S02.E05: Close Enough to Touch

[Salacious Kitty]

Airdate: November 26, 2023

 

Quote

After sharing her news, Ada questions moving ahead without Agnes' support; Peggy experiences the dangers of the South.

 

[BeatrixK]

Dear Gilded Age,

I don't watch this show to be reduced to sobs!

But here I am, just rolling in my own tears over Ada finding happiness.

Dawwww....

kthnxbye,

Bea

 

----

Dang...Turner has SO much to learn - something tells me the valet saving Bertha's ass by figuring out wha's what in time is gonna cause George to up the anti to get him to stay.  George does reward loyalty.

OK - we have Larry, alone and vulnerable.  Marion, sooooo not into Daschell....come ON writers...IT'S RIGHT THERE FOR US! Please....give me the Larry/Marion 'ship I'm dreaming of.  (I'm almost positive it will be Gilded Age's Travis and Taylor!)

Something tells me the money Oscar put up is gonna get lost - there was something super, insanely sketchy about that whole thing and I can see Oscar losing what he has on it and then having to move back in with Mom - which gives Baranski a perfect housemate foil now that Ada is off being happy Mrs. Rector.

 

OH I just love this show so much!!!!!

 

[iMonrey]

Did they cut something? How did Peggy and Thomas wind up in the barn? At what point did they abandon their carriage to run in there and hide? I'm rather disappointed in the tedious direction this is going in. I know this is just a soap opera but they went to a lot of trouble just to find a reason to throw them into an intimate situation, and I can't help but feel the real dangers to them in that era were rather sanitized for modern audiences.

4 minutes ago, BeatrixK said:

OK - we have Larry, alone and vulnerable.  Marion, sooooo not into Daschell....come ON writers...IT'S RIGHT THERE FOR US! Please....give me the Larry/Marion 'ship I'm dreaming of.  (I'm almost positive it will be Gilded Age's Travis and Taylor!)

I wonder if Bertha would approve of Marian as a bride for Larry. She comes from a good family but might not be as upwardly mobile as Bertha would like.

As for Dashiell, between him and his daughter it's been made pretty clear to Marian what his intentions are. I don't see how they can go on pretending otherwise.

Happy for Ada but yeesh. That headdress was hideous.

Edited November 27, 2023 by iMonrey

[Straycat80]

I’m glad Agnes came around to Ada’s marriage even though she had to do that late attention getting entrance. 
I’m glad Enid’s plan to ruin Bertha’s didn’t happen thanks to the servants noticing all the sketchy goings on in the kitchen. I don’t think Gladys has any interest in the Duke. 
I knew there was going to be a scene in the South like they showed but it was still hard to watch. Oh, Peggy don’t get involved with a married man, but didn’t we see that coming? 

[marleyfan]

This was a stressful episode for me.  I thought Turner would get away with ruining the dinner, and I was sure Ada and Matthew weren't going to get married

 

[Brn2bwild]

That Ada's wedding with the Reverend was mid-season and ended without them saying their vows makes me wonder what the show intends for them.  Could the Reverend be shady in a way that doesn't involve being money hungry?

  

[EtheltoTillie]

4 minutes ago, BeatrixK said:

Dear Gilded Age,

!)

Something tells me the money Oscar put up is gonna get lost - there was something super, insanely sketchy about that whole thing and I can see Oscar losing what he has on it and then having to move back in with Mom - which gives Baranski a perfect housemate foil now that Ada is off being happy Mrs. Rector.

 

Yes it may be a Bernie Madoff type scam, where the scamster resists taking the money at first, with people begging to be allowed in to the partnership.  

[yellowjacket]

Squeeeeee!  Emily Roebling!  The patron saint of female structural engineers!!!!!  (I am one of those.)  Emily's story is GREAT and I won't spoil it, except to say that the American Society of Civil Engineers Construction Engineering award is the Roebling Award, in honor of John, Washington, and EMILY Roebling. Wheeee!

[DiabLOL]

I wish they’d titled this ep “Damn Near Killed Her”.

