S05.E06: Episode 6

[Primetimer]

Elsewhere, The Dowager C gets more news about the princess, Rose gets closer to Atticus, and Mary gets a kicky new 'do.

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[moonb]

I used to feel sorry for Edith. Now I just despise her. Watching Mrs Drewe, my heart just broke. Her anger towards Edith and her husband was completely justified. I know, Marigold is Edith's child and she was ultimately going to end up with her somehow. I just hate that so many people were hurt along the way ( the Schroeders, Mrs Drewe, and even Mr Drewe, who was put in the position of deceiving his wife).

 

Yes. I feel for Edith, but god, poor Mrs. Drewe.  I had to laugh at Tom's line when she told him she was leaving: "Oh God, Edith." I think it was supposed to be concern, but it came across as exasperation at the way she's handled everything this season. 

 

Beyond that, I really enjoyed this episode. Things actually happening, and some memorable dialogue!  More Mary and Mabel Lane Fox together, please. 

[LittleIggy]

You go, Edith! I felt sorry for the Drewes, but Edith had to do something or go mad. Mary looked hot with her bobbed hair. Cora really had Donk dead to rights with what she said re: flirting. And, OMG, don't they dare do anything to Isis!!

[bmoore4026]

1st off - Tom + Tweeds + Plus Fours + Long Socks + Brogues = Be still my heart.  Why did this style of clothing go out of style?  In fact, I don't think they caught on over here in America except as a golf outfit.

 

2nd - The fuck was up with Mary?  She was overly bitchy this episode.  Taunting Edith like that in front of everyone.  Someone wants slapping, that's for sure.

 

3rd - Well, it's happened - Edith's gone off the deep end.  Poor Marigold.

 

4th - Is Mrs. Patmore retiring?

 

5th - How many seasons was it before Bewitched or I Dream of Jeanie or The Beverly Hillbillies repeated a story from a previous season?  I have a feeling it was seven.  Well, Downton's got 'em beat.  Two seasons and we're rehashing an old story!  Anna and Bates are the most boring fuckers on this show, seriously.

 

6th - Goddamn it, Thomas!  You're supposed to be a bad guy.  Don't make me feel for you.

Edited February 9, 2015 by bmoore4026

[CleoCaesar]

I felt bad for Mrs. Drewe, but I think Marigold will be fine. She’s too young to have any meaningful memories of her caretakers, she's back with her mother who nursed her and adores her and is filthy rich. Sybbie and George barely know their parents - if anything those two are an attachment disorder waiting to happen. I imagine Edith will be a very hands-on parent.

The romances on this show are so dull. If this keeps up, I am going to have to start rooting for Mary and Mabel Lane Fox to hook up for some hate sex.

DO NOT KILL OFF ISIS.

Edited February 9, 2015 by CleoCaesar

[TVFAN]

Over the years, I have had a great deal of sympathy for Edith, but now I have none.  She has literally ripped little Marigold from the arms of two loving adoptive mothers.  Had she wanted to keep Marigold, she had the financial resources to do so all along, and she could always have gone to America to live with her grandmother as a "widow."  She would not have been destitute, and she would not have been alone.  (For that matter, nothing leads me to believe that her parents would turn their backs on her.)  The only thing she ever had to lose was position.  

 

It was so nice to see romance in the air tonight, Rose and Atticus, Violet and the prince, Anna and Bates, Carson and Hughes, and maybe? Mosley and Daisy.

 

And Sybie and Donk were utterly adorable together.

[RedHawk]

How Violet's prince has fallen in the world, living in a home that has a door with no door knocker! Thank heavens Violet had her silver-handled cane.

Edited February 9, 2015 by RedHawk

[TVForever]

Agreeing with others about Mary this episode. Even though no one in the family was going to cancel any of their plans, they were at least sensitive to Edith's pain. Mary on the other hand, was unbelieveably cruel, to the point that she almost seemed to be reveling in her cruelty. It was bad. Just bad. What is wrong with that woman?

Edited February 9, 2015 by TVForever

[PRgal]

Isn't Marigold a little young for ice cream?  I guess Edith is going to do that sad, depressed woman thing - booze and ice cream - all by herself.  If she lived today, she'd be binge watching Netflix.

[nilyank]

Mary didn't have to ask Edith what she thought of her haircut, but she did it anyway because she wanted all the attention on her even from the sister she seems to take delight in hating.

 

While I can feel badly for Mrs Drewe, I am happy that Edith took her daughter. She never, ever wanted to give up her child. Violet and Rosemund kept pushing at Edith to give up Marigold and she kept pushing back. She couldn't have the abortion. She made sure her name was on the birth certificate. She spent more than a few months nursing her child when it was expected from a woman in her station. She named her daughter. She brought her daughter to live in the same village as her so that she could see her. Marigold has known her mother since the day she was born except for the short period when Edith left Switzerland and came back to take her to England.

[avecsans]

The wig budget on this show must be tiny, because Mary's, Edith's and Anna's all looked like doll hair.

So Bates is so convinced of Mary's virtue that he would rather believe that his loving, loyal wife doesn't want to have his baby because she thinks he's a murderer? In the meantime Mary might as well be wearing a sign that she got laid and would like to get laid again soon.

