Daisy: Perky Yorkshire Lass

[Rhondinella]

I think we can all agree she's the best character on the show, no?  Despite being involved in the most boring love quadrangle in the history of television.

[SnarkySheep]

I know there are those who like her, but personally Daisy has always been the least favorite character. I think part of it is that she simply doesn't seem to grow and learn from her life's experiences the way that others around her do. While she is clearly a good person at heart, she just doesn't always act that way.

[Rhondinella]

Yeah, I can see what you're saying, SnarkySheep.  But I blame that on the writing, which hasn't really done a good job of developing any of these characters.  Of course, that could be because they play out the same 5 plot lines over and over and over again, so there isn't room for growth.  But she certainly has matured some and gained confidence in her abilities over the last few years.

[jellywager]

What I don't understand is that how come she is turning down all of these fabulous offers? Didn't her Father-in-law offer for her to take over his farm and run a business selling preserves? Then a man is finally interested in her (which he seemed a little more appealing that Alfred) and she has the chance to go to America and she chooses to moon over the fact a man wanted her and stay right where she is. 

We also never did find out what kind of benefits she would receive from the government for being a war widow. 

Get off your ass Daisy, the world is passing you by. 

[Camera One]

Daisy is another one who got the short end of the stick in S4, where she got to reenact the same sour expression she had throughout S3 against Ivy, while playing in a repetitive triangle that dragged out for two whole seasons even though it wasn't interesting enough to sustain half a season.  Which is very sad, since she actually had so much potential, with William's father and the farm offer, and also her being promoted to a cook.  At least we still get the wonderful relationship Daisy has with Mrs. Patmore, which is the main saving grace of the character now.

Edited June 16, 2014 by Camera One

[dramachick]

It would be nice if Daisy had a grand plan that will be revealed in the next series.  She's still very young and has the resources to make her own opportunities.

[Athena]

What I don't understand is that how come she is turning down all of these fabulous offers? Didn't her Father-in-law offer for her to take over his farm and run a business selling preserves? Then a man is finally interested in her (which he seemed a little more appealing that Alfred) and she has the chance to go to America and she chooses to moon over the fact a man wanted her and stay right where she is. 

We also never did find out what kind of benefits she would receive from the government for being a war widow. 

Get off your ass Daisy, the world is passing you by.

 

I think the farm offer is still there. She visits him which is great, and they seem close. I am also not surprised Daisy didn't take the America offer because she is a small town girl. She's never had ambitions to go far away from home. Daisy has been at Downton a long time now, and she is still young enough to make firm decisions. I think she and Mrs P have a great relationship which Daisy appreciates.

 

As for the guy, she was rightly flattered, but she didn't seem all that into him. Secondly, she had just gotten over her own crush and realized maybe rushing into a second committed relationship isn't what she wants now.

[helenamonster]

I agree with your post, Athena. I think Daisy is comfortable in Yorkshire and has no aspirations to travel and see the world. My problem with that aspect of the CS is that they had whatshisname (Ethan?) pursuing Daisy for the entire episode, with Ivy just randomly popping up and taking the job at the end. I think it would have been more interesting if we'd seen Ivy overhearing the offer and talking more about wanting to travel (which she has talked about before) and not having the ending be so random. As for her not taking Mr. Mason's farm, the offer is still on the table. She's still very young, and what happens if she doesn't like it? Then she's kind of stuck with it, especially after he dies. I can see her wanting to wait it out a little longer. This season, I'd like to see her at least make an attempt to see what it's all about and whether or not she'd like to leave service for it. I have a feeling it will be her endgame, it's just taking a long time to get there.

 

I like Daisy a lot, but at this point she's just kind of treading water until the show ends or the actress leaves and they move her to Mr. Mason's farm permanently (pure spec). A lot of times I feel like the show is good at getting rid of things that aren't working (case in point: Ivy) but I guess because she's been there since Season 1 and she seems to be generally liked among fans, they're having trouble letting go of Daisy. Oh well. I still enjoy any scenes she has with Mrs. Patmore or Mr. Mason. It doesn't bother me too much.

[Badger]

I don't think it was so much wanting to travel. Ivy had spoken several times last season of wanting to be more daring and I think the idea of a completely new country appealed to her in that way.  

 

When she heard Daisy turn the job down, I think she knew this was her chance and she grabbed it.  

[Constantinople]

I like Daisy a lot, but at this point she's just kind of treading water until the show ends or the actress leaves and they move her to Mr. Mason's farm permanently (pure spec). A lot of times I feel like the show is good at getting rid of things that aren't working (case in point: Ivy) but I guess because she's been there since Season 1 and she seems to be generally liked among fans, they're having trouble letting go of Daisy. Oh well. I still enjoy any scenes she has with Mrs. Patmore or Mr. Mason. It doesn't bother me too much.

