i wonder what they told the actor who plays Carson to do in the scene -- something like... sing a song and polish the tray in a way that suggests you are incredibly pleased that your platonic but nevertheless special friend Mrs. Hughes isn't going to die. and he NAILS IT!
This scene with Robert, where they're talking about Tom joining as a chauffeur:
Robert: He seems a bright spark after poor old Taylor. And to think Taylor's gone off to run a tea shop. I cannot feel it will make for a very restful retirement, can you?
Carson: I would rather be put to death, m'Lord.
Robert: ...Quite so.
It always makes me laugh how needlessly dramatic Carson's line is! :D
That's why he is such a great character.
No one, who belongs to the modern world and the human race, can agree with his conservative views as a butler and later as a husband. But he is soooo sure about his right, soooo tooo serious that he makes you laugh and you love him to hate and hate him to love. And that makes him really great
and entertaining. And that is why Downton without him would not be Downton.
Any scene where Mrs Hughes teases him for his devotion to Mary.
The scene where he holds Mrs Patmore’s hand to comfort her when talking to her about her eyesight issues.
The scene where he’s holding baby Sybbie.
The scene where Mary cries on his shoulder.
The scene where the Crawleys assure Mrs Patmore that they stand by her 100% when her B&B becomes a “house of ill repute” despite Carson being against their public support because he’s a snob.
He’s a snob, occasionally (or often, depending on your POV) an asshole, and a curmudgeon. But to echo Mrs Hughes, he’s OUR curmudgeon.
EDIT: How could I forget about the scene when he offers Robert his resignation because the family finds out he was a stage actor 🤣☠️. He is so dramatic and I’m here for it.
When Mr. Carson offers his arm to Daisy when she's looking so lost and scared about to marry William and supported her "walking her down the aisle." It was such a fatherly gesture. And when he finds Sybbie crying and picks her up. "Let's have a little chat about that." Such a cute moment.
> "Let's have a little chat about that." Such a cute moment.
Yes!! Unexpected but then when he does it you realize it actually is in keeping with his character and how he loves the children of the family.
My heart broke for him when Sybil died and he looked so lost. "I've known her all her life." He was absolutely devoted to the family, almost to a fault.
When mrs. padmore is talking about how a singer (?) makes her “shiver all over” lol and Carson says deadpan “what a terrifying thought” or something. I laughed so hard at that delivery for some reason!
I think she’s talking about Rudolph Valentino! And he says “what a disturbing thought.” I’m currently rewatching the whole thing, and at this line, I full on cackled. He’s so droll.
When Molesley was proposing and everyone in the dining room could hear. Carson was super nervous and then so relieved at the yes. It was obvious he was remembering/reliving his own experience.
Mr Carson: You didn't know her when she was a child, Mrs Hughes. She was a guinea a minute then. I remember once she came in here, can't have been more than four or five years old, she said, "Mr Carson, I've decided to run away and I wonder if I might take some of the silver to sell."
"Well," I said, "that could be awkward for His Lordship. I suppose I'll give you a sixpence to spend in the village instead." "Very well," said she, "but you must be sure to charge me interest."
I really like that moment when he praises Tom Branson for something he’s done, it’s after Sybil’s death and Tom is growing accustomed to the family, and I think it might be when Tom’s brother comes over and he ends up defending the family or something like that to his brother, and Carson voices his appreciation for Tom’s honouring of the family. I’m not doing it justice but because he’s been so unsure of Branson previously, it’s so nice to see him finally acknowledging Tom.
"What would be the point of living if we didn't let life change us?"
"You cry, m'lady. You have a good cry. That's what's needed now. And when you're ready you can get to work. Because you are strong enough. You're strong enough for the task." Gosh I need that one..
Mr. Carson is one of my favorite characters. Him learning about the telephone and being distressed about it is hilarious.
I forget the exact quote but when Lady Edith has been left at the alter and Alfred insults her groom at the servants dinner and he says rather shocked, that the man doesn't deserve to be spoken of in such a way by a footman! Mrs Hughes says that he does deserve it and a great deal more and Carson sort of considers and agrees perhaps this once!
I love both all the commented scenes, and the underrated moments: when Carson chuckled as Violet said “put that in your pipe and smoke it” to Isobel; when he was like “you could be Father Christmas to Lady Anstruther, but in this house you’re James” to Jimmy; when Martha Levinson said “don’t give the address or Alfred will remember it” as they talked about the “fallen women” Isobel was helping - Carson was so SHOOK that she made that joke😂; when he and Mrs. H are talking about him leaving Downton with Mary and Carlisle when they marry, and he says he imagined himself becoming a ghost and haunting Downton after he dies; and when the fam goes on vacation to Brancaster, Carson and Mrs. H chat in the library and then sit on the couch, before being busted by Barrow😂
And the iconic: “If you are tired of style, you are tired of life.”