And I'm sorry, but even when Gillingham and Blake are side by side, I can't tell them apart.

Cora is the worst mother ever.

Love Sybbie. "Can I have a look, Donk?"

[RedHawk]

I don't think we've seen the last of Edith. Mrs. Gregson in the attic surely will come up again. Perhaps she can't inherit property because she has been declared insane, but certainly This Show just won't pretend like she never existed. Though maybe she could have conveniently died in the interim...
 

Mary as Willy Wonka Depp, yes, I can't unsee that either!

Edited February 9, 2015 by RedHawk

[JudyObscure]

I think the actress who plays Mary is very pretty but I think her face is too flat for that forward falling hairdo.   I guess it's just me though, because it seems to be driving all the men around Downton wild with desire.  Apparently it also makes Mary courageous and strong.  Too bad it didn't make her any nicer. 

 

I'm glad to see more of Mable but I would hate to see her take Tony back. 

[ZoloftBlob]

And I'm sorry, but even when Gillingham and Blake are side by side, I can't tell them apart.

 

Yeah they were looking pretty identical in this episode.

[peggy06]

Wow, Mary and Edith are at S1 levels of nastiness to each other. Mary was incredibly callous in her remarks to and about Edith. She obviously doesn't give a care for Edith's unhappiness. On the other hand, Edith does make it difficult to sympathize, because she's such a moper and a wallower. The particular way she responded to Mary in the drawing room scene - that doesn't smack of terrible grief over her dead lover, it was more like poor poor pitiful me. What has Mary's new hairdo got to do with Edith mourning Gregson? Maybe if they hadn't shelved all mention of Gregson for such a long time, his importance in Edith's life might have loomed larger to me. At any event, their relationship did not have any official status with the family, and I can't really fault them for going about their lives as planned.

 

I felt Marigold should be with her mother, and vice versa, but it was still terribly sad to watch the scene at the Drewe's. My only caveat is that Mrs. Drewe seemed unusually invested. How long has this arrangement been going on? It doesn't seem that long. I'm not saying you can't develop feelings for a child over a period of months, but her reaction was more like they had had Marigold since birth. I still teared up, though.

 

Edith, don't mess up this chance. She should hire a managing editor for the company, go to live in France or America, and live off the profits.

 

Please, Mrs. Hughes, find the ticket! We need this murder plot put to rest for good. At least the Snidely Whiplash Barrow plot seems to be wound up - for now.

Edited February 9, 2015 by peggy06

[Avaleigh]

So now it turns out Fellowes cares so little about Edith that we don't even get to see her learning about Gregson's death.

To be fair it isn't like we got to see Mary (or any of the family for that matter) learn about Matthew's death.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Avaleigh

[elzin]

I feel bad for the farmer's wife. I really do. But on the other hand, had she just chilled out the tiniest about Edith, Edith wouldn't have taken her and fled.  yeah yeah, she didn't know and Edith was creepy and weird, but still. 

 

I'm not the biggest Edith fan, but I just feel terrible for her and she's such a Jan Brady, except she was about to scream "Mary Mary Mary" instead of "Marsha Marsha Marsha."  Mary was so awful to her.  She doesn't have to be overtly nice to her but she doesn't have to be such a colossal ice princess.  "I didn't realize it would upset you, Edith. Maybe next time we can do our hair together, when you're feeling up to it?"  Yeah, Edith's known he was dead for a while, but considering Mary's a widow herself, she should have a tiny bit of compassion for the wound that was just reopened. 

[RedHawk]

I love how they had to have the hairdresser tell us it looked good on Mary.

 

 

I loved how the hairdresser dropped his froufrou French accent and spoke to his employee in a Cockney accent (or maybe lower-class Yorkshire accent?). Whatever, he sure wasn't French!

 

Someone mentioned Anna not wanting to hide Mary's device because it would crush poor Bates' tiny ego. Anna didn't just not want to be seen buying the contraceptive device, she thought it was sinful to buy/use one and basically told Mary so, which made it even more horrible of Mary to all but order Anna to hide it in her own home, after she had also given her little choice in having to go purchase it.

 

Really, Mary, you're quite awful! Although I did like seeing her ride/race using the sidesaddle. My grandmother died in 1928 and we have her sidesaddle. 

Please, Mrs. Hughes, find the ticket!

 

 

Didn't we see Mrs. Hughes put it in the fire in a previous episode? The look on her face when Anna said it would have proven Bates' innocence said that she felt terrible for having chosen to destroy the ticket, even though her motives were good.

Edited February 9, 2015 by RedHawk

[mojito]

 

Cora is the worst mother ever.

I've always been neutral about most characters on this show, but when Cora's asking her husband how Edith took the news and did he think she (Cora) should talk to her, I found myself thinking, "Aren't you her mother?"

 

Edith's plight has become comical. She's like Ziggy.

 

Tom is a crumpet away from being a fat man. He looks like he's ready to burst at the seams, and those thunder thighs!

[HoodlumSheep]

Not a fan of Mary's haircut (the depp wonka comparison is burned into my brain), but I did like her red dress.

Glad Edith finally took back Marigold, even though it seemed pretty cruel concerning Mrs. Drewe.

