Downton Abbey & My Dad

~Downton Abbey and my dad  {and sister}~

This post is about Downton Abbey and my dad.  Tonight is the last episode of the British Masterpiece Theater series. One of the best gifts is the impact Downton Abbey  had on my relationship with my dad.  Every Monday morning,  following Sunday night’s episode, I have at least a half dozen emails  in my inbox from my dad and sister. In each subject line he enters:  “Downtown Abbey Recap.” That’s not a typo: my dad spells and pronounces Downton as  DownTOWN Abbey. We stopped correcting him after the second episode. It’s kind of cute; like how my dad says “nunfat yogurt” verses “nonfat” yogurt.  Catholic roots run deep!

He offers his analysis of the week’s plot lines; the good and the bad (his opinion).  He loves the snarky comments of the Dowager Countess of Grantham,  “Her facial and verbal expressions are priceless to experience. “My dad endss his emails with a  “definition  of the week.”  This could be a title, process or plot theme. For example, this is what I found in my inbox during Season 1:  “The dictionary defines Dowager as ….” a woman who holds title from her deceased husband.”  Thanks Dad!  No, really, thanks!

He  started complaining by the 2nd episode of season 3 of the Mr. Bates story line, “Laura and Tricia (my sister) , why are the other prisoners singling out Mr. Bates?” He continues,  ” I think they need to wrap up this story line quickly.”  Okay, dad, maybe you should just email the show’s creator Mr. Fellowes.  I didn’t actually suggest this because he might actually spend the better part of a morning drafting an email to the show’s creator/director/writer.

My dad, a devout Catholic, voiced his concerns about how the creator, Julian Fellowes,  was going to portray the Catholic story line regarding Baby Sybil’s christening into the Catholic Faith.  “Dad, it’s a historical fiction account of post- Edwardian aristocrats,” argued my sister, the English teacher.  She and my dad exchange emails with all types of historical references.  Show offs!

My sister  always has to “one up” me with her email replies of  the historical significance of the story lines.  For example,  my sister asks in her snooty, English major tone, “When did the whole manor system end in London?”  What?   And, my dad jumps in with “I suspect it still exists although certainly on a business basis more than landed gentry.”  And then I jump in with the question, “What is landed gentry?” And with this question my inbox blows up  with spirited responses and email exchanges between  her and my our dad skewering  my ignorance of  European history.   So, my dad emails me the definition:  “Laura, landed gentry refers to people who inherit and own land and title.” You mean property owners?  I added it to my  every growing “word bank.”

Duh!  Okay, so maybe I didn’t pay attention  in AP History, but my day dreams about my AP History teacher took place in Europe).

Of course, the one episode my dad missed (and didn’t Tivo) was the episode where Thomas  makes his moves on Jimmy the footman.  That Monday morning email was simply titled, “Downtown Abbey: What happend?”  I let my sister share that recap with our dad!

Here is my dad’s season ending email on Monday morning following the death of Matthew:

” Stunned!  Another season ending of ‘Who shot J.R.?’  I bet Matt lives.”  Okay, I love how my dad refers to Matthew as Matt!  And, the JR reference is to the original Dallas series (Google Dallas- the 1980’s version  when JR and Sue-Ellen were the first couple to sleep around on network television).  So the affairs in Dallas didn’t bother my dad…. but the story line of Baby Sybbee’s baptism almost threatened a disruption of our weekly story line recaps!

But, never one to just soak in the emotions, my dad end’s that week’s email with his anaylsis, ” I suppose the plot needed a radical development since all the issues:  money, Tom (Thomas), offspring and Matt have been resolved.”

Fast forward to this year’s final season and my dad’s most recent email:

On Mar 1, 2016, at 8:29 AM, wrote:

“How many more episodes in this final season? I don’t understand the story points for Lord Grantham’s ulcer attack nor Ms. Pattmore’s house of ill repute fame. Lady Mary’s marriage resolved had all the class of deciding to eat at a McDonalds. It seems the writers want to close off all the issues prematurely or unnecessarily. And, he ended with this question: “I wonder which character will utter the final script line?”

As we head into the final episode of Downton Abbey it is with mixed emotions. My dad’s emails and commentaries with us have been a wonderful gift. Thank you dad for your engaging emails and post-episode analysis.   My  love  for you and my word-bank overflow-eth.

Sharing: Katherine’s Corner