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Juliette has become one of the sanest and nicest people on the show. She's letting Avery make his own choices in terms of Layla, the she devil; she tried to help Rayna get Maddie back; and she sent Glenn out to keep an eye on Maddie. She's stopped being self destructive. Yay! (I'm not sure I think her roll in the hay with Derek is her wisest choice at this point, but I can't say that I blame her!) Good for Will for standing up for himself! Face it, Avery. You traded down.

I'm a big time Javery shipper, but even I am starting to feel the lure of Juke. Yes, Juliette did some hurtful things, and, yes, Avery was hurt by her behavior, but Juliette was ill!!! Postpartum depression is a disease. If she had had cancer or heart disease or some other physical ailment would he be constantly blaming her for it? Because that's what he doing now with the constant, "You hurt me. Blah, Blah, Blah." What he went through was tough, but frankly does not compare to what Juliette suffered. It was one thing for him to leave in order to protect Cadence, but he doesn't have to act so snotty with her now. How about a "I'm so proud of you for fighting your way back" or "How can I help you recover?" Luke is kind to her. He's mature. He did ask how he could help. They had a blast together on stage, and, frankly, he's red hot. He may be just what Juliette needs to be happy. I hope that at least for the time being, Juliette ignores Avery and his scheming girlfriend and focuses on her own life. Once Avery realizes how much he screwed up, he can be the one crawling back to Juliette for a change.

I don't care that no teenager could possibly be that perfect. I love Timothy and the whole Turner clan! Put out those coffin nails Patrick and Shelagh!!!!!!!!!!

I think the show really struggled to find itself while Hayden was gone. They added newbies, including Cash or whatever her name is, to fill the minutes. How bad those storylines are became apparent when Hayden returned. She's always been my favorite, but wow is she lighting up the screen now. The Juliette scenes with Glenn, Emily, Avery, Rayna, and Luke were the best parts of tonight's show. It's good to see that Hayden is feeling so much better! Layla, prepare to go down! Juliette can read you like a book, and she is not afraid to fight dirty to protect her family. Rayna, get off of Deacon's back. Of course, he lost his temper. Maddie was acted like a spoiled child. My father would have dragged me off that stage, too. Will, hang in there.

Re the Teddy, Rayna, Tandy debate, everyone who has weighed in had been "right" in a way. Teddy, in fact, could have avoided jail time (and likely any punishment) by turning state's evidence against Tandy. He stole money, but given the Fed's interest in Tandy and Lamar, they must have stolen much, much more. Teddy did screw up, but he realized it, and he was willing to take his punishment. Rayna is "innocent" in the sense that she was not involved in Lamar's dirty deals. But her innocence would not have saved her or the company had the Feds convinced Teddy to testify. A forfeiture action is not a criminal action. The person forfeiting property need not be the one who committed a crime. For example, if you let someone use your car, and they use it to run drugs, your car may be subject to forfeit because it was used a criminal instrumentality. The forfeiture action is what is called an "in rem" action. It's brought against the property, not the person. In this instance, Tandy invested dirty money, the fruits of her illegal activities, in "Highway 65." If the Feds could prove the money resulted from her crimes, the company could be forced to forfeit it. And I think Rayna's problems go even deeper than that in the sense that it's my recollection that she inherited a boatload of money from Lamar and invested some or most of it in the company. Since it was dirty money, it too would be subject to forfeiture. I doubt that the show goes there, but having Rayna deal with financial ruin could actually be an interesting storyline. She's never had to struggle financially. It would also be interesting to see her cope with the realization that she has been using dirty money. Teddy not only spared her the loss of the company, he spared her the knowledge that Lamar and Tandy were crooks, and she was the beneficiary of their crimes.

