Idiots. I mean…haven’t they heard of innocent until proven guilty? And they accused him of what they’d suspected all along: wanting to go back to Ireland and fight the British yoke even if it meant giving up Sybil and her unborn child. Note the “her”.

Are we even watching the same show here Radio Times??

Sorry, but think for a moment. If he’d gone back to the flat to get her then she would’ve been in even more danger, and he knows that Sybil can manage by herself. Why don’t you?

And yes, Tom should’ve told Sybil about those meetings, but if he’s interested in the cause then you can’t blame him for being interested in what they talk about at these meetings. He knows he’s not going to get involved in violence, and he didn’t. The only mistakes he made was being at that place at that time, and not telling Sybil about those meetings.

You know we thought James Scales was going to play Kieran Branson because we saw those audition tapes? Well clearly he didn’t get the part, because (I don’t know whether anyone’s already said this or not) it says in the Chronicles of Downton Abbey (which I got today) that he’s going to be played by this guy here: Ruairi Conoghan.

Shock horror!

but I really need to get examples of text messages to write a short essay about the language used in texts and age groups. Is it too much to ask from you lovely people if you could drop me a message containing an SMS (or two) you’ve got your hands on, and the sender’s (approximate) age? You don’t have to write the sender’s name, just the message and the age. Is that alright?

Keep Calm and Downton on, my fellow Downtonians.

In reply to a post saying that “Tom doesn’t change for Sybil, yet Sybil has to run away for him”.

There’s no reason for Tom to change. Tom doesn’t need to change to be like the aristocracy. That’s not who he is or ever will be and he shouldn’t have to try and be like them. Yes, he might have to go along with a couple of their traditions whilst they’re at Downton, but he shouldn’t have to change. Nobody should have to change if there’s nothing wrong with how they are. Secondly, Sybil doesn’t want him to change. If he did then he wouldn’t be the man she fell in love with. She doesn’t want an aristocrat as a husband, she wants him. She wants him for all his virtues and vices. If he changed then he would break her heart. Thirdly, yes Sybil did have to run away with him for them to be together, but that was her choice and that was something she willing did. She wanted to make that sacrifice in the end, because she knew that she would be getting something so much better in return. Don’t forget that Tom has made sacrifices for her too. He’s had to endure the hurtful comments he no doubt would’ve received from his friends and acquaintances in Dublin, the harsh judgement of all his family and friends. Many would’ve seen this as a betrayal and treated him badly as a result. He’s now having to be put in incredibly difficult social situations whilst staying at Downton, and he’s having to endure the endlessly patronising comments and remarks from her family. It’s no piece of cake for him either.

I think this comment is him basically thinking that Sybil is asking him to change into something he shouldn’t have to change into, and he’s hurt by that. He knows that he shouldn’t have to change, and he thought that Sybil knew that too, but he read  her comment to mean the opposite, and that hurts. That hurts when you think you know someone, but they turn out to disappoint you. This is what’s happening. He’s worried that she thinks he should change, when he shouldn’t change really.

“

Tom Branson ‏@bransonplots

In next ep of DA, Tom, Matthew and Robert wake up in Brighton after stag, but where is Strallan? Edith is going crazy! And there’s a tiger!

”

Read More