M/M shippers: let's not be too down on Julian Fellowes
Sometimes I wonder if Julian Fellowes isn't pitching a tantrum in his own writerly way with Series 4 and 5. Matthew had been such a central character to Downton Abbey, the sort of person who subtly encouraged everyone around him to be a better soul, and without him there, Fellowes is just showing us, honestly, how everything would go to pot. On that level, I can respect Fellowes for telling some unpopular stories.
As a writer, I think I'd be terrified to write for television: between budget / time / resource constraints and meddling executives—not to mention your lead actors swanning off to another continent—I'd live in fear of not being able to fully realise my artistic vision.
It takes a lot of bravery to tell a serial story that is dependent on the work of so many other people.