[peridot]

I can't believe Agnes was so hateful to her family.  Also, isn't Oscar technically the head of the family? Why does everyone defer to Agnes all the time.  I'm glad Ada and the rector stuck to their guns. 

I was worried that Bertha would be embarrassed in front of everyone, but I'm glad that her staff caught it in time.  Turner is such a cow, and the footman who helped her is an idiot.

Ugh, I knew we would have an obligatory clash in the south.  I'm glad they didn't focus too much on it.  It made me sick the the guy who grabbed the cook most likely raped her when she was a slave.  I would have hated to live in the south back then.  I hated that Peggy crossed the line with her boss.

I thought Oscar's mark was smarter.  Why on earth would she invite a stranger into her business dealings.

[Atlanta]

Yay for Ada and the rev! These two deserve love and happiness. I'm watching on my laptop so some of the scenes are so dark. Please tell me that Peggy and Fortune don't hook up. She deserves better. Also, hooray for the eagle eyed staff who caught that something was amiss. 

[iMonrey]

8 minutes ago, peridot said:

Turner is such a cow, and the footman who helped her is an idiot.

Yeah what the hell did he think was going to happen to him if he spilled hot soup all over the Duke? He'd surely be fired. And it's not like he could get a job working for the Wintertons, since Mr. Winterton was right there to witness it.

10 minutes ago, peridot said:

Also, isn't Oscar technically the head of the family? Why does everyone defer to Agnes all the time.  I'm glad Ada and the rector stuck to their guns. 

No, technically Agnes is still the matriarch. She holds the purse strings.

[AntFTW]

Aurora being asked of Oscar is a fortune hunter, and her not really answering the question is hilarious!

Agnes' remarks about Marian's job is also hilarious! Whoever writes those lines, bravo! "They'll have you beating the carpets next."

I'm getting a potential insider trading scandal in Oscar's storyline with Ms. Beaton.

Bertha pushing Gladys onto the Duke... (sigh) 🙄

Before they revealed surnames, I imagine that Ms. Sturt was a former slave of County Commissioner Mason Sturt, or at least slave of his family's. The surnames kinda confirms that for me.

Peggy and the married Mr. Fortune!!! 😭😭😭

[sistermagpie]

12 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Yeah what the hell did he think was going to happen to him if he spilled hot soup all over the Duke? He'd surely be fired. And it's not like he could get a job working for the Wintertons, since Mr. Winterton was right there to witness it.

That's what I was wondering too. How much money is she giving him to make himself unemployable by being inept at the party of the season? I do feel like that will change things for bald butler.

And I liked how Armstrong as usual was wrong about somebody else finding happiness. Ha ha.

The story in the south seemed so weird set against the soups being served as if one of them had a bomb in them. Still, it played as pretty tame and contrived. Not that I wanted to see worse, but clearly this is not a show that wants to depict the racist side of life. The entrance of the racist white guys did feel like a theatrical cue, although I'm sure it's realistic that they would do that. 

And I really didn't buy Peggy reacting to the scary situation by snogging her editor. No.

Back in New York, I was positively squeeing at the wedding and Ada is just the sweetest thing, I love her. I liked when Agnes first tried to say Ada had no money and Forte almost had to laugh at her desperation for him to be anything but a man finding love in middle age. And Ada seeing all these people showing up for her to show they want her to be happy because they love her quietly warm self was just great. 

Agnes appearing like the angel of death was pretty great, though.

Edited November 27, 2023 by sistermagpie

[Pop Tart]

13 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

I'm getting a potential insider trading scandal in Oscar's storyline with Ms. Beaton.

I’m starting to wonder if it’s Miss Beaton who is playing Oscar. She’s clearly very intelligent but when it comes to business it’s all ‘I just can’t understand all these business words and I must bring Oscar to help me’. And it just happens the investment needs just a bit more money.

 

[iMonrey]

20 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

I'm getting a potential insider trading scandal in Oscar's storyline with Ms. Beaton.

I'm not following this story at all. Who are Miss Beaton's parents, what is their business, what does she have to do with it, why does she have to go see this guy in his office, why does Oscar have to come with her, what is her involvement in the family business whatever it is . . . I don't get it.

