How Would You Like to See the Show End?

[Constantinople]

LOL, sorry, but then here in Germany a lot of people would have to die of an overdose, just because they're named after their parents. I don't see it.

 

There's a big difference between a child being named after a parent, and a child being named after a parent who was a saint, if not the divine made flesh, and who died so that the child might live.

 

Sybbie is doomed.  But it rarely ends well for the offspring of goddesses and their mortal lovers.

 

Tom may even outlive Sybbie, only to shoot himself from guilt, after he finally understands the intolerable burden he placed on his daughter.

[meep.meep]

She wasn't *that* hot!

 

My take: Folowing the General Strike in 1926 (?)  the Earl manages to fritter away all of Lavinia's money and they are forced to sell the Abbey to some up and coming factory owner, and Robert, Cora, Mary, George, and who ever else is left, move into the other house that they were going to move into before they got Lavinia's money.  They are bitter and keep to themselves.  Mary is also brittle.

 

The new owners don't like the idea of living in an abbey that everyone always calls "Downtown" anyway, and rename the house Gosford Park.  The End.

Edited February 20, 2015 by meep.meep

[ZoloftBlob]

I used this over in the episode thread but its probably more appropriate here.

 

The show ends with Mary waking up in bed, going to the bathroom, and finding Matthew in shower a la Bobby Ewing.

[AZChristian]

As long as it doesn't end up with George playing with a snow globe.  The final scene of St. Elsewhere totally ruined the entire series for me.  I was VERY angry that I had invested so many hours of my life in watching that series and discussing it with friends, only to have a lousy, lousy ending.

[Avaleigh]

Grey Gardens, a la the Bouvier - Kennedy relations. Hoarders. 

And now of course I'm imagining them doing their musical act from WWI for visiting documentary filmmakers. ;-)

[Kohola3]

I think there should be a double wedding with Isobel, Lord Merton, Violet and Prince Faberge.   Carson and Mrs. Hughes tie the knot also.   Edith and Tom both move to Boston and elope together.  After she has left, Edith gets her newspaper to do an expose on Mary, who is doomed to never marry because of it and has to help Mr. and Mrs. Drew with the pigs to cover her clothing and hair expenses.  And dress herself- shudder!  

 

Mosley marries Baxter, Daisy marries the new cute young guy who just showed up and leaves to raise a family at Mr. Mason’s farm.  An inspired and educated woman, she eventually runs for Parliament, wins, and Mrs. Patmore comes to live out her days with Daisy, cooking for her and being a nanny.  Anna is finally cleared; they sue the British Government for a zillion pounds for its inept Scotland Yard employees, and move to the US.  Here they raise a dozen kids and live happily ever after, especially after they write a book about their ordeals and sell it to Amazon (both hardcover and Kindle). 

 

With no one left around except Thomas, Cora and Robert move to London but turn Downton into the local Ramada Inn, where Thomas, as the First Office Clerk, offends everyone so they never check in and he never has to do any work. 

 

After Downton goes up for sale since it never brings in any money, Anna and Mr. Bates buy it with money they get from the movie rights to their book.  They open The Downton Marriott, Mr. Bates finally gets to boot Thomas out, and they make even more money.

 

And Robert and Cora, due to the size of their small flat in London, give up on getting another Isis and get a Border Terrier instead.  And name him “Fellowe”.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Kohola3

[memememe76]

Marigold marries one of the Drewe boys. Mrs. Drewe and Edith are now mothers-in-law. They argue a lot about the grandkids. 

[Driad]

 

In case the show goes as far as World War II (which I doubt), here is an article about British fashions and attitudes during that time:  http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/feb/20/in-the-line-of-duty-fashion-during-second-world-war

 

[Friendly Lurker]

I'm re watching the first season and think it would be cool if there is a flash forward and Sybby is being walking around Parliament in the 1960s. Next thing she bumps into an older lady who is clearly someone important, possibly a minister, and introduces herself. Older lady then replied "My name is Gwen, I knew your mother."

 

It makes zero sense, would tie nothing up, and would quite possibly make the Downton Abbey corner internet implode, but I think it would be cute.

[persey]

Cora runs off with Bricker and Robert divorces her. In the meantime, Mabel Lane Fox dumps Tony at the altar because revenge is a dish best eaten cold. She and Robert get married because he can always use more money and she still wants a title. She gives birth to an heir.

