Those of you who know the story will understand how upset I was at the end of the last episode. Matthew is dead! NO! How can this be?! We've all invested 3 years in watching his character development and learning to love him! How can he be taken away from us like this? I understand that Dan Stevens who plays Matthew asked to leave the show to pursue other interests. I hope he ends up appreciating that choice, but it is hard to understand any actor wanting to leave such a high-profile and successful series.
While Matthew's death is tragic and traumatic, the death of Lady Sybil was, of course, the most heart-wrenching part of the series so far. I don't know how many women typically died in childbirth in the early 1920s in England, but in some ways this seems to be an historical reference and "sign of the times". We had already seen the family affected by death on the Titanic, death during WWI, death from Spanish Flu, and now death in childbirth.
I found an interesting article online that deals with this issue. The only statistic it provides is this: "In 1920, for example, statistics suggested 1,200 of the 6,000 maternal deaths each year were caused by Eclampsia. The only “cure” for pre-Eclampsia and Eclampsia was the removal of the products of conception—delivery. " The rest of the article can be seen here.
One of the things I've enjoyed is that the DVDs I've been getting from Netflix sometimes include Special Features which discuss the making of the episodes. I am fascinated by the production side of the show. The house, of course, is just itself, although a set had to be built on a sound stage at another location for the downstairs part of the show because the kitchen in Highclere Castle has been modernized. The costuming is amazing and strives very much to be historically accurate. It seems that none of the upstairs women ever wear the same thing twice - even outerwear like coats. I've heard the same of British Royalty. Of course, to those of us Middle Class here in America, that seems to be such a huge waste, but it is just one example of the lifestyle being depicted.
Some of the cast members commented on the fact that one of the remarkable things about this production is the fact that it is original. It isn't derived from a book or any other source. I agree that is an important factor. To start from scratch on this huge undertaking is quite impressive. I am also very impressed by the complexity of the story as well as the complexity of the historical aspects that are interwoven into the plot. As the family navigates the events of WWI, we see how people dealt with the war's effects - on society, not just on individuals. The realization that Lady Edith has that most of the eligible young men of her generation have either been killed or seriously wounded is one of the factors that leads her to choose to marry a man her father's age. Although it hadn't been named as such yet in 1920, indeed, we now refer to "the lost generation" of WWI. And then there are the other changes society felt as a result of the war. The lifestyle of the aristocracy was being challenged in new ways. Few young people were going into a life of service to the wealthy class because they were choosing instead to work in factories or to go into other, more lucrative, jobs that didn't carry the social stigma of the aristocracy. Lord Robert, the master of the castle so to speak, is forced to change his way of managing the estate or risk losing it.
As I've mentioned here before, the absolute shining star of the entire project is Dame Maggie Smith who plays the Grand Dame of the family, Lady Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. In almost every episode there is something she says or does that makes me laugh out loud. More than once, I've had to rewind to hear her amusing line again or see the face she makes at something. I could go on for the next hour quoting her. You can Google "Lady Violet Crawley Quotes" and get an entire Wiki devoted to the character and her witticisms.
In one of the early episodes, she goes to Matthew's office, and sits in a swivel chair. She's never sat in one before, so when it moves, it catches her off-guard and she asks what new kind of chair this is (thinking it is broken, I think). Matthew explains that in fact it is an old design that originated with Thomas Jefferson, to which she replies in her very droll and understated way, "Why does every day involve a fight with an American?" Her expression as she says it is absolutely priceless!
If you've watched the show, you know what I mean about Maggie. If you haven't, then nothing I say will help you truly appreciate the brilliance of this amazing actress. For me, she is the icing on the cake and makes the show worth all the time I've invested in it!
And so, I will send back my last disc. The wait begins for Season 4 in January. There's a lot of news about Season 4 on the internet. I may read some of it to help me get my fix in the meantime. If you haven't watched it, I urge you to check it out. I don't think you'll be disappointed!
Thanks for reading!
:)Amy
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