I am totally with you on Juliette and Glenn. They belong together. Go Team Juliette! Their reunion made tonight's episode for me. And it was so cute to see Avery unable to resist helping. I never liked Layla, but I had a certain amount of sympathy when Jeff died. Now, even that is gone. She's using everyone, Glenn, sweet Avery, Rayna, Luke. It's time for Juliette to put out the trash. My list of "I care about" is a bit longer: Juliette, Avery, Cadence, Glenn, and Emily top the list. Luke and Will have found a place in my heart, too. Rayna, Deacon, and Daphne are fine. (And I still miss Teddy!) Even Gunnar and Scarlett finally won me over. But none of the newbies have captured my attention. I agreed completely with Deacon. Maddie went way too far this time. (Rayna and Deacon could actually use Juliette's help on this one.) And this Cash person must be crazy. Since when does a twenty (or thirty?) something aid in a child's rebellion? She is way way too involved with Maddie. One great aspect of tonight's show was all of the music! It's been sorely lacking this season.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hayden's back, and she looks healthy and radiant! I'm really digging her shorter hair cut. Juliette and Avery!!!!!!!! Juliette and Cadence!!!!!!!!! Juliette and Emily!!!!!!!!!!!! Come home, Glenn! I want some Juliette and Glenn, too. The show was 1000% percent better this week. Yay!!!!!!!!! Will is back with Luke. I like Luke, and I like Will. Now, let's hit the road and play some rowdy music. I'm tired of sad songs. Yay! Scarlett and Gunnar got the gig! I enjoy their music. (Although I like it even better when Avery joins in.) Layla and new people whose names I cannot even remember, you bore me. Go far, far away.

I agree that Maddie needs an attitude readjustment, but in fairness, she and Daphne have had a traumatic few years. I think the fact that they have both acted out is one of the more realistic aspects of the show. Let's look at what's happened. There may (or may not) have been underlying tension in the Rayna/Teddy household, but the girls had structure, security, and love. Since the Rayna/Teddy break-up, the girls have had three new parental figures, crazy Peggy, driven Luke, and Deacon. I love Deacon, but he's not the most stable person. He almost killed Rayna while drunk, almost lost his mind when his sister died, and periodically shows flashes of violence. The girls have been asked to turn on a dime in terms of accepting someone as family. Deacon loves Maddie (and Daphne) dearly, and he does have a blood relationship with Maddie, but neither of those things really make him anyone's father. Parenthood is scaring the monsters away, providing discipline when needed, and patching skinned knees. Teddy is Maddie and Daphne's "Daddy," and he always will be. That doesn't mean Deacon will not carve out his own niche with time, but there has been no time at this point. "Uncle Deacon" was a fun friend of Mom's--he did not have parental responsibilities. He's going to have to earn the girls' trust. And I think Rayna, loving Mom that she is, is struggling in her new role, too. As the family breadwinner, she was on the road, recording, and generally taking care of business much of the time. Teddy seemed to play the role of house husband. He was the one who spent more time with the children, and he was the chief disciplinarian. Now, he's gone, and Rayna has to make calls that she did not have to make in the past.

So, Layla is going to use sweet Avery to hurt Juliette. Alrightie then. Game on! I want Juliette to come home and destroy her as only Juliette can. I get that Layla wants revenge on Juliette, and if she wanted to take her on professionally I would not be able to criticize her. But putting Avery (and little Cadence) in the middle of WWIII is not cool. That witch doesn't care who she hurts. (Not that she ever has!) Team Juliette for the win!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go Will! That bully needed someone to stare him down.

Loved the Alabama episode! The partners were respectful to one another, clever, hard working, and refrained from whining. I was so happy to see them succeed. Hated the Canadian episode. The man lost me with the blonde crack, and I'm not even blonde! And I was so glad that little Monster outwitted them. (Seriously, how can you call yourself a survival expert if you can be outwitted by a chipmunk?) Monster was the high point of the episode.

Come home, Juliette! The show is not the same without you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And would someone please spring Teddy from prison? His daughters need him.

