who got *me* interested in the show – Season 1 of which I just finished on Blu-ray last night.
I’m just going to break this down into a characters list and work from there with my thoughts.
My favourites:After having just mentioned that the reason I started watching the show was Jessica Brown Findlay, it might seem a bit ‘biased’ to say she’s my favourite – but I think even without knowing of her prior to this show and seeing her in other things, her character of Sybil would’ve
still become my favourite, since she’s easily the nicest of the characters in the show. She didn’t get a whole lot to do/say in the early episodes, but it quickly became clear that she was the kindest of the three daughters, as she thought of others and not just herself – as evidenced by her trying to help Gwen (Rose Leslie aka Ygritte from
Game of Thrones, who I was *not* expecting to see in this show and thus it was a nice surprise) secure an interview for a job as a secretary. The fact that she not only helped her, but wouldn’t give up on her getting an interview showed just what a good person Sybil is.
I really liked the friendship that formed between the two of them, and while I’m happy that Gwen finally got the job she wanted, I’ll be sad to see her go, as it was nice to see a female friendship in the show with no ulterior motives on backstabbing or anything. I enjoyed their little ‘adventure’ out together – even if it ended up with them both falling in mud as they tried to get Sybil’s horse (who’s apparently named ‘Dragon’ – which I just
love) to move. Actually, it’s quite unfair that out of all the daughters, Sybil is the one to wind up in mud and then getting injured/knocked unconscious later in the season. Sadly, I know that more ‘unfairness’ is yet to happen with her character – which really sucks, since she is so kindhearted. I hate it when the nice folks have all the bad stuff happen to them while the horrible people get away basically scot-free.
I also liked that Sybil had an interest in politics and stuck to it, despite her father not wanting her to get involved. Yes, it did eventually lead to her getting injured, but she showed she wasn’t just some pushover who would do as asked. Too often the ‘nice’ characters in things just seem to be written as meek and not standing up for themselves, but she
does - while at the same time never getting ‘nasty’ (unlike her sisters). It was also good to see her and Branson show an interest in each other, as he seems like the sort who’d treat her properly, as she deserves to be.
I liked Branson and Gwen quite a bit, as although they didn’t get a whole lot to do, they still came across as two of the ‘nicer’ characters among the ‘downstairs’ group. I really liked seeing their group hug with Sybil after she let Gwen know she’d gotten the job. I wish we could’ve seen more of the three of them together...but I guess Rose Leslie had to go off to tell Jon Snow he knows nothing.
I was surprised to find myself liking the character of Anna...or, more accurately, the actress Joanne Froggatt, as the thing I first saw her in was Season 3/the final season of the TV series
Robin Hood...where she replaced a favourite character of mine and played a character who I didn’t like at all. She was part of the reason I greatly disliked Season 3, and I didn’t think I’d ever see her in a role where I could appreciate her acting ability. Prior to this show, I’d seen her in the first season of
Liar – and my opinion of her hadn’t improved. However, thankfully I’m finally getting to see her play a
likable character here. Anna, like Sybil, was a good friend to Gwen (covering for her when she hadn’t even explained why – they’re just such good friends she did it automatically) and thought of others – most notably Bates.
I really felt sorry for Bates when the show started, as certain characters seemed to look down on him because of his leg. However, there were those who didn’t judge him for it, and Anna seemed to be the main one. Not only didn’t she think less of him, but she was kind to him without pitying him and helped him out a great deal without treating him like he couldn’t do anything for himself. I was so glad that he had her in his corner, as there were others working against him (who I’ll be tearing apart later). Yes, it was a bit predictable that the ‘younger’ woman took an interest in the ‘older’ man and vice versa, but both actors played the growing bond/friendship/relationship between their characters so convincingly, I thought, that it didn’t
feel like a seen-it-all-before relationship (to me, anyway).
The most frustrating thing about Bates was that he wasn’t more forthcoming with information – even to those who had shown they were on his side and could be trusted. There were several instances where I was practically yelling at the TV, “Just TELL THEM already, Bates!” in regards to things he knew that could’ve made life simpler for him (and gotten rid of those who were horrible to him). Alas, he kept things to himself...which, I guess, was understandable to an extent, but it was just frustrating. I don’t care how it would’ve seemed; I would have totally been on board with him ‘ratting out’ those who truly deserved to be fired so that he wasn’t under constant threat of losing
his job. Unlike them, he wouldn’t have deserved to be dismissed.
