Top 5 Worst Period Drama Endings

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.

Lists: Bottom 10 Least Favorite Characters

We all have them. We might have tried to like them at the beginning of a period drama, but there's just something about them that is really vexing! Or maybe they just vexed us from the moment of their appearance on the screen. Either way, here are the bottom 10 of my least favorite characters in period dramas.

Now keep in mind, this list is just my opinion. You can disagree with me (I'll publish your comments :-P), but keep it respectful.

Thanks a lot, Fisher Bloom! You took a very good character
and made her annoying in her own show!

10. Laura Timmins after Season 1 (Lark Rise to Candleford)
Notice how I said after Season 1. During Season 1, I really liked Laura. She was innocent (maybe a little naive) and while she made mistakes, she learned from them; it was almost like we were learning with her. Overall, in Season 1 (and even half-way through Season 2), she was really likable. Then after half-way through Season 2, she got really dislikable (I mark the fifth episode in Season 2 as the point where she began to get dislikable). Mainly, when Fisher Bloom came into the picture, Laura was never the same again. After he left, she became this know-it-all, which got old fast. I'm very sorry that her character developed that way...

Another example of a character gone bad.

9. Evie Eliott after Season 1 (The House of Eliott)Just like with Laura, I didn't always dislike Evie. I always preferred her sister Bea over her since Bea was a lot more sensible than the emotion-driven Evie, but during the first season, Evie was likable. She was mostly innocent which worked for her. Things started to go awry once she stayed in Paris for a couple of years. Suddenly, like Laura, she became a know-it-all. They tried to make her more "worldly" and she became a bit of a snob. In addition to that, she also began to make really immoral decisions. She just got more and more dislikable as the show went on.

Just simply irritating.

8. John Thorpe (Northanger Abbey)
John Thorpe is just irritating. Period. He's arrogrant, loud, and vulgar. Period. That pretty much sums it all up.

I know, there was a little rant about him above,
but c'mon! he did ruin the main character's personality!

7. Fisher Bloom (Lark Rise to Candleford)
Thanks a lot, Fisher, for changing Laura: Now she's this dislikable know-it-all. But seriously, it was because of Fisher that Laura had this unfortunate transformation. He insulted her pride, so she changed herself to be like him. Then he leaves and leaves his damage on Laura's character. Ever since his first appearnace, her new personality stays with her. *Sarcastically* Way to go, Fisher!

Irresponsible... and just flat out irritating.

6. Nora Helmer (A Doll's House)
I mainly dislike Nora because of the decision that she made at the end of A Doll's House (though she wasn't all that great in the beginning and middle of the plot either). She abandons all her responsibilities and her children because she needs to find herself. Really? That's one of the characteristics that I don't like in characters: not accepting responsibility or abandoning responsibilities and obligations. I also didn't like that she didn't at least try to work things out with her husband: she just left him.

Simply could not take her seriously.

5. Nan St. George (The Buccaneers)
There are a couple reasons that I've never liked Nan. First of all, I could never take her seriously. Her, her sister, and her friends for the first half of the movie were rolling down hills like they were five. Nan also seemed to be too naive; if a character is a little naive, it's not a bad thing (like with Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey: she was naive, but it was a sweet naive), but there's a certain point where characters can be too naive and Nan crossed the line. Secondly, I also didn't like the decisions that she made towards the end of The Buccaneers. Her decisions were becoming more and more immoral that any relatableness (if any) she possessed was gone. Definitely not a good role model.

HOW DARE YOU LIE ABOUT MR. DARCY!

4. George Wickham (Pride and Prejudice)
Wickham is a liar, scandalous, and a fortune hunter. He lied about Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth in order to get her to sympathize with his situation. He tried to elope with Mr. Darcy's sister, Georgiana, in order to get her money and to take revenge on Mr. Darcy. He started a scandal with Lydia Bennet which would have damaged all the Bennet daughters chances of getting married. Mr. Darcy pays off his debt. And then after the scandal, he's welcomed at Longbourn with open arms? (Okay, those open arms were probably only Mrs. Bennet's).

