S05.E05: Episode Five

[Milburn Stone]

Amid all the ridiculousness--and at this point, not a single plot line is unridiculous--mention must be made that Samantha Bond's performance as Lady Rosamund continues to shine. Her character's motivations and lines have sunk along with everyone else's, but somehow her intelligent, dignified and witty performance reminds of the Downton Abbey that used to be. Even Maggie Smith hasn't managed that.

[AZChristian]

I think Tony killed Green for some reason we don't yet know. I think that's why a detective was staking out his place. Just my thoughts. It sure would allow Mary an out if he would be arrested. He's shown a little bit of stalking and his refusal to take no for an answer was a tad aggressive, I thought. And where's Evelyn Napier?

 

IMHO, he killed Green because Green in some way (although just how was unknown to Tony) endangered Mary's relationship with Tony.  Tony is an "all or nothing" kind of guy.  I can see him thinking, "Mary wants him gone; I'll make sure he doesn't come back."  I agree that his behavior can be aggressive . . . and I think he killed Green, too.

 

The policeman said that Green recognized someone right before he "fell" in front of the bus and said something like, "What are you doing here?"  Seems like he would have been surprised to see his boss at a bus stop . . . and would have asked that question.  If it had been Anna, he would have asked, "Back for more?"

[Constantinople]

Why the bleep is Scotland Yard doing a full court press over a valet? WTF? It is so ridiculous.

Getting back to everyone's favorite murder investigation.

I'm starting to wish Downton Abbey would do a crossover episode with the The Wire.

Put Rawls in charge of Scotland Yard and he'd shut down that case immediately. You don't want to $%&*! with his department's clearance rates.

Or as Landsman would say, cases are supposed to go from Red to Black, not Black to Red.

[ZoloftBlob]

Re: The endless murder investigation

 

WHat I don't understand is that this is British Tv... why has no one called Father Brown? Or Sydney the Vicar? Or Miss Marple?

 

Crime never lasts longer than 50 minutes on *other* British shows!

 

<eyes Downton Abbey darkly>

 

 

[Milburn Stone]

My own favorite WTF is why the hell the show is making a big deal about Rose's potential suitor being Jewish when Cora is half-Jewish and no one makes a peep? (Distinctions between matrilineal, patrilineal, and full descent would have mattered little to the English aristocracy, I suspect.)

[Tetraneutron]

The difference between the two is the Aldriges are active in the Jewish community and identify themselves as Jews, whereas Cora was raised Episcopalian and doesn't consider herself Jewish. The Aldriges deliberately hold beiefs and celebrate traditions that keep them separate from the mainstream aristocracy. Cora doesn't.

[Milburn Stone]

The difference between the two is the Aldriges are active in the Jewish community and identify themselves as Jews, whereas Cora was raised Episcopalian and doesn't consider herself Jewish. The Aldriges deliberately hold beiefs and celebrate traditions that keep them separate from the mainstream aristocracy. Cora doesn't.

 

The differences you mention are all true, and yet I don't think they would have mattered to an English aristocracy disposed to anti-Semitism. It wouldn't have mattered how Cora identified; the mere fact that she had Jewish "blood" would have been enough to stain her in their eyes. (Or at least in the eyes of some of them, despite that improbably we have yet to meet one character who considers this a deficit.)

[JudyObscure]

Fishcakes quote:

 

For the record and so there are no hard feelings later, I don't want to have an affair with any of you. I just think you're nice.

 

I don't believe this for one moment!  A lady such as yourself would never have pushed my "like," button if your feelings weren't  of the forever kind.  I've already booked passage to the Pacific NW and packed a cooler of Waldorf salad.

Edited February 4, 2015 by JudyObscure

[fishcakes]

Stop salad-shaming me.

[mcjen]

AZChristian wrote:

 

The policeman said that Green recognized someone right before he "fell" in front of the bus and said something like, "What are you doing here?"  Seems like he would have been surprised to see his boss at a bus stop . . . and would have asked that question.  If it had been Anna, he would have asked, "Back for more?"

