I've been watching Season 4 since premiere night, but I haven't had the time to post anything about it till now. Won't go into any episode reviews like before. But I will comment on a couple of things. As for the first episode, the big bombshell is that Siobhan Finneran who plays Mrs. O'Brian is off the show. Since I don't follow the ins and outs of the series during hiatus. So yeah, this was a pretty big shock for me when they mentioned it in the opening 5 minutes of the first episode. Her being MIA hasn't harmed the show (so far), but she will be missed because she was the catalyst for a lot of 'bad' things happening down below in kitchen-land.

The other big thing that happened in Episode 2 was the **** of Anna. I NEVER even thought of the show going in this direction. It's not that I have my head buried in the sand and that stuff like this didn't exist during this time. Of course, this has been around since the dawn of time. I'm just saying that I never thought something like this would be on Downton Abbey. Really curious how this plays out and if and when Mr. Bates finds out about it, is he gonna snap that f*ckers neck like a twig? Remember, he is on parole and will have the law looking at him very closely. That's why Anna is keeping it a secret....to protect him in more ways than one.

Didn't realize that I already had an existing thread for Season 4. Consider them merged.

Episode 5: Awesome episode. Why the f*ck wouldn't Alfred want to tap Daisy? Dude, work on your game and go for the girl that wants you...not the girl that has already rejected countless times! Ugh! Love the scenes with Carson and Moseley. It was awesome to see Carson still f*cking with him by refusing to hire him. Hahaha. Maggie Smith was awesome again. She is comedic gold and the scene involving the "disapperance" of the knife is proof positive that she has perfect timing. Props for the 'Ragtime' Easter egg by Elizabeth McGovern, which ironically was the first thing I ever saw her in.

Episode 7: Most of the episode was okay. This one was about new beginnings and letting go. Courtship. Mary has two dudes trying to lock her down with a third also in the mix. You have Isobel being pursued as well. And the oddest hookup and the one that makes perfect sense is Mr. Moseley and Miss Baxter. On the flip-side you have Jack ending it with Rose and you have Daisy sending Alfred on his way. Really not sure why she did that since she clearly has a thing for him, even if he did ask someone else to marry him (and get turned down....again). Not a good time to be Alfred. Ouch. So, Mr. Green is dead. Apparently he was killed when he got run over by a bus. Of course the writers don't show us anything so that the viewers are left wondering if Mr. Bates had anything to do with it since he was in New York at the time.

The Special Episodes are usually Christmas Episodes, which is a common thing to have happen in the UK, and the don't count as parts of any series, typically.  I imagine that's the case, so... you're going to be waiting for a while before you get any more new Downton.

I kept thinking about whether I should pick up the new season or not.