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Agree with Ravenya003 on all points. Really disappointing writing. Maybe some of this could have happened earlier in the series but I don't think it works as a finale.

Poor Henry Talbot. So tall and lean. He never stood a chance.

We've never seen Tom and Mary dance together, right? Imagine Mary sulking in the corner at Edith's grand wedding to a marquess. Tom crosses the dance floor... "Maybe there won't be marriage. Maybe there won't be sex. But by God, there'll be dancing." I could be satisfied with that ending.

All kinds of shipping is going to happen no matter what a writer does. But it's also true that many writers simply don't have the skill to convey their intention properly to the audience. Or worse, they engage in fan service. I can think of so many examples of ship-spawning relationships that the writers swear aren't meant to be perceived as romantic and yet consistently rely on romantic tropes to show closeness. I'd love to think Fellowes' writing is subtle enough to merit the speculation being offered to justify his narrative choices but like Eolivet, I think we're headed towards a predictable ending.

TOM THEORIES 1. Eager to begin his future as matchmaker/wedding planner, Tom is desperate for Henry and Mary to tie the knot. The most illustrious match of his career hangs in the balance, and if the wedding doesn’t happen soon the flower arrangements that he purchased with his own allowance may start to wither… 2. There’s only one obstacle in Tom’s master plan to usurp Mary’s position as Queen of Downton - Mary herself. Not satisfied being a mere joint agent, Tom has plotted to marry his sister-in-law off to someone entirely unsuitable in order to distract her from her work. But with Mary showing few signs of interest in her new suitor, Tom may have to resort to desperate measures… 3. Ever since his beloved wife Sybil died, Tom has been yearning for a new love. He has found that love in Henry Talbot, but a long distance romance has it’s difficulties. Luckily, there may be a way for Henry to live at Downton. Tom’s sister-in-law Mary seems to have fallen for the charming Talbot and it’s up to Tom to convince her she’s ready to commit…

"Convinced Mary's grandmother, Lady Violet, will be able to change her mind about Henry, Tom begs her to return from her trip to France." Time to take a seat, Tom.

There were some stand-out scenes in this episode and I mostly enjoyed it. Matthew Goode did a great job. I'm starting to like Talbot as a character. I just don't know if he has any chemistry with Mary. Maybe it's the actors? It's so strange, watching them together is like watching a crossover from two different shows. Like they don't belong in the same story. But I see what they're trying to do with Henry and Goode pulled it off. Michelle did a great job too. It just didn't click somehow. And I get what they're trying to do with Tom but they've overplayed it and it's annoying. He's already picked out Mary's dress and now that she's broken off with Henry he's going to have to cancel the flowers he ordered. I can understand him trying to get her to open up to a new relationship but he's way over the top about Henry. How does he know Henry's "the right man"? I liked the editor though. Maybe Mary can date her? Violet, Molesley, Isis 2.0 all highlights. I can't help but feel for Thomas as we see him becoming more and more isolated. I was surprised Edith didn't accept Bertie right away.

Mary could be a bridesmaid for Isobel, as her daughter-in-law. I think we can expect that wedding.

My guess is that either it isn't her wedding dress (maybe she's a maid of honour? for Isobel? or Edith if they reconcile? It could explain the boutonnière) OR it is her wedding dress and the wedding doesn't happen (she leaves Talbot at the altar? Talbot leaves her at the altar? Tom objects because he loves Mary? Tom objects because he loves Henry?) Or she marries Tom (which is so unlikely. If it happens I wouldn't expect it until the CS) Or she marries Evelyn Napier. Or Charles Blake comes back from Poland. What is going on. Please let it be Edith.

There are some questionable story choices happening on this show but to end episode 8 with Mary married to a man she is not ready to marry and Edith not married to a man she is...Nope. Nope. Nope. It needs to be Edith. And then Isobel and Lord Merton if that's in the cards. And then Mary in the CS. I don't care who Mary marries, but please not before Edith.

Despite everything I just really feel that it will be Edith's wedding in episode 8, not Mary's.

This is it exactly. Tom and Mary could call each other ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ forevermore. But they aren’t siblings. It is a convenient excuse to use Tom as Mary’s platonic pseudo-husband. Mary invites Tom on all of her dates? That’s completely normal sibling behaviour! Tom gives up all of his long-yearned-for personal endeavours in order to go on Mary’s dates? No one will suspect a thing! They’re siblings! Either being with Mary is the most important thing to Tom (after his daughter) or he’s nothing more than an accessory Fellowes is attaching to Mary to humanize her.

From the interview it seems Tom is more than a bystander in whatever drama happens with the cars next episode.

