S06.E06: Season 6, Episode 6

[kassa]

Hell, Isobel would have done it for free AND kept the secret AND made it possible for Marigold to be in everybody's life from the get go.

 

I wonder if Isobel would have gone along with it.  She is an older woman herself at this point with a very busy life but it's not as if parents spent a lot of time with their own children in those days much less with other people's.

 

 

 

It actually could have been an interesting plot -- because you just know that Isobel would have some interesting middle class child rearing techniques that Edith and Violet would object to.  Would have been more interesting to watch that tug of war than the hospital stuff. 

 

I have photographs of my grandmother circa 1910 in her (male) cousin's overalls and a big frouffy bow on her head.  She had been left at the cousin's house to play in a frouffy dress to match the frouffy bow, but her aunt changed her into the overalls so she could play in the yard like the toddler she was. My hoity toity great grandmother was not amused to arrive to pick her up and see her dressed like a farmer.  

 

Can you imagine Violet coming to tea and realizing that 3 year old Marigold was going to join them?  

[teddysmom]

I don't get what Mary's end game is re finding out what the deal with Marigold is.  We know she suspects it's Edith's daughter, but what is she going to do when she finds out?  I think she knows she's like the last one to know, so her parents must know and they aren't going to stand by and let her belittle Edith over this. 

 

Mary did about as much to shame the family as Edith, so I'd say they're even. At least Edith was in a relationship with the man who fathered her child, it wasn't a late night booty call. 

[AndySmith]

Yeah, I don't think any of the high society people would have cut her some slack just because the little bastard's parents were in love.

[helenamonster]

And even though they were in a relationship, he was still legally married to someone else.

[SusanSunflower]

It's just more "if Unca Julian had wanted us to know about it, he would have included it in the story" ... Was Gregson really an only child of deceased parents, who were, in turn, only children, no cousins or aunts or uncles -- only some discretely distant lawyer handling everything ... and Mrs. Gregson, also without nearest relations? Regardless of Marigold, Gregson's bequest to Edith of the flat, the magazine and apparently some money (liquid assets) would have set tongues flapping and any right-aged child in Edith's arms would have been speculated about (and Rosamund likely would have caught wind of it) -- but that didn't happen even though we know  -- wasn't there a cocktail party? -- that Gregson was sociable and had many friends (golly, one of whom actually just might have been helpful to Edith at somep point or even just curious about Gregson's lady friend)...  Edith's lack of curiosity wrt Mrs. Gregson, let's not go there. 

Edited February 11, 2016 by SusanSunflower

[jschoolgirl]

Daisy is sitting for the "matric" exam. Could someone explain: Is this one taken by 16 year olds, when the demarcation between academic and vocational begins (and the latter leave school for apprenticeships)? Or is it the same as the "leaving" (for the academic students who continue past age 16? Or is it one taken by 16 year olds before they undertake the schooling to prepare for their leaving certificate?

[guilfoyleatpp]

In regards as to whether or not Edith has domestic help in London...I do believe that in the episode where she and Bertie meet at her place for drinks she mentions a butler or maid or cook type.

 

I would assume that, like Violet, she has a skeleton staff - at the very least a housemaid who also does her hair.

 

Who would clean and keep the flat stocked with drinks and goods and toilet paper? Who would prepare her clothes in the morning and watch Marigold while Edith dresses?  I can't see her living the single mom life as we understand it now.

[WatchrTina]

I assume Edith would get some full-time staff if she actually moved to London but right now she just seems to go in every now and then and spend a couple of days at the flat.  I'd be surprised if someone kept full-time staff under those circumstances..  Her parents have a London house and housekeeper and likely some full-time maids who don't have much to do when the family is away.  Perhaps they also pop over to the flat to tidy it after Edith leaves.

[SusanSunflower]

When my grandparents retired, in New Jersey, in the late 1950's, they chose an apartment in a very large building that had a restaurant on the ground floor as well as a hair salon, a dress shop and god knows what else ... quite likely maid service and room service if needed (say if someone got ill) ... there was a "desk" with concierge (who ordered taxis) and doorman (who managed luggage and taxi drivers) ... I only visited once with my mother when I was about 10, but no one seemed agog at the luxury of this arrangement. It may well be that single-man Gregson similarly chose a building with services to be used when needed -- regularly when in town for extended periods, but not personally contracted or managed, part of the monthly maintenance.  I seem to recall lots of rich people used to live for years in hotels, and I think John and Yoko enjoyed certain similar amenities at the Dakota (that are still enjoyed by residents today). 

