S06.E08: Season 6, Episode 8

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Bertie's circumstances change suddenly, leaving Edith uncertain whether to risk telling him the truth or keep her past a secret at all costs. Mary wonders if she can ever make peace with her sister as hostilities escalate, Spratt shows some hidden talents and Molesley's first day as a teacher does not go according to plan. Mrs Patmore's bed and breakfast attracts unwanted attention, leaving her in need of the Crawleys' help.

[Ide]

Because of spoilerish photos we know that

this gay cousin dies in Tangier, so Bertie is the next in line

 

I'm really excited about this episode because of everything we saw in the preview.

scheming bitch!

[Badger]

I think there is some confusion about Bertie and his cousin. I don't believe Bertie is the heir to his cousin. Remember everyone talks about him as someone who you feel sorry for and why would you feel sorry for someone who s going to inherit a title especially back then? My take is that he's several notches down in the line of succession, but that unknown to him everyone ahead of him has conveniently died without issue

The other scenario is that Bertie was the heir all along but chose to downplay it. He also assumed his cousin would marry and have a son one day who would become marquess.

[Avaleigh]

Bertie is definitely

the heir presumptive. The idea is that his cousin is young and therefore will likely produce an heir eventually. Bertie probably didn't want to get his hopes up.

[yb125]

Him being the heir still makes no sense. Even is he cousin is young he is unmarried with no sons. It would have been mention that Bertie is next in line. They mention this with everyone. What makes much more sense is if he left Bertie a large fortune. That could be something he didn't know about.

[Badger]

He'd be in the same position as Matthew. He'd be the heir presumptive. There's always a chance someone could supplant him,

[yb125]

Exactly and no one pretended that Mathew was just a middle class solicitor with no prospects. In the world they have presented to us if he was next in line it would've been mentioned, even if it was with the caveat that he could easily be supplanted. I am not saying that they won't go that route, it just will be pretty terribly inconsistent.

[minamurray78]

Well, that was messy.

[saki]

Mary continued her campaign for bitch of the year...

[lorbeer]

Is there anybody else as much dissapointed as I am? No wonder Allen Leech wasn't happy about Tom's story ending - because it doesn't end. Not really. We don't know happens with him. Sure, there's still the Christmas special but we don't even know what direction he's on.

And Mary's storyline... I couldn't be more unhappy. Really. This whole marriage was just crazy and everybody rooting for it also. Henry Talbot didn't convinced me at all.

 

And why the hell Tom was so committed to him? And Lady Grantham running to DA because Marry rejected some guy nobody really knew? Doesn't make sense at all.

 

Surprisingly I liked Edith's storyline. She was quite likeable in the episode and I loved her hair. I'm not unhappy about Bertie, though.

 

And SPRAT - I suspected it was a man but obviously not HIM. Good one.

Edited November 8, 2015 by lorbeer

[mtmjr]

Well, that was what it was.  I have to say that I never considered Mary and Tom as an option until this series, but over the last few weeks I became completely sold on it.  Maybe it was the writing, or the way the actors played it, but I was completely convinced until this episode that this was the ending we were headed for, and I kind of loved it.  And then this episode happened.  So, when I realized this was where we were headed, I tried to readjust my expectations out of respect for the people who were actually putting it on screen, but I really couldn't.  So I guess my feelings about Mary-Henry Talbot are two-fold:  (1) marry in haste, regret at leisure, and (2) to paraphrase Mister Spock, from Star Trek: TOS, "you may come to find that having is not so pleasing as wanting.  It is not logical, but it is often true."  

 

That said, bring on the Christmas special and may Edith and Isobel get their happy endings.  Mary can stew in her own juices, and I guess no one but the audience cares about poor Tom.

[Andorra]

Seriously how terrible was that?

 

The whole episode Henry was there once and behaved like a pushy bastard and then Mary had to be pushed and persuaded by a zillion different people that he was "just the man for her". Tom of course, then Edith and then to top it all Violet.

Like she is too stupid to know her own mind?

What kind of offfensive antifeminist storyline is that?? It's bloody awful!

And don't let me get started on Tom. What a mess! I liked him telling Mary a few truths, but to bring him back to series 6 ONLY to push Mary to marry Talbot and really have NOTHING to do besides that is so terrible. I'm at a loss for words. It's offensive to the actor Allen Leech actually. If I were Allen I would CERTAINLY not go and promote Fellows show any longer! He was misused for years now, but this year tops it all!

 

Thomas storyline was wasted, too. One scene and all was good again. Like always. So much for the "tragic hero".

 

Edith will marry Pelham of course. Stop whining, she'll get her princess wedding.

 

And I'm pissed that they cut Tom's scene at Sybil's grave last year and had a scene at Matthew's grave this year. Yet again Tom is sidelined.