Gregson returns from Germany (it wasn't his body) and it turns out he was never married, which is why no one knew about it. The magazine was saddled with debt and he just wanted to offload it while he explored the sexual delights of Weimar Berlin. Laughs his head off at the notion he could have been seriously interested in Edith.

Edited February 27, 2015 by persey

[Constantinople]

Mr. & Mrs. Bates conclude the British class system is the source of all their woes.

 

Deciding to take action, they burst into the dining room, each with a Tommy gun in hand and mow everyone down in the room:  Lord & Lady Grantham, Lady Violet, a stuffed mannequin made-up to look like Matthew, Mary, Edith, Tom, Isobel, Rose, Atticus, the Sinderbies, the Flintshires, the Dickie Merton Greys, Dr Clarkson and the other servants in the room, Carson, Thomas and Mosley.

 

As the victims cough up their last blood, simultaneous explosions kill the children in the nursery and all of the remaining servants in the kitchen and the servants' dining room area.  A third explosion at the dowager house takes out Sprat and Lady Violet's new git of a lady's maid.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Bates are last seen cackling with glee as Downton Abbey crashes down on top of them.

[ZoloftBlob]

I like this but still.... dinosaurs eating Robert. Admit it, its all so perfect....

[JudyObscure]

After the Christmas special, whatever that's about, I would like just one more episode about this generation.

 

  Anna would confess to killing Greene and Vera, and do a little bit of mousey, shifty eyes, and unintelligible mutterings, when questioned about a few other cold cases.  Mr. Bates would promise to visit often.

 

There would be a big Downton Party.  Rose and her new extended family would appear quite happy.  Isabelle and Lord Merton would announce that they had been married quietly at the registry office, Larry and Darryl  would say they were going to Kansas City to seek out pretty little women. Violet and the Prince would quietly reach for one another's hands.

 

A devastatingly handsome man would come as Blake's guest.  Mary would be shown to thunderbolt.  The man would be shown catching Edith and Marigold in a beam of sunlight and asking Blake who the beautiful strawberry blondes were.

 

Downstairs after the party, Daisy would announce leaving to run Mr. Mason's farm along with Mrs. Patmore.  Carson would kiss Mrs. Hughes in the pantry.  Andy would kiss Thomas in the wine cellar. 

 

Next season would begin in 1946, featuring the new generation of handsome heir  George, only slightly damaged by WWII, Marigold, beautiful and mysterious, lively Sybbie just returning from America, and Larry Merton's evil young son and daughter.

[photo fox]

After the Christmas special, whatever that's about, I would like just one more episode about this generation.

{snip}

Next season would begin in 1946, featuring the new generation of handsome heir  George, only slightly damaged by WWII, Marigold, beautiful and mysterious, lively Sybbie just returning from America, and Larry Merton's evil young son and daughter.

I really love this, actually. I'm so tired of the current cast of characters (not the actual actors), and I'd love to start fresh.

[Crs97]

Final scene for Edith-

She happens across Mr. Drewe, who has aged 20 years. He explains that his wife left him, taking his children and disappearing. He is searching, but can't find them. All he has left is the farm.

Edith shrugs at the news and tells him she needs another favor. His farm is doing too well and people don't know his wife left so they aren't buying the excuse that the Drewes are too poor to care for Marigold. She hands him a bag of salt and tells him to sow it into his fields to kill his crops so that the farm will be ruined and her secret will be safe. He stabs her with his pitchfork.

[Crs97]

Regarding Mary:

 

Since Anna and John Bates have yet to have children, they bring home a puppy.  Mary decides she needs her materials for another week "painting in the countryside with a friend."  Unfortunately, unbeknownst to everyone, the dog has used her diaphragm as a chew toy.  Mary finds herself married within the next few months to "confirmed bachelor" Philip, Duke of Crowborough.  Thomas immediately signs on as his valet.  Mary has a daughter, who grows up extremely discontented that she cannot inherit the title and duchy.  

[Avaleigh]

I want the house to still bein possession of the Crawley family by the end. 

 

Since we only have one season left I don't really want anyone else to die. Not enough time to deal with the fallout of any character death IMO. 