Not that I want to give the least impression that I care two flying fucks anymore as to who killed Green, but I think "What are you doing here?" from a valet to boss would have been pretty impertinent.  Even at bus stop.  It would have been more likely to have been delivered to either Anna or Bates, since their presence in London alone could have prompted the question.

What's always annoyed me is that it could have just as easily been something Green would have said to virtually...anyone.  It could have been said to any member of Gillingham's staff who Green happened to run into outside the house:  "What are you doing here?" (as in, "You should be in the kitchen, preparing luncheon"; "When I left, you were polishing the silver"; "Don't you have a dead Turkish ambassador to shift?", etc, etc.)  He could also have said it to any family member of his who doesn't reside in London.  Or to one who does  but who doesn't happen to frequent Piccadilly.  Or to the clerk from a shop he had just left, who chased him down to give him some change he left behind.  The statement alone is just too innocuous to justify multiple inquiries to an estate in Yorkshire where, allegedly, Green once had less than a good time.  

 

As to who did it...<sigh>...again, it's hard to muster any interest.  I agree it might make it more interesting if it had been Anna, but if it were she, I think deliberately taking Mary's letter to Gillingham's house, deliberately hanging around Piccadilly, and then very deliberately telling people she did so would seem a bit much.  "Hey, guess where I went today?"  I suppose that all makes sense if she wants to get caught. 

I fear this is all just Fellowes allowing suspicion to turn Anna's way so she can be arrested and then Bates can "sacrifice" himself on her behalf.  So boring, such a retread.  My guess is they're both innocent and it will turn out to be one a hundred people Green has wronged over the years.

[izabella]

An upper-class, unmarried woman in 1924 Britain had no real options if she wanted to keep her baby, not to mention that her child would have been scorned by society. Yeah, Edith's behavior is over the top, but this is a soap opera; they don't do subtle, but hiding her kid in plain sight was the best she could do at the time. Yes, people will get hurt. The old-timey, conservative, patriarchal rules sucked. But Edith's decisions have to be considered in her time. Reputation, for both her and Marigold, would have been huge and, in some ways, all they had.

 

The best Edith could have done for Marigold was to allow her to remain adopted by the Schroeders, where there was no chance of her mother's escapades becoming public and turning her into a bastard in public.  Edith wasn't thinking of what was best for Marigold when she pulled her from her adoptive home and gave her to the Drewes.

[jordanpond]

Fellowes' penchant for re-writing the exact same scene 20 different times; 

 

Barrow: snarky comment

Baxter: absurdly kind rationalization

Mosely: "you're being too nice"

Baxter: "leave him alone"

 

I mean we've had this exact same scene how many times now?  I don't know why Fellowes can't make a point or develop a character without having them play the same scene over and over and over again. It's a bit aggravating. It's a bit aggravating.  It's a bit aggravating.  I said, it's a bit aggravating.

 

Brilliant!

 

Also her "don't you despise them?" showed that she has no idea about him. How could she think that? She knows his wife was from this family and that his daughter is their grandchild and will always be connected with them. How could she think he would "despise" them? They gave him a job and a home after their daughter died, how could he despise them? It's ridiculous.

 

Although I agree with most of the above post from which I took this clip, I have to disagree that they "gave" him a job. The family was in desperate straights at the time, and benefitted greatly from both Tom's prior knowledge and his continued skill at the position. The Crawleys generally see themselves as "giving" people jobs, but from what we have seen, they often get back far more than they give, even if they don't acknowledge it.

A few points I don't think anyone has yet stated about the Mr. Bricker situation:

 

I did not see that Cora actually flirted.

 

I don't believe married people should ever flirt. Ever. But even if he genuinely believed she was flirting and that she wanted him romantically (whether the misunderstanding  was 100% his fault, 100% her fault, or somewhere in between) why did he feel justified in going "from zero to 60?" in one step? Why didn't he attempt to hold her hand, or even kiss her? Why did he think that the next logical step would be to go, uninvited, to her bedroom?