Given these^ were some of my favourites, I was happy to see them share a scene when someone from Carson’s past came to extort money from in. That was a fun scene, seeing these characters from both upstairs and downstairs all together, and if I didn’t already like Hugh Bonneville’s character, then this scene would’ve done it, as he dealt with the trouble-maker well and showed he had no judgement of Carson’s past. I think Lord Grantham has many admirable qualities, and while he has authority, he is also likable (the only time he wasn’t so much was regarding Sybil’s ‘outing’, though his anger was at least partially understandable given that he was worried about her. Still, I’m glad she stood up to him in their argument scene).
Hugh Bonneville is excellent and showed some real depth to his character. I like that he got along with other characters I liked, but also the fact that he
disliked characters I hated made me like him even more. He also showed that he cared for his staff and was willing to help them out (like with Mrs. Patmore) and give them the benefit of the doubt (like with Bates and Carson).
Characters I liked/didn’t mind:I’ve seen Michelle Dockery in a bunch of things prior to this show, and I imagine probably a lot of people thought of her character, Mary, as simply ‘bitchy’ with nothing else much to her. I actually could see some ‘depth’ to her character as well as nuance...though they only allowed us to see that part of her occasionally. It was clear that she was often just acting tough/’cold’ and that she actually did have vulnerabilities. I might’ve thought she was a bit harsh towards Matthew in the beginning, but it was nice to see them interacting when they actually got along. It’s just a shame that she could be her own worst enemy at times (that is, when
Edith wasn’t being her enemy).
I liked Matthew too, and what I really enjoyed early on with his character was how he, at first, wanted to do everything for himself and pretty much rendered poor Molesley superfluous. However, after getting a talking to, he eased off a bit and let Molesley do his job (ie. helping him choose/put on cufflinks, putting on his jacket, cleaning it) and he even complimented him on a job well done. I thought the actor playing Molesley did so much with what he had to work with in his scenes, and I was glad to see Matthew wasn’t so proud that he wasn’t willing to let Moseley do what he was there to do.
I know Matthew and Mary are the ones we’re being told ‘should’ be together, but I liked the little bit of interaction we saw with him and Sybil when he saved her after she got injured. Likewise, I enjoyed seeing Mary’s interaction with William. Speaking of William, he was another decent guy who wasn’t treated nearly as well as he should’ve been. He certainly deserves better than Daisy (who he’s clearly interested in, but who doesn’t notice him/treats him like crap because she’s interested in that a-hole, Thomas). I kept willing him to give up on her and take an interest in any of the nicer/better female characters instead. I was happy to see him finally deck that bastard Thomas in the season final (after he insulted William’s dearly departed mother). I only wish he’d done more damage to him.
I wasn’t sure about Carson to begin with, but he proved himself pretty decent throughout the season and that he wasn’t willing to just accept the accusations made towards Bates (which, given the source, should’ve been rather obvious that they couldn’t be trusted). He was amusing with the telephone which was introduced in the season final, and I liked that he clearly cared about Mary. He, like Lord Grantham, certainly had autohority/dignity to him, but he proved to be a fair sort of fellow. Likewise, I didn’t mind Mrs. Hughes (though wasn’t sure of her in the beginning either). I think when compared to a certain other ‘older’ female character among the ‘downstairs’ group, she came out looking pretty damn good.
Mrs. Patmore could be a bit much to take at times (her constant yelling got rather old after a while), but I did feel sympathy for her when she thought she was about to be fired due to her eyesight causing problems, then later after she was taken to London to get her eyes fixed and was left alone in a room after Anna had to go. That was probably the only time I really ‘cared’ about the character. Though I did like the fact that she started off at odds with her replacement, Mrs. Bird, but then they found they thought quite alike and teamed up. Still, some of the things she asked Daisy to do (like making Mrs. Bird’s food not taste so good so she wouldn’t be seen as ‘better’) went a bit far, as did her constant yelling at Daisy (although, to be fair, sometimes Daisy deserved it). Speaking of Daisy, this now brings me to...
Characters I either dislike or simply hate with a fiery passion: Daisy
should’ve been a character I liked, as she was the nervous sort, stumbled over her words/made mistakes and was the ‘cute’ type of character...except...she really
wasn’t. She was more irritating and just plain naive (if not outright dumb) on several occasions. Worst of all, she showed no interest in a decent man like William, but instead only had eyes for that waste of space, Thomas. It was so bad she even started treating poor William like Thomas did – and that showed she didn’t have a mind of her own. Another example was when she let Thomas force her to lie for him to get Bates fired. However, thankfully she eventually came to her senses regarding that filthy lie and told Carson the truth. Still, I was more often than not annoyed by her, and I can’t see how she could still be so blind to what sort of person Thomas was after he insulted poor William’s dearly departed mother. I did feel a smidgen sorry for her when Mrs. Patmore would yell at her for things she
wasn’t responsible for...but considering all the things she
was responsible for, it was hard to feel too sorry for her.
