only those over 30 who owned property or were married to men who did. The inequality, which was removed in 1928, was the subject of Edith’s letter to the editor. The “suffragette movement” was a pre-War thing–in which Sybil had been interested. I doubt Tom’s zeal to return to Ireland will be stronger than the show’s need to keep a presentable young fellow in the cast; Dan Stevens’ loss left them with a deficiency “upstairs.” If not for that & Alan Leech’s wish to stay with the show, Sybil & her little family could have just gone to America when the actress wanted to leave… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/982 "2013-02-19T18:13:29Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Looking at Duneagle I was struck by how much it looked like a fairy tale castle, so much so it was probably built intentionally to look like one (ala Mad King Ludwig’s follies). Looked it up, and it’s Inveraray Castle in Scotland, and while the castle (or, I suppose, the mansion) is 17th century, it [looked like this](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Inverary_Castle_Morris_edited.jpg) until at least 1880 as opposed to its [current appearance](http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121126035412/downtonabbey/images/f/f4/Inveraray-Castle.jpg). The family also still has 60,000 acres. Apparently, they were pretty good stewards (as opposed to Stewarts, who they’re probably related to as well) or married very well. > > I wonder if there are _any_ of the great estates that are still all of the following: > > -In the original family > -In good repair > -Not open to the public or dependant on tourism or film for their upkeep > > Anyone know of any? I don’t know of any that fit all three of those criteria, no. > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > …Here’s the castle where they filmed: [Inveraray Castle - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverary_Castle)… ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/983 "2013-02-19T18:17:20Z")
The snooze button is to grab a gun and shoot the piper. But once you’ve gone to all that trouble it’s hard to get back to sleep so it’s not really worth it. I hope that Mrs. Patmore gets together with Daisy’s father in-law next season. They have so much in common, like running Daisy’s life. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/984 "2013-02-19T18:22:44Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > As soon as I saw Matthew driving the car, I knew an accident was coming. Well yeah. Was it the speeding or the not paying attention to the road that clued you in? Fellowes doesn’t do subtlety. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/985 "2013-02-19T19:08:56Z")
I suspect it is just a bruised spine… ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/986 "2013-02-19T19:12:40Z")
It got better! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/987 "2013-02-19T19:23:02Z")
The grocer who courted Mrs. Patmore must have pheremones that can be sniffed from the next county. He’s not young, not good looking, doesn’t have a good body, and yet the ladies were letting him get to what in 1920 would have at least been second base right there at the fair. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/988 "2013-02-19T19:27:40Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The grocer who courted Mrs. Patmore must have pheremones that can be sniffed from the next county. He’s not young, not good looking, doesn’t have a good body, and yet the ladies were letting him get to what in 1920 would have at least been second base right there at the fair. He wasn’t a [spice](http://www.gourmetspicekitchen.com/) salesman. He was a [spice](http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/spice-synthetic-marijuana) salesman. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/989 "2013-02-19T19:32:36Z")
After having Matthew’s death spoilered for me (thanks a _lot_, Wikipedia!:mad: ), I stayed away from searching out information on the show. So, I missed reports of Fellowes confirming Matthew was most sincerely dead. Until y’all pointed out the reports and interviews, I thought Fellowes had left himself some wiggle room that would let him write himself out of that corner in a future episode. @ **Acsenray** : I did _not_ “overstate” the case. I overthought it! 😃 Thanks for clarifying it. Given the beyond-soap-operish plot contrivances and twists Fellowes perpetrated on the show during the second series, I’m at the point of suspecting he’s not above bringing in another character with a serious claim to the title and the estate. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/990 "2013-02-19T19:46:51Z")
Did anybody else think that Isobel and the doctor would have made a good match? Perhaps Isobel is a lesbian and we’ll have an exploration of that next season. Or, she’s not and she’ll hire Jimmy as her toy-boy. And even with him taking the beating meant for Jimmy, did anybody else think that Thomas following him was still creepy? ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/991 "2013-02-19T19:52:58Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Did anybody else think that Isobel and the doctor would have made a good match? Perhaps Isobel is a lesbian and we’ll have an exploration of that next season. Or, she’s not and she’ll hire Jimmy as her toy-boy. And even with him taking the beating meant for Jimmy, did anybody else think that Thomas following him was still creepy? [/QUOTE] 1. No. 2. BTW, I don’t think Jimmy was having an affair with his former employer. I think she begged him to stay in her employ because he’s eye-candy for the ladies (and some gents) and a very attractive footman was a major social asset. Or bragging right. Whichever. 3. Creepy? Ugh and hell yeah! ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/992 "2013-02-19T19:53:07Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I’m wondering if cranky Scottish lady’s maid will follow Rose to Downton to give OBrian a new nemesis, since the one with Thomas seems to have petered out. Unfortunately it isn’t usual for a young unmarried woman to have a lady’s maid… Mary didn’t get one until she was married and Edith still gets the head housemaid (whoever that is these days… hey, who IS head housemaid these days?) ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/993 "2013-02-19T20:02:09Z")