I think a major problem with DA is that Julian Fellowes wants too much of the action to take place at DA itself, which has a stifling effect on plots and character development.

There's no reason why Daisy's character couldn't take over Mr. Mason's farm and still be part of the show. The farm, is, after all, nearby and part of Lord Grantham's estates. Offhand, I'd think Farmer Daisy would have reason to interact with the following characters

• Branson, the estate agent
• Lady Mary, who's taken a more active interest in managing the estate
• Mrs. Hughes, in S1, she said she grew up on a farm so she knew what the life was like. She could offer Daisy advice, suggestions, or just generally commiserate with her about life on a farm
• Mrs. Patmore, if Daisy sells any of her produce/preserves to the house.

I imagine there are other scenarios that JF could develop so that Daisy could interact with other characters.

 

It would be nice if Daisy had a grand plan that will be revealed in the next series.  She's still very young and has the resources to make her own opportunities.

I like to think Daisy has a long term plan to take over everything, and that she's slowly killing off or forcing everyone else out as further that plan.

When you play the Game of Downton Abbey, you win or you die.

[kpw801]

Let's talk about Daisy.  As Chandler Bing would say, "Can she be anymore boring?"

 

As a character I think from the start she was meant to be rather thick.  When we first meet Daisy she is building the fire in the dark because "I daredn't" turn the lights on.  She gives William poison to sprinkle on the chicken and is saved because he couldn't remember which chicken dish to sprinkle it on.  She moons over Thomas because she can't see what everyone else knows that Thomas is "not a lady's man".  

 

She is just horrid to William, and even lies for Thomas just because he asked her to and nearly gets Mr. Bates fired.  She refuses to accept her widows portion even though William expressly told her that was what he wanted for her and for her to continue to say that it is cheating and a lie is to basically call William a cheat because it was his idea.  She is the one who never told Alfred how she felt before he had a chance to start making a fool over himself over Ivy.  

 

She was the only person who thought Ms. Bunting walked on water.  I think Carson and Mrs. Hughes would have told Mrs. Patmore about all the insults at the dinner table and I know the footmen knew.  Daisy made me mad pouting and throwing a snit saying "Cause whenever she comes here she gets insulted."  I want to know who told her that?  Ms. Bunting never had a chance to really be insulted.  The closest thing was when Lord Grantham told her she and Tom were talking nonsense about the memorial.  Other than that, she was the one hurling insults and accusations left and right - shoot she even insulted the Russians.  Anyone who was not middle class or lower deserved to be despised and Daisy has only known this woman for a few weeks or months and now the Crawleys are to be despised and Daisy jumped right on that bandwagon.

 

She is now a scholar and a natural mathematician.

 Yawn and double yawn.  I wish she would get a job in London and don't let the door smack her on the butt on the way out!

Edited November 5, 2014 by kpw801

[mightycrone]

The way I feel about Daisy isn't so much about Daisy anymore-- it's about the clunky, heavy-handed writing that is clearly manipulative, and I'm having a hard time getting on board.  Here again is the billboard proclaiming "Root for her!  She's improving herself!"   But you can't just root for her on your own.  You have to have Carson throw you in that direction with his ugliness.  Hallmark Channel, anyone?  

[Avaleigh]

Daisy is the main character I'm rooting for to finally leave Downton. I can think of reasons for all of the others to stay and still move on with their lives in some way but I don't really feel that this is especially true for Daisy. I think Daisy needs to try something new. The problem with Daisy is that she's had opportunities to leave, possibly more opportunities than anyone else downstairs and she always ends up staying at Downton. Daisy could have done what Alfred did and she had a lot more training than he did. She could be working in a hotel and having a life in London. She had the option of going to Mr Mason's farm and seeing if she'd like that sort of life. (This one is easier for me to understand as far as her not jumping at it since I imagine life on the farm to be pretty tough for somebody who wasn't used to that sort of lifestyle.) She could have gone to New York--a job, an adventure, a romance all wrapped up in one package. It seemed like she let her lack of interest in the American guy be the deciding factor to her choosing not to go and I thought that was too bad. I'd be willing to bet that she could have negotiated a much nicer salary too with Harold. 

 

Thomas would probably be happier away from Downton too and being a butler or valet in London so that he could have something of a social life but since I don't think he deserves much happiness after the way he's treated people over the years I'm not especially rooting for him the way I'm rooting for Daisy.

[dizzyd]

Looks like Daisy may have moved on from Downton to Galavant.

[kpw801]

I know I am dating myself but there was a point in season 5 where Daisy (Sophie McShera) had an expression and I swear she looked like the daughter of Jim Nabors.  I mean she looked like the daughter of Gomer Pyle.