 

So I guess I see her as blameless for 2 reasons: First, because I don't think she flirted. And second, if he did misunderstand her, a small gesture like attempting to  hold her hand, etc, would have given her the opportunity to completely make herself clear, long before he ever walked in her room, at night, with her in her nightgown.

ETA: Fellow posters, sorry about the ugly formatting. I did something wrong with the quotes, and don't know how to fix it any better.

Edited February 4, 2015 by photo fox
fixing formatting

[BigBlueMastiff]

 

I did not see that Cora actually flirted.

Don't know if this counts as flirting, but she was quite coy with him on a couple of occasions, which in that time period may have been construed as flirting. Also, maybe I missed something, but why didn't she demand that he leave her room immediately? I found it odd that she would continue any conversation with him there.

 

Cora may have considered it a friendship but the moment Bricker expressed a romantic interest in her, she should have shut it down flat.  Who can blame her for not doing it, with Robert as a husband, but still she should have.

Ha, this made me laugh.

 

Well put, SilverShadow, thanks for the clarification.

Edited February 4, 2015 by BigBlueMastiff

[SilverShadow]

Regarding Cora and Bricker, in practice the upper classes were not as puritanical as is commonly believed. Don't forget Edith's story about the house where they rang the bell early in the morning to give everyone time to get back in the "right" beds. Affairs were tolerated as long as everything was kept discrete, and preferably, children had already been born. And smaller "flirtations" where banter was exchanged but it was understood more wasn't going to happen existed as well. And of course there were master/servant things happening, see Grantham and Jane the maid or Jimmy and Lady Needed-To-Get-Laid. Or, better yet, Godsford Park.

 

That said, Cora was not responsible for Bricker coming to her bedroom. Within the bounds of propriety of the time, she expressed that she liked spending time with him, but wasn't prepared to go farther. If she wanted him there she would have sent him a note, or spoken to him in private, etc... He absolutely was supposed to wait for her signal. But Bricker was so infatuated he convinced himself that she wanted what he wanted. It's not that dissimilar from the Jimmy/Thomas situation in Series 3, except Bricker didn't go for the physical and he didn't have anyone but himself trying to convince him Cora was into him. And I don't think anybody would say Jimmy was responsible for that.   

Edited February 4, 2015 by SilverShadow

[RedHackle]

Perhaps some here will disagree, but even if Cora did flirt with Bricker (and I'm not ceding that she did, but more on that later) I still don't think that gives him the right to barge into her bedroom; and the biggest problem I have with him is the way he did it; he didn't knock on her door and wait to be admitted, he walked right in.  That to me is the really unforgivable sin; he had to know he was on very shaky ground, and his barging in instead of knocking proves it. 

 

Back to the first point, the best definition I ever heard for flirting was as follows:

Flirtation: attention without intention.

people flirt all the time, and yes, sometimes it's very hard to tell if the other party wants to take it further or is just playing.  That's exactly why one isn't supposed to take it too seriously; if someone really wants you to kick in their door and ravage them, trust me, they'll slip you a note or something. 

 

Final point - if Robert doesn't stop being a total penis about this whole thing, I'm going to wish for him to die.  I used to really like Robert, but this has gone far enough; he has been cold, rude and dismissive with Cora lately. It seemed that Robert used to really love Cora and had respect for her - why, all of a sudden,  is he treating her like an old smelly sock?  On tap of how nasty he's been to her, he's going to be angry and give her the (childish) silent treatment for practically being assaulted in her own room?  Exactly how blind has he become?  I hate this kind of writing - a simple sentence from one person to the other would solve it but the writers want to drag it out forever so all the characters keep their mouths shut.  Stupid.  I hate that kind of contrived drama.

[SusanSunflower]

I think at this point we should all pause to be grateful that Robert didn't kill Bricker 

[izabella]

I think at this point we should all pause to be grateful that Robert didn't kill Bricker 

 

There's still time for him to ask Bates to do it.