[Eolivet]

I always thought the finale had to end with Robert's death, but I hope not now. Unless it's a time jump and George is of age, that's just too depressing. All joking homages to finales aside, I would like the finale to end on a good, old-fashioned Downton family get-together. If it's not at Christmas (I hope it is, since Christmas is indicative of that spirit of tradition and family that has been a hallmark of the show), then just a regular old family get-together. I'd like to see characters gathering together before some of them scatter (maybe Rose and Atticus back to America, Tom, Sybbie and a new wife [?] to a different place, Edith if she gets married). Same with the downstairs: Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes retiring together, perhaps passing the baton to Thomas. Daisy finally helping to run Mr. Mason's farm.

 

But before then, all the upstairs and downstairs folks gather together, respectively, for one last meal with after-dinner drinks in the drawing room, and we assume life goes on as usual, even after the cameras have stopped rolling.

[ennui]

I think the family event for the end should be a christening of a baby, the next generation.

I don't want anyone to die. Look at how upset people got over Isis.

[ZoloftBlob]

Burn it! Have Edith go mad and BURN IT ALL DOWN!  Preferably after opening fire with an automatic weapon at Mary second magical wedding to Henry Talbot, while screaming "WHY IS IT ALWAYS ABOUT MARY??????"

[Driad]

 

Years ago in "Punch" there was a cartoon of a room like those in DA, with a rope across the front (the sort used to keep tourists off the furniture).  The family was sitting in the room having tea.  A footman carrying a tray was stepping over the rope.  One of the family said, "Tell [butler] we can do without the rope now we're closed for the winter."

[helenamonster]

Burn it! Have Edith go mad and BURN IT ALL DOWN!  Preferably after opening fire with an automatic weapon at Mary second magical wedding to Henry Talbot, while screaming "WHY IS IT ALWAYS ABOUT MARY??????"

 

Thank you for this. I had the shittiest week and this totally put me in a good mood for the weekend.

 

Before Matthew died, I would have liked for the show to end with Donk's death, the Earl of Grantham torch passing from him to Matthew, and Mary becoming Countess of Grantham while Cora and Violet argue over who is the real Dowager. I also would have liked to see other sorts of torch-passing with the servants: Carson, Mrs. Hughes, and Mrs. Patmore retire, with Thomas, Anna, and Daisy taking their places.

 

But a lot of things have changed now, so I'm not quite sure. A cool ending would be, I suppose, to show Downton in 2015, maybe now a museum. I read a book last year called The House at Riverton that was very Downton-esque. Half of it took place during Downton time (before, during, and after WWI) while the other half took place in, I want to say the late '90s? It was told from the perspective of a maid who had worked at the house who was on the verge of death and wanted to visit it (now a museum) one last time to make peace with some sketchy shit that had gone down there. So maybe an old Sybbie, George, or Marigold could go back and visit it in the "future"?

 

Barring that, I'm kind of ok with a "life goes on" ending. We know that the Great Depression and WWII are just around the corner, but they don't. It would be rather fitting to just imagine that these people will go on to ring for tea and get dressed up for dinner for the rest of forever.

[Avaleigh]

Mary can't become the Countess of Grantham. When Robert dies the title is going to go to her son George.

 

I agree with the last paragraph of your post, Helenamonster. 

Edited March 27, 2015 by Avaleigh

[helenamonster]

Mary can't become the Countess of Grantham. When Robert dies the title is going to go to her son George.

 

I know, I meant to say that if Matthew was still alive, and Donk died at the end, then he and Mary would become the Earl and Countess of Grantham.

[skyways]

Preferably after opening fire with an automatic weapon at Mary second magical wedding to Henry Talbot, while screaming

 

Why joke about people opening fire with an automatic weapon??  I thought people in America are more sensitive about these things considering how deadly and random these rampages can be.

[ZoloftBlob]

Why joke about anything? Point - its far more likely someone has lost their home in a house fire, or a loved one in a car accident, but we're allowed to make jokes about burning the Abbey and Matthew's zippy fun car of death. (Hell the show made fun of burning the Abbey)

 

eta - Lest you think I am being flip, back on the 18th of this month, I was in the charming position of needing to call and email friends and family to let them know I was not involved in a rampage that was close enough to where I live that I heard the sirens from the cop cars. As the nutjob was loose for several hours, I was emailing my friends how no, today was not the day I was going to pick up hitchhikers. If you don't laugh, you go crazy.

Edited March 28, 2015 by ZoloftBlob

[Crs97]

For some reason I keep envisioning a final scene in which the newest generation is trying to figure out how and whether they can afford to keep up the house and in the midst of the worries one of them says as they walk through the gallery of portraits, "Remember what Great-grandmama Mary used to say: in the end Downton is just a house. The real treasures are the people and the memories." Then we end with the montage of portraits, perhaps explaining what happened with each, before ending on a final picture of everyone.

