We've all watched those period dramas where we've gotten into the story and like a good number of the characters and then the period drama ends and all we can say is "WHAT?!" (Or you didn't like the period drama at all, but you still expected a decent ending). Here is my list of the Top 5 Worst Period Drama Endings (keep in mind that this is my opinion). Of course, there will be spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk.
5. He Knew He Was Right -- Main Plot
Never mind the subplots (which were better than the main plot anyway), the main plot must be counted on this list. While watching the main plot that told the story of Emily and Louis Trevelyan's marriage falling apart, you feel as if you're watching a train wreck in slow motion. Then it gets to the end and though you were hoping that somehow the damage wasn't too bad and could be put back together, it couldn't and lives were lost (okay, one life). Not exactly the ending you were hoping for... But at least you could say that Louis finally believes his wife and that she has been faithful to him, however it cost him his life.
4. Mill on the Floss (1997)
One of the things the 1978 version of Mill on the Floss did better than the newer version was the ending: it was inevitable that Maggie and Tom were going to die and there was some form of closure at the ending with Mrs. Tulliver and Phillip Wakem visiting the grave. With this version... First of all, it was so dumb how they died: they both fell in the water and it was as if they didn't even try to get out (which they totally could have) and it didn't even look like Tom was that tangled in the rope. Secondly, they fall into the water and drown... and that was it. No closure. Let's ignore the fact that Phillip Wakem (along with most of the other characters) practically disappear from the story. They die and that's it. There should have been at least another three minutes to wrap up the ending.
3. Remains of the Day
Ah yes, the ending that makes you say, "Why did I watch this movie in the first place?" (though for me, it was because we were watching it in class). The ending made the entire plot line pointless: the whole plot was about the butler, Mr. Stevens's relationship with the housekeeper, Miss Kenton, before she left to get married (a marriage that was unhappy and ended up being estranged). The story is pretty much told in this giant flashback and then the ending comes in the present where Miss Kenton was supposed to go back with Mr. Stevens to the house they were working at. But in the ending, Miss Kenton was pretty much like "Oh, I'm not going to go back to work with you anyways. Bye." So Mr. Stevens goes back to the house he works at and releases doves with the new owner, and that was it. So, why did we watch this movie? Essentially it was a pointless flashback... an okay flashback, but pointless.
2. A Christmas Carol (2009)
I disliked this version of A Christmas Carol pretty quickly while watching it, but the ending badly ended a bad version of A Christmas Carol. Yeah, I should have known what I was getting into when I knew Jim Carrey was going to be a bunch of characters, but that ending was ridiculous. Scrooge ceased to be Scrooge and was just Jim Carrey in all his nuttiness and antics. Riding on the back of carriages, acting silly in the streets... I know Scrooge is supposed to be overjoyed about life, but it was just ridiculous.I just couldn't show Matthew at the side of the road... Still too painful... This is where it should have ended. |
1. Downton Abbey -- Series 3
Cruel, Julian Fellowes, absolutely cruel! Now, you all know how much I love Downton Abbey: I fell in love with it while watching the first series. I thought the first Series ended cruelly (in fact, I nearly put it down in this list)... until I remembered the ending of Series 3. Honestly, there should be a rule that you don't kill of a character at the last possible second of a series. I know, Dan Stevens wanted to leave Downton Abbey to pursue other options (in my opinion, not a good decision), but did they have to kill off Matthew at the last second the way they did? And right after Mary gave birth to their son and heir? It was bad enough that Sybil died half way through the series and then Matthew has to die too? We were still getting over Sybil! They should have just ended the entire show at the birth of Matthew and Mary's heir... just so we could walk away and feel good. Because of this ending, I'm really not looking forward all that much to Series 4... I'll still watch it, but I don't have any great hopes for it...So, that's my list of my Top 5 Worst Period Drama Endings? Which period dramas do you think have the worst endings? Leave a comment!
God Bless,
Agree with you about 'Mill on the Floss' - oh so horrible! Could not stand that ending and as a result, it's one period film, my family all readily agreed to get rid of!
ReplyDeleteI don't mean this cruelly but... I have to be honest and admit that I've gotten over the whole 'Downton' debacle. There is more to come in that saga and I have the best hope Julian will make it up to us. He promises not to kill anyone this fourth series, so... there is that! If he doesn't, I may have to change my opinion. ;)
I am more upset with Dan Stevens than anyone. Fellows and producers tried to get him to stay for an episode or two in S4 and then write him off, he refused. Badly done, Dan Stevens. Badly done indeed!
I would have liked Mill on the Floss more if it had ended better. Even if they had to die, there should have been some closure at the end, which there wasn't.