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-05/the-dakota-inside-new-york-s-most-extravagant-apartment-building

 

And the rest of us think that a motel with a heated swimming pool is a extravagance .... 

Edited February 12, 2016 by SusanSunflower

[Maisonette]

Most likely Edith has a service flat where the building management provides the servants.

[guilfoyleatpp]

I also thought Robert was being playful with Carson when he suggested "Mary in the bath." He got a goofy look on his face (what a good actor!) and Carson immediately shut him down with that "that's not funny" look.

 

But really, what was Carson supposed to do?  To laugh or even chortle would be inappropriate.

 

I thought the line was to suggest how stir crazy Robert is becoming in his room.

[RedHawk]

When my grandparents retired, in New Jersey, in the late 1950's, they chose an apartment in a very large building that had a restaurant on the ground floor as well as a hair salon, a dress shop and god knows what else ... quite likely maid service and room service if needed (say if someone got ill) ... there was a "desk" with concierge (who ordered taxis) and doorman (who managed luggage and taxi drivers) ... I only visited once with my mother when I was about 10, but no one seemed agog at the luxury of this arrangement. It may well be that single-man Gregson similarly chose a building with services to be used when needed -- regularly when in town for extended periods, but not personally contracted or managed, part of the monthly maintenance. I seem to recall lots of rich people used to live for years in hotels, and I think John and Yoko enjoyed certain similar amenities at the Dakota (that are still enjoyed by residents today).

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-05/the-dakota-inside-new-york-s-most-extravagant-apartment-building

And the rest of us think that a motel with a heated swimming pool is a extravagance ....

I was thinking this also. Here in Washington, DC, there are many apartment buildings that used to be set up the same way, including mine, although the last big renovation did away with our onsite restaurant and dry cleaner. In the past it offered both apartments and hotel rooms, and the apartment dwellers could sign up for housekeeping services.

A building nearby (built in 1931) still has all the amenities mentioned above and also, in the basement, a library, tailor shop and haberdashery, hair salon and barber shop, and even a good-sized grocery store.

Edited February 12, 2016 by RedHawk

[JudyObscure]

I don't mind Robert and Carson having a giggle about tourists hoping to catch a naked person in the bath, just not specifically a titillated titter over the thought of his own daughter in the bath, and of course it wasn't "one of the ladies," which would have included Lady Edith. No one would want to look at her naked.

I agree with the little boy who came to his room and sympathized that he didn't have enough money to live some place comfy. Even those cool pictures of The Dakota don't look quite comfy enough to me.

[Capricasix]

Even George Jefferson had one of his dry-cleaning stores in the building that he and Wheezy lived in!

[helenamonster]

I assume Edith would get some full-time staff if she actually moved to London but right now she just seems to go in every now and then and spend a couple of days at the flat.  I'd be surprised if someone kept full-time staff under those circumstances..  Her parents have a London house and housekeeper and likely some full-time maids who don't have much to do when the family is away.  Perhaps they also pop over to the flat to tidy it after Edith leaves.

 

Is the London house even staffed anymore? The last couple times they stayed, Mrs. Hughes went up because the London housekeeper retired, and they also brought the kitchen staff as well as Thomas. That's also where we first met Andy; they hired him on a short-term basis as an extra hand during all the Rose and Atticus wedding stuff. If the family is looking to cut costs, getting rid of the London staff seems like a good place to start.

[Milburn Stone]

So, apologies if this has been asked and answered (maybe in another thread), but...OK, so I think I read upthread that there are 3 episodes left (2 regular ones and the Christmas one). Right? My DVR is only showing 2 more episodes to record, so maybe that means the Christmas episode does not (as we might hope it would) follow the other two by a week. Does anyone know when the Christmas episode airs in the U.S.?