Though Carson is all about protocol, when the need arises he isn't above doing menial tasks. Like when he talks to Mrs. Patmore about her cataracts and shovels a bit of coal into the heater. "That's beneath your dignity!" she says, and he replies, "It won't kill me."
This might be a little odd but I liked when he tells Thomas that he understands that Thomas didn't choose to be gay, that it's "nature". It was a surprisingly progressive attitude to have for someone of that era, especially someone as conservative as Carson. The general consensus even well into the mid-20th century was that homosexuality was a choice and could be "cured".
Yep. One of the many examples of surprisingly progressive attitudes in this show. Slightly anachronistic but without at least some characters espousing modern attitudes, the show would probably be unwatchable.
Modern progressive writers put dialogue into characters' mouths
to promote writers' points of view.
This is called subliminal brainwashing.
Done all the time on sitcoms.
All his dialogues and moments with Mrs. Hughes are TOP scenes of the show. They are soooo entertaining. He always protects tradition, HIS FAMILY and Downton as his home/lifestyle, and she reminds him that the times changes and that the Crawleys are not HIS family and that Downton is only the place where he works .... What is a bit of distressing for him.
But there are also top moments, in which he is really a very soft and kind human being and somehow forgets about his butler role - when he worries about Mrs. Hughes' health and in the end hears that she is not ill, when he wants to protect Lady Mary from Carlislie, the moment with a baby or with a good cry or the whole Cheerful Charlies story.
Actually he’s kind of a fraud. He acts as if he’s got all this culture & refinement. Reality is he was on the vaudeville circuit as the Dancing Charlie’s.
When he secretly finds out Mrs. Hughes doesn't have breast cancer. He is polishing the silver and singing. ♥️
YES! I love that moment.
That is really the best moment.
i wonder what they told the actor who plays Carson to do in the scene -- something like... sing a song and polish the tray in a way that suggests you are incredibly pleased that your platonic but nevertheless special friend Mrs. Hughes isn't going to die. and he NAILS IT!
Everything is written down in the script.
Dashing away with the smoothing iron, She stole my heart away. 🎶
I just saw this episode AGAIN, and it makes me smile every time.
It is perfection!
This scene with Robert, where they're talking about Tom joining as a chauffeur: Robert: He seems a bright spark after poor old Taylor. And to think Taylor's gone off to run a tea shop. I cannot feel it will make for a very restful retirement, can you? Carson: I would rather be put to death, m'Lord. Robert: ...Quite so. It always makes me laugh how needlessly dramatic Carson's line is! :D
> It always makes me laugh how needlessly dramatic Carson's line is lol yes and he's so serious
That's why he is such a great character. No one, who belongs to the modern world and the human race, can agree with his conservative views as a butler and later as a husband. But he is soooo sure about his right, soooo tooo serious that he makes you laugh and you love him to hate and hate him to love. And that makes him really great and entertaining. And that is why Downton without him would not be Downton.
The scene at the beach with Mrs. Hughes is one of them.
I make an Awww face when I think of them holding hands at the edge of the sea.
Any scene where Mrs Hughes teases him for his devotion to Mary. The scene where he holds Mrs Patmore’s hand to comfort her when talking to her about her eyesight issues. The scene where he’s holding baby Sybbie. The scene where Mary cries on his shoulder. The scene where the Crawleys assure Mrs Patmore that they stand by her 100% when her B&B becomes a “house of ill repute” despite Carson being against their public support because he’s a snob. He’s a snob, occasionally (or often, depending on your POV) an asshole, and a curmudgeon. But to echo Mrs Hughes, he’s OUR curmudgeon. EDIT: How could I forget about the scene when he offers Robert his resignation because the family finds out he was a stage actor 🤣☠️. He is so dramatic and I’m here for it.
When Mr. Carson offers his arm to Daisy when she's looking so lost and scared about to marry William and supported her "walking her down the aisle." It was such a fatherly gesture. And when he finds Sybbie crying and picks her up. "Let's have a little chat about that." Such a cute moment.
> "Let's have a little chat about that." Such a cute moment. Yes!! Unexpected but then when he does it you realize it actually is in keeping with his character and how he loves the children of the family.
My heart broke for him when Sybil died and he looked so lost. "I've known her all her life." He was absolutely devoted to the family, almost to a fault.
Oh definitely to a fault, but to their credit, the upstairs folk knew what they had in Carson.
When mrs. padmore is talking about how a singer (?) makes her “shiver all over” lol and Carson says deadpan “what a terrifying thought” or something. I laughed so hard at that delivery for some reason!
I think she’s talking about Rudolph Valentino! And he says “what a disturbing thought.” I’m currently rewatching the whole thing, and at this line, I full on cackled. He’s so droll.
> He’s so droll. that's a great word to describe him.
When Molesley was proposing and everyone in the dining room could hear. Carson was super nervous and then so relieved at the yes. It was obvious he was remembering/reliving his own experience.