DeleteI still haven't gotten over the Downton ending (I think a lot of people haven't either). But I could be wrong and Series 4 may turn out okay. *Hoping*
I think I'm upset at both of them because I thought Julian Fellowes could have written him off better so if he wanted to come back, he could. As it is, it's so final and it would be impossible/really hard to bring him back. And then Dan Stevens shouldn't have left in the middle of Downton's popularity either.
Have you seen the articles that have said that one of the producers want Downton to go on another six years?
I am more upset with Dan Stevens than anyone. Fellows and producers tried to get him to stay for an episode or two in S4 and then write him off, he refused. Badly done, Dan Stevens. Badly done indeed!
DeleteI disagree. Dan Stevens had every right to leave the show if he had wanted to. He wasn't obliged to remain on the show because the fans wanted him to.
I don't think anyone is disputing his right to leave the show. It's that a lot of people think he shouldn't leave the show.
DeleteI've never seen He Knew He Was Right or The Mill on the Floss, and I even though I've seen most of A Christmas Carol and The Remains of the Day, I didn't make it to the ending of either of them! A Christmas Carol, I thought, was just plain weird, so I didn't bother finishing it. I would like to watch The Remains of the Day again sometime- my mother has always had a fondness for it- but I must admit I am not surprised to hear that it did not turn out well :( I think Emma Thompson and Anthony Andrews were both excellent in the film, though.
ReplyDeleteMy family has just begun watching the third season of Downton Abbey, so I very carefully averted my eyes from reading that ending! I do hope nothing too horrible happens- like Matthew and Mary seperating or Granny dying- horror of horrors!- or anything THAT bad, because I don't know if I could take that! Oh dear, now you've got me wondering what it is!
I personally didn't like the ending of Martin Chuzzlewit (1993), which my sister and I just finished. It seemed very rushed, and my dear Mr. Pinch didn't get the happy ending I'd hoped he would! Plus Bailey didn't remember anything and we didn't even get to see Mercy happy again, which I was disappointed about, because she spent most of the movie being miserable. In general, I thought it was a very well done miniseries, but the ending was a great disappointment.
I also didn't really care for the ending of Northanger Abbey (2007), but maybe that was because the movie seemed so short.
~Emma Jane
I thought Remains of the Day was an okay film while I was watching it, but I thought the ending was really disappointing.
DeleteI won't give a way the ending of Series 3 of Downton, but I will say that a lot of the fan base was pretty upset (myself included).
I haven't seen Martin Chuzzlewit yet. I'll keep an eye out for it.
I definitely agree with you on Downton Abbey! I was so happy, since that scene with Mary and Matthew and the baby was the sweetest thing I've ever seen, and then less than five minutes later, he's lying in a ditch, dead. Ugh. I'm less irritated with Dan Stevens than I am with Fellowes--they could have done that ending a whole lot better! Like he could have gotten shot on that hunting party or something a little bit earlier than a minute before the series ended. It was just a bad ending all around, and poorly written. Even if they wanted to start the next series with Mary remembering this scene--I can just think of a dozen different ways they could have (should have) done it.
ReplyDeleteHaha, the ending of A Christmas Carol is very weird, and if you don't like stuff like that (though I do happen to like that kind of weirdness myself), then I can understand why you wouldn't care for that ending. I do love how that movie captured the entire spirit of Dickens' novel...almost to a T. It was nearly perfect for me, being able to watch one of my favorite novels come to life without any strange, major changes.
~Vicki
Decked Out in Ruffles
I still say they could have sent Matthew off on business or something. I know Julian Fellowes said that Matthew and Mary became so close that it would be unrealistic to separate them, but there are a lot of couples that are very close that are also separated by business. Oh well...
DeleteThe only one of these I have seen is Downton and I totally agree-worst ending ever!! Sybil just died and now Matthew?! He and Mary were finally together and happy-very bad ending.
ReplyDeleteThese others sound interesting; I'll have to see if the library has any copies.
I recommend He Knew He Was Right: though the main plot isn't so great, the subplots are great!
DeleteHahahaha, love the Maggy moving picture thing. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I made it myself. When I finished watching The Remains of the Day, that was pretty much my reaction to it.
DeleteTag, you're it! ;)
Deletehttp://www.regencydelight-janeaustenetc.blogspot.com/2013/05/another-elevensies-tag.html
So . . . the only reason why these endings are the worst ones from a period drama . . . is because they didn't end happily for the couples involved? That's it?
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say? I'm a sucker for happy endings. :-D
DeleteWow. I'm glad others think Downton was beyond disappointing. I'm still reeling from it. Seriously?
ReplyDeleteCaroline
I hear you!
DeleteMy worst is the movie "The Piano". Maybe I was too caught up in the beautiful music or the gorgeous costumes, but that horrific drowning at the end just did me in!
ReplyDelete