We hope you enjoy your stay. O'Brien has no great investment in anyone except Thomas, but after a tragic event caused by her in the summer of 1914 (where she caused Lady Grantham to have a miscarriage) she's sworn to protect Cora. Catching Up With Agnes From Tanked: See What Shes Doing Now! What will you miss most -- if anything -- about O'Brien? She runs off and leaves Downton immediately. First, we deliciously learn what Bates whispered to O'Brien: "her ladyship's soap." Does Cora ever find out what O Brien did? In the real world, the actors were working on 3 year contracts. However pretty sure they just used up the idea of her wanting to travel because realistically the actress wasnt coming back. Weapon damage assessment, or What hell have I unleashed? Her desperation to hold onto her job proved to be her weak spot. Jessica Brown-Findlay was the first leading cast member to leave Downton Abbey, but the actress made it clear from the start exactly how long she intended to remain with the series. american housewife taylor's life skills list printable; why did miss o'brien leave downton abbey. Her actions nearly led to the not-so-nice guy's dismissal and arrest. Whilst not the most pleasant woman in the world, she is mostly loyal to those she cares for. " People actually love that she's a nasty piece of work. If anything, she was incredibly loyal to Cora then after feeling guilty over causing Coras miscarriage. I didnt want his death to dominate the Christmas special, so thats why we killed him at the very, very end. In February 1922, she sneaked away in the night to travel to India to Perhaps due to her being her brother's favorite sibling, she seems to get along with the younger male servants more so than the female ones, becoming very friendly with Thomas Barrow, identifying with Henry Lang, whom she seems to particularly admire, and showing sympathy for William Mason in his frustration prior to his enlistment. Though Masterpiece confirmed that O'Brien would not appear in "Downton Abbey" Season 4, the door seems open for her return. Other main characters include Cora Crawleys mother, Martha Levinson, played by Shirley MacLaine, and Robert Crawleys mother, Lady Violet, played by Maggie Smith. It was not in her best interest to go back near the family since she thought Bates knew about the soap incident. What Happened To Rick From American Restoration? "But someone interferes and ends up taking the decision out of Mrs. Hughes's hands, which is totally wrong. Why was Sybil written off Downton Abbey? March 4, 2013 12 AM PT. Thomas Barrow (formerly) Cora Crawley (formerly) Alfred Nugent (formerly) Susan MacClare "Mrs. Hughes is tasked with the real headache of finding another lady's maid for Lady Cora," Phyllis Logan, Mrs. Hughes to "Downton" fans, told TV Guide. Mistakenly believing that she was about to be sacked, O'Brien planted a wet bar of soap beside Cora's bath. "O'Brien is a thoroughly despicable human being -- that was great to play." This past season, the lady's maid plotted a vicious scheme against former friend and fellow downstairs staff Thomas,. Downton Abbey star Siobhan Finneran has spoken out about her decision to quit the show, saying that it was time to move on. "She's the best actor Ive ever worked with. And will you miss her? We hope you enjoy your stay. Susan was nearly broke. "Downton Abbey" is going to look quite different when it returns for a fourth season. Why loiter for 18 months and give him an opening to expose her? Why did Mrs obrien leave Downton Abbey? The pregnant Cora duly slipped and miscarried her baby. Why did Matthew and O Brien leave Downton Abbey? Stricken by remorse, especially when she discovers that her job was always secure and Cora was trying to help Violet find a lady's maid, O'Brien presumably spends the years between 1914-1916 increasing her devotion and swearing to protect Cora. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Loyalty 4 seconds ago banana pudding poem why does it stay lighter longer in the north. Does Miss O Brien get fired? Immediate It broke records and it was really unexpected., She joked: I just thought it was this sort of quiet little period drama!. Thomas wanted to ignore her, but, knowing that everyone in the shop had seen him be at fault and was now staring at him, he stopped and began gathering up the tiny parcels for her. I was really saddened when she left. Therefore, I don't think it's that much of a stretch for O' Brien to take the opportunity. O'Brien's misdeed seemed to launch a series of pregnancy-related disasters that . "Mrs. Hughes is tasked with the real headache of finding another lady's maid for Lady Cora," Phyllis Logan, Mrs. Hughes to "Downton" fans, told TV Guide. It wasnt a good opportunity but there was nothing better. Later we find out that she made a career in India: According to Mrs Hughes, by 1924, Miss O'Brien had been employed by the new Governor's wife in India. It's interesting, because you can see her gaining real affection for Cora as the series went on. And I wouldnt say OBrien wasnt comfortable at Downton after the soap incident. The Downton Abbey Season 5 finale episode acted like the greatest hits of the season with drama, humor, scandal, and intrigue. As if "Downton Abbey" didn't lose enough beloved characters in season three -- RIP, Sybil and Matthew-- the distinguished house is saying goodbye to a major downstairs character.Masterpiece's publicists have confirmed to The Clicker that Siobhan Finneran, who plays the delightfully nasty Sarah O'Brien, will not be returning next season. In the first season finale, O'Brien had left a piece of soap near Cora's tub, causing her to slip and miscarry her late in life pregnancy. Here We Go Again (2018 . The 47-year-old - who plays scheming maid Sarah O'Brien in Downton - said in an interview with the Daily Mail that she had been