vesperholly

Robert is looking fiiiiine ... and adorably making toddlers laugh?! *fans self* Glad Lori held her ground on that paint brush cover. The original design was beyond awful.

Didn't those laser-cut wood bowtie people have tie bars or tacks in their product line? If they don't, they should.

Ugh, not Godsocks again. I wish they wouldn't make them cry and tell the dead baby story over and over again - it's really starting to sound tasteless. Notice their warehouse was filled to the brim with boxes and inventory, no sign of knitting machines anywhere. I guess they can finally let go of the fiction that she made anything herself or even had it made in the US. I do like Barbara though. She talked some sense into sancto-mommy with tact and compassion.

I really liked the actress who played fake Mina. She was giving me strong Winona-Ryder-in-Beetlejuice vibes.

I was surprised there wasn't some kind of quick "oh shit I'm dead" reaction shot of her in the trunk when it blew its tires. Killing off Quinn was a mistake if only because he was a kickass spy doing interesting field work the entire time. It drives the storylines to have a character who does more than talk to others in offices.

I thought it meant, if you fuck with me, your mother/family will die.

double post!!

When the agent in the bathroom told Allison they were taking her out of field service, my first thought was "by killing you".

Millions and millions of dollars to order designer purses from her dacha may have changed her mind? Ugh, me neither. I much prefer their platonic, early Mulder-and-Scully-esque relationship of professional badassery and personal fondness that doesn't overreach.

Oh - my bad. I thought her dinner date was Krupin. Rewatched and I missed the sentence where Astrid said it was a civilian (with ties to the Russians).

Whoever is teaching Honey Trap 101 at Langley needs to be replaced. Seriously, do all the women spies on this show lead with their vagina? I'm not trying to invoke any SJW rhetoric here, just tired of all the bad ass women on this show using sex instead of their brain to accomplish things. Alison is banging Nazari AND Saul AND Krupin? I'm surprised the writers haven't had During make a pass at Carrie.

Ahahahahaha! In that (super funny) montage at the end, Brian's dialogue when he was doing CPR on Naz was the same as Ed Harris's dialogue when he did CPR on ME Mastrantonio in The Abyss!! "Don't give up on me! Fight! FIGHT!" Overall hilarious episode and really sharp writing. Loving this show.

We already know that they cast Bertie's mother and shot at the location that was Brancaster (the Marquess's estate), that is a pretty huge giveaway. Not to mention the page of the script with the wedding on it and "Bertram". I will remain ever hopeful, dammit!

I couldn't agree more. Mary isn't even that much of a catch - a widow in her early 30s with a child in a time where the ranks of young men were decimated from WWI and they had their pick of women. And that child, not her, is the heir of Downton Abbey, so she wants to stay there to raise him. No independent wealth of her own and tied to her family's estate. She's beautiful and the daughter of an Earl, but that's about it.

Mary: About Marigold. Who she really is. Edith: Marigold is my daughter. Bertie: (pauses) Right. Of course. (turns to Mary) Edith told me all about her. Isn't she such a lovely child? I'm so pleased to welcome her and Edith into my new home. What a happy way to start our lives as Marquess and Marchioness. (smiles at Edith) Mary: (looks mortified, is speechless) END

Rubbish. They're just too good to blame her, even though she is exactly the reason. At some point, Edith would have had a private conversation with Bertie about Marigold. If he then chose to break it off, it certainly would be down to Edith. But a large part of his reasoning was the delivery - Mary broke the news in a cruel way, rather than Edith telling him. If Mary had just let Edith do it on her own schedule, it would have been a much less painful and humiliating way to learn about it. And I also disagree that Edith forgave Mary. Yes, she returned for the wedding and tried to smooth over the situation, but it seemed more out of obligation than actual absolution.