I don’t know how Fellowes will write it, but I think O’Brien will become Lady Flintshire’s maid, and Lady F’s maid will go to Downton Abbey. As Cora’s maid, I guess. One can only hope O’Brien will be felled by “Delhi belly”. The cow! Anyway, I see posters referring to Lady Flintshire as being Scottish. Lord F (“Shrimpie”) is Scottish, and the Flintshire estate is in Scotland, but Lady F is English by birth. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/994 "2013-02-19T20:47:31Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > And even with him taking the beating meant for Jimmy, did anybody else think that Thomas following him was still creepy? Nope. He saw a drunk dumbsh\*t flashing his bankroll around and figured it would draw interest of the wrong sort. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/995 "2013-02-19T20:48:42Z")
I just love how susceptible to suggestion the servants are, especially to O’Brien’s machinations. Jimmy was hell-bent on getting Thomas fired over “the incident.” Then O’Brien was able to calm him down. Heck, Alfred even called the police on him! Then Lord G. was able to smooth things over. I wonder how realistic it is that Jimmy feared being associated with “one of them” and now he’s perfectly content to sit by Thomas’ bed side, alone with him in his room, while he recovers. Nobody would consider \*\*that \*\*suspicious at all! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/996 "2013-02-19T20:55:24Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > Nope. He saw a drunk dumbsh\*t flashing his bankroll around and figured it would draw interest of the wrong sort. That’s how I thought they were playing it: Thomas acting like a responsible boss by selflessly looking out for his underlings. But at the end, didn’t he more or less admit to following Jimmy out of some sort of lingering inappropriate interest in him? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/997 "2013-02-19T21:19:45Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > That’s how I thought they were playing it: Thomas acting like a responsible boss by selflessly looking out for his underlings. But at the end, didn’t he more or less admit to following Jimmy out of some sort of lingering inappropriate interest in him? Yes, but Jimmy seemed OK with that. I thought the scene played well, with Jimmy feeling indebted to Thomas for saving his money and perhaps his life, and being willing - on his own terms - to be Thomas’s friend. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/998 "2013-02-19T21:22:10Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > That’s how I thought they were playing it: Thomas acting like a responsible boss by selflessly looking out for his underlings. But at the end, didn’t he more or less admit to following Jimmy out of some sort of lingering inappropriate interest in him? I thought they left it deliberately vague. My first thought was that he knew Jimmy was drunk and flashing the cash, and might get into trouble. I was just watching an episode of _Blue Murder_ on Netflix. There was a character (sister of the murder victim) and her voice was so familiar, but she didn’t look familiar. It struck me that she sounded like O’Brien, but too old to be her. I looked her up and sure enough it was Siobhan Finneran. I’ve never seen her in any role other than as O’Brien. I also had no idea the actress was 46. The character O’Brien seems to me to be in her mid-late 30’s. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/999 "2013-02-19T22:16:02Z")
Right after watching this episode, I saw _Skyfall_ (for the first time) and (mild spoiler for _Skyfall_) when they lit out for Scotland I felt like Scotland was popping up everywhere I went! I was moderately proud of myself for finally understanding what a “deerstalker” hat (a la Sherlock Holmes) when I saw Matthew et. al. wearing them while out \ stalking deer in Scotland. Then I got to the theater and there on the gates to Skyfall is a big giant Scottish deer! That house — though I was sitting there going “don’t shoot up that ancient castle!!” — was a fake built with plywood in Surrey. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1000 "2013-02-19T22:16:08Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > I was just watching an episode of _Blue Murder_ on Netflix. There was a character (sister of the murder victim) and her voice was so familiar, but she didn’t look familiar. It struck me that she sounded like O’Brien, but too old to be her. I looked her up and sure enough it was Siobhan Finneran. I’ve never seen her in any role other than as O’Brien. I also had no idea the actress was 46. The character O’Brien seems to me to be in her mid-late 30’s. Oh I didn’t know Netflix had _Blue Murder_, I’ll have to check that out! In case you may be interested, Brendan Coyle (Bates) also starred in one episode of _Blue Murder_ called “Private Sins” about a former cop arrested for domestic violence and, well, I don’t want to give it away but I thought it was pretty good! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791.md?page=49) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791.md?page=51)