I really enjoy the Erin and Anthony stories. She has always come across as being far too serious for her own good, and he seems to lighten her spirit. I'm glad Erin is getting more air time this year. Danny SOMEWHAT redeemed himself at the end, but his crack at the dinner table about Jamie's reasons for staying on the beat was way below the belt. If he wanted Jamie to help with the annoying rookie, he should have asked for his help before saddling him with the problem. Siblings are never carbon copies of one another, but those two don't even seem to be from the same planet.

I didn't get the sense that Bill was angry or frustrated in this episode. And if he was, he could have had a headache or been tired or been snarky for a million and one other reasons. We all have days when we are not ourselves. I really like this family, but I do hope that at some point they move out of the public eye. I can't think of a single family featured on a reality show that didn't seem to suffer for it. I would miss watching them, but I want their family to thrive. I would love to see Dr. Jen as Surgeon General! She could put her fame to use to publicize important health issues, and she has always impressed me when shown in her role as a doctor. The simulations she conducts require an incredible eye for detail. (YMMV, but some of my favorite scenes this year involved watching Jen at work.)

Actually, as an attorney, if Erin knew the judge to be acting in violation of the Code of Judicial Ethics, she had an ethical duty to report him and could be disciplined by the bar for any failure to do so. (That's true regardless of what the DA wanted her to do.) It's her boss who should be in trouble, not Erin. She did the right thing. The show would be much more interesting if Frank lost a battle once in a while. More Jamie please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our local PBS station rebroadcasts everything the next night on a secondary channel, so I took the opportunity to watch this episode again, and I'm glad I did. Doing so let me step back and really observe the Mary/Edith situation in a more detached way. I was a die-hard Sybil fan, and she will always be my favorite of the sisters, but since she's been gone, I've been more Team Mary than Team Edith. I still like Mary more. She has a toughness that will be required to save Downton when the Depression hits, but she's also shown a softer side on many occasions, such as when she took George to see Mr. Barrow tonight. (Her visit to Matthew's grave brought tears to my eyes.) Edith is a bit too much like Eeyore for my taste. That having been said, this episode was a microcosm of the sisters' relationship. Edith and Mary are just two very different people who happen to share the same parents. Their family ties are the only thing they have in common. Their values likes, dislikes, and world views could not be more different. In 2016, they would no longer be living in the same house, and I suspect that distance would have toned down the competitive nature of their relationship at least a bit. But in 1925, though they are in their 30s, they are living much the same life they did in their teens. They are still competing for attention and approval. Mary was clearly jealous of the fact that Edith would have such a high rank. And Edith was clearly not above lording it over her. Edith did start the fight at the breakfast table. She insisted that Henry had dumped Mary, and when Mary did not immediately congratulate her on her engagement, she started digging at Mary about being jealous. Tom tried to stop her, but Edith refused to be stopped. Despite years of living together, Edith has never learned that it is unwise to poke a bear. Mary has always had the ability to verbally flatten Edith. (She must have gotten the Violet gene.) Mary lacks the self discipline to control her temper. If someone takes a shot at her, she fires back with a cannon. She was wrong to reveal Edith's secret. She clearly knew that she was hurting Edith. But I believe her when she says she was out of control in that moment. Mary can be cruel, but she's never been shown to be doing something calculated to hurt someone. She did not plot against Edith. In sum, each sister brings out the absolute worst in the other. Neither is blameless. And someone needs to give Robert and Cora a good talking to about the danger of secrets in a family. They should have encouraged Edith to share the secret of Marigold with Mary. Mary would not necessarily have been sympathetic, but she would have been much less likely to share something she learned in confidence. She and Edith might actually have been on the same team for once. On a much happier note, can we have a spin off starring Violet and Tom? I just love how their relationship has evolved. They have this mutual respect that's rather touching. She was the one who paid for Sybil and Tom to come to Mary's wedding; she was the one who told Robert that Tom should make the call on Sybil's care; she was the one who suggested that Tom become the estate manager; and she was the one who tried to help him learn the social graces. And Tom has never shown anything but love and respect for her. He clearly understood that she was the only one in the family capable of straightening out tonight's mess. Love seeing Tiaa assuming her role as queen of the household and loved every single outfit worn by Mary, Edith, and the rest. The costumes have been stunning this year.