I've tried hard to sympathize with Edith's situation regarding Gregson, but I just can't. I guess that makes me heartless just like Mary--who I loved this episode. Yep, she's my favorite character and I thought she was quite fun. She didn't seem any more crueler than she usually is. I didn't really have a problem with how the family simply carried on with their lives. First of all, Gregson was missing for a year or more and they already presumed he was dead, also he and Edith were not married and as far as they know there is no child to consider, and they didn't really know him.

They could have tried to support her more, I guess, but with her "I'm doomed to forever be alone" attitude and her keeping her secret child a secret, I can see how it'd be a challenge to get through to her. She even refused to let Tom try and help her feel better.

Guess I've got a stone cold heart.

Also, I let out a laugh at how high of a standard Mr. bates apparently holds Mary, when he couldn't seem to fathom that the contraception was hers. Also laughed when it was revealed that the ticket Mary burned last season would have proved his innocence.

I like Atticus, and I'm glad to see he gets along with everybody--even Mary.

Was shocked to see Thomas smile what looked like a genuine smile with Ms. Baxter.

I am officially declaring Blake as just a friend; which I like. The love triangle is no more.

This makes the whole, "let the battle commence" thing from the last Christmas special a complete joke. There literally was no battle what-so-ever (which I am very thankful for).

What i don't understand is how last episode Mabeline tells them to go choke on their food; and then in this episode she is actively participating in the scheme. ???

Poor Isis. :'( But she is 10/10+ years old, so she's definitely up there in years.

I think Prince K. Lost some points tonight. If Inunderstood that conversation correctly, he basically...settled? for "second best" ?? Or did that scene just fly over my head?

Also, I found the horse race refreshing.

Edited February 9, 2015 by HoodlumSheep

[RedHawk]

Tom is a crumpet away from being a fat man. He looks like he's ready to burst at the seams, and those thunder thighs!

 

 

LOL! I hadn't consciously noticed but the clothes do seem a little tight. 

 

So if Isobel marries Lord Merton how do we keep the Crawley Cousins act together? Perhaps it will come out that Lord M lost most of his money ("darn that fellow Ponzi!") and can give Isobel a title but needs to sell the drafty house. They can then live in Isobel's tidy home eating soup together happily ever after. Also, Violet hires Bates to off Princess K so she at long last can be with her Prince.

Also laughed when it was revealed that the ticket Mary burned last season would have proved his innocence.

 

 

Was it Mary who burned the ticket? I thought it was Mrs. Hughes. Whichever, that ticket went into the fire, and at this point I don't give a flying fig about Bates. Anna deserves a hot young man who can dance with her.

Edited February 9, 2015 by RedHawk

[peggy06]

I loved how the hairdresser dropped his froufrou French accent and spoke to his employee in a Cockney accent (or maybe lower-class Yorkshire accent?). Whatever, he sure wasn't French!

 

Someone mentioned Anna not wanting to hide Mary's device because it would crush poor Bates' tiny ego. Anna didn't just not want to be seen buying the contraceptive device, she thought it was sinful to buy/use one and basically told Mary so, which made it even more horrible of Mary to all but order Anna to hide it in her own home, after she had also given her little choice in having to go purchase it.

 

Really, Mary, you're quite awful! Although I did like seeing her ride/race using the sidesaddle. My grandmother died in 1928 and we have her sidesaddle. 

Didn't we see Mrs. Hughes put it in the fire in a previous episode? The look on her face when Anna said it would have proven Bates' innocence said that she felt terrible for having chosen to destroy the ticket, even though her motives were good.

Oh no! I must not have been paying attention. Please don't say they're going to drag this out even longer, with the police showing up at Downton and all. It wasn't very interesting the first go-round with Vera.

[buttersister]

Looks like Mary double owes Anna--she burned the damn ticket and it's her cunning device. Hope that's a new talkin' 'do, Mar, cause you're going to have to undo some shit.

Edited February 9, 2015 by buttersister

[RedHawk]

Please don't say they're going to drag this out even longer, with the police showing up at Downton and all. It wasn't very interesting the first go-round with Vera.

 

 

I'm sorry, Peggy06 dear, I fear we're in for a great deal more boredom before it's over. If we have to endure some trial with Mrs. Hughes going on the witness stand to admit that she destroyed evidence then I will simply put my fingers in my ears, shout "Lalalalalala" and refuse to watch. Twenty minutes of Violet and Isobel silently doing a jigsaw puzzle would be infinitely more interesting. 

Edited February 11, 2015 by RedHawk

[lucindabelle]

I thought cartons nervous proposaly thing was cute, and reminded me of how we heard him singing when he found out mrs Hughes cancer was benign.

The Atticus plot is so much more interesting than yet more bit by mary, why is this not being explored? I'd Rathe R have seen rose on that date... After all we did have to limo thru seeing her on dates with jack Ross... And learn about his Jewishness and finding it interesting than watching mary get her hair cut.

I call bad writing on the degree of Mary's nastiness.

I'd feel so much worse for mrs drewe if we'd ever seen even one scene of her and marigold having a moment. That poor actress had to pull all that from thin air, and was it me, or did she have roots? A farmers wife who colors her hair?

I too am sorry for your loss zoloftblob.

