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SPOILER ALERT… SPOILER ALERT… SPOILER ALERT…
After months of speculation, it’s now official that Dan Stevens has not re-upped at Downton Abbey. A spokesperson for the show confirms that the actor, who plays Matthew Crawley on the hugely popular period drama, will not be back for Season 4 which starts shooting in the UK this winter. Season 3 ended its regular run on the UK’s ITV in November but also with a Christmas special that aired last night in the UK. That special explained Matthew’s exit. Season 3 begins airing in the U.S. on PBS on January 6th. Stevens is currently starring with Jessica Chastain in The Heiress on Broadway and exec produced and stars in the upcoming indie, Summer In February. He has also been linked to DreamWorks’ untitled Wikileaks movie.
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Not surprising…there’s always one actor on a hit show who thinks they are bigger than the show. Plus, not getting nominated for anything had to sting him. Still, everyone is disposable except Michelle Dockery and Maggie Smith.
I think it was a real bad error of judgement on the part of Fellows to have a this type of abrupt exit for Mathew. He could have just sent him away for a couple of months and have him back for a few episodes and Dan may have re considered that.
Mary& Matthew have been the central figures in the story line from the beginning and Mathew too should have realized that. killing Matthew off, was not the best decision especially fro a christmans special..what is so chrsitmassy about that!
since there was nothing about Mathew being dead actually mentioned before the ending of the scene you could still resusitate him and bring him in some form. I think Dan owes it to his fans who has elavted him to the staus of a “movie star” through this series. This is the only way Dan can redeem himself in the eyes of his adoring fans.
Dan please come back in some form, and let us enjoy your character in season 4 as well. Mr Fellows it is our earnest appeal to you to take us seriously and return of Mathew could make the series 4 hugely popular!
Please don’t declare Mathew dead and start series 4 from a hospital scene, you could use the same scenes from the post war period, just put the same scenes in a proper bedroom of the abbey.
I agree with you there,Michelle Dockery is a very talented actress and would be able to carry the show specially with Maggie Smith and the expertise of Jullianne Fellows.Iam very excited to see how JF will creat Mary’s personality without Matthew in the scene.I hope that he will introduce a good looking suitor for Mary with the same chemistry as Matthew,then all is well.Romance is flying on the air again.
I hope that Jullian Fellows doesn’t start writing towards the “American” style,or “American” way of thinking and leave the authenticity of the British ways of that period. The thing that has made Downton Abby so good, is the authenticty of the British life style, not American! And….let’s leave the homeosexulal stuff out! It isn’t necessary to weave that into the show. It was against the law then, and Thomas would most likely been arrested. So, if you have to have that, then show it as it would have been then….not how we view it today! If Downton Abby is to be true to that time period, then Mr. Carsten would not allow Thomas to stay, as a means of protecting the reputation of the Crawley family!!! If D.A. keeps Thomas, it is an insult to Mr. Carsten’s ability to manage the house, and an insult to the true hisory of that time. At best, in those days,Thomas might have been released and not given any recommendation! Or, someone that knows, would have reported him. Homosexuals were not publicized. THAT….is most likely how that would have been! LET’S STAY WITH AUTHENTICITY, and not with what feels good!!! Otherwise, this great show will lose their audience!
It is Mr. Carson.
I agree with this comment and no more has to be said.
Absolutely!
If either of them leave, the show will be on the bottom of my list of favorite shows rather than on the top ….
Maggie is superb & Mary is the center of the show now that she is a widow & the mother of the heir to Downton Abbey …. stop killing people off!!
Seems like an ill advised career move.
My thoughts too. Who was that American actor who quit NYPD Blue because he was so all that. Then he fell off a cliff. Risky move to alienate the fans of a popular show.
That is a shame! Matthew is such an attractive–central–character.
Let’s hope that Maggie Smith remains with the series.
What now are they going to do with Lady Mary’s love life?
Sad he’s leaving the show, but last night’s episode was so incredibly dull, Downton’s been going downhill since season 2. Only a battle of the heirs could revive it for its 4th season, which I hope will be its last, are we supposed to believe these characters can go on for 20 yrs without aging a bit?
Agreed. Last night’s episode was a bit of a bore
(as was most of season 3).
At some point it will start to seem weird that 10 or 20 years can pass without any significant aging of the characters…
Watched the show on download from the UK last night
One more reason why PBS needs to close the gap between UK and US showings.
I do think there is too much of a lapse between seasons being shown from the UK and the US. A month or two would be OK, but longer than that is a bit ridiculous from my perspective. Reading the spoilers was a bit of a downer, but then I take full responsibility knowing they were there to read. I thought the last episode of season 2 was boring. I do hope season 3 is an improvement.
They should have given the character the ole “Darrin Stephens” instead of bumping him off.
Oh, no– anything but that! I hated it when they changed Darrin Stevens to that unpleasant, unfriendly version– and what do they think we are, stupid? Obviously he is not the same man. As a young teen I hated that change in the show– now with reruns even more– I’d far rather see Dan Stevens dead than given the “Darrin Stevens” treatment. The whole show may go down like the Titanic, but at least the musicians will play decent music to the end.
Good riddance. He is very insipid as is the woman that plays Mary. Boring.
Saw the Christmas episode last night. I hope Stevens isn’t doing a David Caruso by jumping ship while the show is still hot. But he isn’t even the first Crawley family member to leave the show in season 3 — someone else dies mid-season.
After seeing last night’s show, I would guess this is all good news for Allen Leech, who plays Tom Branson. He was featured heavily in the episode, and he’ll probably be a more central figure next year.
Yup. David Caruso. I was thinking the same thing. Almost certainly.
