Downton Abbey - Final Season starts Jan. 3rd

Planning to watch?  Have any thoughts of what you would like to happen or what you think will happen with the characters in this final season?  I hope that M/M Bates will stay out of prison - that story line is so played out.  I hope that Edith will be happy. Maybe Mary will be nicer to Edith (esp. when she finds out about Marigold's mother).  Think Mary might marry the new cute guy. Hope no one dies off, but I think there will be some sad things that will happen to the characters.  

Soooooo excited!! I agree that the Bates storyline is done and they really need something new with those characters. Maybe they'll have a baby!

I wonder if the father of Edith's baby will come back in the picture. I forgot, did we get actual confirmation that he died or had she just made peace with the likelihood? 

They think he died.  

There was indeed some confirmation that the father of Edith's baby (Grigson?) died, that's why Edith inherited his business.   And I completely agree and could not be more tired of the whole sword of Damocles of prison hanging over the Bates story lines - done with that, wish it would stop.  I wish that Thomas would find himself a nice boyfriend and allow the kinder side of his nature come out. 

Ohhh, righht, I forgot about the inheritance part of it. It will certainly be interesting to explore one of the girls being a "business woman." 

Tired of the Bates storyline, too.  I really want to see Tom Branson return to Downton and I hope the evil footman keeps things stirred up this season! I do enjoy him. Since some of the Downton actors appear in Galavant, I'm looking forward to that - I enjoy seeing the dignified Earl of Grantham dancing and singing like a scurvy pirate and Daisy plotting to poison the feast with the jester.  

what did you think?

A little disappointed. Maybe because I've seen so many behind the scenes? Because there was such build up? Sometimes I felt like it was spoofing itself?   And I wonder if Anna's insisting repeatedly that Bates won't be happy without children is some kind of foreshadowing?

SPOILER ALERT

I was hoping Mary would say, 'Anna, do you mind knocking off that bitchy blackmailer? You seem to be good at it, and if you are going to hang for one, do me the favor. It isn't as if you can be hanged twice.' 

Honestly I can't stand Anna's gloomy gus face. Am I wrong?

Were I interested in predicting the likelihood of wedded bliss, I would take a week in sin at a Liverpool hotel over a secondhand report from Mrs. Patmore every time.

***SPOILERS***

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I found it disappointing, probably because it was mostly a wrap-up/re-introduction rather than showing lots of new developments. The big reveal was the witness in the Bates case, about which I gave zero *****s. Same with Anna's problem getting pregnant -- a "cliffhanger" I care nothing about. The blackmailer from the hotel? I liked that it showed a) Mary's toughness and b) Lord Grantham's still-superior business skills, but overall it was flat. (As was her tumble from the horse -- most predictable and careful stunt fall ever.) 

That said, I can't get enough of the older downstairs folks, so that thread really charmed me. And I can't wait for the American transplants to show up again.  

Shouldn't we all just assume that there will be spoilers in this thread albeit NOT about episodes yet to be broadcast here each Sunday evening?  (The fundraiser show that followed offered full-season 6 DVDs and I know that some people saw it in the UK or via their broadcasts.) Perhaps the OP could just update the thread title with a spoiler warning?

Title should reflect that we are covering the latest episodes IMHO

My prediction for the final episode (It's the Brazilian Soap Opera Finale Staple):

Death and a Wedding

I actually enjoyed it. I guess I wasn't expecting it to start with a bang... I feel like many shows do that, they set the stage for what's to come with the first episode. We certainly had a lot to work with, with even Mary predicting the "fall of the house of Usher," Edith's potential new life in London, the Bates acquiring a child somehow... I think it will be an enjoyable season.

Favorite line of the night, from (of course) the Dowager: "If you were speaking Urdu I couldn't understand you any less."

Should I change it to current episodes only-no spoilers please

Perfect recap of Season 6, Episode 1!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/arts/television/downton-abbey-final-season-episode-1-recap-off-they-go.html

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I enjoyed the Jan 3 episode quite a bit.

Maggie Smith always gets the best lines! "Does it ever get cold at the top of moral authority?" or something like that.

Tom_Reingold said:

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I enjoyed the Jan 3 episode quite a bit.


Maggie Smith always gets the best lines! "Does it ever get cold at the top of moral authority?" or something like that.

"On the moral high ground," I think. That was a great line too!! 

I also loved at dinner when Cora started to talk about the hospital and the Dowager basically said "don't worry your pretty little head." LOL.

Oh, and how can I forget?! The whole Mrs. Hughes-Mrs. Patmore interaction was so great. And how sweet are Carson and Hughes together?! It took me a little by surprised when they got engaged but I think the way that story is progressing is just lovely.

I enjoyed it. Although I do wish the Bates family didn't have such a gloomy Gus storyline - can Julian Fellowes ever cut these two a break?  And I loved the blue dress Edith was wearing - the costuming on this show has been such a joy to watch.  I'm going to miss this series (and these characters) when the series wraps up this year.

(And I'd just watched Galavant, so seeing Hugh Bonneville go from a scurvy, scuzzy, singing pirate to the very correct Earl was lots of fun!)

I liked the episode. I was glad to see the gang again (whatever is left of them).  Sick of the Bates. Surely, more bad things will happen to them. I thought it was weird that the blackmailer was freely admitted into the house and brought up to Mary's bedroom no less.  Perhaps a sign that the staff is getting lax.

The blackmailer lied to get in, saying she recently started work at the Dower House, and that Violet had instructed her to hand the letter to Mary. 

As for the Bateses, my heavens, they're tedious. They started out as much more interesting characters.

Tarheels you are right about the first episode being a set up for the season. I think I recall being disappointed with the first episodes last season. I did not like the NY Times review. Far too cynical for my taste. As for the Bates...I think life is bad for some people. Maybe because I have a kid who has autism and emotional problems who is depressed because of it. We are kind of stuck with this. It never goes away.  I am sure my life is tedious, but it is my life. Certainly people of that era were often trapped. 

I enjoyed seeing Whoopie Goldberg interviewed who said she can see a part of herself in each of these characters. I think for me that is true. Which is why I have been so drawn to the show. 

Yes, it's amazing how these characters, being so immensely wealthy, have something in common with us.

I was disappointed that they decided to toast the Bates' news with Clicquot.

@hankzona - What would you have recommended?  I'm very curious.

I loved the latest episode, maybe in part because I missed the whole cast so much during the hiatus. 

I'm relieved we don't have to see the Bateses tried for murder any more and hope they will find some cute babies to adopt. 

I am worried about Mr. Mason but shocked that Daisy couldn't shut up even when her bosses were telling her to stop. 

The scenes with Mrs. Patmore/Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson were wonderful. 

And I loved how the Dowager put Denker in her place. Hopefully she will quit being such a bitchy gossip, but then we would not have a figure to hate in place of O'Brien. 

I miss Tom and Rose. I wish they would bring them back before the end, or maybe they will both be in Fellowes' next project??

Denker is terrible, but... the Dowager's no fool, why did she confide in Denker at all? She must have known it would spread.

Also, Daisy is kind of the worst.

I used to love Daisy, but this time her moral compass (or maybe just her self-control) went completely off the rails. Very annoying.

And I was also surprised that Violet would tell Denker anything she didn't want the whole world to know. I was shouting at the TV, "What???!!! Now she'll go straight to the Abbey and blab!!!"