15 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

The story in the south seemed so weird set against the soups being served as if one of them had a bomb in them. Still, it played as pretty tame and contrived. Not that I wanted to see worse, but clearly this is not a show that wants to depict the racist side of life. The entrance of the racist white guys did feel like a theatrical cue, although I'm sure it's realistic that they would do that. 

Yeah, sending Peggy and Thomas to the south removed them too far from the heart of this show. It's fine for them to explore racism in this era but they didn't have to leave New York to do it. It's not like racism didn't exist in New York. It just felt like Peggy was shoved aside into a completely different show. It also felt like something they weren't comfortable going too far with so why do it in the first place?

[AntFTW]

29 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

The story in the south seemed so weird set against the soups being served as if one of them had a bomb in them. Still, it played as pretty tame and contrived. Not that I wanted to see worse, but clearly this is not a show that wants to depict the racist side of life. The entrance of the racist white guys did feel like a theatrical cue, although I'm sure it's realistic that they would do that.

The scene felt off. It was like the two white guys didn't belong in the scene. It felt like they were doing too much in the part.

Rather than appearing as convincing characters, they seemed like characters portrayed by actors who are trying to be convincing characters, and I wasn't convinced.

Edited November 27, 2023 by AntFTW

[yellowjacket]

The wedding was awesome - Sean Patrick Reverend seems a solid dude, and sisters Cynthia and Christine nailed it.  Mayhem will follow I'm certain, but that was a great Julian Fellows wedding scene.  (Although people forget that women couldn't get into those clothes unassisted, one of the maids had to be in on Agnes' surprise appearance and helped her dress.  I'm betting it was Debra Monk.)

[Atlanta]

Peggy and Fortune have a completely different show from the Manhattan folks. IMO, Peggy needs a separate show.  And please don't make her the other woman. She deserves better.

[lucindabelle]

The crude wh it e guys scene didn’t even feel all that menacing because it was so over the top. If people were routinely getting assaulted like that segregation etc wouldn’t have lasted so long. Booker T rather notoriously had the go along to get along philosophy and Tuskegee didn’t burn to the ground or anything.  Of course riots and massacres happen but I’m talking about just barging drunk into a restaurant and doing that. But maybe I’d believe it if we’d ever heard of those guys and had any inkling it would occur.

 

agree that it’s a different show. And not one I’m interested in.

 

i didn’t know that about the brooklyn bridge architect so props!!

 

anyone else worried up to the last minute that ada would waffle? Yay! Beautiful wedding.

[txhorns79]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

Did they cut something? How did Peggy and Thomas wind up in the barn? At what point did they abandon their carriage to run in there and hide? I'm rather disappointed in the tedious direction this is going in. I know this is just a soap opera but they went to a lot of trouble just to find a reason to throw them into an intimate situation, and I can't help but feel the real dangers to them in that era were rather sanitized for modern audiences.

They were told by Booker Washington that they would be hidden in a safe place for the night, and would be put on the first train in the morning.  

I thought Cynthia Nixon did a great job balancing all those emotions.  My heart broke a little for her when her face fell after Agnes told her she would not support the marriage.  Glad Agnes came around.

And jeez Turner, try to at least pretend you aren't evil-y scheming during the dinner. 

[RedDelicious]

I’m hoping against hope that it is Oscar who uncovers a scam or a mishandling of Miss Beaton’s money and in turn he saves the day. He hasn’t seemed so bad the past few episodes. Maybe he will gain some conscience and realize that he shouldn’t try to get Miss Beaton to agree to marry him if he doesn’t have the proper intentions. I feel bad for him that he can’t be who he is. 

[AntFTW]

1 hour ago, peridot said:

I thought Oscar's mark was smarter.  Why on earth would she invite a stranger into her business dealings.

Whatever her business dealings are, it seems that she doesn't want to be a part of it. I remember her saying that her father was using her name for his business dealings. Oscar volunteers to help her, I guess, get out of it. Instead, he goes there and gets himself into it, and I assume fail to get her out of it.