[photo fox]

Hey, y'all, let's remember to keep it friendly. These are fictional people, after all.

That said, if you see something you think is breaking PTV's rule against misogyny, please report it. If it's not breaking the rules, you're welcome to disagree with whomever, but please abstain from telling people how or what to post.

Back to the snark...

[txhorns79]

On tap of how nasty he's been to her, he's going to be angry and give her the (childish) silent treatment for practically being assaulted in her own room?

 

Cora wasn't "practically" assaulted any more than she was "practically" murdered.  I get why he's angry with Cora.  He already didn't like Bricker and he's misconstrued the situation.  Obviously, in real life, Cora would have explained what happened, but this is Downton where characters apparently fall mute when they are off screen.            

Edited February 4, 2015 by txhorns79

[Stella MD]

 

There's still time for him to ask Bates to do it.

Or for Bates to just go ahead and do it, because heaven knows if something needs killin', Bates is usually just lurking in wait nearby in the shadows.

[pasdetrois]

I didn't think Cora was teasing or flirting in any of her scenes with Bricker. He was pressing his attention on her, and it ranged between light gallant flirting and, eventually, the more aggressive ardor. At one time men and women of a certain class indulged in this kind of bantering, with the men paying gallant compliments.

 

I felt like Cora enjoyed it a little bit, but was also very determined to have Bricker appraise her painting, which she mentioned multiple times. She seemed to be tolerating him at times, and gently tried to discourage him and remind him of his place at other times.

 

Also, she strikes me as a bit sheltered and naive.

[JudyObscure]

I can't decide if I think Cora was flirting excessively or not because she always has her head tipped to one side with a simpering smile on her face.  Coy is her resting face.

[annzeepark914]

I can't decide if I think Cora was flirting excessively or not because she always has her head tipped to one side with a simpering smile on her face.  Coy is her resting face.

Exactly my thoughts about this was she flirting/was-she-not debate.  It got to the point where whenever there was a scene between these two characters, I picked up a magazine or crossword puzzle until I knew the show switched to other characters.  Between her simpering & his gushy goofiness, I just wanted to hurl (or, hurl something at the TV screen)  Thank God he's gone.  I can't remember seeing Elizabeth McGovern in anything prior to DA...did she always carry herself this way or do y'all think she's been directed to keep her head tipped? 

[JudyObscure]

Back in the 1980's she was one of my favorite actresses.    Maybe she did the head tipping then, too, but

it didn't seem to be as permanent.

 

{I'm sorry I seem to have to edit everything, it might as well be my signature line.}

Edited February 4, 2015 by JudyObscure

[Constantinople]

I don't know if Cora led Bricker on or not, I tend to have my doubts.

But I can't really blame Bricker. There's something about those paintings that make men frisky.

From Season 1:
 

Lady Mary: What is it?

Kemal Pamuk: Is this picture really a Della Francesca?

Lady Mary: I think so. The second earl brought back several paintings from--

Kemal Pamuk: [grabs Mary's face and kisses her furiously, pushing her against the wall.]

 

 

But now that I think about it, perhaps Cora really should be expected to know the aphrodisiac effect of the art in her home.

[Milburn Stone]

Back in the 1980's she was one of my favorite actresses.

 

I remember loving her in Once Upon a Time in America.

 

But that was so very, very long ago.

[millennium]

. 

 

Final point - if Robert doesn't stop being a total penis about this whole thing, I'm going to wish for him to die.  I used to really like Robert, but this has gone far enough; he has been cold, rude and dismissive with Cora lately. It seemed that Robert used to really love Cora and had respect for her - why, all of a sudden,  is he treating her like an old smelly sock?  On tap of how nasty he's been to her, he's going to be angry and give her the (childish) silent treatment for practically being assaulted in her own room?  Exactly how blind has he become? 