Someone else who was annoying more often than not was Edith. I get that she was constantly being overlooked in favour of Mary, but she did some questionable things to get back at her – and then was shocked when Mary retaliated. I’m so very glad I never had any siblings. Anyway, I can’t say I ever really had any moments where I ‘connected’ with her character, so by the end of the season she was pretty much just ‘there’ (and I wouldn’t miss her at all if she disappeared). Her mother wasn’t much better, as she was rather frustrating at times and, worst of all, she was the reason why the character I hated the most got to stick around, since she was too fond of her to let her go. Still...she didn’t deserve to lose her unborn child because of said person (whom she trusted and is sadly none the wiser regarding the involvement she had in her being injured).
Thomas – what can I say about him that I haven't already? I’m rather sick and tired of these ‘bad boys’ who are just plain mean, horrible bullies and yet certain people still
like them (just like Daisy likes him for some unfathomable reason). I don’t care if he has some ‘excuse’ for how he acts – there’s no excusing the stuff he's pulled, and every time it was made clear just how rotten a person he was, I kept being amazed at how he still had a job. I’m annoyed that he wasn’t actually fired in the season final. I so very much wanted to see him taken down a few pegs. I’ll never understand this fascination with characters who don’t seem to have any redeeming qualities to them. I know you said you grew to like him later on, Hirundo, but for me it’ll take a great deal before I ever sympathise with his character.
The only character I hated more than him^ was O’Brien. Put simply...she’s an evil bitch. To list the many heinous things she did throughout the course of these first seven episodes would make this already long post even longer. Suffice to say, she got on my nerves whenever she opened her mouth (it seemed like she couldn’t open her mouth without making some nasty remark. Others would just be having a polite conversation, then she’d have to interject with something nasty/horrible). Even just her constant single expression said what a sourpuss she was. Of course poor old Bates was her main victim, as she kept trying to get him fired (and I kept wishing she would be instead).
Naturally she’d get along with Thomas, since they’re both horrible people.
However, she went fully evil in the season final when she mistakenly thought Cora was replacing her. Never mind the fact that she’d always trusted O’Brien and treated her fairly, this evil woman just jumped to conclusions, didn’t bother to check and then committed the despicable act of intentionally moving the bar of soap on the floor so that Cora would slip on it. She knew what she was doing, and no, the bit where she looked in the mirror and said to herself “This isn’t you.” (I was scoffing and saying to the TV, “It totally IS you!”) doesn’t count for anything, as thinking/doing something wicked isn’t undone by having second thoughts about it later no matter how shortly thereafter. The damage was done; she cost Cora her unborn child, then didn’t even have the decency to confess. So now Cora continues to treat her like she’s so 'good' when we know she’s the exact opposite. While she hasn’t quite reached the same level as Zach from
The Strain in being THE WORST character in a TV show I’ve watched in a long time...she’s certainly not far behind him. I just can’t see her ever being ‘redeemable’ at this point. Every second she’s onscreen I wish her gone, and I’d be able to enjoy the show a whole lot more if she was. How she still has a job after all the crap she’s pulled is mind-boggling. She’s one of those characters who make you want to stab the TV screen whenever she appears on it.
In a category all of her own: Maggie Smith as Violet, the Dowager Countess. Sometimes I quite like her, other times...not so much, but Maggie Smith is, of course, always splendid in the role. I did like that we saw her swallow her pride and allow Moseley’s father to win the award she had won every other time in that one episode. I know people think she’s amazing with her put-downs of other characters, but for me that doesn’t *make* a character. I hope to see a bit more depth with her as I progress through the show. I did like her interaction with Matthew's mother (who I was glad to see giving as good as she got from the Dowager Countess as far as snarky comments were concerned. I was also glad they seemed to get along a bit more by the end. The two actresses seemed to get along very well in the behind the scenes extras I watched).
amazing. The house itself is a sight to behold and all the costumes and everything look splendid/authentic. I also really like the show’s theme and the music used throughout. Lastly, I want to say that I LOVE Lord Grantham’s dog (and the fact that the opening credits begin on the dog’s bum...I mean
).
I do know a few things that are yet to come, but on the whole I remain relatively spoiler-free for the show. It has been pretty enjoyable to watch (the only downside being those couple of characters I can’t stand). I do look forward to continuing with it. I’m kind of glad that I’m able to watch it at my leisure, however many episodes at a time, and not have to wait a week in between them like I would’ve when it was on TV. I never checked it out when it was on, but I’m glad I’m getting to now.