‘Downton Abbey’: Dan Stevens further explains season 4 absence, timing of tragedy
“Downton Abbey” fans are still in the process of healing, believe it or not, almost a full six months after seeing the tragic death of one Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) at the end of the season 3 Christmas special. We imagine that some of it is due to the way in which Stevens decided to leave the show, and this coupled with the shocking “and then he was in a car accident!” moment that came out of nowhere after everything between him, his wife Mary, and new child appeared to be just fine ended up causing the viewers to go into a revolt.
And with this, Stevens is still being asked about the end of days for Matthew (and probably will be until the end of time). In a brand-new interview with Radio Times, the actor apologized in some sorts not for leaving the show (which, given the number of films that he’s working on these days, seems to be the right decision), but for the way in which he had to exit during a holiday that is mostly known for cheer and celebration:
“I am sorry about that! I think what emerged is that it’s an unwritten rule that you’re not supposed to die on British television on Christmas Day, and that, specifically, was not my doing … We didn’t see that script until the very last minute, so we didn’t know exactly how they were going to do it.
“There was a bit of a sweepstake going on and all sorts of speculation like, would he be gored by a stag in the Highlands? Or was some masonry going to fall from a parapet and hit him on the head?”
There are already some replacements being groomed for Stevens, including Tom Cullen as Lord Anthony Gillingham. We don’t expect to see anyone start to win Lady Mary’s heart again right away, mostly because that guy would never win the approval of fans if it happened too fast. Basically, fans are the equivalent of a disappointing big brother who is watching over their little sister who we care so much about. Stevens’ exit is understandable based on his career goals, but it is still abundantly clear that he’s made things rather difficult on production in the process.
Are you still reeling over Matthew’s death, and do you think there is anyone out there that can inherit the throne of steely blue eyes? If you want to read more on whether or not Mary should find love again, the best way to do it is by heading over to the link here.
Photo: ITV