Downton Abbey is one of the few TV shows that I watch. I was writing a blog post for today while watching the season finale last night. I was too mad to finish the blog post, so instead I give you this “Downer Abbey” graphic. ha!
Sorry if you don’t watch this series! I won’t go into detail other than I thought it was a huge downer. After reading my Facebook stream, it sounds like I’m not the only one.
At least this line came out of it…
If you are a Downton Abbey fan, what did you think of last night’s show?
“Alright, let’s give it a go and see what the future brings.”- Lord Grantham
just watched it after our vacation! sooooo mad! soooo sad! wth, people!? the two nicest people on the show in one season. lame!
Please don’t hold out for better writing since Julian is going to go part time! He took a job with CBS. BUMMER!!! ;o(
I think Matthew’s death was a suicide. He’s had enough of his emotionless, cold, narcissistic wife. Pity the child.
Sad sad ending. Matthew brought out the very best in Mary. And Lord Grantham was finally starting to see the wisdom in Matthews ways. I’m really disappointed that he survived so much; he and Mary finally got together; finally got preganant and had a baby boy; and now he’s gone. This season ending left emptiness where the 2nd season ending left us hopeful and yearning for more… But.. I’ll be back for more, of course 🙂
I wasn’t expecting that until I saw the truck coming his way. I have actually enjoyed all 3 seasons and I didn’t watch it until this Christmas break.
Love Downton Abbey. I agree with a previous poster. The first two seasons were much better. I too knew Dan was leaving the show, but this was not at all the ended I hoped for. It was a bit too predictable in my opinion. Read somewhere the 4th or 5th season will most likely be the last so hoping for some better writing next go round.
Well Mary is a very tough cookie, and with all the fame this actor has raised from the series, he should have many , many juicy contracts $$$ from all over… Maybie they bring another fab hunk in the next season they are already filming !
I am so sad…poor Mary.
Great information here. I loved all the series.
Dan only signed up for the 1st 3 seasons – he’s been on Broadway for over a year in the Heiress with Jessica Chastain (they film Downton Abbey far ahead of the actual presentation on TV). I believe that the “spoiler” was actually well known from season one.
I liked the ending – I expected him to be shot in one of the hunting seasons and when that didn’t happen, I was confused as I knew he had been written out of the script.
At least he “died happy” thinking about his new baby!
Here’s an update and link for other opportunities to see him:
Stevens, who just wrapped THE HEIRESS on Broadway alongside Jessica Chastain, is being considered to star as the next ‘Mr. Darcy’ on the BBC’s impending adaptation of P.D. James’s novel DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY.
Read more about Dan Stevens to Star as ‘Mr. Darcy’ in BBC’s DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY? – BWWTVWorld by tv.broadwayworld.com
I was in shock. Broke my heart! I loved Matthew’s character. I’m just glad I didn’t have to watch it on Christmas day like the English fans.
I hated it! Matthew was my favorite character. All I can say is don’t be havin no babies!
How else could they have gotten rid of the character. He certainly wasn’t going to take off with the love he had for his wife and the new baby. Personally, I think the actor is a fool for not riding the Downton Abbey ride until it’s natural end. Perhaps Julian Fellowes found the gruesome death a fitting end to a quitter.
I knew something was up as I was reading fb posts about upset my friends were with the finale. So I was prepared for SOMETHING, just not that. So he is leaving the show, really?! It has to end in a negative way on the day his son is born? They could have ended differently just as they have each season. No wedding episodes, but a death?! Downer Abbey is the perfect name for this episode.
Ugh, I hated the ending even though I knew Dan Stevens (is that the actor’s name?) was leaving the show. Pretty gruesome, right? One comment that I read on a blog said that Julian Fellows could could have simply had the next season open with Matthew’s funeral. I thought that was a good idea. As opposed to blood pouring from his head! I think the first two seasons were better than this one…The characters this time seemed a little flat somehow. I’ll still keep watching, though!
I’m not looking for reality. I’m looking for a lovely escape from it just for a little while. That is one of the many things fans love about Downton Abbey. Just lost my mom & stepmom is fighting cancer. Brother is loosing house to foreclosure. Life it tough & downer enough. That is why some people watch TV to have just a bit of escape or go to a happier place just for awhile because life is anything but Disney. If it were, Disneyland/world wouldn’t be as popular as it is.
After watching it (and crying like a baby), I googled why it happened. The writer said that he hated to write both Sybil and Matthew’s death into the show, but when a family member leaves there’s really not much else to do other than kill them off. He couldn’t figure out how to have Matthew with a new baby and wonderful marriage just leave and never come back and make it a plausible reason. So that’s why they killed him off. I was very sad to see both Sybil and Matthew’s characters leave the show.
I actually read something a few months ago regarding the possibility of Matthew leaving the show to become involved in other projects.
One must remember that this is not an American show. Other parts of the world do not find it necessary to have Disney endings. People die and sometimes the hero does not get the girl. This is more realistic. Try watching Asian movies. Sometimes the hero dies.