My dad would be in his 90s if he were alive. Just to say and not meaning to attack, the era of downtonnAbbey was not "his era." The 40s was. Lady mary would not be 90 today she'd be 120 at least. Actually a 90 year old woman would be an infant in 1924 and have zero memory of it. Lauren Bacall iwas born in 1924 ...gene Kelly was born 1912, bing Crosby 1903' and not associated with the 2os. The people who are, were born in the 1890s-80s. know its off topic but it's a pet peeve of mine. (People often assume that eras had people locked into them, but little marigold will be only in her 40s when the Beatles come out, the 2os is nto "her era." My dads stories were mostly of the service, the war, etc.)

I too had a moment where I was dead certain given Mary's remark about sidesaddle that www were going to get a bonnielue butler moment. Glad that didn't happen.

[helenamonster]

Fuck you, Edith. You're dead to me.

 

"There's no reason to be rude." WELL WHAT THE HELL DO YOU CALL BARGING INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S HOME AT YOUR LEISURE? She doesn't give a flippity flying fuck about Mrs. Drewe's feelings, and barely any about Marigold's. Yeah, give her some ice cream, that'll stop society from denying her advantages because of her bastard status. I've been rooting for her since day one but not anymore. Every decision she's made regarding Marigold has been short-sighted and self-centered. I feel bad for her in terms of how her family treats her, and that Gregson's dead, but none of that gives her a pass to be the colossal shithead she's been about this whole thing. The only thing I can appreciate is Laura Carmichael's performance. Thank God she's playing up the crazy. It helps me to stick to my guns and not sympathize.

 

Mary was awful too this episode but I can't even get worked up about it because of my Edith rage. I mean, I expect Mary to be awful, so I guess that's why it didn't bug me as much. And Edith has been on a downward spiral all season and I knew this absolutely character-killing moment was coming but still. She had the potential to rise above it all and has chosen not to. I don't even care if she gets a story about owning the publishing company, that's how much I'm done with her shit. I'mma need Sybil to take a trip from the afterlife and smack both of her sisters for being such horrible people.

 

I'll stand alone on my little island and say that I'm fully back aboard the Anna and Bates train, I don't even care. Their scenes didn't exactly make me all warm and fuzzy, but they were things that I had been waiting to happen for so long that I thing I was just relieved that everything was finally out in the open. Bates was harsh with Anna about the birth control but I expected nothing less...he's always got a temper simmering underneath his calm exterior and while I think it would be a stretch for him to ever actually hurt Anna, things like this are what set him off (though is the whole thing dropped? he still didn't seem to believe that contraception belonged to Mary). Anyway, I thought both actors brought their A-game in their scenes and played out all the emotions perfectly. JoFro is my favorite actor on the show (except I guess Maggie Smith, but she's in a league of her own), and I could see her submitting this episode for her Emmy reel (though I haven't seen the rest of the season yet so maybe there's more to come). But I knew that train ticket was gonna come back to bite everyone in the ass, and I'm frustrated all over again with Mary and Mrs. Hughes refusing to let Anna in on it at all. Now she's going to blame herself if something happens to Bates when it was the two of them who conspired to get rid of it.

 

All that being said, I feel like this was a good mile-marker episode for Anna in terms of moving on. The ticket thing is still floating in the atmosphere, but she seemed so much more herself this episode, and I think it coincided nicely with everything about Green being out in the open between her and Bates. She was engaging in conversation with the other servants, she showed concern for Thomas, her spine is up and running again...and her deadpan stare at Mary after she made that horrible comment about Edith. The Anna that I fell in love with is finally coming back, and it's a nice compensation for my Edith love effectively being flushed down the toilet.

 

Baxter is awesome. From being super-encouraging to Mr. Molesley to helping out Thomas, she might be the episode's MVP. Now I want her and Anna to become besties just because.

 

Speaking of Molesley, I'm glad Daisy seems to finally be warming to him. That has the potential to be another sweet downstairs friendship.

 

I seriously doubt killing off Isis has anything to do with ISIS...she's pretty up there in years for a yellow lab. Still, I wish they'd just killed her off between seasons and given Robert a new one. I don't have the emotional wherewithal to deal with a dead dog storyline right now.

 

Did Isobel accept Lord Merton's proposal? I think that scene came immediately after Edith snapped up Marigold so I was still reeling from that.

[RedHawk]

I too had a moment where I was dead certain given Mary's remark about sidesaddle that www were going to get a bonnielue butler moment. Glad that didn't happen.

 

 

And here I had my fingers crossed fervently hoping we would!

[Lillybee]

I love the potential downstairs friendships; Daisy and Mosley and Thomas and Baxter. Perhaps Baxter will develop into the friendship that Thomas so desperately needs and will help him stop being so nasty.

 

The Isis dying storyline is getting to me because I lost my greyhound, Isis, a few months ago.

[nilyank]

While Edith played a part in the pain Mrs Drewe felt, I blame Mr Drewe more. He was the one who decided to fabricate the dead friend with orphan child. He was the one who chose to lie to his wife even after it became obvious that Edith was going to be overly involved in her child's life. He was the one who saw how upset his wife was becoming because she believed that Edith was using Marigold as a plaything doll and still kept quiet. He kept lying and lying to his wife as things got worse and he knew that he and his wife had no real legal standing for keeping Marigold. He made everything worse.

