(Spoiler alert... if you haven't watched the season three finale of Downton Abbey, stop what you are doing and run along to it. I watched it on my phone in the mountains with buffering and spotty 3G reception. What is your excuse? If you don't watch Downton Abbey, well, I don't really know what to say except that you should. Or you shouldn't. Because it will break your heart and mess up your mascara. Moving on.)
You wanted freedom to pursue other acting jobs. REALLY???? Because your character on Downton Abbey was brilliantly written with feeling and depth and had so very much room to grow. Couldn't you pursue other jobs during the hiatus? Or was nine episode season just too grueling? NINE EPISODE SEASON!!!!!
(Can we have a side conversation about how the season is WAY TOO SHORT???? I mean really. TOO SHORT.)
Or was it you didn't want to be typecast? REALLY???? Remember the richness, and depth of your character? You could really go anywhere with that so called "typecasting". Romance? Comedy? Drama? Action? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Because as Matthew Crawley you displayed all of those facets with depth and richness.
We have a family motto Mr. Stevens. It is simply this:
PUT SOME DIRT ON IT.
Don't want to do something you committed to?
PUT SOME DIRT ON IT.
Don't want to show up somewhere you committed to being?
PUT SOME DIRT ON IT.
Don't want to finish a job you committed to finishing?
PUT SOME DIRT ON IT.
Keep your committments. Show up for people. Even when you don't want to. Even when it is hard. Even if it isn't what you thought or hoped it would be. Even when you think there is something better out there (chances are THERE ISN'T.)
Quitting is for quitters.
Endurance is for awesome people.
Sticking it out isn't always easy, but there are far greater rewards in the end.
Now you will always be the guy who quit Downton Abbey.
Lets see how that works out for you.
You were all that was good in Lady Mary. You made me like her. I fear what your leaving will do. I hate that I have to wait nearly a year to find out.
Goodbye Matthew Crawley. Downton will not be the same without you and your blue eyes. Nor will you be the same without Downton.
Bravo and well said! Tragic just tragic. I can't handle anymore dying. Need some happiness in season4! RIP Matthew and Lady Syb. :( I read that Jessica Brown Findlay way wanted to pursue a Hollywood career...bleh! Why!?
ReplyDeletethat'll preach.
ReplyDeletealso, downton, you should put some dirt on it as well. i need more than 9 episodes.
The Brits and their darn short seasons. I think they do it to mess with us Americans.
ReplyDeleteI was never crazy about Matthew and Mary but I agree with you, he made me like her. Now Sybil on the other hand. I loved her to pieces and Jessica Brown-Findlay reportedly did the same thing, asked to be let off the show. So disappointing.
Amen sista.
ReplyDeleteSeriously. Why wouldn't a person want to be one of the best characters on TV? He really gave Mary some humanity. Lame sauce.
ReplyDeleteI heartily agree! :-)
ReplyDeleteThe big jerk!!! He wanted to go to do a play so he ruined a perfectly wonderful storyline?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteAMEN. AND AMEN. I am just so incredibly disappointed! How selfish can these two be? Where are they going to go and get the same kind of quality show and popularity?
ReplyDeleteI am thrilled to see you write about this, as it has been haunting me as well.
You da bomb.
I'm linking you to my Facebook. Let's start a mob.
;)
Sing it, sister! Why would you want to leave a show that hasn't even reached it's peak yet? Crazy!!
ReplyDeleteI am still in total shock over that ending!
KK
here, here
ReplyDeletewell said.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! I couldn't believe they killed him and Sybil in the same season... It's mean to say but I hope he regrets quitting and leaving all of us faithful followers!
ReplyDeleteseriously. to all of the above.
ReplyDeleteYes. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he's not really dead. Maybe he's just in a coma and Dr. Clarkson will say he won't wake up, but he will make a miraculous recovery... again. Or maybe Mary is going to be all bitter and angry again and I won't watch anymore, which wouldn't be a bad thing because I wasted 2 weeks of my life watching all three seasons and neglecting my children. So maybe Matthew dying isn't a bad thing after all. We will be more productive members of society. Maybe that's what Matthew wanted for us.
ReplyDeleteStayed up way to late last night watching it! Argh!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou said it so perfectly! And so true!
I TOTALLY agree! Other TV stars manage to keep their foot in movies while staying on their series. Matthew leaving changes the show radically...even more than Sybil's leaving. :(
ReplyDeleteCindy at Notes in the Key of Life
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! Couple of random Downton things I saw yesterday:
ReplyDeleteA cartoon on Facebook that said 'most popular PBS fund drive ever. ...send us your money or we'll kill off another Downton Abbey character.' Ha!
Also, I was watching Notting Hill for the first time in forever and who walks into the flat for the birthday party but the younger version of Mary's father! I couldn't believe it!
