", The Real Reason Dan Stevens Left Downton Abbey. They felt that a better way to deal with Stevens exit was to kill off the character. When Matthew injures his spinal cord during the Battle of Amiens, Dr. Clarkson informs him that he may never walk again, and he realizes this also means he cannot have intercourse with a woman. This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. Stevens decided it was time to move on. Mary soon became pregnant and gave birth inSeptember 1921to their son,George Crawley. However, he tells Mary that he never would, and never could, despise her. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Immediate Its nun versus AI in Damon Lindelofs new series. Matthew has indeed been growing fond of Mary again, and he surprises everyone by showing signs of recovery from his injury. When Robert urges Mary to break off the engagement, and to move to the U.S. to find a "cowboy" Mary is relieved and breaks it off with Sir Richard. A teacher, writer, and editor, she is game for mushy romances as well as serious content and hopes to approach them constructively. Matthew was the son of the late Reginald Crawley, a doctor, and his wife, Isobel Crawley Grey, a nurse. It turned out that she had had a whirlwind romance with theRussian Prince Kuragin, decades prior. Do you have any sense of how often people with these injuries did survive? Now, what about in 1918? In 1918, he fought at the Battle of Amiens, where he and William Mason were caught by a falling shell during a charge. Unfortunately, she tells Mary this news right before she is to perform a duet (Edith on piano, Mary as the singer) for the recovering wounded at Downton. . In 1917, upon the urging of Lord Grantham, Mary writes Matthew a letter that arrives in the trenches. The Granthams were generous employers and they treated their staff with kindness and respect, causing the class divideto be relatively less rigid inside the house. If he died, I don't think I can go on living. Viewers didn't take to kindly to this narrative decision, with many fans left devastated at his untimely demise (via the Daily Beast ). Oh.Yes. ", "Isn't it better? The man behind Matthew Crawley told Collider that he was apprehensive about getting stuck doing an endless run of historical posh house dramas, and World War One dramas, and anything with floppy hair. Remaining on Downton Abbey, in his mind, only seemed to perpetuate the typecasting he was trying to get away from if he stayed in England. Lavinia was willing to sacrifice her life because of her deep love for him, no matter what. Among the Crawley family and the servants of Downton Abbey, Lady Sybil was arguably the most beloved person in the great house. Anna informs Carson, who gets word to Duneagle to return home as soon as possible by train. Stevens opted not to renew his contract after his initial three years on the program so he could pursue other acting opportunities. This was, after all, the early 20th century, whenacceptance of and compassion towardsthe LGBTQ+ community was practically non-existent. Sir Richard upset by Matthew protecting Mary yet again, prompts Richard to tell Matthew that Lavinia had admitted to him that she knew Matthew never loved her. On her deathbed, Lavinia tells Matthew it is better this way, and asks him to be happy for her sake. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Medical advancements during the early 20th century were still in their nascent stages and it was indeed difficult to identify and treat conditions such as eclampsia, whicheven today remains a leading cause of maternal mortality. In the 2011 Christmas Special Anna Bates and Daisy Mason use a Ouija board which spells out the words; "May they be happy. From real historical events of the time leading to major socio-political and economic changes to rocky relationships between siblings, shocking deaths, and the lives of gay men at the time, the show covered a lot of ground in terms of realistic story arcs. She is a London girl, but loves Matthew so fiercely that she would do anything to make him happy. But not for long. "Downton Abbey" Episode #2.8 (TV Episode 2011) Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley The Series 1 Script for Episode 2 has Isobel say that her father and brother were called "Sir John Turnbull" and "Dr Edward Turnbull" respectively. His fans are clearly still in mourning over the tragic loss of Matthew Crawley. He was an original member of the English coven, but like most of his coven who originated from the English coven, left it. By his father he was a distant relative of the Earls of Grantham and he became the heir of the title due the heir's death. Matthew insisted upon coming with her, but Mary promptly refused because she said it would be rude to Hugh and Susan to leave, and she wanted Matthew to enjoy himself before fatherhood arrived. The PBS series was hugely popular throughout its 5-year run, and viewers were fully dedicated to the episodes that followed the Crawley family and their servants. The whole show is in a silly, goofy mood. He arrived at Downton Abbey in September 1912. But even this level of minimal commitment wasnt the clean break Stevens was looking for. After a rocky introduction, they became fast friends and eventually something more. Surangama, or Sue, as she is called by many, has been writing on films, television, literature, social issues for