 

I believe Robert is in the throes of a full-on midlife crisis.   Everything around him insists on changing.   Society, his family members, the village itself.   He can't control any of it.   He sees himself becoming increasingly obsolete (translation: old).   He wasn't needed for the war memorial committee, his wife is receiving attention from other men, the village he has always known is expanding in ways he doesn't favor, a rabble-rouser found her way to his dinner table, his body went into near collapse after a minor tussle ... everything is slipping from his grip.   

 

Robert needs to realize that control is merely an illusion and that the best anyone can do is to try to be happy in the time we're allotted.   He will come to his senses eventually.    But probably not before he royally pisses off everyone.

[Kohola3]

Back in the 1980's she was one of my favorite actresses.

 

Me, too.  She has the most gorgeous blue eyes.  She was Timothy Hutton's love interest in Ordinary People.

 

And, no, she wasn't doing the tippy thing.

[Diane M]

To me, Cora always is a bit flirty with everyone.  I guess its the way she poses her head.......slightly bent down, eyes raised and that timid little smile.  She always looks like that unless she's upset about something.  I can see how a man could consider that as flirting.

[txhorns79]

To me, Cora always is a bit flirty with everyone.  I guess its the way she poses her head.......slightly bent down, eyes raised and that timid little smile.  She always looks like that unless she's upset about something.  I can see how a man could consider that as flirting.

 

I think part of the problem is Cora isn't a particularly well developed character.  It's hard to guess what she's thinking or what her actions mean because there isn't much development there to give the audience a better idea. 

[AZChristian]

She always looks like that unless she's upset about something.

 

It was the same look she had on her face at Sybil's deathbed. 

[Pallas]

I think Tony killed Green for some reason we don't yet know.

 

Not that I want to give the least impression that I care two flying fucks anymore as to who killed Green, but I think "What are you doing here?" from a valet to boss would have been pretty impertinent.  Even at bus stop.

 

I agree with both, despite the contradiction.  Of course Gillingham was by then Greene's former boss -- and the surprise of catching him at a bus stop -- but still.  The remark may have been unrelated, and/or, the death may still have been an accident.  

 

I remember that it was a woman who was supposed to have given the police this new, incredibly pertinent evidence. What if the reason the police paid any heed at all, is that the woman was Mabel Lane Fox?  She would have recognized Greene.  That does seem to rule her out as the murderer (giving evidence against herself, two years after the fact), unless she was getting really bored waiting for Gillingham to get rejected by Mary...

 

I'd like to think Mabel killed Gillingham's valet because, why not.  "Don't miss your bus."

[ennui]

There are times when I think Robert would care a lot more about Isis' opinion than he does Cora's. 

Which is not unusual. Many, many people love their pets more than their spouses.

[Pallas]

Only because Isis is smarter.

 

Actually, both Isis and Cora (as presented) have a fair amount in common.  Both have the run of the house, and grace any room  in which they find themselves.  Both prefer to give affirmation rather than approbation.  Both have misplaced their trust in Barrow, and allowed themselves to be worked within his schemes.  Most of all, both have positions derived from  Robert, lives centered around Robert, and emotional attachments to Robert. In return, Robert  prefers each to serve a purely decorative function -- we know Cora's chafing to find something useful to do, and when's the last time we saw Isis retrieve anything?

[ShadowFacts]

 

I remember that it was a woman who was supposed to have given the police this new, incredibly pertinent evidence. What if the reason the police paid any heed at all, is that the woman was Mabel Lane Fox?  She would have recognized Greene.  That does seem to rule her out as the murderer (giving evidence against herself, two years after the fact), unless she was getting really bored waiting for Gillingham to get rejected by Mary...

 

It is also possible that the person giving the information is making up what was heard, that Greene didn't say that at all, only that the informant wants police to think he knew the person who supposedly pushed him to his death.  Sounds like an attempted set-up. 

[mcjen]

 

Sounds like an attempted set-up.

 

Vera set it up before she downed the poisoned pie, just in case Bates got off.