wanting to leave the series for a while - but denied it was a career . The best show recs delivered to your inbox. Scheming lady's maid Sarah O'Brien had appeared in ITV's hit period drama since the first episode, but viewers never saw a departure scene. She is never particularly happy, but she is always bitter. The 29-year-old English actress playedLady Sybil Crawley in the first three seasons of ITVs hit period drama series, until Sybils tragic death following complications during childbirth. But was it really a better opportunity? Actress Siobhan Finneran has revealed that her exit was down to nothing more dramatic than her contract ending. Robert's wife Cora blames Robert. Movies & TV Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for movie and TV enthusiasts. I think it was Ethel that took a dig at her once because of this. With judicious placement of a bar of soap, O'Brien prepares one of Downton's most destructive reversals. But, in reality, actor Matthew Goode's schedule did not allow for him to appear in the second Downton film. 4. Lord and Lady Grantham are the bedrock of the Crawley family. When she decides to join Lady Flintshire, she knows that what she's doing is reprehensible for servants and that Cora would be terribly hurt. Finneran said: "I had great fun doing it but I just didn't want to do it any more." She added: I decided this before we even did the last series. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Why wasn t Matthew Goode in Downton Abbey A New Era? But the issue with that is Bates threatened O'Brien with the soap secret back in S3 E8, when she was screwing with Thomas. According to Mrs Hughes, by 1924, Miss O'Brien had been employed by the new Governor's wife in India. 27. In the brief sliver of time between cause and effect she then experiences what we in. I thought her departure was plausible having seen her interaction with Susan. Height It's interesting, because you can see her gaining real affection for Cora as the series went on. How did Thomas know about O Brien and the soap? She had a brother who was her favourite brother and who thought of her as his favourite. "I've always carried around with me [the idea that] something has happened to her to make her be the nasty piece of work that she can be She's worked since she was probably 14 or 15 years old, and has basically sacrificed her entire life to somebody else, for the good of their life and their home -- it's no wonder that she would get frustrated or angry about things. Why did the Soviets not shoot down US spy satellites during the Cold War? The shows creator, Julian Fellowes, took the fourth season as an opportunity to follow through on his promise to diversify the cast. It just didnt seem to make sense with the writing of the show. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. "But [Stevens] didnt want to do that. O'Brien believes that she does a better job than . Jessica played Mary and Edith's beloved sister, Sybil, on the show, but left in season three after her character died shortly after childbirth. O'Brien has been a love-to-hate character throughout her three seasons on the show, from causing Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) miscarriage in Season 1 to the bitter feud she had with under-butler Thomas (Rob James-Collier) that led to her outing him in Season 3. Finally, the production team never confirmed adding a despicable character to fill the void of O Brien, but we assume there must be someone shoddy in the shows new add ons. Not to mention Cora liked OBrien very much and Susan is the type of bitch to not show any loyalty to her servants. Last season on Downton Abbey, we watched as downstairs darling Anna endured the most difficult storyline of the season. O'Brien tells himself he will run to Canada, but he silently concludes that he will go to war because he is embarrassed not to. How long does O Brien stay at the Tip Top Lodge? According to Siobhan, there was nothing extravagant to her exit. Why did O'Brien leave Downton Abbey? Would she really pay better or even the same as Cora? Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you. It appears with this show, when contracts cant be renewed, the character either dies or leaves for foreign shores. The executive producer of the show, Gareth Neame, reiterated the notion by stating the decision to kill off her character had nothing to do with producers nor writers but was entirely made by actress Siobhan Finneran. Looking back at her decision to quit the role of Sybil after just 20 episodes, the actress explained: I was incredibly grateful for what Downton became and did, but it was my second job and I knew nothing about what I was doing. She was offered a new life and decided to move on. Extended George Crawley - the son of Mary and Matthew, the heir to Downton Abbey. Why did Miss O'Brien leave Downton Abbey? The last reason I can think of for why OBrien wanted to flee Downton is that she was afraid Bates would reveal her secret about her ladyships soap. It is Barrow's real chance for happiness, and he takes it. Downton Abbey, Yorkshire, England (formerly)Bombay, India 5. "Her initial contract came to an end and she didn't want to renew her contract. She'd have nowhere to turn if that secret was ever revealed. 