Anyway.... just thought you'd enjoy a little Downton dirt. Oh and THANK YOU for warnjng people to watch before reading. Twice I had episodes spoiled by people posting things on twitter/facebook that tainted my watching. Eventually I learned to stay off social media until I had watched the new episoded on pbs.com
PERFECTLY stated!
ReplyDeleteI know the ending was horrible! How can they do it! Mary finally has a baby and you feel so muc happiness and two seconds later Matthew is dead! The ending totally sucked!
ReplyDeleteDan Stevens is dead to me.
ReplyDeleteThere were so many ways they could have killed him off that wouldn't have been so traumatic. But having him die at the very end of the episode like that was bullish*t.
ReplyDeleteI cried buckets when Sybil died and thought it could never get any worse. Then Matthew dies and I was too dang mad to cry. Really Downton that was so messed up! But at least I feel better in knowing it wasn't the show's fault...oh boo Dan Stevens!
ReplyDeleteQuitters stink!
I literally sat with my mouth gaping open in shock for 5 minutes. I couldn't believe it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I watched I, I didn't cry too much because I thought for sure it couldn't end this way. Then I found out about his contract negotiations and now I'm just maaaaaaaaaaaad. So thank you for preaching it. Maybe he'll change his mind before they start shooting... Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you! You have given words to my thoughts. That was a horrible last scene. HORRIBLE! And Lady Mary...Laws help me, that woman has always been hard for me to take. But without Matthew? Fuhgettaboutit! But lets talk Mr. Bates. Why do I find him so extremely attractive?
ReplyDeleteAnd do I ever have a funny story about putting dirt on it!! I need to blog about it!
Have a great day!
Preach it, Sista! Preach it!!!
ReplyDeleteWell said. I accidentally read the ending a long time ago, so I knew it was coming. Still sad. And still mad as heck at him. Having said all of THAT, have you seen Mary's new "love interest"? Yum. Can I say that? :)
ReplyDeleteHere, here!
ReplyDeleteIf I ever see Dan Stevens in real life, he's def. going to hear it from me!
Here are some articles for you Julie:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/downton-hit-storm-matthew-death-article-1.1267226
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/17/downton-abbey-matthew-dead_n_2708642.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bonnie-fuller/downton-abbey-season-3-finale_b_2712330.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/downton-abbey-tom-ellis-miranda-1713383
I certainly could be incorrect; but I believe the cast signed on for a 3-year contract, which Dan Stevens fulfilled. He chose to not sign for the 4th season, which was in his rights. He's 30. Give him a break!
ReplyDeleteAll that being said, I stopped breathing at the end of the finale.
LOVE.
ReplyDeleteI cried big crocodile-y tears as I watched Mary cradling their infant all the unnecessary ear-blood! You hit it right on the head... he made me like and maybe even slightly start to love (I'll never forget her first season ickyness so I can't LOVE her)Mary in the first place! :(:(:(
As Unknown wrote, Dan Stevens finished his three-year contract and wanted to do other things. I still like him. : )
ReplyDeletePreach it sista!
ReplyDeleteI watched it the day after Christmas. I cannot imagine having watched it the day it aired. Christmas Day for Pete's sake! It put me in a horrible mood for days, which is sad that a tv show could do that to me. I've had some time to think on it and am okay now. He did fulfill his contract. I read he chose to not renew back when they were filming season 2, his character was in a weird place. He was in a wheelchair and then lazereth-like got up and walked. I can see where he thought the show was taking his character places he didn't want to be. I'm more irritated with Julian Fellows for ending the season on Christmas Day like that. I read he felt it was the only option. With Matthew and Mary's history he didn't want them to be estranged or have problems. But seriously. He'd just had a baby! But, again, I'm trying to move on. Keep my mouth shut for all the people that are still in season 1 or 2. I just hope Downton can pick up the pieces and move forward with as good of a show as it was before.
ReplyDeleteI think this may be the second or thrid time I have commented on your blog, the last of which was quite some time ago. But I have to interject here to say, AMEN! This is so exactly how I felt/feel. I stumbled upon the news of Matthew and Sybil's death before they aired. I was astonished. Two of the sweetest, most loving characters killed off in one season, a nine episode season at that. Matthew was by far my and my husband's favorite character. Downton will just not be the same without him.
ReplyDeleteamen sister!!
ReplyDeleteI'm still mad.
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it, girl.
ReplyDeleteWell said. The Dowager Countess would be so proud. I think Carson would be, too!
ReplyDeleteOh, now I'm really mad....grrr.
ReplyDeleteI wish you could send this to him and really get him to change his mind. I HATE that he's off the show. What a travesty!!!!
ReplyDeleteHehe, I feel your pain. But he did not quit. He fulfilled his three-year contract and didn't sign up for another. So the stuff about not seeing commitments through doesn't really apply here. ;) Love that show; I will miss his character!!
ReplyDelete