[kitkat343]

This show is really so much better than last season.  If they could only stop making the actors use terrible accents I'd be extremely happy.  Every time I hear Nathan Lane or Robert Sean Leonard speak it takes me totally out of the show.  Someone may have mentioned this before, but Nathan Lane's accent is starting to remind me of Yosemite Sam.

I'm so happy for Ada, and it's nice seeing Marion focus her energy on doing useful things instead of whatever she was doing last season.  

[buttersister]

Ugh, Peggy’s story. Do better, Julian.

So Schneider and footman are out of jobs. Does Mrs. W hire them? Doubt it. Then, WTH were they thinking? Maybe Schneider thought he could get away with trashing the oyster dressing, but dumping soup on the Duke? Heh, if the Russells learn who saved them (or that they were saved), the valet won’t be going anywhere. Ha, maybe the robber baron invents 401Ks.

Mazel tov, Ada and the Rev. It’s Julian’s show, you may need it.

[AntFTW]

Just now, buttersister said:

So Schneider and footman are out of jobs. Does Mrs. W hire them?

I think they said Schneider already works for the Wintertons, so if that's the case, he'll just go back to working for them. The footman will be fired of course. However, the thing is that no one saw the footman make a mistake. They caught the footman before he could so something stupid. It's very possible he could be hired by the Wintertons as well.

[lucindabelle]

My family are from Boston and I think RSL is quite passable. He made the choice for it to be faint and only a few vowels. Works for me!

nathan lane on the other hand…

[sistermagpie]

12 minutes ago, lucindabelle said:

My family are from Boston and I think RSL is quite passable. He made the choice for it to be faint and only a few vowels. Works for me!

nathan lane on the other hand…

I feel like we learned that the guy Lane is playing actually did talk like that--he hammed up his own accent so in this case it's historically accurate.

I'm not from Boston so can't speak to authenticity but I've really loved RSL's accent. It's very soft and doesn't sound like he's trying to do a whole Boston accent thing like in a Ben Affleck movie. It's endearing and very pleasant!

[DiabLOL]

Nathan Lane sounds like Foghorn Leghorn to me here.

[RachelKM]

Ugh, this episode had me so stressed! I spent the whole episode 2/3 convinced Ada would go through with wedding.  But that last 1/3 was worried she would postpone and we'd have to see Agnes talking down to her about Reverend Robert Sean Leonard for most the rest of the season.

That wedding and everyone, including Agnes, showing up for Ada was so sweet.

Also, Rev RSL's handling of Agnes was very good.

I was also overly invested in Bertha's event going well. I was so anxious for her. Bless Observer Watson being all observant and shit. And I loved the upper staff's delight at realizing they thwarted Turner and her ham-fisted revenge.

Turner's sourpuss face as her scheme was spiked was delightful. That bitch and her Plotty McSchemerson facial expressions are about as subtle as sequins at a funeral.

Side note: I love that Mrs. Fish is such a shitstirring gossip unabashedly delighting in all the drama.

Finally, there was Peggy's story which had me stressed out every time someone seemed optimistic about progress in the south and just waiting for the other shoe to drop, which of course it did. And then, no sooner does the LITERAL LYNCH MOB pass them by, than our girl kisses her married boss in a barn where they are gonna be spending the night. Even if it didn't go further, this is messy and a lot of NO.

14 hours ago, Atlanta said:

Peggy and Fortune have a completely different show from the Manhattan folks. IMO, Peggy needs a separate show.  And please don't make her the other woman. She deserves better.

Right? I had assumed the reason the lost child story was wrapped up so summarily at the start of the season was because it would necessarily separate her from the main stories by diverting her to something so personal and, by it's nature, consuming.

But here she is, two episodes in which she is in an entirely isolated story a thousand miles away from NYC and every other series regular character on the show.

Edited November 27, 2023 by RachelKM

[Roseanna]

4 hours ago, peridot said:

Also, isn't Oscar technically the head of the family? Why does everyone defer to Agnes all the time. 

Wealth gives to a widowed mother power over her son. It seems that her husband left most of his fortune (at least the house) to Agnes, so Oscar inherits it only after his mum's death. 