6. I think the wanting to travel excuse is a really BS reason for OBrien to abandon a good, stable job in a house she was used to with an employer who liked her. 2. For centuries, the English throne has passed through the male heir of the monarch, but female heirs may inherit if they have no brothers: two of Henry VIII's daughters were able to succeed him (Mary and Elizabeth), albeit only after their younger brother Edward VI had died. 1. Do the maids' apron designs indicate position? Although he is Robert's grandson through his mother, his claim comes through his father's line, as Matthew's paternal great-great-grandfather was a younger son of the 3rd Earl of Grantham. What is the Dowager Countess of Grantham's source of money? I had a big freak-out., Discussing the international fandom for Downton Abbey, Brown Findlay said: Yeah, it was sold to 100 and something countries. I remember reading at the time that she went so far as to say that she didn't want to stay in an O'Brien type role for too long because the character was so nasty. Finneran said: "I had great fun doing itbut I just didn't want to do it any more." She added: I decided this before we even did the last series. Other servants include Ethel Parks and Rose Leslie as Gwen Dawson and Henry Lang, whom Sarah O Brien admires; however, Sarah takes the cake for the most screentime, mainly due to her manipulative antics and downstairs rulership. Instead, they were provided with only a very brief line of dialogue to explain her absence in Season 4's opening episode - after which she was never spoken of again! What episode does Miss O'Brien leave? She runs into Thomas, and calls him sly, oily, and smug. She quit the show at the end of season 3, as did Sybil and Matthew. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 35. Especially with that terrible secret that she needed to leave behind. Eventually, in season threes finale, viewers see the Crawleys kitchen maid scouting for work that would allow her to see more of the world and escape the Crawley wrath. Tom Branson Tom returned to Downton from Boston after deciding that raising his daughter Sybbie away from her family was a bad idea. According to TVLine, O'Brien will exit sometime during the six-month period that passes between the end of season three, and the start of season four. O'Brien (brother) Mrs. Nugent (sister) Why wasn t Matthew Goode in Downton Abbey A New Era? 38. be a lady's maid to Susan MacClare, Marchioness of Flintshire. "Well, O'Briens departure is a minor trauma, but it takes on an even greater proportion as a displacement for the major trauma, which is of course the hole created by Matthews death," McGovern said. Being known for its soap operatic value, one shouldn't step into Highclere Castle expecting plots that make sense or robust character development. Lady's Maid to Cora Crawley (formerly)Lady's Maid to Susan MacClare (formerly) Gender There are some who don't even know he wasn't in the first one, he said. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. Downton Abbey fans were left confused at the start of the shows fourth season when the character ofOBrien had mysteriously vanished. Her sister writes to her to find a position for her son, Alfred Nugent.[1]. Fans were dismayed by the news that Siobhan Finneran, who played scheming maid Sarah O Brien would not be making an appearance in Downton Abbey 's season 4. It's been a while since I watched it but I recall there were numerous instances in the show that highlighted her insecurity with her somewhat unambitious path in life. ), so she was replaced by Edna (the maid had gotten too close to Tom in Season 3). What illness does Cora have in Downton Abbey? As opposed to death, her closing storyline, which involves leaving the Crawley home to chase her dreams, makes it possible for her to make a comeback. It was explained in the show. Yes, Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier) resigns as a butler at Downton Abbey and leaves. A new trailer was screened last week, revealing new plot details for the movie, including the arrival of some very important Royal visitors! The series has won several accolades and is lauded for many achievements. In the second series, through her subtle manipulation of Cora, Thomas is placed in the hospital under Dr. Clarkson and eventually runs Downton Abbey whilst it is a convalescence home. Downton Abbey bursts with class tension, swooning romance, and a whole lot of intrigue. This friendship prompts her to help him get on in life in both Series 1 and 2. Mr. Nugent (brother-in-law) Alfred Nugent (nephew)Alfred's sister (niece) She knows that Thomas is the illegitimate son of O'Brien and Lord Grantham and the rightful heir to the house. Dylan O'Brien will not be returning for Paramount+ 'TEEN WOLF' revival movie. And an unstable job in a foreign nation hardly seems better than a stable job at a familiar house that OBriens been at for 10+ years. The chauffeur-turned-estate-agent surrendered most of his agent duties to Mary, who had them well in hand, and opened up a car shop with his brother-in-law Henry Talbot. There's no word yet on how or why her character will leave. What secret did Bates have on Obrien? O'Brien would not appear in "Downton Abbey" Season 4, People actually love that she's a nasty piece of work. The Happy Valley star explained: I signed up to do three series and that was all I wanted to do. Does O Brien ever tell about the soap? O'Brien has been a love-to-hate character throughout her three seasons on the show, from causing Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) miscarriage in Season 1 to the bitter feud she had with under-butler Thomas (Rob James-Collier) that led to her outing him in Season 3. Five months after learning that Downton Abbey actress Siobhan Finneran, who plays Lady Grantham's scheming maid, Sarah O'Brien, will be departing the series during the forthcoming fourth . Due to the departure of not just one but three characters, the production company of Downton Abbey, Carnival Films, announced that six new cast members would be joining the series in its fourth season to make up for the loss. How long does O Brien stay at the Tip Top Lodge? The big reason: the actress wanted to leave the show. O'Brien formerly was an ally of Thomas Barrow,but when her nephew, Alfred, took a job as footman, then was being considered for a valet position in a short time their friendship terminated.