If Fellowes considers Mary to be his central character, that might be a good way to show her growth without making her act suddenly sentimental.

[ZoloftBlob]

But Mary would never say Downton was just a house! ;)

 

And she would need to have her cold dead hands pried off of it in order to leave! :D

 

More seriously - if they're going to push Henry Talbot as Mary's endgame, my suspicion would be that the show will end with Mary's magical wedding.

[SusanSunflower]

Oh, I suspect this last season is going to be a veritable cavalcade of weddings, after all they have 9 episodes to fill (or is it 10?). Having an end-point is likely to terrify the lugubrious Mr. Fellowes.  He will either introduce a flurry of new characters business -- besides Talbott and the estate manager -- to fill the space around the stalwarts as he plods towards the end or he's likely to rely on those "twists and turns" of false resolutions that he has tended towards in the past. Anna (or Bates) will be re-arrested for Greene's murder, Tom will return (surprise!!), either Patmore or Carson/Hughes' real estate venture will run into trouble, Thomas will discover something he can hold over someone, Daisy will almost decide about the farm, Moseley will humiliate himself (again, to be forgiven and married off to Baxter) and there will be a new cute footman, etc.  I'm still hoping for a surprise -- Gregson's return, Strallen's return or even Carlysle's return to complicate Mary/Talbott. I'm not sure there's time for anyone to die, but some carefully guarded casting secret may necessitate "clever" plot development, to be announced/leaked later this year. 

Edited March 31, 2015 by SusanSunflower

[ZoloftBlob]

You know.... if Fellowes really wanted to take a shocking approach.....

 

Killing off *Mary* would be an awesome way to end it.

[SusanSunflower]

The fact that they're filming with the old-gang's-all-here suggests nothing too radical. Here's hoping Fellowes didn't already have at least 4 scripts written when the decision was made (but I'm inclined to bet he did and -- being himself -- they must not be revised, because .... ) which -- oh noes -- he will have to figure his course, set sail and arrive at his destination in 5 (or is it 6?) episodes... daunting task that!  If Mary can go away for sexy week maybe she could pull an Agatha Christie and simply conveniently disappear ... but who'd care, I mean really.  Talbott can play Lord Peter Whimsy, detective, and track her down, ruling out kidnapping in the process.  Actually a kiddy kidnapping with happy reunion isn't a bad idea, if I do say so myself. Maybe Mr. and Mrs. Drewe?  I wonder if we'll ever see them again.  Are the cottages being built on land still owned by the estate? to be sold or rented to tenants? Is this for "improvements" (as has been mentioned) or for (paltry) income to the estate) or both?  I should give up wondering, but  we've had no updates on how rescued Downton's  is being managing to not hemorrhage money (like before, like their neighbors, etc). 

Edited March 31, 2015 by SusanSunflower

[Eolivet]

Haters gonna hate, and Fellowes will still be all "My overstarched genteel predictability brings all the viewers and award nominations to the yard."

 

"Remember what Great-grandmama Mary used to say: in the end Downton is just a house. The real treasures are the people and the memories."

 

Unfortunately, I think that sounds more like dead great grandmama Sybil. Great granny Mary would say "Downton is the most important thing in your lives and you will devote yourselves to its care or I will come back from the grave and personally haunt you for an hour every day."

[Llywela]

Are the cottages being built on land still owned by the estate? to be sold or rented to tenants?

Oh, they'd be rented, for definite - gives the estate regular additional income, however small, without having to part with any land.

[ZoloftBlob]

Talbott can play Lord Peter Whimsy, detective, and track her down, ruling out kidnapping in the process.  Actually a kiddy kidnapping with happy reunion isn't a bad idea, if I do say so myself. Maybe Mr. and Mrs. Drewe?

 

Actually that would be a fun and somewhat "with the times" plot line, particularly since the Christie disappearence is looming or happening depending on the time.

 

Here's hoping Fellowes didn't already have at least 4 scripts written when the decision was made (but I'm inclined to bet he did and -- being himself -- they must not be revised, because .... ) which -- oh noes -- he will have to figure his course, set sail and arrive at his destination in 5 (or is it 6?) episodes... daunting task that

 

Heehee no worries, if it isn't well recieved, its the fault of the half the cast including Dame Maggie Smith for giving notice at the start of filming of Season six that they won't be coming back for season seven!