 

What a terrible, terrible mess.

 

But better now than on Christmas. I'm glad it's over.

[magdalene]

I feel terrible for Edith. She just can't catch a break. So that's it. The end. Bleh. I hope Mary is miserable for the rest of her life.

[MissLucas]

So let's sort this out. First of all they sunk Brary by throwing a Hail Mary i.e. turning that courtship into some sort of Would-Be-Taming-of-the-Shrew. Still didn't work for me - Henry telling Mary that he won't go away on the staircase came across as creepy and stalkerish. I wanted her to go for one of Papa's hunting guns and sic the pack on him for good measure. Maybe if they had explored that particular dynamic before I would have been okay with it.  Anna going 'he's stronger than her so he must be the right one' was vomit-inducing. And not even the Dowager suddenly starting to sound like a fortune cookie could make it work.

 

The logic behind everybody rooting madly for Henry is quite hilarious though: Obviously if Mary's not happy she's a bitch and ruins everybody's life so let's have her married off as quick as we can. I'm not sure what that says about her as a character and if Henry had not been turned into such a creepy stalker I might feel sorry for him.

 

Speaking of dynamics I wish the show had explored more: Mary and Barrow were wonderful in that short scene they had together - best scene of the episode. Why could the show not give us more scenes with these two thereby slowly preparing the path for Barrow taking over as head butler one day.

 

Daisy finally got a plot that did not make me wish to throw various kitchen items at her. Mrs Patmore's B & B got saved by the power of good aristocratic PR. Barrow tried to kill himself but he got better. And Mr Molesely manages to tame a bunch of unruly children by presenting education as a way out of the class system.

 

Best surprise: Spratt being the agony aunt. I wrecked my brains who it could be because it was clear it must be someone we know. I loved Edith and the editor going all 'bananas' together. Speaking of these two - I loved all the scenes at the newspaper and I wish we could have a spin-off taking place there. With or without Bertie in the mix. I think Edith could be happy as Marchioness or as a 'new woman' and I did not mind that her story remained unresolved.

 

ETA: I want Lady Mary's blue silk kimono. Coat-envy is bad enough not sure how to handle dressing-gown envy.

Edited November 8, 2015 by MissLucas

[Nellie]

I don't think I will need to watch the CS now. I cannot believe how hurried and unbelievable this ending was. Why didn't they focus more on Mary's relationship with Henry this series so that when they decided to get married at the last minute... We would actually give a damn and not be shaking our heads in disbelief?? This may go rank right up there with HIMYM as one of the worst finales ever.... Irregardless of what happens in the CS.

Poor, poor Tom.

[minamurray78]

Seriously, the boner that everyone had for Talbot was ridiculous. Whether MAry was right, wrong, scared or snobish, I felt exasperated at the way everyone kept pushing. She's a thirty something year old woman, you can only advice someone for so long, but then, it is their mistake to make. Inviting Talbot after Mary said no? what the hell, Tom? How about you concentrate on your own life, daughter, future employment, and leave Mary to her own love life? God, the writers did such a disservice to his character.

 

And, I'm really sorry for Ms. Hughes, but if Carson ever opens a B&F, I hope it flops, badly. He's the worst.

 

Gah, all the storylines felt rushed. I think stuff like Mary and Edith fighting, and Thomas' suicide attempt (which we all saw coming ages ago), should have happened at least a couple of episodes earlier; those should have been fairly dramatic plots and I wished we have seen them being resolved at a more realistic pace.

[MissLucas]

Gah, all the storylines felt rushed. I think stuff like Mary and Edith fighting, and Thomas' suicide attempt (which we all saw coming ages ago), should have happened at least a couple of episodes earlier; those should have been fairly dramatic plots and I wished we have seen them being resolved at a more realistic pace.

But then we would have missed out on the oh-so compelling hospital plot! Best sub-plot on the show ever with the possible exception of the Mr Green murder mystery.

(I think I mentioned once or twice *cough* that this show has/d a major pacing problem.)

[NoNeinNyet]

Seriously, it took them until this episode for Mary to fully voice how concerned she was that she'd lose a second husband to a car crash if she married Henry Talbot? That's what her romantic storyline should have been this entire series if we were supposed to care about the wedding. So stupid. I'm just glad they didn't have her marry Tom. That would have been even worse. Run back to America, Tom! The Crawleys don't deserve you.

Edited November 10, 2015 by NoNeinNyet

[Kirsty]

Lol, the Mary/Tom ship just hit an iceberg. That was me in the lifeboat watching it sink!