 

Edith asked him to place a child in his home. She never told him that the child was hers but he figured it out from the beginning. She never told him to lie to his wife even as things got worse with Mrs Drewe banning her from seeing Marigold. She never threaten his livelihood on the farm when access was denied to her. Yes she made it more difficult for him when she could not stay away from her daughter but she went away each time Mrs Drewe told her to leave. Mr Drewe just kept quiet and I don't understand why. I think his betrayal as well as losing Marigold is what caused Mrs Drewe so much pain.

[lucindabelle]

The way mrs drewe tore up the birth certificate was a huge tell that she deep down knew it all along. And she certainly knew it at the end.

I just can't feel too sorry for her. For one thing the show never, you know, showed us her love for the child, just kept telling us. For another, she's been the child's mother for less than time than Edith has.

I really hope the show doesn't go all Kramer vs Kramer and have edith bring marigold back.

I did think Molesly talking about how he left school at 12 was a kind of agin to what type future marigold would have. Moesly also says his dad loved him. But he was penniless and literally digging ditches for awhile.

Could thomas finally, finally become decent? I for one would like to see it,

[Ketzel]

Please, Mrs. Hughes, find the ticket! We need this murder plot put to rest for good. At least the Snidely Whiplash Barrow plot seems to be wound up - for now.

. 

Didn't we see Mrs. Hughes put it in the fire in a previous episode? The look on her face when Anna said it would have proven Bates' innocence said that she felt terrible for having chosen to destroy the ticket, even though her motives were good.

I'm not sure what Anna thinks that ticket is supposed to prove, anyway. Having an unused return ticket to London for the day of Green's death isn't an alibi. It definitely doesn't prove Bates didn't go to London. All he would have had to do is buy two return tickets and keep the unused one. I'm sure the huge team of top notch cops investigating this significant matter would figure that out in a second.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Ketzel

[ennui]

I used to feel sorry for Edith. Now I just despise her. Watching Mrs Drewe, my heart just broke. Her anger towards Edith and her husband was completely justified. I know, Marigold is Edith's child and she was ultimately going to end up with her somehow. I just hate that so many people were hurt along the way ( the Schroeders, Mrs Drewe, and even Mr Drewe, who was put in the position of deceiving his wife).

I was thinking that Edith is incredibly selfish. She doesn't seem to care about anyone except herself, ultimately. She hurts people without a second thought.

[Andorra]

BTW Fellows made a huge mistake in the timeline with his explanation for Gregson's death. Gregson disappeared in spring 1922. Marigold was born in Winter 1922/1923. The Beer Hall Putch where Gregson was allegedly murdered happened in the fall 1923 when Gregson was already missing for over a year and Edith was short of giving birth!

[Llywela]

I just can't feel too sorry for her. For one thing the show never, you know, showed us her love for the child, just kept telling us. For another, she's been the child's mother for less than time than Edith has.

The show did show us Mrs Drewe's love for the child, on numerous occasions. She has had that child to love and cherish for a long time now - a lot longer than Edith nursed the baby in Switzerland. If this were a modern adoption, we would be well past the cooling off period.

 

I've been in Mrs Drewe's shoes - when my little sister was living with us but still pending adoption, her birth mother came along one day and snatched her, it was two weeks before she was returned, and it was terrifying. My sympathy remains with Mrs Drewe, who has done nothing to deserve what Edith has put her through.

I feel bad for the farmer's wife. I really do. But on the other hand, had she just chilled out the tiniest about Edith, Edith wouldn't have taken her and fled.  yeah yeah, she didn't know and Edith was creepy and weird, but still.

Really? Mrs Drewe was weirded out when another woman suddenly started visiting obsessively and fawning over the orphan she's adopted in good faith, and took steps to protect her family by setting boundaries, she was absolutely in the right...and somehow it's her fault the obsessive stalker acted rashly? Mrs Drewe did know Edith was creepy and weird, that's why she banned her visits. Edith didn't snap and abduct Marigold because of Mrs Drewe. She did it because of Gregson's confirmed death.

 

I mean, I get that people want for Edith to be happy, but the show has been pretty clear about showing how irrational her behaviour has been.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Llywela

[Andromeda]

I think in this situation that's a bit of a stretch. Marigold would have her issues-- all things considered-- but I don't think that she's lacked a safe environment (in fact all evidence has been that in all of her environments she's been safe, non-violent, and nurturing), nor has she ever lacked affection, nor is she failing to bond.