[AZChristian]

Perhaps in the last episode, the Granthams could sell the Abbey to the Canarvons.  They would rename it Highclere House, and the last episode would feature the business enterprise of allowing tours through the property.  They could even show lines of tourists!!!  (I'll be the one wearing a t-shirt that says, "My Sunday Nights Are Spent At Downton Abbey.")

 

Sorry . . . projecting my summer plans into the conversation.  LOL.

[SusanSunflower]

Fellowes has my genuine sympathy in trying to figure out where he wants to leave his devoted audience.  I had thought 9 or 10 hours quite a lot of time to fill without adding new characters and plots and was imagining mini-subplots and visitors to liven up what might otherwise feel like a succession of denouements (since so many characters seem poised to be happily-ever-after'd). ZoloftBob had suggested a GINORMOUS  PLOT DEVELOPMENT, like killing off Mary, and  I and other has discussed a BIG TIME JUMP ... and realized that the little news from currently filming suggested everyone in their places, probably ruling out starting the season with someone missing or a decade later. The idea that followed was that the decision to wrap had been made AFTER Fellowes had written the first four ... meaning Fellowes would be frantically trying to set course and arrive at dock in half as many episodes -- Yikes.  Either way it's a significant writing challenge. ... but first he has to decide where (and how and chronologically when) he wants us all -- characters and audience -- to end up.  He can do one more time jump between the last regular episode and the Christmas Special, but IMHO if he wants to do that he's going to want to set it up well.  As it is, we don't have enormous investment in the children and the adults -- now quite grown up -- have thinned in number and possible futures.  The family assembled for Violet's funeral might work ... and she could well have been LAST seen happy and healthy.  Such a solemn occasion could provide for what would otherwise be excessive exposition ... people talking about their past and their hoped-for-future all very end-of-an-era and start of another, but nothing so changed the show could not pick up where it was left off should anyone decide to revive it in a year or 5. 

[ZoloftBlob]

Actually the more I think about it, the more I like a potential kidnapping plot. First, it gives us a flash of danger - I mean, no one really thinks Lady Mary will be killed but it would be fun to see Mary in peril. It allows her to be *rescued* by the handsome Henry Talbot, who woos her with you know, his handsomeness and his dashing bravery. And it makes him something *different* than her other suitors. Plus it allows some "estate peril" - will Robert be able to raise the money to save her, etc etc.

 

And if there's really only five episodes to work with, it wraps up quickly! :D

[helenamonster]

Meh, if Mary was gonna be kidnapped, I'd rather, like, Tom and Anna team up to save her or something (I realize Tom is probably gone but just go with me). We've all seen the "potential male love interest saves girl and they fall madly in love and live happily ever after" a bajillion times, I don't really need to see it play out here, with Mary of all characters. However, I do think someone being kidnapped and held for a large ransom that would put the estate at risk would be a really interesting development because it would pit the two elements the show holds in such high regard (family and the continuing financial success of the nobility) at odds. It would be especially poignant with Mary at the center of it, because I think she loves Downton the most out of anybody, even more than Donk. How would she feel about being traded for the price of everything her life has centered around?

 

It would be hilarious if Edith was the one to get kidnapped and the family just pretended she ran off to London again and went about their business. Cut to black, end of series.

[ZoloftBlob]

Oh I do love me some cheese though. And poor Henry needs an in, and selflessly rescuing the damsel in distress *could* shake off how rude he was to actually accept the shooting invite!.

 

I don't think we can escape the plot revolving around Mary, which would be my second reason to use her as the potential victim, but there is that lovely squirming she'd have to do if it was someone ELSE in the family. Say, Cora, or even Edith - Donk would totally trade the entire estate for Cora, or Edith (or Mary or any of the grandkids for that matter - the only ones he'd hesitate destroying the estate over are Tom and Isobel) but Donk only owns half the estate these days, doesn't he? What would *Mary* do to save her mother or her sister?

 

She's never had a serious disagreement with her father - would she participate in bankrupting the estate  and essentially making her son a landless peer to save her sister? Spicy!