[Aethera]

At the suggestion that Mabel is the murderer, my mind went "Maybe it's Mabel Lane!" to the Maybelline theme. 

 

I highly doubt she did it. But that seems meme-able.

[Qoass]

Gee, I must be shallow because my only thought at the end of the episode is, "Why is Miss Bunting dressed up as Paddington Bear?"

[DHDancer]

Gee, I must be shallow because my only thought at the end of the episode is, "Why is Miss Bunting dressed up as Paddington Bear?"

 

LOL.  I actually was wondering if she had borrowed Mary's hat?  We saw that red hat a lot...

[Pallas]

I actually was wondering if she had borrowed Mary's hat?  We saw that red hat a lot...

 

"She's gone?  That damned she-Bolshevik finally took the hint, did she?  Carson: count the cloche!"

[RedHackle]

Here is what Edit SHOULD have done in regards to Marigold. Edith and Rosamund should have made up a story where Edith meets (while she is traveling in Europe) and falls in love with a widower who has an infant. The mother could have died in childbirth leaving the father to raise his baby daughter all alone. Tragically the widower also dies in some kind of accident and there is no one to take care of the baby. Edith decides to bring the baby home with her so the baby is not sent to an orphanage. She could even adopt the child. Edith could then have her baby with her and live at Downton.

 

If only Julian Fellowes wrote half that well...

[cgarcia]

See, I'm coming from a different place. My youngest sister is adopted, but before she was adopted my parents fostered her for four years, from infancy, and her birth mother had access during that time. In that scenario, we all knew up front that the mother would be visiting - in fact, the goal for a long time was to get the two of them back together - but even so those sporadic visits were extremely disruptive and were confusing for the baby, as she reached an age where she was becoming aware of the people around her and was forming attachments, and those visits were not part of her regular routine, because there was nothing routine about them. The mother would just turn up if she felt like it, or not if she didn't. And despite not being the slightest bit interested in parenting her child, despite having asked my parents to adopt her, that woman still up and snatched her one day and it took two weeks to get the baby back - she was 13 months old at the time, but years later was still talking about being taken and the things that had happened during those two weeks, because she remembered it, the event made a deep impression on her. Even very small children can be deeply traumatised by this kind of thing. The adoption took as long as it did to go through because although it was what the mother wanted for her daughter, she also harboured a fantasy that in a few years time she might be ready to be a parent - what she really wanted was to put her child on ice for a few years and then pick her up again when it was convenient for her. But children don't work like that. They need stability. And 'unsettled' is exactly the right word to use for a child whose routine is being disrupted and is reacting badly to that, so I'm not sure why it is seen as such an unusual thing to say.

 

I agree that Edith should have set up a clear and consistent arrangement for access up front. That would have avoided all this trouble. But I don't agree that Mrs Drew is being hysterical. Edith has been shown to be obsessive about seeing Marigold, turning up without warning at all hours of the day. We have seen that only rarely have her visits provided Mrs Drew with a babysitter while she got on with her work - more often, she has been kept from her daily routine by a visitor she must defer to, yet who basically ignores everyone else in the house to obsess over the baby. We have also seen that she doesn't feel comfortable leaving Edith alone with Marigold because she's afraid she will abduct her, so babysitting while she does the housework is out of the question.

 

The trouble is that the entire scheme was half-baked from the start. Edith had a romantic notion in her head that she could have her cake and eat it too, that she could treat this tenant family as a tool, using them to raise Marigold as part of their family so that she'd have a loving home, while keeping her near enough that Edith could play at still being her mother as well. But that was never going to work, especially as Mrs Drew wasn't in on the plan. Marigold is either part of their family or she isn't, half-measures don't help anyone. She's at a vulnerable age and needs stability. The Drews may be tenants and may be grateful to the Crawleys, but that doesn't mean they don't have the right to set boundaries around their family life. Being rich and belonging to the big house doesn't mean any of the Crawleys get to play games with their lives for their own gratification.