Oh, I'm so sure it will be Edith getting married in episode 8. Even if Henry and Mary decide to start a relationship, I would be surprised if we saw a wedding. Mary isn't in love with him (at least not yet). I'm holding on to my beautiful Brary dreams for one more episode. I'm happy to enjoy the end of the series from the deck of this crackship :P

Right? "I don't recognize my own dear sister Mary. Could this be love?" Can't this show respect that I have my Brary goggles on? Don't they know I'm going to take lines like that the wrong way? I don't like the sales job Tom is doing for Henry. On top of Henry mentioning racers' wives and getting involved and falling in love Mary now has Tom on the sidelines pushing her towards a relationship. I don't know why he's playing cupid so aggressively. It's really awkward, especially since he seems to be completely ignoring Mary's obvious problems with the relationship.

Thomas committing suicide would make me very upset :( If I could ensure any of the characters has a happy ending I would choose Thomas. His scene at the end of the show today almost made me cry.

He is being a bit aggressive about it but he genuinely likes Henry. It actually feels awkward that he's so enthusiastic about it, especially when Mary is so hesitant. He's coming across as a little pushy, imo. Are we supposed to like Henry because Tom does? I imagine the reason for bringing Tom into all of these scenes is to establish a partnership with Henry, and they will go into business together at the end of the series. As for Tom/Mary, I think the next episode will decide that. If Tom is involved in the car crash, I think we will see Tom/Mary. If not, it will be part of Henry and Mary's romantic arc. After the latest episode, while I'm not ruling out Brary, I would be surprised. Not shocked, but somewhat surprised. They really aren't giving anything away. Also, I think Mary is serious when she says she'll be upset if Tom has kept Marigold a secret from her. I really hope Mary will take this information and act with grace instead of spitefulness. The U-turn Michelle Dockery mentioned could be Mary's relationship with Edith.

Oh Thomas... His scene with George was heartwarming, his scene at the end was heartbreaking. The more I see of Henry the more I like him. The chips are still up in the air now; next episode we will really start to see where they fall.

IMO that's just bad storytelling. Good endings are earned. Introducing a character at the last second is just cheap. Maybe Tom deserves better, but right now his entire story is with Mary. There was no point in bringing him back if not for Mary. If they wanted Tom to have someone new without telling the story onscreen, he could have come back in the final episode with an American wife. Then Mary would have more time to develop her relationship with Henry. There is no storytelling happening if new characters are simply being shoehorned into the story in order to resolve plot threads that should have been solved over the course of the last few seasons.

Yes, but Rose didn't have a Sybil.

Some people have watched the show and inferred from the writing, direction and acting the potential for a romance between Tom and Mary. It's not like there is an angry mob of Brary shippers ready to break down Fellowes' door if they don't end up together. I can understand why some people don't see it or like it, but I don't think those of us who do see it and like it are making it up. For example, the conversation you referenced: while you could interpret it as a conversation about Tom and Sybil and Mary's strict requirements, I took it as foreshadowing Mary "marrying down" but to someone she considers her equal. That could refer to Henry but so far we don't know enough about him to know if he is Mary's 'equal' in the way that Tom means it. We know almost nothing about his deeper personality or his values. Then we have a conversation between Anna and Bates where Anna expresses her opinion that Henry is not the one and that Mary needs someone who can pull his weight as a partner in her life at the Abbey. Tom, a former chauffeur whom Mary considers her equal in business and friendship, is doing exactly that. I do want Mary and Tom together but I'll be the first to say it may not happen. However, most of us who want it to happen are following our honest interpretations of the narrative direction itself, not a desire to see Mary and Tom stick their tongues down each others' throats no matter what. I don't understand why Fellowes would see the need to put people "off the ship". Nothing is being forced on him.

I see the opposite: I see the show setting him up to be the next patriarch of Downton regardless of his relationship status with Mary. In the scene where he saw off Neville Chamberlain, in the final scene between Mary and Tom...Physically he's bulkier, looking older and more and more like the man who runs the house. He says he wants something useful to do. But he also says he considers Downton his home and the Crawleys his family.

Tom and Henry get on so well sometimes it feels like Mary is third-wheeling. I wonder if they will go into the car business together? They could each make a small fortune I expect...

So I'll be looking to the next episode for clarification.

AGREED! Edith was stunning. I'm so glad to see her happy ending in sight. Loved the development in this episode. I really wonder what Mary's course of action will be now that she knows about Marigold. The atmosphere was quite ominous... Also, I'm glad Robert survived. His almost last words were touching. It wasn't just that scene between Tom and Mary, but Mr. and Mrs. Bates both agreed that Mary would want someone who could "bring something to the table" or something to that effect. Plus all of the shots of the two of them standing together and looking over Downton. I've got my Brary goggles on but I'm still counting it as a real possibility. Matthew Goode is charming though, and after this episode I felt I might not mind him with Mary. With all this foreshadowing about equals, I wonder how they will show him to be Mary's?