# 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:** 17\ **Page:** 56
**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 25, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1101 "2013-02-25T12:47:06Z")
If you’re interested in _Parade’s End_ & have HBO, watch it & make up your own mind. There are five hour-long episodes; two on Tuesdy, two on Wednesday & the last one on Thursday. It is set in the same era as the first two seasons of _Downton Abbey_ but that’s about where the resemblance ends… (I enjoyed it & also loved the books.) ---
**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 26, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1102 "2013-02-26T21:20:51Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > In the past few days I’ve seen two shows described as perfect follow-ons for DA fans: > > On PBS: [Mr Selfridge - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Selfridge) “Mr. Selfridge” is the next big thing we’re promoting; I’ve got it on the cover of my program guide for April. It looks really good — Jeremy Piven is the lead and he is described as “London’s merchant prince.” I love this part: “Fancy window displays, cosmetics counters, merchandise you can touch, and other marketing breakthroughs had to start somewhere, and they sprang from the genius of Chicago native Selfridge, who combined guile, taste, boldness, the poise of a swindler, and the seductive charm of a Casanova — qualities that spelled success but also trouble.” ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1103 "2013-02-27T20:23:31Z")
Question on the title inheritance: Am I right that the title will go directly to Matthew’s baby when Robert dies? Does that mean that Mary will NEVER be the Countess? Or will she be some sort of Dowager Countess? (Assuming Violet doesn’t die before Robert, would that mean there would be three generations of Dowager Countesses?) And someone has posted that there’s law coming ending the entail. If that happens before Robert dies, would Mary then inherit everything? ---
**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 27, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1104 "2013-02-27T20:25:29Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Question on the title inheritance: > > Am I right that the title will go directly to Matthew’s baby when Robert dies? Yes. > [@](#): > > Does that mean that Mary will NEVER be the Countess? Yes. > [@](#): > > Or will she be some sort of Dowager Countess? (Assuming Violet doesn’t die before Robert, would that mean there would be three generations of Dowager Countesses?) I think you have to be a countess at some point before you can be a dowager countess. Mary will never be anything more than Lady Mary Crawley (unless she marries again). ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1105 "2013-02-27T20:28:52Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > …I think you have to be a countess at some point before you can be a dowager countess. Mary will never be anything more than Lady Mary Crawley (unless she marries again). And only the most senior widow get’s to be “the Dowager Countess”; any other widows are “[firstname], Countess of [title]” (which is also how divorcees are styled). ---
**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 27, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1106 "2013-02-27T20:54:00Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > If you’re interested in _Parade’s End_ & have HBO, watch it & make up your own mind… Here’s a thread on it: [Parade's End: HBO Miniseries - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=683677) ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1107 "2013-03-01T01:03:45Z")
[Here’s](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/26/downon-abbey-black-character-race-relations_n_2765299.html) some interesting info about plans for season 4. ---
**Author:** ![PeacePlease](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@PeacePlease](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeacePlease)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1108 "2013-03-02T03:49:19Z")
HUGE bummer [news.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/01/obrien-leaving-downton-abbey-siobhan-finneran_n_2791213.html) Love this show!!! ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1109 "2013-03-02T06:02:59Z")
> [@PeacePlease](#): > > HUGE bummer [news.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/01/obrien-leaving-downton-abbey-siobhan-finneran_n_2791213.html) > > Love this show!!! That’s not surprising, seeing as how it was set up in the Christmas special. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2013, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1110 "2013-03-02T06:51:20Z")
Aw, that sucks. O’Brien was a deliciously evil schemer. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1111 "2013-03-02T15:10:09Z")
They’re dropping like flies! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1112 "2013-03-02T16:43:51Z")
This is the Season 3 thread – if y’all want to discuss these casting developments, start a S4 thread, labeling it appropriately for those who consider cast departures spoilers. Thanks, twicks (Cafe Society mod and “Downton Abbey” fan) ---
**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:** [March 2, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1113 "2013-03-02T18:30:59Z")
I added a spoiler box to EH’s post because grr. 😉 ---
**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:** [March 2, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1114 "2013-03-02T19:49:35Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > I added a spoiler box to EH’s post because grr. 😉 Thanks - should’ve thought of that! As **twickster** suggested, here’s a thread for S4: [Downton Abbey S4 - spoiler-free until broadcast in the U.S. - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=683998) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1115 "2013-03-02T19:54:38Z")
There would seem to be a “rest of the story” here. One cannot believe that this many actors have simply been inundated with better offers. Is the DA shooting schedule ridiculously exteneded or something, such that these folks can’t take on any other projects while they’re on this one? It certainly woudln’t seem so, with so few episodes each year. . . ---
**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:** [March 3, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1116 "2013-03-03T02:59:06Z")
I’ve read it takes 7 months to shoot one series/season of _Downton_. And claiming you’re inundated with offers is classier than saying you’re tired of Lord Fellowes’ writing… ---
**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:** [March 12, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/1117 "2013-03-12T16:35:29Z")
Here’s another funny “If DA were on Facebook” recap: [http://www.happyplace.com/21258/downton-abbey-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-6](http://www.happyplace.com/21258/downton-abbey-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-6) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791.md?page=55)