 

What the hell was Tom about? He turned into a hectoring dick in this episode, sorry to say. I was totally on Mary's side when she said she wished people would accept that she knows her own mind. Fairy-godfather Tom needed to take about twenty steps back. He should write in to Spratt the agony aunt: "Dear Cassandra, why am I so extremely over-invested in my sister-in-law's love life when I have none of my own? Please help before she needs to take out a restraining order against me."

 

And why did all the characters who had been against Talbot randomly come round to him in this episode? It seemed like the only reason was: it's the season finale. The Mary/Henry romance shouldn't have been left until the final season. It was all too rushed, even the wedding.

 

I liked pretty much everything to do with Edith. It was nice to see her at the magazine at the end, getting on just fine in spite of her heartbreak. (I probably would have been in bed.) I thought her final scene with Bertie was very well done; they were so sad and both so bloody nice about it! Her interactions with Mary rang true. And I also liked that Edith was partly responsible for losing Bertie, through cowardice. It was more dramatically satisfying than if Mary had told him right before Edith was about to tell him.

 

I wonder if Bertie's mother will play a role in the Christmas Special. Maybe she'll go head to head with Violet.

 

Carson is a pain in the arse, and now Mrs. Hughes is stuck with him. He was like her old father or something at the end there.

 

I enjoyed the start of the episode when everyone was laughing at Mrs. Patmore's predicament, and then everyone was excited about Edith becoming a marchioness. I really enjoyed the Earl's pride and delight that "poor old Edith who couldn't even make her dolls do what she wanted" would end up marrying a marquess.

 

Hooray for Molesley.

[Cherpumple]

The worst (and most unrealistic) moment for me was when we finally had the Edith/Mary showdown I had been waiting for, and not only was it underwhelming, but they actually made Edith pause from venting decades' worth of frustration to tell Mary how that she and Talbot should be together. Are you kidding me?!?

 

And I know that things will probably work out for Edith in the CS, but seeing Mary get the whirlwind 'romance' and fairy tale ending, with throngs of adoring villagers actually applauding her, after the way she treated Edith, made me physically ill. That was outrageous.

[Free]

Well, that was messy.

 

Definitely, from everyone pushing Henry on Mary, Tom acting OOC from being Henry's cheerleader, to Mary being at her most insufferable, and the rushed suicide attempt resolution.

 

It's a shame as the season itself was decent until this episode.

[InsertWordHere]

As disappointing as I find the whole Mary/Talbot relationship, I will say that Michelle Dockery's acting, especially in the first half of the episode, was masterful. She played it like Mary was being pushed to the brink until she just couldn't take it anymore. Too bad they had to ruin it by telling us Mary was only being that way because she really wanted Talbot and was acting out due to fear. 

[Cherpumple]

I agree, and I was even thinking how much fun she must have been having being so bitchy for the whole episode. And as much as I hate the character, I do admit to getting choked up when she visited Matthew's grave.

 

I don't know how intentional it was, but I did see some Brary trolling in this episode, such as when Violet was talking about Tom's letter: "Tom wrote to me to say that he loves Mary, and she loves him!" In context 'he' meant Henry, but the grammatical ambiguity made me giggle and wonder if any Brary shippers got their hopes up for a minute.

[shipperx]

I wish I cared about Mary's 'happy ending' but it has been years since I've done so. I haven't actually wished her an unhappy ending, but her winding up remarried was something I honestly just don't care about. I've been wanting to see Tom and Edith find love ( not with each other) and happiness. Making it about Mary getting another wedding is something that brings me no satisfaction. Since I wasn't rooting for a Brary alternative, I'm not disappointed, I just don't care one way or another.

Im very sorry Tom only got to play pal and poor Edith is lovelorn. Again. Damn it. (I was certain that after being dumped at the altar and then having her fiancé die, that crap wouldn't happen again, but Fellowes can't seem to resist. )

Edited November 9, 2015 by shipperx

[Glade]

I really got a thrill out of seeing the preview when Edith finally told Mary off for the petty, jealous bitch she is. And I absolutely loved at the beginning of the episode watching Mary's snide, satisfied condescension about Bertie losing his job become jealous disdain once she found out he is now her better. And the showdown was satisfying, though if I were Edith I would have started throwing the silver, the water pitcher, my cup of tea at Mary's face the second Bertie left the room, and I wouldn't have given her romantic advice at the end, either.

 

I haven't seen Mary tell Talbot about either Pamuk or Gillingham, two scandals which could come back to drag her through the mud some day.  Having dealt with that insecurity herself, maybe she should be more sympathetic to the fact that Edith had a lovechild with her fiance before he died and felt insecure about it. 