As a foster/adoptive mother from a similar situation, I cannot like this post enough!  You hit the "nail on the head."  I don't know how much they knew about attachment during that time period, but now, it's pretty much a given that instability in childhood is traumatic.  

[jordanpond]

My thoughts on this episode:

 

The Good:

 

I loved Rose and Atticus together, and I think that the way they met -- laughing, running in the pouring rain -- was the most fun way two people have ever met on this show. I also liked how Rose's friendly and well-intentioned questions, and Atticus' initial vague answers, first gave the appearance that his family might be hiding some misdeeds, only for their tragic history to be later revealed. The look of surprise and happiness on his face when he realized that Rose would not be prejudiced against him was delightful. I think that the show did as good a job as they possibly could by using Rose's character to more-or-less replace Sybil. Both women are free of prejudice but for different reasons. It seemed that Sybil wanted a better life for women and the working class because of deep moral convictions, whereas the fun-loving Rose has enjoyed the company of a working class gardner, a black jazz musician, and now a Jewish banker because embracing men of all backgrounds gives her so many more dancing partners! Despite not being as deep as Sybil, I find her friendly and kind-hearted and I hope this relationship is a long one.

 

It was great seeing Mr. Molesley and Miss Baxter having more chats this episode. I just love them! He has been a pillar of strength for her, and she sees good qualities in him that no one else -- including him -- sees. On more than one occasion she has given him sincere compliments, and each time he's had this pleasantly surprised "Well, I never thought of myself that way before" look on his face.

 

I'm glad to see that they're giving Violet more extended scenes, particulary with Isobel. For a while, Violet's contributions in scenes were limited to saying a brief zinger at dinner or a quick snap at Isobel. She was becoming a mere caricature of the character she used to be. But this season is much better, like this episode's scene of her and Isobel discussing a variety of different topics, all while doing a jigsaw puzzle together. Working on a task together! Who could have ever predicted this in season one? I do wish she wasn't so manipulative about Isobels's love life, but I like how more complex and interesting and friendly their relationship has become.  

 

This was the first time I ever liked one of Robert and Tom's private chats. Robert's previous compliments to Tom about how "far" he's come sounded like an adult patting a lad on the head for moving toward the "right side." This time, though, Robert sounded like a man who was sincerely admiring another man's ability to see both sides of things.  

 

The Bad:

 

Why did Tom kiss Sarah on the lips after he did such a nice job of politely but clearly letting her know he was not intrerested in a romance? I thought that was very out of character for him.

 

Please, please, please, don't let Miss Mabel Lane Fox take Mary's leftovers. Just the fact that they presented the possibility makes me nervous that another woman's romantic happiness will end up revolving around what makes Mary happy. It was horrible enough that Lavinia gave up her will to live -- and then sent a Ouija board message from beyond the grave -- in order for Matthew and Mary to be together. Please don't let Miss Fox take back a man who broke their engagement to pursue Mary, just so that Mary will get to move onto her next romantic partner without the "petty annoyance" of having to deal with any of Tony's remaining hurt feelings. 

Edited February 5, 2015 by jordanpond

[helenamonster]

Gee, I must be shallow because my only thought at the end of the episode is, "Why is Miss Bunting dressed up as Paddington Bear?"

 

Free promo for Hugh Bonneville?

 

Please, please, please, don't let Miss Mabel Lane Fox take Mary's leftovers. Just the fact that they presented the possibility makes me nervous that another woman's romantic happiness will end up revolving around what makes Mary happy. It was horrible enough that Lavinia gave up her will to live -- and then sent a Ouija board message from beyond the grave -- in order for Matthew and Mary to be together. Please don't let Miss Fox take back a man who broke their engagement to pursue Mary, just so that Mary will get to move onto her next romantic partner without the "petty annoyance" of having to deal with any of Tony's remaining hurt feelings. 

 

Not to mention the fact that the after-effects of Mary's Vagina of Death are sure to take hold sooner or later. Pamuk was immediately, Matthew took about a year, so I'd give Gillingham until 1926. We don't know much about Mabel, but I don't think she deserves to be widowed so young.