[Roseanna]

I don't mind Robert and Carson having a giggle about tourists hoping to catch a naked person in the bath, just not specifically a titillated titter over the thought of his own daughter in the bath, and of course it wasn't "one of the ladies," which would have included Lady Edith. No one would want to look at her naked.

 

Robert probably meant the song "Ich hab' Fräul'n Helen baden sehen ("I have seen Miss Helen in the bath") where the idea is that the woman is not naked (there are bubbles in the bath) but only something is seen by the man and just that is exciting. 

 

The song was a hit in 1925, so we notice that even Robert was keen on the popular music of the time.  

 

[RedHawk]

Good heavens! Robert might even be listening to the wireless!

I did note how lacking in entertainment his sickroom was. No TV, no laptop, not even a telephone extension so he could call up another Earl to chat about no-risk investments. Just cards, books, boardgames, and the occasional stray village child. He probably would have paid that lad to stick around.

Edited February 13, 2016 by RedHawk

[Milburn Stone]

I may have answered my own question. I just found a website that says the Christmas Episode airs here on Sunday February 28.

 

So I guess it's Episode 7 on 2/14, Episode 8 on 2/21, and Christmas Episode (Series Finale) on 2/28.

[ShadowFacts]

I may have answered my own question. I just found a website that says the Christmas Episode airs here on Sunday February 28.

 

So I guess it's Episode 7 on 2/14, Episode 8 on 2/21, and Christmas Episode (Series Finale) on 2/28.

 

The pbs.org schedule shows it as the 28th being 'More Manners of Downton', with the finale airing on March 6th.  Just so you're not hugely disappointed on Feb. 28th!

[helenamonster]

Wait, why are they skipping a week? I know this is your cash cow, PBS, but you can only draw it out for so long.

[RedHawk]

Yes, the schedule I've seen says March 6 is the Christmas episode/series finale.

[Mrsjumbo]

It's just more "if Unca Julian had wanted us to know about it, he would have included it in the story" ... Was Gregson really an only child of deceased parents, who were, in turn, only children, no cousins or aunts or uncles -- only some discretely distant lawyer handling everything ... and Mrs. Gregson, also without nearest relations? Regardless of Marigold, Gregson's bequest to Edith of the flat, the magazine and apparently some money (liquid assets) would have set tongues flapping and any right-aged child in Edith's arms would have been speculated about (and Rosamund likely would have caught wind of it) -- but that didn't happen even though we know -- wasn't there a cocktail party? -- that Gregson was sociable and had many friends (golly, one of whom actually just might have been helpful to Edith at somep point or even just curious about Gregson's lady friend)... Edith's lack of curiosity wrt Mrs. Gregson, let's not go there.

Yes, & I thought it was odd that Edith told Bertie that the decor was "all Michael's", so Bertie knows Edith got the apartment from Gregson but isn't curious as to why?

Edited February 13, 2016 by Mrsjumbo

[angora]

Wait, why are they skipping a week? I know this is your cash cow, PBS, but you can only draw it out for so long.

I'm guessing it's to avoid the Oscars on the 28th.

[helenamonster]

But they don't bother to skip for the Super Bowl, which gets a much bigger crowd than the Oscars. And they were still second to the Super Bowl this year...also I feel like they've bumped up against the Oscars before in past years? Do the Oscars even get that great ratings anymore?

[AndySmith]

It could be the perception that the DT audience watches the Oscars but not the Super Bowl. So it might lose viewers to the Oscars, but not the SB.

[craziness]

Regarding the questions about the librarian, I was wondering if the person mentioned (whose name escapes me) in the episode where Rose invites the Russians to the house, and who was told to display the artifacts from Violet's and her husband's trip to Russia, if he was the librarian. He wasn't in the scene, just instructed to find and display the items for the visitors to view. Any thoughts on that idea?

I loved that Violet, even in her agitated state, could still rattle off a few fun facts about the house when asked.

[nx74defiant]

It seems odd for Tom playing matchmaker for Mary.

 

Tom mentions that Henry can use Downton as his base for business.

 

I wonder if Tom realizes that Mary should "marry down". If Mary were to "marry up" her husband would expect her to leave Downton and move to his estate. Her husband would want her to be involved with his affairs and life. I don't think he would agree to having an active hand in the running of Downton. He would expect it to be left to the manager. Mary may be permitted to keep an eye on things. Or her husband would expect to take charge of that too.