Even at the end, I still had no pity for him.

3. John Willoughby (Sense and Sensibility)
What really irritates me about Willoughby is that he doesn't accept his responsibilities. He gets involved in a scandal and then leaves. He made Marianne Dashwood think that he loved her and then leaves. Then we find out that he married a Miss Grey only for her money due to the scandal, breaking Marianne's heart. I will say that at least he got what he deserves when he finds out that he could have married Marianne and not have been disinherited.

How did these employees manage to not get fired during the first season?

2. Sarah O'Brien/Thomas Barrow (Downton Abbey)

I lumped both these characters together because they mostly work for/with each other. They are always in everything for themselves. Plus, they've been trying to get Bates fired since he started working at Downton (like trying to frame him for stealing matchboxes and wine). I don't know why these two were not fired from Downton; definitely not model employees. Though O'brien improves slightly in Series 2, I still cannot like her.

I'm sorry, I just can't stand him!

1. Edward Rochester (Jane Eyre)
Okay, I know there are a bunch of girls ready to throw tomatoes at me. *Ducks for cover* I know a lot of girls really like Mr. Rochester, but, in my humble opinion, I don't see how. He does not behave like a proper gentleman: he's rude, he messed with Jane's feelings, and nearly gotten Jane involved in a huge scandal. Despite all this, him and Jane end up married at the end? The quality that people like about him is that he's passionate, but I see that as his problem. He doesn't control his emotions. He doesn't practice self-control. He flies off the handle over anything. I found him most disagreeable and dislikable and cannot understand why he is the hero of Jane Eyre.


God Bless,
 

Lists: Top 10 Favorite Heroes

Due to the great response to my "Top 10 Favorite Heroines" post, I put together my Top 10 Favorite Heroes! Enjoy!

1. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) 
Probably a very obvious answer from me! I didn't always like Mr. Darcy (c'mon, he was a bit of a jerk at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice), but after a while he grew on me once his character improved, and now he's my favorite hero! Yes, he was a bit arrogant at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice, but his arrogance decreases as the plot progresses; he's also a good brother and takes it upon himself to bring about the marriage of Lydia and Wickham after their scandal.

To me, Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy, period. He has the look of arrogance in the beginning, but then as Pride and Prejudice goes on, he has that more of a caring look. He also did all of Mr. Darcy subtle looks really well.

2. Colonel Brandon (Sense and Sensibility)

While reading/watching Sense and Sensibility, how can you not feel sorry for Colonel Brandon? All the stuff that he had to go through and yet he doesn't complain about it. As much as I like Marianne Dashwood, I still thought she was really mean about Colonel Brandon (Willoughby made fun of him and she went along with it). He was able to act like a gentleman while Willoughby was apart of the party.

I did like David Morrissey's Colonel Brandon, but it seemed like something was missing for him in the 2008 Sense and Sensibility. To me, Alan Rickman did a better job in the 1995 movie.

3. George Knightley (Emma)
Oh, Mr. Knightley. He tries to help Emma by telling her that she is wrong, but she doesn't listen (well, most of the time). Mr. Knightley is very caring, a great brother-in-law to Emma, a great uncle to John and Isabella's children, and (we can be sure) a great husband for Emma. He helps out his neighbors whenever he can (sending Mrs. and Miss Bates food, saving Harriet during the dance when Mr. Elton snubbed her, etc.). Overall, Mr. Knightley is a great guy and a gentleman!

Johnny Lee Miller is my favorite Mr. Knightley. I did also like Jeremy Northam's Mr. Knightley, but I think Johnny Lee Miller's was closer to the Mr. Knightley in the book... at least to my memory.

4. Henry Tilney (Northanger Abbey)

When you first see Mr. Tilney in Northanger Abbey, you might find him a little odd (I know I did), but in a good way. When you get to know him more, you can see that he likes to tease his sister Eleanor and Catherine a little bit in a friendly way. Once you know more about him, you can see that he's a caring brother and a great husband for Catherine.