[LadyintheLoop]

Just re-watched 02.06, the Burned Man episode, and it occurs to me that we may have been set up with a false either/or – either the Crawley claimant is an imposter, or he had amnesia for six years. Here’s another theory:

 

The night the Titanic sank, Patrick Crawley tried to save himself by some shameful act of cowardice; if it wasn’t putting on a dress, it was something just about as bad. An angry mob threw him into the ocean whence he was rescued, just as he would claim. He feigned amnesia as he recovered and took stock of his situation; his father was lost, and none of the earlier witnesses saw him again. He realized that if Patrick Crawley’s survival were publicized he might be recognized by his fellow passengers: if not immediately, then when he inherited the title. (And if he brought disgrace on Mary, she’d make him yearn for the icy embrace of the North Atlantic.) Preferring to live out his life in obscurity, he got himself sent to Canada, where his friend Peter Gordon was planning to emigrate. Gordon died sometime after their reunion, around the time the war began, so Patrick enlisted under his name.

 

Patrick’s disfiguring injury meant that he’d never be recognized again, so he revealed his true identity to Edith and Robert. He hoped that he could just slip back into his old role, but the lawyer’s investigation revealed that he was lying about something – at the very least, his six years of amnesia. He slipped away so that the whole, shameful truth would never come out. 

 

So in the final season burn victim “Major Gordon” redeems himself with some heroic act of self-sacrifice and decides he’s been granted a second chance. Now that he has nothing to hide, he reveals that he’s Patrick Crawley, coward of the Titanic and heir to Downton. This time he can easily make his case; he produces photographs of Peter Gordon, Patrick Crawley in England, and “Peter Gordon” in the army. (And if that’s not enough, medical records reveal some trait that the two men didn’t share.)  Robert finally acknowledges him.

 

Mary is livid that George has been bumped down the succession, but then she realizes that Fate has given her one last chance to become Lady Grantham. She mentally throws a bag over Patrick’s head and goes to work . . .

 

. . . trouble is, he likes Edith better.

[Constantinople]

It would be hilarious if Edith was the one to get kidnapped and the family just pretended she ran off to London again and went about their business. Cut to black, end of series.

Make it happen!

[helenamonster]

Ooh, ok, how about this...Anna and Bates have a son, but Bates dies shortly after he's born (rule of the Downton universe: for every pregnancy, there is a death). Anna decides she wants to start over somewhere else, so she moves with her son to the States and opens a motel...

 

ETA: Just went back to read through some older ones and saw that someone else already suggested this idea. Damn, I thought I was so clever.

Edited April 3, 2015 by helenamonster

[Camera One]

I don't know what I'll want to see.  There's really nothing in particular I am especially looking to see.  I just enjoy watching them live their day-to-day lives.

 

I'd like to see O'Brien back for an episode.  

[TheGreenKnight]

Yes, I'd love O'Brien back for at least the series finale! Maybe even a flashback with Sibyl and/or Matthew, although this show doesn't really do flashbacks. Actually, I'd like to see reappearances of old characters in one-off B plots or just cameos throughout the season, like Gwen, Richard Carlisle, Jimmy, Ivy, O'Brien's nephew, Ethel, Mrs. Bird, Lang, Jane, etc. And, of course, Cora's family, Rose, and Rosamund will have to be back.

 

As far as other things--I definitely want to see Thomas receive a love interest that isn't one-sided (Jimmy), ended tragically (the Duke), or both (blind guy). I'd also like to see him take over Carson's role after he retires with Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Patmore, and Anna/Bates leave to enjoy married life. Or perhaps he leaves for America to enjoy his own romance similar to Anna/Bates, with Baxter/Molesley taking over the Carson/Hughes roles.

 

I'd rather neither of Violet or Robert died. Violet and Isobel should be independent, bickering friends until the end. I'm not sure about whether I'd like the characters still at Downton or leaving it at the end.

 

I'd prefer Mary alone with George. Edith could work either way for me, but it would be hard to setup a strong romance in one season (although not impossible). Edith and Mary somehow manage to resolve their relationship before the end--maybe in a goodbye scene, perhaps, with Edith moving away from Downton with Marigold and enjoying the business she inherited from Gregson. Tom decides to stay with the family--no new love interest. Definitely no Tom/Mary or Tom/Edith, please!

Edited April 5, 2015 by TheGreenKnight

[caligirl50]

Thanks for all the giggles.  My favorite being "Lord Grantham finally admits his favorite daughter was Isis."