 

And, in fact, Edith has been a near constant in Marigold's life. Maybe not 24/7, but Edith was the one who gave birth to her. Edith nursed Marigold for months of Marigold's life (and assuming the feeding schedule of newborn infants, would've lived with Marigold during that time)  Marigold was with the Swiss couple only briefly before Edith returned to Switzerland, and then Edith travelled with Marigold from Switzerland to Englad in pre-commercial air travel time -- so we're again talking about Edith as her primary if not only caretaker for a time just as she had been during the breast feeding stage. Then the complaints of the Drewes' was that Edith was there too much! (We see her with Marigold more often than we see Mary around her nanny-attended child)

 

In childhood early developmental terms, Marigold would have been bonded to Edith during the early months. They aren't 'un-bonded'. Edith was nursing Marigold. Mrs Drewe is no doubt also bonded to the child. I am in no way discounting that. Marigold would be in a safe, loving situation with the Drewe's.  She was a loved child there.. But Marigold will still be in a safe, loving situation,  and will also be a loved child.  And, in fact, it is Edith who has been around Marigold the longest (from Marigold's conception and first breath) and -- considering the breastfeeding--most intimately. Marigold is bonded to Edith also.

 

This isn't all one and none of the other.

Well said. Marigold is so not going to be a RAD child.

 

Lego Mary is HORRID. I am appalled that no one else even notices how nasty she is. 

 

Bates sucks. I've been wondering about Anna's acceptance of the idea that he could have murdered her rapist, ever since she worried about it after the rape. Because Bates was found innocent of his wife's murder, but suddenly Anna was so certain he would murder the rapist. It made no sense to me -- which is it? Did she think him innocent of killing his wife? Or did she just want him found innocent, but deep down think him perfectly capable of murder? So weird, so creepy.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Andromeda

[DeepRunner]

From the top:

 

* Edith was Debbie Downer this episode. Not at least showing good patient form with Mary's new surprise hairstyle made her seem childish and petulant. I think Edith has been ill-served by the Fellowes word processor this season, and especially this episode. At least she owned-up to being Marigold's mummy with the Drewes, although the departure scene was a bit a of non-sequitur. First Mrs. Drewe was in a blinding rage, then she says, basically, "Wait, she needs her teddy bear." One of a couple of scene outs that were head-scratchers. Edith having gone to a hotel with Marigold is a passably interesting way to end episode 6

 

* Cora calling Robert out on any flirtations he might have had was good. Somewhere, Jane Moorsum sticks in the back of his mind.

 

* Mary is a first-class supreme b****. Her exchange with Mabel Lane Fox at the steeplechase was classic. Telling Mabel that she just wants Gillingham to ride off into the sunset with Mabel seemed to have the unstated, "You can have him now that I'm done with him." Eh, it's Mary. Still like Mabel Lane Fox, though. I would bet heavily on her in any fight.

 

* Blake the Fake planning the "chance meeting" at the steeplechase between Gillingham and Mabel...mmm...still not sold that he doesn't have a vested interest in getting Gillingham off the stage.

 

* Denker is the new Edna/Bunting, an obvious villain. A mouthy lady's maid. 'Nuff said.

 

* The end of Thomas's storyline was a bit like season 3's end. Thomas is who he is. Everyone should accept it. Even Thomas. Too convenient for Baxter to be the one to help him, though. Thomas needs a major gobsmack, and it would have been good to see Baxter do it. The scene out where Baxter is telling Thomas he can be an agent of good, at least his comeback that she was daft was appropriate.

 

* TPTB have turned Molesley into the S1 Molesley: a nice guy, and not a piñata. 

 

* Rose in love. Meh...

 

* Anna and Bates...what started as a discussion about "you think I'm a kller, therefore you don't want to bear my evil spawn" turned into a happy, joyous,"You're innocent!" What happened to the original purpose of the conversation? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Another scene out that made it seem like Fellowes was in a hurry to get resolution without addressing the point of the conflict.

 

* The steeplechase was more evidence that Fellowes gets majestic scenery.

[Llywela]

the departure scene was a bit a of non-sequitur. First Mrs. Drewe was in a blinding rage, then she says, basically, "Wait, she needs her teddy bear."

It makes perfect sense to me - Mrs Drewe was conceding defeat, she knew she couldn't stop Edith from taking Marigold, so she made sure the little girl at least had her favourite toy with her, so she'd have something familiar and comforting to reassure her amid the upheaval of being taken away from the family home. It was a gesture that was all about Marigold's needs rather than her own - something Edith could learn from.

[Avaleigh]

I've always been neutral about most characters on this show, but when Cora's asking her husband how Edith took the news and did he think she (Cora) should talk to her, I found myself thinking, "Aren't you her mother?"

I had a different interpretation of the scene. When Robert walks into the room, Cora's body language shows that she's very concerned and sad to hear about what happened to Gregson. After she gets the details we hear her express sympathy for Edith and then she asks Robert how Edith is taking the news. Cora then makes a move as though she's going to go up to see Edith in that moment but asks Robert if she should see her. To me it seemed like she was asking Robert to check and make sure that Edith wouldn't prefer to be alone for awhile while she processes the information. Robert goes on to tell Cora that Edith wants to be alone for awhile and has gone for a walk so Cora isn't going to see her in that moment but to me it was clear that she cared and that she was going to make time to try and comfort Edith in whatever way she can.

 

I think the scene where she's waiting for Edith at the top of the stairs might even have been an added scene? Added or not I thought Cora was trying to make Edith feel better there and she was trying to explain to Edith that the family never knew Gregson well and that they haven't seen him in years at this point. Cora tells Edith that she worries for her, that she doesn't want her to be lonely, she basically tells her not to give up, she says that things can get better, etc. I thought she was trying to be warm and loving here. 