[craziness]

Just saw ep 6 again. The librarians name is Mr. Pattinson, which I think was the person who I'm pretty sure assembled the Russian artifacts I mentioned above.

[RedHawk]

Besides wanting Mary to be happy in a relationship, I think Tom genuinely likes Henry and would enjoy having him as a buddy and friend there at Downton. 

[DHDancer]

My 2c worth (ha!)

1. 6d to folks in the village would be significant but not unaffordable. (conversion to today's is 6d=$3.26)

2. 2x6d=1 shilling.  20 shillings=1 pound sterling 

3. Making 10-30 pounds sterling for the day of tours would be considered a significant amount of money even to the Crawleys.

4. Not knowing about the house I found a little belief-suspending but not knowing the subjects/value isn't.  Still it made for amusing watching and served to show that increasing education of the "masses" was happening.

 

Daisy is sitting Matric which would give her an opening to further education (polytechnic or university).  The local school is just where the matric will be administered/invigilated.

 

With the utmost respect, Enough of the Mary/Edith -- please. Enough of the Edith/Drewes -- please.  So much speculation, so much repeating   I really want to read your posts but don't want to keep reading the same rehashes in each episode thread   :)

 

BTW, if you don't want to wait, just buy the DVD from Amazon: it's available (and cheaper than PBS) :)

Edited February 15, 2016 by DHDancer

[jschoolgirl]

 

Daisy is sitting Matric which would give her an opening to further education (polytechnic or university).  The local school is just where the matric will be administered/invigilated.

 

So, in American terms, she is graduating from high school?

[DHDancer]

So, in American terms, she is graduating from high school?

 

Yep, exactly :)

[Roseanna]

Daisy is sitting Matric which would give her an opening to further education (polytechnic or university).  The local school is just where the matric will be administered/invigilated.

 

Well, the questions about history seemed so, but there has been no mention about her learning foreign languages. Can one really go to the university without learning al least two?  

[Llywela]

Very few women went to university in the 1920s - and there were no (or almost no) polytechnics in 1925. Daisy sitting Matric isn't about trying to access higher education - the examination she is sitting is an end in itself, the culmination of her efforts at self-improvement and tangible proof that she has achieved something worthwhile with her efforts at completing the education she never received as a child.

 

I don't think a university education was even needed to teach at village school level - just Matric would be enough.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Llywela

[DHDancer]

.... Daisy sitting Matric isn't about trying to access higher education - the examination she is sitting is an end in itself..

I agree with you about that milestone in Daisy's life.  However, when I was at school in the UK in the early 70s the only kids who took "Matriculation" were the ones aiming for higher education: you didn't sit matric if you didn't intend "going on".  I don't know how historically that relates to the 1920s but I bet it was similar.

 

Oh and absolutely true about University etc.  In fact even in the 70s at my grammar school (yep they were still around) very few people were planning on a University education: it wasn't required for most jobs and having a degree hadn't become an everyman "basic" thing as it is in the US.  Until coming to the US in 1984, not having a degree had never been a barrier for me in getting a job or having a valuable career.

[mojito]

I tried to read most of the posts, but many got too bogged down on Edith and Mary and parsing what was said about Edith and Mary. 

I thought when Thomas nearly killed himself with that cure for homosexuality that he began to change. Am I remembering things incorrectly? It didn't seem that anyone mentioned this in the Thomas discussion. 

[Roseanna]

I thought when Thomas nearly killed himself with that cure for homosexuality that he began to change. Am I remembering things incorrectly? It didn't seem that anyone mentioned this in the Thomas discussion. 

 

What you mean with a "change"?

 

Thomas has done good deeds before but when there had been a chance, he had again done evil deeds, sometimes even towards those who had forgiven his earlier deeds and done him good. That he tried to help Andy doesn't prove that he wouldn't do some wicked trick again if he had a chance.

 

Rather, what was been changed, is that now the audience is supposed to pity Thomas is hurt as he isn't liked or trusted by others. Now, I don't say that f.ex. Carson treats him rightly, but after Thomas's past behavior, it's no wonder, indeed it's natural.