Way to go Violet!!!!!!!! She was definitely on game this episode. 1) Violet is on the case. Lord Merton's soon-to-be daughter-in-law better watch her back. (And Violet must return from her trip because Isobel is entirely incapable of dealing with the situation alone.) 2) Violet guilted Cora and the family by leaving town. Cora, Robert, et al SHOULD feel guilty about not telling her she was about to lose her position as president. They owed her the truth. 3) Violet came through with what every Downton Abbey fan had been wanting since we lost Isis, an adorable new puppy! The look of sheer delight on Robert's face mirrored that of all Downton Abbey fans. Henry is growing on me. (And, hey, if Tom approves of anyone, they are okay in my book. He's Downton's voice of reason these days.) Mary and Anna, still BFFs. I cracked up when Anna blew off Bates to follow Mary to the crash scene. Good for Mosely! He is about to start living his dream. Poor Thomas! Yes, he's capable of being utterly sleazy, but he's also capable of kindness.

Abby had gorgeous Chin awaiting her in that big comfy bed and she bolted??????? Seriously???????????? Unless her staying would have somehow put his life at risk, she is now officially dead to me.

I wonder if there's some jealousy there. When looking at the Reagan children, Danny has always struck me as "what's wrong with this picture." Joe was by all accounts accomplished and well on his way to being the next Reagan PC. Erin and Jamie are both attractive, well educated, and polished. They fit right in with Frank when he attends black tie events. Erin is the only girl and Jamie is the golden-child baby. They each have a special place in the family. Danny is more of a throwback to Henry. His status as the eldest should have given him a special place of his own, but he was a rebel. He has some talents, but he doesn't quite fit the modern Reagan mold. I think he may feel that everything comes easier to Jamie. On a different note, I really enjoyed last night's episode. I was glad Frank stepped in to help Nikki. That storyline was realistic in that parents are supposed to come down hard to help kids learn life's lessons, and grandparents are supposed to be your ally no matter what. Both Erin and Frank did the right thing. And Jamie was the perfect uncle giving wise advice and trying to keep everyone talking to one another.

I agree that the writing for the show is uneven. Some episodes are very good, but this one was quite simply stupid. Cheating is the equivalent of communism?????? Huh????????? And the idea that Maya was somehow learning from copying answers from Farkle was beyond absurd. You don't learn from cheating, and sending the children who watch this show the message that you do is utterly irresponsible. If Disney and the writers are attempting to teach some sort of lesson, they failed miserably. Riley, Farkle, and Maya would and should all have been suspended from school for some period of time. Feeny, Feeny, Feeny, where are you when we need you?

I'm going to defend the writers on the baby storyline. They cannot pretend that that the characters are the same age and have the same lives as when the show began. Shows rapidly grow stale when writers try to suspend time. I wouldn't still be watching the show if the guys were all still sweet nerds who never caught a break when it came to love. Frankly, given that the show features 7 characters well into their 30s, including two married couples and one couple that is in a serious relationship, it would be incredibly odd if someone didn't have a baby. In fact, in real life one would expect to see five, six, or even more babies among the group over the next few years. The real question is whether the writers can avoid "invisible baby" syndrome. Too many shows park babies with a nameless babysitter who seemingly is on call 24/7. They need to remember that having a baby will change things for Howard and Bernadette. They will not be able to hang out with their friends the way that they always have.

I wasn't feeling Meemaw for some reason. But I loved the new love interest for Raj. They have the chemistry that is utterly lacking with Emily. Please keep her!

