The Evolution of the Estate | Downton Abbey 

It speaks volumes of Cora's character that her first reaction to hearing most of her fortune is gone was to comfort Robert and assure him they will survive regardless of financial stability.

3:32 "Why does everyday involve a fight with an American?" 😂😂😂 Violet always has the best one liners 🤣🤣🤣

Robert was a fool. There, I said it. He had little business acumen, no financial sense, was attracted to "get rich quick" schemes, ignorant of the changing times. He bankrupted the estate and would have done it again if Matthew and Mary hadn't insisted on stepping in.

Matthew and the women of the family (Cora's money, Sybil's love for Tom, Mary's commitment to stick with Matthew's reforms, Violet's wish to make Tom and Mary work together ...) really saved the estate from Robert's stupidity.

I like how the show’s fashion slowly transitioned from the early 1900’s to the fashions and cars of the 1920’s

from @1:53 "it's is my third parent and my fourth child" is one of my favorite scenes of Robert. Just really sets up his character well with the passion of the estate.

“Why does every day involve a fight with an American…?” - the Dowager Countess in her battle with a swivel chair (invented by Thomas Jefferson). LOL

Lady G has always underestimated Cora. Another woman, 'who could have easily stepped into her shoes' may have acted quite differently hearing that her inheritance was completely lost in some money scheme.

The thing i found interesting was he wasn't afraid to cry in front of her

He loses her fortune and she says "thank God for you." If it wasn't for her, there would be no Downton.

"Every ship is unsinkable until it sinks"

@Downton Abbey • This was an excellent retrospective. Some of the scenes I had entirely forgotten until Violet's memorable quip or reaction. For example, asking Matthew to investigate had entirely slipped my mind until Violet's memorable reaction to the swivel chair appeared. And certain scenes were just wonderful to revisit such as Mary telling her mother of Matthew's proposal and her admission she loved him longer than she knew. Likewise, Cora comforting Robert after the loss of the money is another scene the is both heartbreaking yet uplifting. Thank you for thie well-edited clip. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Downtown Abbey was my escape during the lockdown😍

"It is my third parent, and my fourth child"

According to this Robert and Cora married in 1888, the estate was in crisis at the time for various reasons. Mainly I suspect was that Lady Violet entered into the marriage with little to no dowry. Robert had a difficult decision when choosing a bride at the time, choose status or wealth? He chose wealth. I dare say his motives we're pressed moreso by his late Papa, rather than his mother. (Which is evident throughout the series.) When Robert and Cora married, she basically signed the equivalent of a prenup agreement. Like so many wealthy American heiresses at the time who only married for title and societal status, the Earl of Grantham needed to secure the future of the estate. Cora's fortune did just that and then some. With the entail in place, her fortune became one with the estate and title. Unfortunately, the law prohibited ladies from inheriting her father's title and ruling the estate. Sadly such rules apply today to many English estates and titles.

What I love about Downton is how, from my research, they absolutely could have broken the entail if they wanted. It would have required the current lord and the heir to sign an agreement breaking it, but it could be done. Now, the reason this is usually considered impossible is because what person would sign an agreement renouncing a massive fortune? If my sixth cousin four times removed had an entailed estate that I was set to inherit, I would absolutely keep it and get rich. Ergo, the heir would be unwilling to sign. In the case of Downton, though, I think it was very clear from the beginning that Matthew would have been willing to break the entail if asked. The person who was really against breaking the entail was always Robert. Not because he didn't love his daughters but because he cared more about the future of Downton than them. I just think it is so interesting that in this particular situation, everything is turned on its head and the one unwilling to break the entail is the one whose children are set to lose everything; not the one who is set to inherit.

I miss Downton Abbey. ❤

This show makes me so happy!

Robert didn't even try to fight for Mary, he was a closed book right away. He was a good man and husband but really wasn't a good manager of the estate.

The last few seconds show a side of Robert worthy of respect: he could be a stickler for stupid rules, but he could also uphold what he belived to to honor with litte thought of his own comfort. (Yeah, I know: sometimes. He who is without sin shall cast the first comment.)

Loved this Even through the worst of times you can always count on your family to be there and help you through 🙂

No no, I’m a good sailor😂🇬🇧

The actress who played Sybil was in an episode of "Black Mirror." It was the one about the dystopia where the poor and powerless have to be on stationary bikes, watching vast amounts of awful and brain-deadening social media while they pedaled the days away. The rich and powerful were social media tycoons who brutally forced the poor to be contestants on this American Idol-like show to do terrible and demeaning things to entertain the masses, but rewarding the contestants with better, more meaningful lives. It was bizarre to see Sybil in this environment. And heartbreaking to see what happened to her in the episode--I was almost in tears. Watch that "Black Mirror" episode titled "15 Million Merits" to see what I mean.

Wow! This compilation video is really well done.

Robert is my least favorite character. Especially during the first few seasons, he was stuck up & refused to adapt changes. Cheated on cora & then had the audacity to get mad at her when that painter guy tried to force himself on her.

Starting at 6:06 and for the rest of that scene, watch the angle of Cora's head and her braid. When the camera is on her face, her head is tilted to her right (starting and 6:25) and the braid is over her right shoulder. But when the camera is on Robert's face and we can only see the back of Cora's head, her head is tilted to her left and the braid is down her back! I remember seeing this continuity goof when this episode first premiered because of how obvious it was, and I've never been able to unsee it.

magnifique série ! un hit ! la classe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done retrospective.

"Another modern brainwave? . . . Why does every day involve a fight with an American...?"

It was all so unfair. Mary and Mathew could have been so happy.

Love it.

Ohhhh sybil 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Was Cora a dollar princess?

Crawley estate saved by American $ figures

Still very nice...

Robert was a real wanker. Cora didn't deserve him.

He Dowager rules

If you really think about it. Robert really is thebad guy

Downton, itself, appears to be a god.

i wanted cora to be pissed that he lost all her money she was like unrealistically okay with it because “aMeRiCaN”

🙂 💚

2:20 why are they all in black? Did someone die ?

Are those barnacles on the dowagers hat?

😅

I didn’t care for Robert.

After 24 years of marriage guys feel ashamed of choosing his women at first place! We are like pieces of cake decorating over a fine limiting boundary on a plate, can be picked by same species whenever they want!

Downtown Abbey as a series was great. However, I am very disappointed in the films. 😞

Robert reminds me of the Democrats and the Republicans. They put this country in the sad indebted state we are in; classic Establishment.