4 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

That Ada's wedding with the Reverend was mid-season and ended without them saying their vows makes me wonder what the show intends for them.  Could the Reverend be shady in a way that doesn't involve being money hungry?

Fellowes has had such aborted wedding scenes before, after all we all know the wows, so he concentrates on something else. In this case, the crux of the matter was Agnes walking in and Ada's uncertainty what her sister's intentions were.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Favorite scene: The SoupGate.

Well, who knew serving soup requires heavy coordination and it's so intense. 😱

 

Favorite line:

Quote

MARIAN: “So you try to please the dead by bullying the living?”

Don’t hold back, girl! 💪🏼

 

Favorite moment:

Aunt Agnes arriving at the church fashionably late. 😆

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Snazzy Daisy

[Roseanna]

5 hours ago, peridot said:

I was worried that Bertha would be embarrassed in front of everyone, but I'm glad that her staff caught it in time. 

I think it was a lame plot. It would have better if Turner's evil intentions have been succeeded but then Bertha or George or Gladys would have saved the day or, even better, the duke had said "things like this happen, it's rather hilarious, I remember when...". After all, it's how people behave in such events shows their true character.   

5 hours ago, BeatrixK said:

OK - we have Larry, alone and vulnerable.  Marion, sooooo not into Daschell....come ON writers...IT'S RIGHT THERE FOR US! Please....give me the Larry/Marion 'ship I'm dreaming of.  (I'm almost positive it will be Gilded Age's Travis and Taylor!)

I don't see any spark between Larry and Marian. 

If the female engineer were younger and single, she could show Larry the world he doesn't know.  

 

[Lily H]

5 hours ago, peridot said:

I thought Oscar's mark was smarter.  Why on earth would she invite a stranger into her business dealings.

I'm thinking that Oscar is the mark here. The whole "no, you can't invest in this great opportunity.....but maybe......." shtick is an age-old way of reeling in the fish. It just seemed like a set-up.

[Roseanna]

Actually I can understand and sympathize Agnes. A marriage means even in best circumstances a bit loss for the family and friends, but Agnes lost the constant presence of a sister with whom she had always shared everything. She never loved her husband and, unlike some widowed mothers, she doesn't hang on her only living child. 

Is there also in English a saying "a match for two, a slap for the third party" or something similar?

[Haleth]

Wow!  I loved this episode.  Loved how the loyal servants thwarted Turner's attempted sabotage of the duke's dinner.  Loved how Agnes finally realized she needed to support Ada (again, due to loyal servant's wise words).  And very relieved Peggy and her boss got out of the south without being lynched!

Youza, that scene post dinner with George and Bertha just talking?  There was some seriously steamy chemistry going on there.

8 hours ago, yellowjacket said:

Squeeeeee!  Emily Roebling!  The patron saint of female structural engineers!!!!!  (I am one of those.)  Emily's story is GREAT and I won't spoil it, except to say that the American Society of Civil Engineers Construction Engineering award is the Roebling Award, in honor of John, Washington, and EMILY Roebling. Wheeee!

Yes!  Emily Roebling was a fascinating figure.  Waaaaaay ahead of her time.

6 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

I feel like we learned that the guy Lane is playing actually did talk like that--he hammed up his own accent so in this case it's historically accurate.

Yes, Ward McAllister was from Georgia and probably did play up the accent to portray the Southern gentleman to NY society.  He was kind of over the top but Mrs Astor enjoyed his company.

3 hours ago, Roseanna said:

I don't see any spark between Larry and Marian.

I know!  Marian is pretty but such a dull dishrag.  I can't see how any of these men are interested in her.

Nitpick: Agnes would not have a had an old mansion on 61st St in the 1860s.  It was still pretty much a wilderness in midtown for another few years.

[ofmd]

I'm realizing now that Ada was never this show's Edith, Peggy is!

First the baby plot, now the "getting involved with a married man" plot... sigh. And I don't like Mr Fortune. There, I said it. Real Mr Fortune may have been nice and historically important, but show Fortune sucks.