 

I think that as a character of the show Thomas was at best as a schemer. If JF wanted to show that he had changed, the development should have began earlier or at least he should have done something good to a person he could have done bad. 

 

Finding out about Marigold and deciding whether to use the information to hurt Edith and Crawleys would have been a good plot that would have really shown if Thomas was the same kind of person he was in S1 when he started the rumors about Mary.

[SusanSunflower]

WRT to Thomas and change, I'm not sure when Thomas lost his original spark of ambition, his conniving to get ahead, to get anywhere but here, coupled with a rather poorly defined resentment that he shared with O'Brien.

 

I think it would take a lot of retconning to look backward to find some point when Thomas "settled" or "surrendered" -- without any particular outward sign of depression, at least any I remember ... His original sour world-weary backstabbing disposition faded into something outwardly more benign ... perhaps when he became triumphed to become "under-butler" (a plot point I simply don't remember).  Again, it could be retconned to stem from his "better living through chemistry" experiment (to rid him of teh gay)  but I think I'm looking for "continuity" that doesn't exist.
Perhaps there was some more significant event/life change I've forgotten?  Thomas has never been a favorite of mine ... Fellowes has walked a P.C. tightrope giving his conniving and backstabbing gay character 9-lives in ways I found implausible. His relationships with O'Brien and then (out of nowhere and never well explained) with Baxter -- the audience was led to expect some sort of revelation of connections, beyond the fact that Thomas was abused by his father

[Roseanna]

WRT to Thomas and change, I'm not sure when Thomas lost his original spark of ambition, his conniving to get ahead, to get anywhere but here, coupled with a rather poorly defined resentment that he shared with O'Brien.

 

I think it would take a lot of retconning to look backward to find some point when Thomas "settled" or "surrendered" -- without any particular outward sign of depression, at least any I remember ... His original sour world-weary backstabbing disposition faded into something outwardly more benign ... perhaps when he became triumphed to become "under-butler" (a plot point I simply don't remember).  Again, it could be retconned to stem from his "better living through chemistry" experiment (to rid him of teh gay)  but I think I'm looking for "continuity" that doesn't exist.

Perhaps there was some more significant event/life change I've forgotten?  Thomas has never been a favorite of mine ... Fellowes has walked a P.C. tightrope giving his conniving and backstabbing gay character 9-lives in ways I found implausible. His relationships with O'Brien and then (out of nowhere and never well explained) with Baxter -- the audience was led to expect some sort of revelation of connections, beyond the fact that Thomas was abused by his father

 

As I remember it, Thomas was nearly fired in S3 but was saved by Bates after which Robert made him an under butler - and he "thanked" by trying to get Bates in trouble in the Green matter with the help of Baxter.

 

Thinking kindly, both O'Brien and Thomas are gifted persons who must work for much less gifted persons Cora and Robert. Both are also right that it's foolish for a servant to feel for Crawleys as family as Carson does (but Mrs Hughes doesn't). Maybe they "only" want to use their intelligence that isn't needed in their work for scheming as life is otherwise so boring. If they had had a chance to study, they could have used their abilities in more positive ways. 

[AndySmith]

O'Brien and Thomas were both wasted in their roles working at Downton. Their talents should have been applied to working as shit-stirring spies for whatever that era's version of MI6 was, traveling the world and destroying the enemies of the Queen and Country.

Edited February 16, 2016 by AndySmith

[Llywela]

One thing that I see in Thomas now is that he seems to want to be liked.

Yet at the same time, he actively pushes away the hand of friendship whenever it is extended - he craves that sense of belonging, yet cannot accept it, perhaps because he feels he doesn't deserve it, or perhaps because he doesn't trust it to be genuine or to last. It's what makes him such a fascinating character - often in spite of the writing, rather than because of it.

[RedHawk]

I'm thinking Thomas might be saved by another bout of his amazing luck. The focus on his friendship with George might mean that Thomas will save George from choking or a fall down the stairs or a red Indian attack. The family then tearfully will recall all Loyal Thomas has done for them (Isis, Edith/fire, cricket match) and Mary will declare that he has a job for life.

Either that or Carson kicks the bucket. I'm rooting for that one.