over a decade now. ', The Weirdest Golden Globes Dresses of All Time, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Doctor Clarkson later informed Robert that Matthew had sustained spinal cord damage and that he believed Matthew would not only never walk again, but never be able to father children. Mary later told Matthew that his spinal cord had been damaged after asks her repeatedly what is wrong with him, and Matthew realizes he is paralyzed from the waist down. He andLady Mary Crawleyentered a tumultuous eight-year relationship ending with Matthew's second proposal in early January 1920. Read every issue now with a 1-month free trial, only on Apple News+. While they depart Lavinia's grave in the rain, Isobel tells Matthew to fight for Mary, and not to give up by blaming Lavinia's memory. The eldest daughter of Lord Grantham, Mary, was less than pleased with Matthew's arrival; as a woman, she could not inherit the estate and title, so originally it had been planned for her to marry the previous heir, Patrick Crawley, but he drowned on the Titanic. But the actor was looking for new opportunities beyond the fictional Yorkshire estate and was feeling ready to leave. While Sybil was undoubtedly born a great lady who had much wealth and status, she was at heart kind and a sort of rebel, who became interested in progressive politics, and the possibility of improving the lives of others. But just exactly why did Matthew have to die so soon into the series run? Viewers didn't take to kindly to this narrative decision, with many fans left devastated at his untimely demise (via the Daily Beast). Richard Grey (stepfather) Larry Grey (stepbrother) Timothy Grey (stepbrother) Amelia Grey (stepsister-in-law) John Turnbull (maternal grandfather) Edward Turnbull (maternal uncle) [1]Lady Turnbull (maternal grandmother) Robert Crawley (third cousin once removed/father-in-law) Cora Crawley (third cousin once removed-in-law/mother-in-law) Patrick Crawley (second cousin twice removed/grandfather-in-law) Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (second cousin twice removed-in-law/grandmother-in-law) Edith Pelham (paternal fourth cousin/sister-in-law) Sybil Branson (paternal fourth cousin/sister-in-law) Tom Branson (brother-in-law/fourth cousin-in-law) Herbert Pelham (brother-in-law/fourth cousin-in-law) Sybbie Branson (niece/fourth cousin once removed) Marigold (niece/fourth cousin once removed) Rosamund Painswick (third cousin once removed/aunt-in-law) Martha Levinson (grandmother-in-law) Isidore Levinson (grandfather-in-law) Harold Levinson (uncle-in-law) James Crawley (third cousin) Patrick Crawley (paternal fourth cousin) Executive producer Gareth Neame felt the harsh exit was the best choice for the character given the circumstances. And thats what killed most people. There are some who don't even know he wasn't in the first one, he said. First, Matthew felt a tingle (whether it was in his legs or his love pump was left discreetly unclear) and then, appalled at the prospect of his fiancee dropping a tea tray, leapt to his feet to steady her. The shocking exit of one of the series' most popular and integral characters seemed illogical and unfair to many viewers. Win A Copy Of Jessica Fellowes' New Murder Mystery Novel! This of course leaves the door open for Mary to potentially find a new beau next season who could be played by - well Hugh Jackman or David Tennant. Series two explores the lives of the Crawley family and servants during and after the First World War . By the end of the series, he was walking; by the start of the next, he was bonking. Mary devotes herself to being Matthew's nurse. Sean Ellard 12/6/2022. Matthew's death in the series three Christmas special devastated fans of Downton Abbey all those years ago but while Matthew's dramatic exit was unexpected, Dan had settled on leaving the show. And just like the car accident that claimed the Downton heir, there also seemed little anyone could do to change the fate of Dan Stevens in the series. We will have to mourn Matthew on our own, in our own ways. So, if you were secretly hoping for a Matthew Crawley cameo in the upcoming Downton Abbey movie sequel, think again. Joan . He was introduced as the next in line (after the deaths of James Crawley and . The two could not stand each other and were always trying to one-up one another with the least traceof sisterly love or concern. Mr Crawley Mr Matthew Cousin Matthew Sir Defender of the Downtrodden (by Rose) My dear chap (by Robert) My dear boy (by Robert) My very dear boy (by Robert) Darling (by Mary) My darling boy (by Isobel) My dear (by Isobel) Male While Mary was holding their still unnamed baby, Matthew appears at the door asking her if a "hot and dusty traveller" could come in. Mary found that Matthew's mother was kind, but she felt that Matthew's earlier statement was ridiculous. Portrayed by Lavinia supposedly told Richard that she was just waiting for Mary and Matthew to admit it so they (Lavinia and Richard) could find true love with others. I was starting to worry and when you were wounded I thought it was my calling to look after you and care for you and I don't think Mary would have done that quite as well as me. Loyal viewers of the show had lots of reasons to get invested in the character. Given that Matthew died in a car crash, Mary agreed to marry Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode) provided