I didn't recognize her but I knew her from somewhere. She played Lady Mary Crowley on Downton Abbey of course. I guess really in a way it's a somewhat similar role, both strong women.
She definitely makes this show worthwhile. The story is interesting, but not that great, but she really keeps me rooting for her and wondering what is going to happen to her character.
Welcome to the party finally! I think the majority of us are watching because of Michelle Dockery aka Lady Mary.
shareFinally? Am I late? :D
Yeah I'm hoping they have some interesting and surprising story development since the only ways I can imagine this can go are rather bland.
But even if this is a one season show this is really a great role for her and I hope she and the other creators of this gonna do more awesome television.
She was my favorite part of Downton Abbey. I love her as an actress and this role makes me forget that it is the same person who played Lady Mary.
shareI too don't quite know how long this premise can work and only time will tell, but so far it's really intriguing. At the very least, people get to see a very different side to Michelle Dockery post-DA, so that's helpful for her career going forward.
shareNever watched DT but I agree that she's doing an incredible job. Her character is the most enjoyable part of the series IMO.
shareShe's my new Maggie Siff (Mad Men/Sons of Anarchy):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_Siff
I wanted to clarify a comment I made a couple of days ago about the comparison as roles of Letty with Lady Mary for Ms. Dockery. I said they were very different.
Well, physically they are very different characters. Lady Mary was very reserved and always maintained a formal bearing and attitude. The physical demands required to play Letty are quite different, and in fact Letty's role also includes playing roles that Letty plays. So in those respects the roles are quite different.
But that is not to say there are no similarities between Letty and Lady Mary, as there are a few to be sure. Both are generally strong women who are also prone to occasions of self doubt. Others could perhaps come up with a comprehensive list of similarities, but for now I wanted merely to clarify that I did not mean to say the two characters have no similarities.
Actually either character thrown into the others' society and times might actually be interchangeable. IMO
All credit to Ms. Dockery.
May you receive all that Karma has to offer.
How is an alcoholic, drug-addicted, borderline-suicidal lying thief felon who lost her son and is obsessed with the lack of a relationship with her mother, and who cannot control her negative compulsions in any way a "strong woman?" I think you mean she's a manipulative bitch and you like that.
shareHaha good point. You are absolutely right, from that perspective she isn't strong at all.
But she does have "special abilities". I guess you could call her an anti-hero with a weakness. It would be easy to see she could be employed as a spy or asset and server her country, and then she would be a heroine.
In fact if you'd imagine a male character with the same traits, doing the same actions, you'd have a kind of rogue or swashbuckler or pirate, and wouldn't call him manipulative bitch but sly and cunning.
But yeah "strong" is the wrong word. I often think that most evil in the world doesn't come from some kind of evil intend or being evil, but because of weakness. Either stupidity, ignorance, panic, cowardice or some kind of debility.
Dejay,
I think part of the tension has to do with whether vices are weaknesses. I understand some people consider them to be across the board as it were. And certainly most people if not all including those who "suffer" from them to be bad when they begin to control your behavior, when they take over.
But human behavior is not always so clear cut. Most people in fact whether we like it or not engage from time to time in what can be considered bad behavior. Does that mean those who do are literally cowards, or stupid? That seems a bit much, I think.
This show also points to some unpleasant situations such as how Letty was having trouble getting a job because of her criminal record. Some might say she had that coming when she began her "life of crime" in the first place. But it's a bit more complicated than that, I think most recognize.
The whole concept of an anti-hero I think concerns people who find themselves in less than the best situations, even ones they had something to do with ending up there, and finding a way to survive and more. Maybe have some dignity, or even help someone in a position of need. A classic example is Humphprey Bogart in perhaps the granddaddy of the genre of film noir anti-heroes, that of Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon. Spade is having an affair with his partner's wife while clearly not in love with her. His partner dies and his first move is to have his assistant change the name on the doors and windows to remove his partner's name. The cops wonder he doesn't seem so sorry his partner is dead, and on and on. Yet... he treats some along they way with kindness, is fair to others, and ends up doing the right thing. Classic.
Letty we'll see how she ends up, but even in the first episode it is no coincidence what enmeshes here in the trap or mess is she tries to save the targeted wife she is in jeopardy. It is that kind of mix that makes her comfortably within the anti-hero type. I at least think so, and do not think an across the board condemnation of her makes much sense.
Very insightful comment, thank you! I should probably watch more classic movies as well.
After the last episode I'm really not sure what to think of her though. Which I guess is really great. She successfully turns her parole officer to a life of crime hahaha.
Maybe she qualifies more as a tragic hero than an anti-hero, since she tries to do the right thing but so far has always failed to help or save anyone. Is actually helping someone a requirement to being an anti-hero?
I didn't consider Lady Mary as strong either. I don't perceive a strong woman as someone that would deliberately hurt people, and Mary did that often.
shareI was going to use another word to describe both Letty and Mary, but it is one that IMDB frowns upon.
My Chimp DNA seems to have lost its password temporarily. Sluggr-2
I've seen 3 episodes now and I must be watching a different show than the rest of you. The premise is what hooked me in (although as others have wondered, where can it go from here?). But the main reason I will likely give up this series is Dockery is possibly the worst actress I have ever seen in a role like this. She's terrible! Watch her cry some time. It's like a 3 year old fake-crying to get a lollipop. Boo hoo hoo. So phony! Her facial expressions are all forced and phony. I mean, the worst. I have never watched Downton Abbey. Maybe she is better suited there.
shareWell that's fine, maybe you just don't like her :) I don't think you can call her a bad actress though.
shareWatching Downton Abbey won't change your mind. Her crying style was exactly the same on that series LOL.
shareAgreed. She is stunning as Letty. Amazing actress!
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