 

Here is what I think (no laughs here):

Mary marries Henry Tolbert

Edith marries the agent

Mrs. Crawley marries no one

The Dowager doesn't die

Tom comes back engaged to / with an American wife

Anna finally becomes pregnant, all their legal troubles are over

Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes marry.  We are shown that she pushed Mr. Green into the road

Mosley and Baxter become engaged

Daisy develops a crush on Andy, it goes no where, she stays at Downton, inherits the farm

Nothing changes for Mrs. Patmore or Barrow

Lord and Lady Grantham are stronger than ever, they get a new labrador

Downton is secure financially 

 

Julian will want smiles all around.

[RedWolf]

Burn it! Have Edith go mad and BURN IT ALL DOWN!  Preferably after opening fire with an automatic weapon at Mary second magical wedding to Henry Talbot, while screaming "WHY IS IT ALWAYS ABOUT MARY??????"

If this had happened on screen instead of what we got I would have been happy. Actually I would have laughed hysterically for an hour and then started writing fan fiction. As it is I mourned for two hours ranting and raving about how horrible JF is at writing and then started writing and reading fan fiction.

[RedHawk]

Someone (I'm sorry I don't remember who) once cleverly wrote that emigrating to America would not be a solution for Anna and Bates because "they would only continue their killing spree on the other side of the Atlantic". I have laughed at that again and again! Thus, all I want is for it to be revealed that they were murderers all along... but that only we viewers see them exchange evil grins as they leave Downton for Southampton and a boat to the New World.

Edited January 4, 2016 by RedHawk

[RedHawk]

I have a final scenario in mind. Although I don't like flash forwards where you have to age (usually with bad makeup) most of the older principal characters, but I kinda would like the final episode (or a secretly filmed special episode they show later) to move forward 21 years to George's post-war wedding at Downton in June of 1946. During all the preparations it will be revealed that Robert (with George's approval) has sold the estate (which again was a hospital during WWII) with the stipulation that the family and staff be allowed to stay until one week after the wedding. So we could see Cora and Robert settled comfortably into the Grantham's London house, with Robert now rotund after gaining free access to the refrigerator. Mary and her untitled but wealthy husband split their time between a fine country house and a London townhouse, and George and his bride will move into a rented London house until Robert passes. Marigold returns (accompanied by Great Uncle Harold Levinson and his younger English wife) to England after attending college in the United States during the war and is interested in politics and travel, while Edith is unmarried and a publishing dynamo with a London "set".

 

Sybbie and Tom could travel over from the U.S., accompanied by Sybbie's fine husband and cute child. There would be a visit to the graves of Matthew, Sybil, and Violet, and perhaps those of Mrs. Patmore and someone younger and unexpected like Daisy or Anna. And of course they would follow "the tradition" of placing roses on Lavinia's, although none of the younger members of the family quite understand why she is buried there...

 

Isobel could be shown happily still running the hospital, or at least being allowed to think she does. 

Edited January 4, 2016 by RedHawk

[lucindabelle]

I, too, have thoughts of George dying in WWII.

 

Morbid, huh?

 

I envision a woman's voiceover at the end going through the manor house, telling us what happened to everyone.  At the end, it's Edith...last one standing. 

 

So here it is:

 

The Dowager Countess dies in 1930 after a long, cantankerous life.  Her son, Robert, follows two years later because people didn't always live long healthy lives. Cora remains a widow for the next 12 years, seeing the end of the war with all its heartaches, dying in 1946.  Isobel Crawley preceeded her in death in 1939.

 

Mary died in 1954, leaving behind no husband or children as her only child, George, was killed in 1940 evacuating from Dunkirk.  Rose lives it up until 1971.  Edith is the last to die in 1980.  

 

Tom is killed in a riot outside a factory in the U.S. in 1937 when too many people show up for a job during those lean Depression years.  Sybbie is raised by his relatives.  She dies in 1966, never seeing her English family again.

 

Mr. Carson dies in 1933; Mrs. Hughes in 1941.  Mrs. Patmore succumbs to a heart attack brought on by hypertension in 1931.  Daisy dies in 1957, six months after Mr. Mason finally kicks off and leaves her his farm.  

 

Anna outlives her husband by 20 years, dying in 1959.  Bates himself dies of pneumonia in 1939.  

 

Thomas dies in 1950.  Mr. Molesley in 1942.

I'd love to see that!

You never do... costume dramas always end close to the time they take place, ignoring that someone born in the 20s is only in their 40s when the Beatles are raging, you know?

And their parents could WELL be alive.