I think this storyline, apart from the detachment of the rest of the show (both in geography and in tone), suffers most from being just there to get them to kiss (and maybe more). Mean racist scene, check. Heroine in distress, check. Hero coming to the rescue, check. Both being alone and in danger, check... "romantic" barn, check....

 

I'm glad for Ada and Dead Poets Rev, and that Agnes came around. Great entrance in church btw!

I thought Nixon and Baranski were killing it when Agnes was on the stairs and Ada said "no, she can't." The stares alone! Take notes, Larry and Marian!

Usually, I would ask why the Rev had to leave New York - wouldn't that be like almost a demotion? - but I don't think they'll go that route.

And Ada looked lovely.

Good for Oscar to show up against Agnes' wishes. They are clearly trying to making him more palatable this season. I still feel the actor is not right for the role though.

I knew the chances of getting some sort of lavender marriage story for him were slim, but was still hoping for it. Oh well, this will probably be about a financial scandal.

 

4 hours ago, Roseanna said:

I don't see any spark between Larry and Marian. 

If the female engineer were younger and single, she could show Larry the world he doesn't know.  

 

I thought the same thing about Larry and Female Architect!

I also see little chemistry between Larry and Marian. Worse, I'm even less interested in Larry (granted, he's cute and likeable) than in Marian (whom I like this season), so I don't care whether they get together or not. But I'm sure they will. I don't think Fellowes can resist this plot of uniting old and new money, the almost-Romeo & Juliet drama beforehand, etc. Plus they will look good together. And now that Larry has seen that Women Can Do Men Stuff, he's practically a feminist super catch!

NotCousin clearly wants to court Marian, what with his remark about Agnes being against marriage... He seems nice enough, but his daughter is grating on my nerves.

The soup and Duke drama was boring for me. Ramping up the dramatic music didn't change that. Geeze, compared to Turner, O'Brien and PreRetcon Thomas Barrows were subtle, richly developed, intriguing characters! (Turner being even more cardboard)

But poor Gladys. Nobody will protect her from marrying a far older person when still immature... Quite the contrary.

All in all, Ada and Dead Poets Rev were my favorite storyline. I would have liked to see a bit more about how society reacted to them. Would the marriage have been considered appropriate? I know expectations were different with a "spinster," but still.

Edited November 27, 2023 by ofmd

[Roseanna]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

Marian is pretty but such a dull dishrag.  I can't see how any of these men are interested in her.

Some young men are charmed by pretty face and have to endure a dull wife during the rest of life (cf. Mr and Mrs Bennett in Austen's Pride and Prejudice).

[sugarbaker design]

Watson's discovery and subsequent ratting on Schneider and the footman reminded me of DA's Anthony Stralian ratting out Larry spiking Tom Branson's drink.

[ahpny]

11 hours ago, yellowjacket said:

Squeeeeee!  Emily Roebling!  The patron saint of female structural engineers!!!!!  (I am one of those.)  Emily's story is GREAT and I won't spoil it, except to say that the American Society of Civil Engineers Construction Engineering award is the Roebling Award, in honor of John, Washington, and EMILY Roebling. Wheeee!

I knew nothing about this and would have liked to have had this story expanded rather than "worry" about whether a conspiratorial waiter would spill soup on a Duke. As with the scene in a past episode with Edison lighting downtown for the first time, I don't get why this series continues to tease these far grander stories and then just lets leaves them fallow and instead focuses on ultimately meaningless drivel. There's only so much drama to be ringed out of "will the soup taste bad." The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge mattered then and still matters now, and even more so given how and who was responsible for that construction. Let's have more of that, and less "soup drama."

[EtheltoTillie]

https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/brooklyn-bridge/

Here's a link to Ken Burns's documentary on the Brooklyn Bridge, from the centennial, in 1983.  It's only about an hour.  Ken Burns was just becoming well known.  I remember watching it back then and being horrified by the descriptions of the people being killed or disabled by caisson sickness (from the high pressure in digging underground or going underwater).  They didn't know how to deal with it.  That's what made the husband sick, but they didn't mention it in the show! 

