Downton Abbey: A Long-Expected Throwdown

Golly gumdrops! It took six years, the moment has been long prepared for, and at last, it arrived. Edith unloaded on Mary. "A nasty, jealous, scheming bitch." "Don't demean yourself by trying to justify your venom." Wow. #DowntonAbbey #teamedith — Allyn Gibson (@allyngibson) February 22, 2016 The backstory. Last week, Bertie Pelham, a penniless landContinue reading “Downton Abbey: A Long-Expected Throwdown”

Downton Abbey: The Shallowness of Robert Crawley

I have been stymied in my efforts to write any sort of interesting piece on Sunday’s episode of Downton Abbey, the penultimate episode of the sixth season (but the antepenultimate episode of the series as a whole). Things happened, but nothing really grabbed me, at least not in any positive ways. The most notable featureContinue reading “Downton Abbey: The Shallowness of Robert Crawley”

Downton Abbey: The Big Bad, Revealed!

For five years, I’ve liked Charlie Carson, the butler at Downton Abbey. He might be uptight, but he does it because he has standards. He’s a professional, and he’s devoted his life, competely and utterly, to the Crawley family. He has his blinders, especially where Lady Mary is concerned, true, but it’s always to aContinue reading “Downton Abbey: The Big Bad, Revealed!”

Downton Abbey: Explosively Meh

The trouble with Sunday night’s Downton Abbey is that virtually nothing happened — until a scene that one will never forget. Downton is like that. I couldn’t tell you anything else about the episode were Sybil dies. Or the episode where Lavinia Swire dies. Or the episode where Matthew dies. Of course, those were yearsContinue reading “Downton Abbey: Explosively Meh”

Downton Abbey: Enter, Ozymandias!

In Zack Snyder’s 2009 film Watchmen, based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Matthew Goode played Adrian Veidt, the world’s smartest man, someone who had honed his mind and body through sheer willpower and discipline to absolute perfection and operated, for a time, as the super-hero Ozymandias. I bring this up,Continue reading “Downton Abbey: Enter, Ozymandias!”

Downton Abbey: The Bad Decisions of Robert Crawley

Throughout the day, I tried to think of something to say about last night’s Downton Abbey. I really can’t. Stuff happened. I watched it. None of it really stands out in my mind. Let me think… Robert is a blundering and incompetant dolt. There’s an offer for a business deal which he rejects out ofContinue reading “Downton Abbey: The Bad Decisions of Robert Crawley”

Downton Abbey, Season Five: Thoughts

Last Sunday, Downton Abbey returned to PBS for its fifth season on Masterpiece Theater. I feel that, at this point, I’m watching the series to snark at it. Withnail is on #DowntonAbbey tonight! I demand some booze! I want the finest wines known to man! We've gone on holiday by mistake! — Allyn Gibson (@allyngibson)Continue reading “Downton Abbey, Season Five: Thoughts”

On the Return of Downton Abbey

Last night Downton Abbey returned to PBS for a two hour season premiere. Damn, I love that show. It can be incredibly cheesy at times, it’s not high drama, it wears its soap opera-ness on its sleeve; how to explain Matthew inheriting an insane fortune at the exact moment that Robert is ruined by bankruptcy?Continue reading “On the Return of Downton Abbey”