[morakot]

Young George is still alive - maybe he broke the V of D by coming out alive...

[talula]

My guess is that both Mr. and Mrs. Drewe are well aware that they've no official documentation showing they adopted Marigold. This could be why Mrs. Drewe is so possessive of the little girl.  On the other hand, I would think Edith has a birth certificate for her daughter.  Therefore Edith holds the trump card and could retrieve her daughter at any time. So Mr. Drewe threatening Edith that his wife may force him to sell the farm and move away, in order to keep Marigold away from Edith, was a dumb empty threat. 

 

I hope Edith takes her daughter back in order to allow more resources and attention to the couples other children.

 

I would think that Edith and her relatives (upon finding out Marigold is Edith's daughter) will supply as much love to Marigold as she would receive from the Drewes. In addition, she would have a few more amenities.

Edited February 6, 2015 by RealityTVSmack1

[wellread]

I think that there is so much disagreement about the motives of Edith, Mrs. Drews, Mary, Bunting and Cora in various situations because of clumsy, poor writing for these female characters.  Is it too late to arrange for glasscase, txhorns79 and fishcakes to write a Very Special Episode that would clarify at least the Cora/Bricker situation? 

[zoey1996]

JF, why can't Edith have one single moment of happiness?  Now that Mrs. Drewe is against her, Rosamund and Granny want to send Marigold to an orphanage.  I could tolerate Mary's narcissism better if Edith were allowed just a bit of happiness.  Rose is a twit but she gets to be happy.

But Edith did have a single moment of happiness, which led to her current situation!

Regarding Bates and Anna - Bates was convicted, then exonerated, of the murder of Vera, who poisoned herself and set it up to look like Bates did it.  Bates also went to prison by saying he'd stolen the silver, but he took the fall so Vera wouldn't go to prison.  If I've misremembered this, I'm happy to be corrected.  But as far as I recall, Bates never actually murdered or stole, and threatened his cellmate in prison only to save himself. 

[RedHawk]

I think Atticus looks a little like Prince William with dark hair.

 

 

I thought so, too! He does that same shy, downward tilt of the head thing when he smiles that Princess Diana did (it was almost her trademark) and Prince William inherited (or unconsciously imitates).

 

Could it be that Cora enjoyed Bricker's attentions and slightly encouraged him/flirted with him just because it felt good? If so, so what? It's easy to say she "should" have done this or not done that, but isn't it more realistic for her storyline that she be a little attracted to the guy, maybe more than she wants to admit to herself? And because Robert's being such an ass, she likes that a nice, interesting man is complimenting her and decides it's ok to flirt a little in return? She clearly didn't expect he'd cross her bedroom threshold uninvited (and she had no intention of inviting him), and she didn't seem to think she was in danger of being raped, so even when she was asking him to leave it seemed she felt they would come to an understanding, he'd return to his own room, and all would be well in the morning.

I must say, Richard E. Grant's facial expressions when Robert entered the bedroom were great! He's such a good actor. I thought the whole thing as a lot of fun and have enjoyed this storyline almost more than any other this season. Maybe it helps that I'm basically the same age Cora is supposed to be.

[RedHawk]

While the dinner scene in Simpson's (a classic London restaurant that was about 75 years old when Mary and Blake visit and is still in operation!) was somewhat pointless it was FUN. I love Mabel Lane Fox and I got such a kick of the politely icy war of words she had with Mary. Golly, what a dinner! I hope Mabel and Mary become frenemies along the lines of Violet and Isobel.

I'm also enjoying Moseley and Baxter's growing intimate friendship, and I'm in love with Lord Merton. Robert James-Collier is such a good actor that I'm about to scream if he is wasted in another episode, with Thomas confined to lurking around looking sick and pale, "sweating like a beast" and acting like a jerk to any and everyone who offers him kindness. His story could be sooo much better.

Edited February 6, 2015 by RedHawk