Edited November 27, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[EtheltoTillie]

I did not understand the scene with Peggy and the editor in that barn/"safe" house.  How is it that the lynch mob just passed them by and didn't realize they were there?  Too simple.

So Peggy just kissed him and that was the end of it--for now?  Too dark to be sure.

I was of the opinion that the white man was still raping the owner of the restaurant on a regular basis. 

[chaifan]

11 hours ago, BeatrixK said:

Something tells me the money Oscar put up is gonna get lost - there was something super, insanely sketchy about that whole thing

Yep.  I'm right there with you.  The whole "oh, it's highly unusual to have Oscar here, he must leave, oh wait, maybe no, oh, I don't know, yes, I suppose he can stay" bit in the beginning, then the "no, please, you musn't invest your own money" bit at the end was a little ham handed.  I just haven't figured out yet whether Maud (and family) is on it or not.  Is she established in NY society, or in from somewhere else for the season?  If she's established, then my guess is that Maud/family is also being scammed.  If not, then I could see them as high society grifters, Maud playing the damsel in financial distress, never staying in one city long enough to get caught.

Speaking of ham handed...  the whole scene with Peggy and Fortune in the restaurant.  Saw that coming a mile away.  At least it didn't end with an almost lynching and BTW having to save the day.  But then, they're not out of town yet.  I was also so relieved to have Fellowes ditch the "my baby!" story line, but Peggy is much more interesting in NYC.

Speaking of more interesting...  finally, Marion grows some balls and calls out Agnes.  I like what they did with the character this episode, but unfortunately the greater range (anything above milquetoast) highlighted that Louisa Jacobson is really the weak link in this otherwise stellar cast.

I loved Agnes' dress for the wedding.  Damn, she's got an amazing wardrobe hidden somewhere to pull out for just the right moment.  And, she apparently knows how to get dressed really damn fast.

I'm glad they gave Bertha and Larry the scene together to discuss Mrs. Blaine.  I think it's funny that after telling the Duke about her kids "that are just slightly younger than you" she disinvites Larry from the dinner.  I don't think that would be done, as it would require re-seating everyone, which was a big deal back then. 

Am I the only one that was hoping Turner would try and do the same placecard switcheroo that Bertha did, just to have her thwarted by Church, in front of all the other servants who just laugh in her face? 

I wonder if Taissa Farmiga is hopelessly bored in this role.  Here, put on this pretty dress, say your 3-4 lines, and then stand around pouting the rest of the time. 

One thing I love about Bertha, is that she is completely manipulative, but also completely open about it.  She admits freely to everything she's doing to maneuver people where she wants them to be, makes no apologies, and so far, she's been mostly right. 

Finally, I loved the dance of the soup bowls.  I wonder a) if there was really liquid in all of those bowls, and b) if so, how many takes that took.

 

 

[BeatrixK]

10 hours ago, RedDelicious said:

I’m hoping against hope that it is Oscar who uncovers a scam or a mishandling of Miss Beaton’s money and in turn he saves the day. He hasn’t seemed so bad the past few episodes. Maybe he will gain some conscience and realize that he shouldn’t try to get Miss Beaton to agree to marry him if he doesn’t have the proper intentions. I feel bad for him that he can’t be who he is. 

I have a bad, bad feeling Oscar is getting PAH-llaaayyyyyeeedddd.

Miss Beaton is just a scosh too doe eyed...and the 'limited number of investors buuuuuutttttt' (yeah - rewatched), was 1,000% scam.  My guess is Beaton is feeling him out for additional cash her banker partner can't get.  (I still maintain this is Oscar's way to get back under the same roof with Agnes because those two bouncing off each other all the time will be awesome!  Oh, that and Agnes will have to confront Oscar's sexuality at some point.)