[helenamonster]

WRT to Thomas and change, I'm not sure when Thomas lost his original spark of ambition, his conniving to get ahead, to get anywhere but here, coupled with a rather poorly defined resentment that he shared with O'Brien.

 

I think it would take a lot of retconning to look backward to find some point when Thomas "settled" or "surrendered" -- without any particular outward sign of depression, at least any I remember ... His original sour world-weary backstabbing disposition faded into something outwardly more benign ... perhaps when he became triumphed to become "under-butler" (a plot point I simply don't remember).  Again, it could be retconned to stem from his "better living through chemistry" experiment (to rid him of teh gay)  but I think I'm looking for "continuity" that doesn't exist.

Perhaps there was some more significant event/life change I've forgotten?  Thomas has never been a favorite of mine ... Fellowes has walked a P.C. tightrope giving his conniving and backstabbing gay character 9-lives in ways I found implausible. His relationships with O'Brien and then (out of nowhere and never well explained) with Baxter -- the audience was led to expect some sort of revelation of connections, beyond the fact that Thomas was abused by his father

 

I'll give you out of nowhere, I suppose, but it was made clear that Baxter was a friend of Thomas's sister when they were children and they grew up together. And even out of nowhere is a stretch...everyone loses touch with childhood acquaintances but it's not unheard of to reconnect with them and help them out, though obviously Thomas had more nefarious purposes.

 

My thing with Thomas is that his good acts just do not simply cancel out his bad ones. He can save Edith from a fire and Sybbie from an abusive nanny (both moments borne of sheer luck and happenstance), but when has he ever apologized for, say, treating Bates as he did in earlier seasons? Even when Bates helped Thomas keep his job by blackmailing O'Brien, Thomas thanked him by throwing Anna under the bus and blaming her for Edna burning a hole through Cora's clothing. He mopes around about no one liking him, but they don't like him for good reasons. And I don't really care what fucked-up mental state he's in that he can't accept kindness when it is shown to him only to complain that no one cares about him a few scenes later. It's a valid way to feel but he seems to have no self-awareness about it, and everyone is busy with their own lives and work and can't take the time out of their day to play psychiatrist with him. He's made his bed, and if he ends up lying in it, I don't really care. I'm not saying I want to see him kill himself but if he doesn't end up happy at the end of it all it wouldn't make a lick of difference to me. His sexuality does not exempt him from being an unbearable asshole.

[Driad]

Baffles me that either Thomas or Andy thought it was a good idea to do their tutoring in Thomas's room with the door closed.  They could have chosen a visible but not-in-the-way place.  If anyone asked, they could have said that Andy doesn't read as well as he would like to, and Thomas offered to help him.  Someone might ask why Andy didn't ask Molesley instead, but "Thomas was the one who offered" might have settled that.

[ShadowFacts]

 

My thing with Thomas is that his good acts just do not simply cancel out his bad ones. He can save Edith from a fire and Sybbie from an abusive nanny (both moments borne of sheer luck and happenstance), but when has he ever apologized for, say, treating Bates as he did in earlier seasons? Even when Bates helped Thomas keep his job by blackmailing O'Brien, Thomas thanked him by throwing Anna under the bus and blaming her for Edna burning a hole through Cora's clothing. He mopes around about no one liking him, but they don't like him for good reasons. And I don't really care what fucked-up mental state he's in that he can't accept kindness when it is shown to him only to complain that no one cares about him a few scenes later. It's a valid way to feel but he seems to have no self-awareness about it, and everyone is busy with their own lives and work and can't take the time out of their day to play psychiatrist with him. He's made his bed, and if he ends up lying in it, I don't really care. I'm not saying I want to see him kill himself but if he doesn't end up happy at the end of it all it wouldn't make a lick of difference to me. His sexuality does not exempt him from being an unbearable asshole.

