I agree. I get that the comparisons are somewhat inevitable, but there ARE quite a few of us watching this show who haven't seen Broadchurch so I'm kinda over reading about the constant comparisons. I think this show is a lot better than most of what's on TV now (not that that's a hard achievement). The weakest link…

I was under the impression that the Christmas Special got rave reviews when it originally aired in the UK and now here…I think the season overall was certainly polarizing but I think the consensus re: this episode was that it was a return to season 1 form. And I must disagree re: the proposal - it WAS adorable because…

Just re-watched this episode for the first time since it aired in the UK…honestly, I don't think he looks like a vampire. If anything, he looked deathly pale/red eyed in episode 4 when he first found out he was paralyzed in the hospital. They *all* looked pretty pale to me at the funeral…

I root for her (and she's definitely meant to be one of the the leads). I think she's a legitimately complex character and I really like how we initially think she's just a cold bitch in the first episode of season 1, but we go on to see that she is actually a caring person (to Anna, William, Carson, Sybil) - when she…

nicely done re: spanish flu explanation - it was truly horrendous and people literally did just drop dead after a few hours of illness.

Didn't Lord Grantham say the "“If you’re turning American on me, I’m going downstairs" to Cora (not Carson to Mrs. Hughes)?

Seconded re: Christmas special - that made an episode like this worth sitting through! And I will say - I think this episode was the worst of season 2. The next two episodes, while not outstanding, are better I think.

As much as my heart breaks for angsty, angry Matthew it does give the actor more to do, which is nice. If I can't have banter-y Matthew, I will take bitter, self-loathing Matthew. 

Oh, I totally agree! Mary is already almost as snarky as the Dowager Countess…give her a few more years and she too will deliver biting one liners just as fluidly as Violet.

I want to give sad, bitter Matthew a hug. Bitter Matthew pulls at my heartstrings, but on on the plus side, it does give Dan Stevens more to do in the acting department. When he sees his mother for the first time - SNIFF! And Mary's face as she walks away from his bed - SNIFF! Hard to watch, but love their scenes (and…

I love the Earl-Bates bromance, but I also enjoy the Earl's scenes with Matthew or talking about Matthew (although they are few and far between)! It's adorable. Although it makes me wonder (again) why there wasn't more of a subplot of the Earl trying to get his heir off the front (not saying Matthew would have been on…

If they were second cousins or closer, I'd be more bothered (and Mary was supposed to marry her second cousin, Patrick, before the Titanic sank). Third cousin once removed seems pretty distant to me. In fact, marrying your third cousin once removed actually seems like an improvement over the typical marrying norms of…

I would sort of agree. My heart strings were also very tugged by the concert scene - I think the acting salvaged it from being total cheese (seriously, why does Michelle Dockery not get award noms for her performance in this show?). Having said that, the scene would have been more significant if Matthew and William…

Definitely. It doesn't speak highly of Branson that he said this about the woman he supposedly loves and it also lowered my opinion of Sybil - for such a supposedly feisty and progressive woman, she doesn't even attempt to rebut him. That diss of her nursing was him showing his true colors (I've never thought Branson…

I have to disagree re: Matthew for both superficial and substantive reasons. I'll start with the latter. I've watched all of season 2 already and without spoiling you all, I think you may find your opinion re: Matthew changes as the season progresses…With respect to Matthew's characterization up until this point, I…

I guess I'm in a minority, but I very much liked Lang's PTSD storyline. As with several storylines, I wish it had been extended beyond a couple of episodes, but I thought it both illuminated another side of O'Brien (how ironic is it that she is the ONLY person downstairs who truly tries to comfort Lang?) and reminded…