Oh...and can we just give a slow, building golf clap to Baranski's restrained desperation when she's talking to Rector about breaking off the engagement.  It was such a rare crack into just how vulnerable Agnes is, and how she is terrified of loneliness and it was just a master class!  God I adore that woman!  lol

Edited November 27, 2023 by BeatrixK

[kristen111]

21 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/brooklyn-bridge/

Here's a link to Ken Burns's documentary on the Brooklyn Bridge, from the centennial, in 1983.  It's only about an hour.  Ken Burns was just becoming well known.  I remember watching it back then and being horrified by the descriptions of the people being killed or disabled by caisson sickness (from the high pressure in digging underground or going underwater).  They didn't know how to deal with it.  That's what made the husband sick, but they didn't mention it in the show! 

Interesting.  I love the way they showed electricity the first season, then the Brooklyn Bridge this season.  All New York History.  I also teared up in the church scene when they got married.  Cynthia Nixon is fabulous.  Agnes also.

[AntFTW]

Just now, BeatrixK said:

My guess is Beaton is feeling him out for additional cash her banker partner can't get.

The only thing that just doesn't make sense about this theory of Maud Beaton being in on the scam to me, if there is a scam, is that she didn't ask Oscar for help. She didn't ask him to come down to the office. She didn't ask Oscar for money.

Oscar is throwing himself into it. Nobody asked Oscar for his money, or even implied that they needed his money.

[EtheltoTillie]

1 minute ago, AntFTW said:

The only thing that just doesn't make sense about this theory of Maud Beaton being in on the scam to me, if there is a scam, is that she didn't ask Oscar for help. She didn't ask him to come down to the office. She didn't ask Oscar for money.

Oscar is throwing himself into it. Nobody asked Oscar for his money, or even implied that they needed his money.

First I thought Oscar was pushing himself in on the meeting to get insider information, as an insider trading attempt, as someone mentioned above.  Then I thought of the Madoff-type scam instead.  They had not yet outlawed insider trading at that time.

But we really don't know anything about Maud and her motives. 

[BeatrixK]

2 hours ago, ofmd said:

I'm realizing now that Ada was never this show's Edith, Peggy is!

I also see little chemistry between Larry and Marian. Worse, I'm even less interested in Larry (granted, he's cute and likeable) than in Marian (whom I like this season), so I don't care whether they get together or not. But I'm sure they will. I don't think Fellowes can resist this plot of uniting old and new money, the almost-Romeo & Juliet drama beforehand, etc. Plus they will look good together. And now that Larry has seen that Women Can Do Men Stuff, he's practically a feminist super catch!

...

All in all, Ada and Dead Poets Rev were my favorite storyline. I would have liked to see a bit more about how society reacted to them. Would the marriage have been considered appropriate? I know expectations were different with a "spinster," but still.

See, I think Marion and Larry are fine by Bertha's standards:  Old money - Marion is liked by the Russell's AND has done them a few favors, so I can see Bertha being a tad more lenient towards Larry's match if it were Marion. (Saved George's bacon by chance with the stenographer, defied Aunt Agnes to go to her open house, AND did put Tuner on her radar.)  Bertha is so focused on royal grandbabies that as long as Larry doesn't marry an old lady who can't give her some old money grandkids, I think she'd be fine with it.

But Gladys is so completely uninterested in the Duke - however I can't figure out if they are going to love triangle her or just let her Nope out of courtship with the Duke because she just isn't into him?  George said he would only let her marry for love and Bertha wants to host a Royal Wedding and them get her some of them royal grandkids, so I can see this being a thing unless the Duke turns on the charm PDQ with Gladys.  But there aren't any potential suitors I can see for the poor kid and it's getting late in the season for them to bring in a new dude for her. 

[Haleth]

I laughed when the VanRhyn servants were talking about Agnes being alone, the nasty maid suggested maybe Oscar would get married and bring his bride there to live, and Bridget burst out laughing, “as if!”  I said it last week- the servants know every secret. 

[AntFTW]

5 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

First I thought Oscar was pushing himself in on the meeting to get insider information, as an insider trading attempt, as someone mentioned above.  Then I thought of the Madoff-type scam instead.  They had not yet outlawed insider trading at that time.

But we really don't know anything about Maud and her motives. 

If it's a scam, Oscar is the easiest mark ever. She didn't have to ask anything of him or convince him to do anything.