DD51

In the south it's well bless your heart, many meanings, many ways of delivery, some good and some not so much so.

I think it hits hard on our American ears,,,,I can hear my Mom in my head saying "no please or thank you? Then nothing for you"! But we pride ourselves on being equal to each other, everyone has the same value, of course that isn't total reality by any stretch, but most of us like to think it is.

I understand that the upperclass in the UK did not say please or thank you to servants, so to speak. In fact on Downton Abby Manners, the director said it was a struggle for some of the actors not to automatically say thank you, and specifically he had Cora occasionally say thank you or please, to make a point of her being an American. His point was it was expected behavior and as such did not require a please or thank you, added to the fact that because so much was done for people in the upper class that they would be worn out after saying please and thank you all day!

When I got married, we had an Episcpalion book of common prayer service because I liked that we said "I will" rather than "I do". A statement for a, hopefully, long future, and so far 30 years and feeling good!

Actually, it isn't all that unusual according to one of my friends (a shrink). To be compassionate towards a friend or wife or close associate is to be aware of all their faults and errors and yet still have compassion toward them. It is less intense to have compassion toward someone you don't really know all that well, they are a symbol not a real live breathing error making human. So, in the case of Gary it is easy to think, he didn't mean to kill her, he was trying to help as opposed to he was a mess up his whole life and what was he thinking of making her choke down turpentine . It was widely known that stuff would kill you if you drank it. And why didn't he try to get a doctor involved after the incident ? (I still have my doubts about all of that,,,,very ambivalent about how it went down and the motivation behind that). So not exactally distant compassion, but more symbolic compassion. Where was the compassion for the wife who killed her husband with rat poision, after he beat her and her children? Read the books and you will really like Amanda, totally different person.

Actually she could have married him, but not in the Church of England. Further, she was told she would lose her title(s), and royal privileges, including the money that was given to her by the state. So, all in all, the price was too steep to pay.

I understand divorce laws in the UK were very strict, the only accepted reason for divorce was adultery and/or abandonment . So, no, even if Amanda's husband went along with the divorce, one or the other would have to be accused of adultery, etc. It was a long process, several years. And no, Sidney could not associated in any way or form with the Church. So the essential conflict next year will be "what happens". The mouse who roared = Leonard, good show. And what courage it must have taken. My take on Kathy is she isn't leaving Geordie, but things will be discussed and things will change. I did love seeing Margaret helping with the interrogation, a sign of things to come, but probably not for 20 years.

A very neat wrap up for the series, however the web reports this has been renewed for a 3rd season. And that will present a host of new problems to be solved.

I think the series has been written and taped probably six to eight months in advance, so Amanda is probably still around.

I think so, that is why at the end she was telling Gordie to see that her children were taken to her sisters. She clearly knows she will be convicted, but somehow I think at that time women were not hung in the UK, but I could have that wrong.

This was a grim episode, but I think Gordie nailed it when he said that Sidney was dealing with his own demons through others. The guilt Sidney feels about killing one of his troops, a mercy killing, haunts him. He asks for compassion for others because he wants compassion for his actions. Gordie, who obviously has his faults, is in fact a more or less straight shooter, a by the book type of person. I think Sidney is angry that Gordie will break rules to convict a guilty person. And yet, Sidney wants to break a few rules himself.....that is the conflict between Gordie and Sidney. It is tempting to look the other way, especially if what you believe to be justice, is served.

Well, I obviously don't know and can't figure out how to hit the right button/key to put this reply where it should be,,,but the books leave the crime cases some what in the background and look at how Sidney grows in his life within both the church and in his personal life. Less agony, more contemplating. I like both versions of events, but I must say, the TV version is a little more hyped and frankly somewhat improbable. Isn't what is said to a priest considered totally confidential. And as such he could not testify in court about conversations/confessions. And I liked Amanda's role in the books much better. A totally different person.

Off topic but, if you have read the books the series is based on, you know we are in uncharted waters now. The books give a very different plot line, nothing like what we are seeing. No spoilers just in case you want to read the books, but I am glad I read the books first or I would be in a total different mind set about the series.

And by the way, how startling was it to see Amanda having a nice cocktail and smoking a cigarette while she says she is pregnant ? I realize it is set in 1956 or so, but to our 2016 eyes it is astounding .

I did not get that his reaction to Amanda's announcement about her pregnancy was one of relief, rather I had the sense of him thinking,,,huh?, what. Almost a ,how did that happen, look. I doubt this will alter his feelings about her at all although it might alter his behavior. The star crossed lovers theme has been discussed in other blogs but I don't get that feeling at all. Amanda choose to do what she did because of social pressure and family pressure. And while Sidney did not specifically ask her to marry him he did allude to this,,but not until Amanda had accepted a proposal from her (now) husband. In fact, she asks him "why didn't you ask me to marry you?" All in all, deep regret on both peoples part, but no way to resolve the issue. The Church will not accept marriage after divorce unless that first person is dead, Diana and Charles comes to mind. And Amanda does not strike me as a person who would kill her current husband to marry Sidney, although that might solve the money problem.