I think a reminder of exactly how that conversation went down is in order. Here's the transcript: Lord G: You're down rather early. Mary: No I'm not. Where's Henry? Tom: He's gone. Mary: What? Lord G: He had something in London this evening and he wanted to get back. (Mary turns her back to the table, looks upset) Lord G: I have a mass of letters to write. (He leaves) Bertie: I'm sorry Lord Grantham has left. Tom: Why particularly? Bertie: Because we've got some news. And I was waiting for Mary to join us. Edith: It's not the right moment. Mary: Carson, could we have some more coffee please? (she sits) (Carson leaves) Mary: Why isn't it the right moment? Edith: Well, Henry's abandoned you and ... Mary (interrupts): No he hasn't. I wanted him to go. Edith: That's not what it looked like. Mary: Well, that's how it is. Tom: There's no need for this. Edith, if your news is good, then we are very happy for you both. Aren't we Mary? (Mary gives a look to the side like, "meh, whatever') Edith: See? I told you. The one thing Mary can't bear is when things are going better for me than they are for her. Bertie: I'm sure that's not true. Edith: You don't know her. I'm getting married and you've lost your man and you just can't stand it. Tom: Edith, there is no need ... Mary: You're wrong. I'm very happy for you (sarcastically). And I admire you Bertie. Not everyone would accept Edith's past. (looks at Edith while she says this) (Tom and Edith both stare at her looking stunned) Tom: Mary don't. Bertie: What do you mean? Mary: Well, you must have told him. You couldn't accept him without telling him. (looks right at Edith) Bertie: Tell me what? Mary: About Marigold. Who she really is. (Bertie looks at Edith in silence) Edith: (long pause) Marigold is my daughter. (Mary looks smugly at Tom, Tom looks sadly down at his plate) Bertie: (long pause) If you would excuse me (leaves). Quite surgical there, Mary - just a few sentences to destroy it all! I will grant that Edith saying Henry "abandoned" Mary was perhaps poorly worded, but the other remarks except the happiness bit I thought were made out of some form of kindness, to spare throwing Edith's good news in Mary's face after she just broke up with her boyfriend (especially since Edith seems to think Mary does care about Henry). The acting is also very telling - Mary is very imperious and cold through the entire conversation, looking directly at Edith (who looks shellshocked and is holding back tears) as she drops the bomb. Whatever insensitive or bitter things Edith said pale in comparison to Mary's words here. I don't think it's at all fair to imply that Edith had it coming because she's been snippy back to Mary.

That would have been fascinating. At least we were mostly spared Mary being all indignant about the truth being hidden from her. Bitch, you just proved the rule.

Mary had plenty of opportunity to mince her words or correct herself when she saw the look on Edith's face. Mary KNEW that Edith didn't tell Bertie yet, based on Edith's stunned reaction when Mary started to speak. Mary could have corrected herself and said Bertie was lovely for accepting their family's ward into his and Edith's new life. Instead she tested the waters, stuck her toe in, stuck her foot in, then pushed Edith with all her might into the lake. Callous and cruel. Of course Edith should have told Bertie about Marigold, and I think she would have before too long, but she probably never though Mary would stoop so low.

Others have added that Mary got back Edith more than once for the Pamuk situation, but I will also add that Pamuk's boudoir death was fully 10 years ago. Both daughters were still teenagers at that point. Still hideous behavior but Edith seems to be the only one who has grown out of backstabbing. Mary didn't just fling petty barbs across a dinner table or living room, she dropped a nuclear bomb. I'm very sorry that Mary escaped getting yelled at by her parents and aunt, because they all looked livid and Rosamund in particular was looking daggers.

So were the "two weddings" we were told about Carson/Mrs Hughes and Mary/Talbot? >:-[

Let's start with a positive note: This season's milliner is fabulous. I've never seen more pretty hats. Loved the one Cora wore with the pattern last episode. And now the awful. WRONG WEDDING. Mary Crawley Crawley Talbot is a giant C U Next Tuesday. Every word Edith (and Tom) spat at her was well deserved. Though I do think everyone pushing Talbot at Mary and insisting she was in love with him was way out of bounds. Imagine if it was a woman pushing herself at a man. She'd be called a lunatic and arrested for stalking. Bertie better f'ing come back, I swear. to. god. Even in that goodbye scene they were both kept leaning in toward each other - I kept waiting for a kiss. That cannot be Edith's story. After all that behavior, MARY is the one who gets a happy ending? Why am I not surprised. I canNOT be happy for that miserable cow. She doesn't deserve half of Edith's kindness.

It makes me wonder if Michelle Dockery is just a difficult person to find chemistry with (or not a very fabulous actress). Every male suitor except Matthew has been a complete dud. Even Sir Ian didn't really move her emotionally, they were just two assholes together. She's a beautiful cold fish.

Nope - They were in London for the bedroom scene.

Wait, Tom Jones is Hunky Blonde Security dude?! Nice!! I watched that when it was on PBS in the 90s and I have the DVD :D (I'm catching up)