 

Edith for her part seemed primarily concerned with the reaction of the family and with the idea that she might never be happy. Edith thinks it's wrong for the family to have their jolly weekend considering the news she's received but she doesn't seem to cut them any slack for not knowing the reality of her situation and why it's all extra painful for her. Edith is the one keeping these huge secrets and I feel like some part of her should understand that there are consequences for actions and choices like these. If she's going to refrain from acknowledging who Gregson was in her life (lover and father of her child) then why is it so hard for her to accept that the family in turn would treat the situation as they would if it were the loss of someone who was neither family nor a close friend? I feel like Edith is being both unfair and unrealistic with her expectations here based on the information she has given her family about the situation.

[pasdetrois]

I don't care whether Edith or Mrs. Drewe is "right," I want this tiresome story and the hysterics to end.

 

I'm assuming Isis isn't pregnant - because she's old - but I'll forgive Fellowes for wretched timekeeping if he give us a litter of white Lab puppies.

 

Did no one else notice Mrs. Hughes' little happy girlish smile after Mr. Carson proposed they share a cottage in their dotage?

 

Lego Mary - genius.

 

Are the actresses somehow rushed to get into costume, because quite a few of the wigs seems ill-fitting. And cheap.

[Andorra]

The scene where Cora talks to Edith wasn't in the UK version and after now watching it, I think it's very sad that it wasn't. Without this scene Cora seems pretty cold and heartless and now with the scene she is much warmer and it looks as if she is really trying to support Edith. Edith just doesn't let herself be comforted (because she has this dark secret) and on the other hand she expects everyone to know how she's feeling (even though noone in the family knows the whole story behind her sadness).

[RetailTherapy]

Riding sidesaddle looks to be the world's most uncomfortable and unnatural horseriding position ever. 

 

Not sure I'm a fan of Mary's new 'do.  Especially that little pointy thing in the back.  Regardless, it's an improvement over the marcel waves sported by Edith and Cora and the mop of Shirly Temple curls ala Mable Lane Fox.

 

Poor Tom.  Those were some mighty ill fitting pants.  In the quest to have them up around his armpits, wardrobe clearly forgot that something had to give when they were hitched up that high.

 

I feel badly for Edith - she's finally gotten confirmation that her man isn't coming back.  But aside from a visit or two to Downton a long time ago, the family really didn't know him well at all.  That she would expect the household to go into mourning would be a bit much.  And she herself did get all dolled up for dinner.  Was she expecting that no one else would also?  Yes, she's Marigold's mother.  But I'm kind of putting the blame for this in the lap of farmer Drewe.  Did he not trust his wife to know  the truth?  Or did he think so much of his lordship's family that he chose to keep their confidence over leveling with his wife?  In any event, I'd be pissed beyond belief if I found out that my husband had known this all along and never felt me worthy of knowing.  Too bad she couldn't call the police and report Marigold kidnapped.

[ShadowFacts]

Things that bugged: 

 

• Mary riding sidesaddle and still being the fastest woman.  Because she is the queen bee, alpha female.
• Prince Kuryagin finding out his wife is alive, and is all, let's get back to you and me, Vi.
• Bates' assy superiority with Anna.
• Edith's great plan to snatch Marigold from the parents she's been with a good long time, and making it all better with ice cream (and a little champers for herself).  Impulsivity like that does not bode well for the stability a child needs (and had).

[peggy06]

Well said. Marigold is so not going to be a RAD child.

 

Lego Mary is HORRID. I am appalled that no one else even notices how nasty she is. 

 

Bates sucks. I've been wondering about Anna's acceptance of the idea that he could have murdered her rapist, ever since she worried about it after the rape. Because Bates was found innocent of his wife's murder, but suddenly Anna was so certain he would murder the rapist. It made no sense to me -- which is it? Did she think him innocent of killing his wife? Or did she just want him found innocent, but deep down think him perfectly capable of murder? So weird, so creepy.

Well, I think maybe it's a case of two strikes. Bates being wrongfully suspected of murder is one thing, but being a suspect a second time could have caused Anna to start to wonder. She knows he has a temper when roused. It would be a relief to have him acknowledge that he couldn't do it.

[Milburn Stone]

1) Robert surprisingly speaking up that he and Edith should take the meeting regarding Gregson alone. I really, really thought we were going to get an overdue moment between them where he showed he cared for her and she could expose some of her grief. But no, JF writes all around the scene - we know someone is coming with bad news, we know the man with bad news has arrived, we know the bad news has been delivered but the moment itself, yet again, is completely cut from the narrative. Can Fellowes just not deal with scenes that would allow the viewer some emotional release? This was a HUGE missed opportunity.

 

I generally don't agree with the oft bandied-about charge of "lazy writing" (writers generally work to the limit of their talent, which in some cases is a low limit, but the issue is not assiduousness), but there is no other way to figure Fellowes' evasion of this scene. He came up to it, realized that writing it would be hard, and didn't feel like putting in the work.

[Llywela]

But I'm kind of putting the blame for this in the lap of farmer Drewe.  Did he not trust his wife to know  the truth?  Or did he think so much of his lordship's family that he chose to keep their confidence over leveling with his wife?  In any event, I'd be pissed beyond belief if I found out that my husband had known this all along and never felt me worthy of knowing.  Too bad she couldn't call the police and report Marigold kidnapped.