(ps. It’d be great if someone killed the auto-playing Funny or Die video in the sidebar.)
That’s the fellow! David Caruso. I just referred to him, without the actual name, in a different reply. In the first episode of South Park, one character encourages another to jump out of a spaceship by telling him to do his impersonation of David Caruso’s career…
I would say this is hardly a David Caruso move. The guy is starring right now in a Broadway play, albeit a tepid one, plus he has already had a rather fascinating background in UK theater and an enviable connection with the incomparable Peter Hall. And he’s been announced to star as Julian Assange in a Wikileaks movie. So, given that the best years of Downton are probably finished – remember that it was never meant to be an ongoing, multi-year series until ratings changed the plan – the best move he could possibly make is really to leave with a plot line that works for him and for the show, hopefully. Otherwise, if he stays and falls in and out of love a few more times, (groan, groan), in a few years, we’ll all yawn at the sound of his name and hope he never stars in anything else. So, good luck Dan. Do something daring and fun that will make us want to see you again.
Actually no, it’s Benedict Cumberbatch who was announced as the lead (Assange) in the Wikileaks movie with James McAvoy co-starring. I’ve heard Stevens is in talks for a role, but let’s be realistic. Plus Cumberbatch and McAvoy are both so busy who knows when this will film!
Look if he just wants to do different things then more power to him (he fulfilled his contract). If this is some bid for Hollywood stardom though, well, the road is littered with the corpses of far better known TV actors (Brit or otherwise) who did not make it.
Who says he has to come anywhere near “Hollywood stardom” to improve on his current situation? His current situation is that he is a poorly-paid (by American TV standards) member of a large ensemble cast on a British TV drama. Stevens doesn’t even need to become a lead on an American show to make a lot more money than he has been making. Simply being a member of a large ensemble cast on an AMERICAN series would improve his financial situation considerably.
LOL. He is not even the lead in that Wikileaks movie by Dreamworks. He is somewhat an assistant of the supporting character played Daniel Bruhl. Good luck, Dan.
Stevens was optioned to the series for three years and decided to bow out rather than commit for another three. From the sound of things he has a full plate and greater opportunities opening. We’ll see how it all pans out, or not. Incidentally, I found out through a spoiler so was not very happy. The same spoiler also contained another. That will teach me to read UK newspaper websites.
I disagree with those who think Matthew dispensible. His unimpeachable honor and dignity deflects the dowager’s scorn, and his chemistry with Mary is appealing. I think Branson cannot carry the show as the chief love interest. Also, I think Matthew very handsome. But he is quintessentially British and will not appeal to the American movie audience, so he shouldn’t leave for Hollywood; it won’t work. Please, stay, Dan, at Downton.
Oh yes, Dan Stevens will appeal to American movie audiences!!
That’ll teach the Brits – in America, we tie our actors down with 7-years contracts!
I am a newbie with this series. I have just finished season one and two. I thought season three was starting in January but I guess it is season four. So, my question is, where can we view season three?
Thanks,
Kathy
It is season 3 that is starting on PBS on Jan. 6. Season 3 has already aired in Britain, and season 4 hasn’t started filming yet.
I totally agree with all sentiments in the previous post. There must be a way to bring the character back, I sat and watched the episode with my daughter and my granddaughter, all three of us were extremely disappointed .
Of course I for one will miss Dan Steven’s presence on the fourth season,the romantic chemistry between him and Michelle is so marvellous to watch but as all good things have to end.I have enormous faith in Michelle Dockery as talented actress she will pull it off with the brilliant expertise of Jullianne Fellows and the support of the other cast members Downton Abbey will survive.I wish and pray will win the Golden Globe Award for best actress.
I agree, but Mary has to have love in her life besides the child, they need to bring someone very, very charming, I think that Rupert Perry-Jones would do a good job. Who knows!!! and I have a feeling that Edith will end up with Branson. I have been thinking… Who else could play the role of Mary’s man?? Maybe Benedict K. , from Sherlock Holmes, even though he has a baby face, he is in his thirties… mmmm…too busy with Sherlock.
Matthew needs to come back, Downton just won’t be the same without hin
Pls brng him back. I will not watch Downton Abbey without him
When I saw the last special “Journey to the Highlands” which had nothing to do with Christmas, my first words were, oh please, this is just too brutal! Wrapped up in the characters I felt sorrow for Lady Mary. My first or last thought had nothing to do with the actor at all. Sure, he’s handsome, charming, etc., but his death was very sad for his wife and son…the characters. After all, this IS a soap opera!
I feel Dan Stevens is making a big mistake leaving Dowton Abby. The US does not have the caliber of actors that the UK has. It always amazes me how much better the Bristsh Actors are compared to the fluff produced in my country. I love the US, but it is definitely lacking in Hollywood! Just look at The Kings Speech. Better than anything we’ve produced here lately. Hollywood is becoming much to self centered and indulges highly in self adoration, so much so that most have lost the art of producing a great performance. American “over payment” of actors and actresses is very inticing, but the respect will never be there from people that sees beyond the fluff and sparkle of Hollywood. If anyone has gotten too big for their “britches” it’s the American big screen stars and the producers and directors are not far behind.
I agree with Mona.
I just watched the finale for Season 3 last night. I was stunned by the ending. I did not see that coming until I saw Matthew driving down the road. I love watching Lady Mary and Matthew together. I will miss his character and watching them with their little baby. Also love Maggie Smith. Loved her in the Harry Potter movies and she is wonderful in Downton Abbey. I will continue to watch as there are so many good actors and actresses on the show. I just wish there wasn’t such a long time period between seasons.