I've only seen the 2007 version of Northanger Abbey (unless the Wishbone episode counts), and despite the problems it had with the screenplay, the actors were well cast. J.J. Field's Mr. Tilney was very well done.

5. Arthur Clennam (Little Dorrit)
I like how Mr. Clennam tries to help out the Dorrits: he's trying to right a wrong that he thinks his family business may have done, and how many people would go through the trouble of finding out who they wronged? Plus, when he loses all his money and is in debt, he doesn't run away from his obligations, but faces them and is accountable for them. He messed up and took the consequences of it. In this world where people tend to run away from their responsibilities and obligations, Arthur Clennam is a good example of what people should do: accept responsibility and face the consequences of your actions.

I've seen both the new and older version of Little Dorrit, and I think Matthew McFayden's Arthur Clennam is the better one. His was much better acted than Derek Jacobi's Arthur Clennam, plus Derek Jacobi was just too old.

6. Edward Ferrars (Sense and Sensibility)

I don't like that Edward had Elinor like him when he wasn't supposed to, but I will say that he does do the honorable thing by staying engaged to Lucy even though he doesn't love Lucy anymore, but instead loves Elinor. He sticks to his duty even when it becomes very hard.

I prefer Dan Stevens's Edward to Hugh Grant's. Hugh Grant just looked too sickly for the role.

7. Septimas Harding (The Barchester Chronicles)
Mr. Harding was such a sweet old man! I felt sorry that in the first part of The Barchester Chronicles that Mr. Bold was going to sue him because of his salary. He was almost instantly likable, which is what you need in a series/miniseries/movie/etc. in order for people to like it. And, considering The Barchester Chronicles is an 80s miniseries, the acting has to be very good since there aren't the effects that newer period dramas have. Donald Pleasance played Mr. Harding very well. I'll definitely have to watch The Barchester Chronicles again to see what I've missed.

8/9/10 (Tied). Robert Crawley, Lord of Grantham (Downton Abbey)

I've got three heroes from Downton Abbey that I like, but couldn't choose in what order. Robert is a great master of Downton. He cares for all of his employees and the surrounding area. He doesn't mope around about the entail, but instead teaches the way to run Downton to his third cousin and heir of Downton, Matthew Crawley. He also tries to be a good father to his three children and a good husband to Cora.

Hugh Bonneville played Robert in Downton Abbey. Hugh Bonneville does a very good job acting here. I can't wait to see what's in store for Robert in Series 2

8/9/10 (Tied). John Bates (Downton Abbey)
Poor Mr. Bates... He arrives at Downton with a limp and most of the staff thinks he can't do his job... But he persists at his job and he gains everyone's respect (well except for a few). He's almost in an Edward Ferrars position except he's actually married instead of engaged: he loves Anna, one of the maids, but he remembers his duty to his wife. He tries to do the honorable thing while at Downton. I wonder what will happen with him in Season 2 (I'm hoping they don't ruin his character like what sometimes happens when series go on).

John Bates is played by Brenden Coyle. I first saw Brenden Coyle in Lark Rise to Candleford as Laura Timmins's father, Robert. I must say that I like John Bates better than Robert Timmins: Robert became too much of a jerk after awhile.

8/9/10 (Tied). Matthew Crawley (Downton Abbey)

At first, you have to warm up to Matthew a little bit since he tries so hard not to change (and since the Crawleys at Downton Abbey are one of the first characters we've seen, it might be a little easier to side with them). But then when Matthew gets settled in near Downton, he really tries hard to learn how to run the estate. He takes an interest in fixing up the cottages in the surrounding area and as Robert's family likes him more and more, we start to like him more and more.

Dan Stevens, who also played Edward Ferrars in the 2008 Sense and Sensibility, plays Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey.

I will say that I started to read Mansfield Park a little while ago and Edmund Bertram looks promising. Maybe he might bump someone off the list in the future? But as for now, this is the list of my top favorite heroes!


What do you think of my list? Are there some heroes in my list that you would include in your top favorite heroes? Who would you include in your list? Leave a comment!

 God Bless,