Now, that was a good episode! I most enjoy the episodes where we get to see their normal day-to-day life. Thank you, Jen, for educating viewers on the importance of vaccines. Today's parents are too young to remember the days when children routinely died of diseases like polio. They simply cannot fathom how easily childhood diseases spread and how serious they can be because they grew up in an era when everyone was vaccinated. Bill and Zoey moments are just priceless. She has become so articulate. Will leading the "Trick or Treat" charge was adorable.

I could have done without the dining room scene, but it was a good episode overall, and I'm glad Lord G isn the road to recovery. On reflection, the things I liked most related to Tom and Sybbie. Thank heavens they are back where they belong! Love Tom and Mary's relationship. They are just so comfortable with one another. And their chats show a different side of each than we usually get to see. Someone posted above that Tom has turned into a prince and that is dead on! Of course he didn't go to the hospital, not because he's not a real member of the Grantham clan, but because he is a real member of the Grantham clan. Someone had to see off their important guest, and there was Tom filling that role will style. (I also appreciated his earlier attempt to help out Chamberlain by offering a drink.) Sybbie, Donk, and Cora were adorable when Grandma and Grandpa were babysitting. Her interactions with them are so natural. (In fairness, the other two little actors are younger, so I would not expect the same from them.) I also enjoyed . . . . Seeing Mr. Mason happily moving into his new home. Seeing Edith and Bertie enjoying their date. She is not my favorite character, but those two actually have some spark. Seeing the good side of Thomas. I'm reserving judgment on Mary and Henry. She hasn't let her guard down with him yet, and that is what distinguished her relationship with Matthew. They were friends and well as lovers.

Things I loved . . . Tom's face when Gwen was talking about Sybil. Those two were simply the best together. Finding out how well things turned out for Gwen thanks to Sybil and her own hard work. Anna making it to the doctor in time. If I am ever in a spot, I want Mary and/or Violet to have my back. They can and will move heaven and earth to help if they are on your side. Mary and Tom together again. They support each other through thick and thin. Violet getting at least five minutes to explain why she is fighting the merger. She has a brain and a point if anyone will listen. Mr. Mason getting a home. Things I hated . . . . Daisy's continued whining. I have always rooted for her, but for pity's sake shut up! No one but you promised Mr. Mason anything. Edith's never-ending snakiness towards Mary. Why assume that Tom's return ends Mary's tenure as estate manager? And when she suggested during the "family meeting" about Yew Tree Farm that since they all favored giving it to Mr. Mason, Mary's views should not even be considered, I was literally yelling at the TV, "They MUST be considered, you idiot. Thanks to Matthew and Lavinia's money, MARY is half-owner of Downtown Abbey! You, in contrast, are simply sponging off your parents and Mary. You have no vote!"

The hospital plot is not the most exciting plot this year, but I must say I have some sympathy for the Dowager Countess. Almost everyone is acting as if change is always positive, and I think the Dowager has a point about the hospital. It's true that being swallowed by the larger hospital may afford people in the village access to better technology, but it will not come without a cost. From movie theaters, to stores, to doctors who make house calls, small towns used to have a host of benefits. Ultimately merging with the larger hospital will be the first step in closing the village's own hospital and losing doctors who actually know them, their medical history, and even their families' medical histories. Local control has some real plusses. Tom and Sybbie are back where they belong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't see how coming to the reception ruined anything for the bride and groom. They looked every bit as pleased as the family did. Besides, on some levels, Tom is to the new Mrs. Carson what Mary is to Mr. Carson, the child she never had. (She has consoled him, advised him, and dealt with the predatory maid for him.) She must have been thrilled that he was there on her special day. And Sybbie is the best little actress. I wish they gave her more lines. She and Donk are infinitely more interesting that Spratt and Denker. Mary and Anna, BFFs! It was so nice seeing happy Anna. And Mary was almost as thrilled as Anna. She even had the good sense to make sure that Anna knew she could go on leave if she liked. That was some spread at the reception. It really was kind of the Crawleys to foot the bill.