What blame are you laying at Mr Drewe's door? Do you think it would have made any difference at all if Mrs Drewe had known the truth? Remember, Edith didn't want anyone to know - she didn't even tell Mr Drewe until he let her know he'd guessed. He came up with the 'daughter of a friend' story because it sounded more plausible than Edith's own cover story - he was trying to help her, because she did not want the scandal of being known as the mother of a bastard. Remember last season when everyone was cheering him on for being so helpful? How times change! He didn't tell his wife the truth because he'd promised, because Edith didn't want anyone to know - and we could argue back and forth on whether or not he should have kept that promise even with regard to his wife, but what difference would it have made if he had told her the truth? Mrs Drewe would have been even more insecure and Edith still would have taken Marigold, not because of anything the Drewes had done but to comfort herself in the wake of Gregson's death confirmation. That was what triggered it.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Llywela

[Andorra]

I think Mrs Drewe had been more understanding and less freaked out about Edith if Mr. Drewe had told her the truth or even his suspicions before he got the confirmation from Edith himself.  Edith never told Mr. Drew to conceal from his wife that he had Marigold from her! That was all his idea! I'm sure Mr. Drewe had no idea how it would all turn out, but in the end HE was the one who made the decision to leave his wife in the dark and this decision definitely made things worse and worse.

 

Maybe, if he had shared his suspicions with his wife, she would have understood Edith's purpose better and would have seen her own role as more like a foster mother than an adoptive mother. Also she might have been less opposite the idea of Edith being involved in Marigold's life and taking on the role of a godmother.

 

There could have been an amiable solution for everyone and the one that Edith intended when she gave Marigold to the Drewe's.

 

IMO it wasn't all Edith's fault. Of course Mrs Drewe was the poorest victim in all this, but her husband was clearly responsible for that, too. As are Violet and Rosamund who threatened to bringt the child abroad. No wonder Edith snapped.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Andorra

[photo fox]

What blame are you laying at Mr Drewe's door? Do you think it would have made any difference at all if Mrs Drewe had known the truth?

I think it would have made a difference, because it would have allayed some of Mrs. Drewe's biggest fears - that her husband and Edith shared a secret, that he was lying to her about it, and that Edith was some random stalker. Those fears are what caused Mrs. Drewe to cut off contact, and I think that's ultimately what caused Edith to snap, along with news of Gregson's death. If she was still seeing Marigold regularly, I think the outcome may have been different.

And since I think a good bit of Mrs. Drewe's pain was finding out her husband really WAS lying to her, I think he's to blame for that part of her pain.

Regardless of the considerable sympathy I have for Edith, my heart broke for Mrs. Drewe in that scene. Her marriage and family will never be the same.

eta: or what Andorra said!

[AZChristian]

Would have simplified things if Edith had sought to have Marigold named as her ward when the placement with the Drewes was made.  Then there could have been an open financial benefit to the Drewes, and Mrs. D might have been more accepting of Edith's visits.  It wasn't unheard of (especially in those times) for a wealthy person to take an interest in an orphaned child in this manner.

 

Bottom line is, I'm sorry if Mrs. Drewe was hurt; but she should be equally angry at Mr. Drewe, not just at Edith.  Edith "owed" Mrs. Drewe nothing; HE owed his wife honesty.

[Milburn Stone]

Things I liked:

 

The scene between Molesly and Daisy at the kitchen table. Molesly in particular had a chance to show a dimension other than sap. I liked learning a bit of his "back story."

 

Violet's last line (in response to learning Atticus is Jewish), "It's always something, isn't it?" (I hope those are the exact words; they may not be.) Maggie Smith's delivery was priceless. I loved the line, and laughed out loud, even though it makes no sense, given that Cora is half-Jewish and (improbably) had no trouble being accepted by the family and society.

 

And the scene in Clarkson's office.

 

Edited because it was the scene with Molesly and Daisy I particularly liked, not Molesly and Baxter. (Although I always enjoy their interactions also.)

Edited February 9, 2015 by Milburn Stone

[jah1986]

I'm working very hard not to get too worked up over fictional characters and a television program. I thought it was a good episode.  I thought Dr. Clarkson's words about a harsh truth being better than false hope applied to Edith's situation as well.  The false hope has been driving her insane. Yes, she knew he was dead but without actual proof that false hope just made her more miserable instead of happier. The harsh truth kind of shook her out of it and she made the decision that she did. I am happy that she is with her child and I'm sorry the way things went down with the Drewes. It was a no win situation.

 

It's nice to see Thomas have another dimension to his character once in a while. I'm sure next week he'll be back to his ridiculously nasty self.

 

I also liked seeing Moseley have an interaction with Daisy and being useful without any moping. I really like him and Baxter together.

 

When did I stop caring about Anna and Bates? I'm just tired of these two and their constant angst.

 

In keeping with my resolve not to get too worked up about fictional characters I will not comment about Mary in this episode.

 

Love Cora finally standing up to Robert.  Loved Lord G having to accept being called Donk.

 

I think I need all week to brace myself for what's to come with Isis.