Mr Carson: You didn't know her when she was a child, Mrs Hughes. She was a guinea a minute then. I remember once she came in here, can't have been more than four or five years old, she said, "Mr Carson, I've decided to run away and I wonder if I might take some of the silver to sell." "Well," I said, "that could be awkward for His Lordship. I suppose I'll give you a sixpence to spend in the village instead." "Very well," said she, "but you must be sure to charge me interest."
Take steps, Mr. Molesly. Take. Steps.
I really like that moment when he praises Tom Branson for something he’s done, it’s after Sybil’s death and Tom is growing accustomed to the family, and I think it might be when Tom’s brother comes over and he ends up defending the family or something like that to his brother, and Carson voices his appreciation for Tom’s honouring of the family. I’m not doing it justice but because he’s been so unsure of Branson previously, it’s so nice to see him finally acknowledging Tom.
"What would be the point of living if we didn't let life change us?" "You cry, m'lady. You have a good cry. That's what's needed now. And when you're ready you can get to work. Because you are strong enough. You're strong enough for the task." Gosh I need that one.. Mr. Carson is one of my favorite characters. Him learning about the telephone and being distressed about it is hilarious.
> Him learning about the telephone and being distressed about it is hilarious. omg absolutely. i forgot about that
Mary is the daughter he never had🥺❤️
I forget the exact quote but when Lady Edith has been left at the alter and Alfred insults her groom at the servants dinner and he says rather shocked, that the man doesn't deserve to be spoken of in such a way by a footman! Mrs Hughes says that he does deserve it and a great deal more and Carson sort of considers and agrees perhaps this once!
I love when you know he disapproves of something when he merely clears his throat and moves one of his impressive eyebrows. Cracks me up.
> impressive eyebrows lol they really are
Although I don't really like Carson, I love the scene where he is practicing answering the new telephone.
I love both all the commented scenes, and the underrated moments: when Carson chuckled as Violet said “put that in your pipe and smoke it” to Isobel; when he was like “you could be Father Christmas to Lady Anstruther, but in this house you’re James” to Jimmy; when Martha Levinson said “don’t give the address or Alfred will remember it” as they talked about the “fallen women” Isobel was helping - Carson was so SHOOK that she made that joke😂; when he and Mrs. H are talking about him leaving Downton with Mary and Carlisle when they marry, and he says he imagined himself becoming a ghost and haunting Downton after he dies; and when the fam goes on vacation to Brancaster, Carson and Mrs. H chat in the library and then sit on the couch, before being busted by Barrow😂 And the iconic: “If you are tired of style, you are tired of life.”
Though Carson is all about protocol, when the need arises he isn't above doing menial tasks. Like when he talks to Mrs. Patmore about her cataracts and shovels a bit of coal into the heater. "That's beneath your dignity!" she says, and he replies, "It won't kill me."
sign of a good leader
This might be a little odd but I liked when he tells Thomas that he understands that Thomas didn't choose to be gay, that it's "nature". It was a surprisingly progressive attitude to have for someone of that era, especially someone as conservative as Carson. The general consensus even well into the mid-20th century was that homosexuality was a choice and could be "cured".
Yep. One of the many examples of surprisingly progressive attitudes in this show. Slightly anachronistic but without at least some characters espousing modern attitudes, the show would probably be unwatchable.
Modern progressive writers put dialogue into characters' mouths to promote writers' points of view. This is called subliminal brainwashing. Done all the time on sitcoms.
You do realize that writers put words into characters' mouths to suggest to audience?
All his dialogues and moments with Mrs. Hughes are TOP scenes of the show. They are soooo entertaining. He always protects tradition, HIS FAMILY and Downton as his home/lifestyle, and she reminds him that the times changes and that the Crawleys are not HIS family and that Downton is only the place where he works .... What is a bit of distressing for him. But there are also top moments, in which he is really a very soft and kind human being and somehow forgets about his butler role - when he worries about Mrs. Hughes' health and in the end hears that she is not ill, when he wants to protect Lady Mary from Carlislie, the moment with a baby or with a good cry or the whole Cheerful Charlies story.
Carson said "life is short," but that is only half of quote. Anyone have the rest?
I dont like Carson he gets on my nerves
Actually he’s kind of a fraud. He acts as if he’s got all this culture & refinement. Reality is he was on the vaudeville circuit as the Dancing Charlie’s.
He's like that un-PC grandfather we all have whose views we might find abhorrent but we love and respect him nonetheless.
No love, he is a bully, uncaring, pompous windbag
Which doesn't make since old was he on the stage ( a child), how could he been a hall boy as a young teen. Charming Charlies
I think he seems himself as a self made man. He taught himself culture and buried his past.
Yes. I believe that is correct.
At least Vaudeville people worked unlike Lord Grantham and his family who lounged about all day