he give up his dangerous racecar driving profession and open a car shop instead. She got romantically involved with a young major and became pregnant soon after. Matthew then announced he would marry Lavinia after all. Hoping to have ended the Christmas episode on a happier note, he'd planned to kill Matthew in the first episode of Season 4. Do you know how that ended?'" Matthew did so, but wished to continue the discussion at a later time. Downton Abbey had a lot of drama, both upstairs and downstairs, but not everything that happened on the show was realistic for the time period. The inability to feel is what leads to the pressure sensation problem. Extended Blue 'There were some very upset people and I've had to apologize to a lot of people over the past four years.". William questions Matthew about this abrupt decision. He was literally driving off into the sunset when the accident happened, and though there had been rumors he was leaving, everyone was still shocked. "I left that show eight years ago now. Hugh Bonneville and his character of Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, look very similar except, of course, for their clothing choices. Stevens fame reached a new level thanks to his time on Downton Abbey. But it wasnt just the viewers who wished for a different outcome. Shooting Downton is grueling: Stevens was offered the option of appearing in a couple of Downton episodes in season four that would give him a proper send off. (Recasting The Characters), to the regret of its master, the Earl of Grantham, Lord Grantham had made some very unsound investments, Matthew not only recovered fully but also went on to have a son, 10 Ways Netflix's Bridgerton Is Better Than Downton Abbey (& Vice Versa), Edith started out as a bit of a black sheep, the upstairs and downstairs folks at Downton Abbey, Sybil diedfrom eclampsia after giving birth to a beautiful baby girl, Mr. Green, the valet to Tony Gillingham who had attacked Anna, Downton Abbey: 10 Actors You Forgot Were On The Show, The sassy Dowager was revealed to have led a more colorful life, 15 TV Shows You Should Watch If You Loved Downton Abbey, acceptance of and compassion towardsthe LGBTQ+ community was practically non-existent, Downton Abbey Characters Sorted Into Their Game Of Thrones Houses, Picard Season 3 Easter Egg Raises A Big Sisko DS9 Question, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Broke The MCU's Threequel Rule, Why 90 Day Fianc's Colt Johnson May Exit The Franchise. REVIEW: DC's DC/ RWBY #1 Collides Gotham's Finest With the Whimsical Quartet, The Big Bang Theory's Best Love Story Was (Surprisingly) Sheldon and Penny, 10 Sitcoms That Already Jumped The Shark (& Need To End), The Mandalorian's Season 3 Premiere Runtime Sets an Unfortunate Star Wars Record. While theoretically, this is very much possible, the show did play on the absurdity of the situation. British agents typically sign three year contracts for their actors. The unimaginable death of Matthew Crawley (played by Dan Stevens) was as devastating to viewers as it was to the fictional family of Downton Abbey he left behind. Film executives people who really should know better say, 'Are you in the movie?' After being cleaned, dressed, and rested, his mother Isobel returned from France to see him. An enjoyably indulgent but paper-thin adaptation shrinks Taylor Jenkins Reids best-selling novel into a claustrophobic love triangle. His recovery was necessary, as he was of course always meant to be with Mary, but the way he went from an incurable conditionto waltzing around happily seemed rather unrealistic. Hewas not the best of men, and his snarky nature and competitiveness in the workplace made him terribly lonely. In fact, inheritance rarely is simple because of unexpected emotions that can crop up when money suddenly falls into your lap due to a loss.. Both of them are sent back to Downton. (Another notable victim is Lady Grantham, who survives.) A distant cousin to the Crawleys, Matthew Crawley (played by Dan Stevens) was a major player in the early seasons of "Downton Abbey." Matthew Crawley came back from the war, battered and paralyzed from the waist down. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Downton Abbey: Why the Show Killed Dan Stevens' Matthew Crawley, Downton Abbey's Greatest Achievement was Marrying Past to Present. Matthew Reginald Crawley was a character on the period drama, Downton Abbey. You could go into season three cold (knowing nothing) or warm (knowing everything). Their animosity, especially Edith's towards Mary, would have been natural and thus realistic. Heartbroken and angered by her supposed motive, Matthew withdraws his proposal and decides to leave Downton, but World War I breaks out and he joins the British Army. The women of, Sam Levinson and the Weeknd Allegedly Turned, Theres No Red Button You Can Push to Stop. All rights reserved. She is sought after by many men throughout the series. A postgraduate from London's Goldsmiths University with a Distinction in Media and Communications, Sue has published articles on cinema in some of the leading newspapers in India and has been editor of a prime Indian online news medium for over a year. Lavinina did not want her father to come either, as he had a weak chest and Spanish Flu would put his health in danger. 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