Downton Abbey was written to be a view of the times. Although changes must be made when actors change their minds, the audience must realize that to keep this from being a total fantasy, people must die.
There is a new show in the works from the Creator of Downton Abby: Click here: NBC Signs Creator of ‘Downton Abbey’ for Drama About Gilded Age in New York – NYTimes.com
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/nbc-signs-creator-of-downton-abbey-for-drama-about-gilded-age-in-new-york/?smid=tw-mediadecodernyt&seid=auto
I was stunned and shocked and I woke up stunned and shocked. They killed off 2 main characters this season. Matthew was the best. I don’t think American shows kill off main characters so easily. I guess if the actor wasn’t coming back that was the way to do it though. It made for a great cliff hanger. I saw it coming as soon as he was driving happily in the car. When they focus that much on someone driving…they’re definite headed for an accident.
I was very sad and angry about Matthew’s death. Too much tragedy in this family saga! I really can’t believe the actor wasn’t happy staying in the role; it had such a wonderful appeal to those who look for some genuine joy in the midst of all the turmoil of this family. Now, his son–whom they didn’t even discuss his name(!)–is fatherless. It’s really hard to get so emotionally invested in these stories; I couldn’t sleep last night. )*8
I hated that Matthew died, but life goes on. I was furious that they didn’t let the show end, show the credits while the music played-just went from blood running down his face to a TELETHON!
Shocking, sad, upsetting… but I understand what Julian Fellowes said — Dan Stevens made the decision not to come back. Writers/producers thought it would be cleanest & best to kill off the character. Watching Mary struggle to get over the loss and eventually find love again will make the show very interesting. Looking forward to her new role and the likely promotion of Branson to an even more important role in running the estate in the meanwhile.
It was awful. Simply awful. I saw it about two weeks ago (borrowed the DVDs from Netflix) and I have been holding it in to not spoil it for my friends! Sigh. I am still angry at Matthew for being so selfish to leave the show. I agree with the others; you should sign on to be a part for the long haul! He was too integral of a character to just kill off in a car crash!
I was so shocked; feel like one commenter who said she wasn’t going to watch it anymore, but I will. I love it too much! Two deaths in one season; it’s not right. These actors should not try out for their roles if they don’t intend to stick it out to the end. Don’t they realize how invested we fans become in their character?
I don’t like the way season 3 ended –Matthew dying in car crash is not acceptable!!!
I knew something had to happen since I had heard he wasn’t coming back for season 4 but everything was going so well that I thought maybe he changed him mind or something but then when they showed him speeding along I was saying “oh no, oh no!” So sad. Poor Mary and the new baby!
Angry!!! 🙁
It is truly sad but everyone must remember that the actor who played Matthew Crawley did not want to sign on for the next season.
I am so sad…love the show…hope they can overcome this!
We’ve watched every week and even my husband was unhappy with the season ending. Exact quote: “Well that was poorly written…”.
Very disappointing! I’m frustrated with the show now. I liked Lady Cybil
very much too. I’m hoping Branson gets a bigger role,I like his character and Edith’s as well.
I’m still on season two. Just watched the episode where Matthew came back from being MIA in the war. I admit I got a little weepy. Trying not to read too many spoilers but dang!!!
I don’t know if I can watch this show anymore.
I was shocked when he died too. But, I’m glad that they did “kill” him rather than have him leave his family (since the actor would not be returning).
Its been the how the show has gone from the beginning. You feel for the characters, walking them through their struggles, then something really happy happens to relieve the strugle, only for something more tragic to happen in the next 10 minutes. The writers are TOTALLY playing us!
Made me happy to look at him too. 🙂 Very sad to see him go.
Matthew, his mom, Cora, and Old Lady Grantham are the breaths of fresh air to the dullness of the other characters that are so rigid and hateful. Bummer!
I felt like he was becoming a bit of a bore myself and thought they need to shake things up with him a bit. So I kind of liked him as a character but I think this will bring in new and exciting things to the story line.
I already saw the ending a week ago since our library had the Season 3 dvd series and I watched the whole series in a couple of days. It was hard for me not to tell others who were watching, what the outcome would be. I agree..it was a downer. Now there are two children without a parent. So…now we speculate…do the spouse-less parents get together?
I read an interview with writer Juilien Fellows before I saw the show so I knew what to expect but still wasn’t ready when it happened. Fellows said that Matthew was too happy of a character to keep around. It is hard to keep people interested in a happy character. It made me happy to just look at him.
I’d heard he wasn’t coming back next season & was waiting to see how they were going to right him off, but two major tragedies in a row, really!
Just awful but it is to be expected when relatively unknown actors make it big and want to move on to other things. BUT I hated the ending as Matthew was one of my favorites! Can’t wait for season 4 to see how Mary is going to cope with this one!
I am a fan and it was just so sad. I knew as soon as I saw him in the car what was going to happen. =( I read somewhere that he didn’t want to come back next season…..
Lol! I’m not a fan, but I love seeing the passion from the ones who are:)