The Union Club

The ball was fantastic, John Singer Sargent incarnate, especially with the quadrille that opened it. And Marion’s gown of pale green moiré, with its burgundy accents, was perfect. The costume designers outdid themselves and must have an encyclopedic knowledge of Charles Worth. I completely agree on the utter blandness of Mr. Raikes. No devilish gleam in his eye at all. Fellowes is famous for borrowing freely from other sources for his stories, and Marion waiting forlornly at Mrs. Chamberlain’s came straight from the novel Washington Square, and film version, The Heiress (and cleverly connected the Henry James remark? Okay.). At least things turned out better for Marion. I love all the Bway greats in the cast: Kelli O’Hara, Donna Murphy, Audra McDonald. And by far the best relationship is that between Agnes Van Rhijn and Peggy Scott. I love the way Baranski so truthfully converts cynical distain to real respect and concern. And Nixon’s Aunt Ada is a revelation. Put me down as a member of the Bertha Russell fan club, too. I’ve been loving the whole series and can’t wait for Season Two. But hey: do we really believe that no one’s twigged a fiddle about Oscar and John Adams? Ward McAllister at the very least.