 

They never do.  And he is still capable of doing underhanded crap, e.g. outing Gwen.  But I think he has shown some self-awareness.  He recognized, and told Carson, that he learned that being butler was more complicated than he thought.  He talks to Baxter about how everyone likes her.  He knows why they don't like him.  But now that he is doing more things on the straight and narrow, he's still getting punched down.  And that is where I do have empathy.  Just because one has been guilty of various offenses, doesn't mean they have to be written off forever.  I think Baxter sees that, even Anna and probably a lot of the others downstairs.  He is far from universally despised.  They don't avoid him like the plague, and it's usually only Carson who talks smack right to him.  He hasn't just lucked into every good thing he's done--there was helping Jimmy, and Andrew (besides reading) needed help in the gambling den, and there was nothing particularly in it for him.  He had pity on the old aristocrat, which was genuine and there were no witnesses.  Oh, and I really hope Mrs. Patmore tells Carson she was wrong in jumping to a conclusion about what was going on with Andrew in the bedroom.

[Kohola3]

Their talents should have been applied to working as shit-stirring spies for whatever that era's version of MI6 was, traveling the world and destroying the enemies of the Queen and Country.

 

Maybe O'Brien is the reason that England lost India.

[guilfoyleatpp]

Couldn't Daisy go on to a higher education situation such as the one Gwen is involved with? Perhaps that was part of the reason for bringing her back?

[Camera One]

Carson's pointed remarks about Mrs. Hughs was mildly amusing the first time, but I'm ready for him to get his comeuppance by this point.  Repetition seems to be Fellowes' best friend.

I've always loved the relationship between Mrs. Hughes and Daisy but they're starting to ruin it with this jealousy angle.  Daisy throwing away Mr. Mason's note was going too far.  He's really writing her as being quite irritating this season.

Is sacking Thomas going to save that much money that Carson and Robert have to keep going on about it?  I do feel a bit badly for him.  I was disappointed in Mrs. Patmore for taking her suspicions to Carson.  

What was the point of Baxter finding out about Cora's new job offer?  Did Violet just receive that letter?  I don't buy that she would make a scene in public like that. 

I hope Mr. Moseley gets to do something at the school eventually.  He has gotten one of the better arcs this series.

I will have to say once again how much I hate the hospital drama.  It makes Violet, Isobel and Cora seem annoying and unlikeable.

Mary has zero chemistry with that Talbot fellow.  All their scenes have been a waste of time this season.  It's not surprising at all that the writing seems to be pointing at Mary and Tom.  It was a pretty obvious choice even in the season after Matthew died.  What was with Mary declaring she wasn't a war widow at the lunch?  And her saying the "romance" with Talbot was moving fast?  Really?

I'm tired of Mary and Edith sniping at one another.  

I liked Bertie a lot and he has great chemistry with Edith.  It was great how he offered all those ideas about how the Downton Open House should go.  The scene where Mary, Edith and Cora gave tours of the house and couldn't answer the questions was very funny.

Overall, I think this was actually one of the better episodes this season thus far.

[TaurusRose]

On 10/25/2015 at 6:15 PM, lorbeer said:

I never liked Carson and he's even worse now... Same thing with Daisy. She was always annoying and one more than ever. Why can't she just let go.

I wasn't a big Carson fan because I thought he was pompous and thick-headed, but I didn't actively dislike him.  I really can't stand him now.  He has the capacity to be petty, cruel and tactless. His blind loyalty to the Crawleys and a class society disgusts me, and his treatment of his new wife is despicable (even by 1920 something standards). I really want to see him knocked off his high horse. As for Daisy, I would have kicked the shit out of her ages ago.

On 10/25/2015 at 6:23 PM, CofCinci said:

My heart broke for him when they cut away to him crying all alone.

My heart didn't break for Thomas, but I did feel sorry for him (proving I am not a complete cold hearted monster, LOL).  But you reap what you sow.  Thomas's many sins have already been discussed, so the fact that no one trusts him shouldn't be surprising to him.

On 2/7/2016 at 10:36 PM, Artymouse said:

And WTF Daisy? Is she 5 years old? She's acting like Mr. Mason is her Barbie doll that she doesn't want to share with Mrs. Patmore.

Yep. I hate Daisy.

On 2/7/2016 at 10:38 PM, bmoore4026 said:

Holy shit, they've lived their whole lives at Downton Abbey yet know fuck all about it!?  I love that!  They're not just out of touch with the common people, they're out of touch with history.

Yes, it was a little unbelievable that Little Miss I'm Queen of Downton Abbey knew jack about the grand house she managed. Heaven knows she had precious little else to learn about during her youth.  You'd think pride would have demanded she have some basic knowledge.