 

I kept waiting for Bertie to show up, even up until the last two seconds when Edith was watching the children play around Sybil's grave.  It really fucking pisses me off that Mary got away with everything yet again; she didn't go to London to try and make amends with Edith, I thought for sure that it would be her in the waiting room, instead of Spratt...  Mary does not deserve Edith's goodwill, Mary better start writing to Bertie trying to convince him to come back for her, fucking do SOMETHING to actually make it right rather then act as a passive receiver of Edith's character. 

I'd much rather see Edith move out and set firm boundaries, such as never being in Mary's presence again unless absolutely necessary.  That bitch shouldn't be allowed to win it all yet again, though she didn't win much since I don't really buy or care about her marriage.  And Bertie better come back!!!!!!  Preferably without any of JF's ridiculous, clumsy  references to Tenessee Williams.  I need to see Mary defer to Edith as the Marchioness. 

 

RBJ should have been given the chance to display his acting skills by performing his own attempted suicide, rather then just giving all the action to Baxter.  It could have been much more meaningful then him just being found in the bathtub, unconcious.  And despite the people running down dingy hallways, I didn't really get the sense of medical urgency here.  Perhaps if we had seen Dr. Clarkson and learned how he treated Thomas...I'm still not happy that Thomas won't go to London and find love, or at least casual sex. 

 

I guess Tom could still get a job in journalism and start seeing Edith's editor or move back to Ireland in the christmas episode?  But yeah, everyone else's story was shafted in favor of Mary's, including Tom who spent all of his time on her instead of himself.  What do you get for devoting yourself to a selfish, self-interested narcissist?  The chance to keep doing it.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Glade

[CofCinci]

Fuck this show.

[Lokiberry]

I've been getting my Brary hopes up for the last few episodes, only to have them dashed to pieces in the end; not by Mary and Henry's marriage, but by Mary herself. After telling Henry in no uncertain terms to get out of her house, she came down the next morning, found him gone, and in a fit of pique, ruined Edith's chance for happiness. And, that's all it was, not payback for past issues; just irritation that the man she wanted wasn't willing to crawl on all fours for her attention. Then, when she magically "got over" her entirely justified fears that Henry would die the exact same way Matthew died, and it all worked out, she was willing to extend an olive branch to Edith. 

 

What a nasty, selfish, terrible person she turned out to be in the end. Tom dodged a bullet. I wonder if that's what Sir Julian intended to be the takeaway from his story.

 

Well, now that Mary's been handed off to a man that will surely make her miserable for decades to come, the CS can focus on whether Edith and Bertie can patch things up, and if Larry Gray is willing to grovel a bit to get Isobel to take his father off his hands. Perhaps if we're very lucky, Carson will keel over, and Thomas can be the new butler. Poor Master George is going to need someone in that house who cares about him, and since his new stepfather hasn't even acknowledged his existence, and his mother is a certified Ice Witch, it looks like Barrows is all he's got.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Lokiberry

[vesperholly]

Let's start with a positive note: This season's milliner is fabulous. I've never seen more pretty hats. Loved the one Cora wore with the pattern last episode.

 

And now the awful.

 

WRONG WEDDING.

 

Mary Crawley Crawley Talbot is a giant C U Next Tuesday. Every word Edith (and Tom) spat at her was well deserved. Though I do think everyone pushing Talbot at Mary and insisting she was in love with him was way out of bounds. Imagine if it was a woman pushing herself at a man. She'd be called a lunatic and arrested for stalking.

 

Bertie better f'ing come back, I swear. to. god. Even in that goodbye scene they were both kept leaning in toward each other - I kept waiting for a kiss. That cannot be Edith's story.

 

After all that behavior, MARY is the one who gets a happy ending? Why am I not surprised. I canNOT be happy for that miserable cow. She doesn't deserve half of Edith's kindness.

[foreverevolving]

Well... 

I may have called out "sweet jesus" (and i'm jewish soo..) when Marry marriage was finalized, because I kept fearing Tom would speak up. So at least there's that!!

I reckon we'll get a baby announcement at the CS.

 

Other than that.. If Mary dies in the CS i won't feel sad about it. She's an awful human being, and not even being happy is enough for her to be nice to Edith.

Edith said it, that once she's happy Mary will be nice to her, at least for a little while.

I'm pissed that Tom seems to have forgiven her so easily!!

 

Bertie is coming back, right? RIGHT?!

 

Even if not at the end Edith seemed at least somewhat happy, she's not alone alone, at the end of the day she still has her paper and Marigold and as it seems the love and acceptance of her parents- which is all I think she ever truly wanted. Even though she loves Bertie she didn't let this tear her down as she did when Strellan (sp?) left her at the alter.

 

Did not see Spratt as the column writer.

And Mosley being awesome as a teacher, finally finding his calling. I expect we'll find out in the CS that he has left service.

 

 

I enjoyed the little comparison they did between Barrow and Mary.. how their unhappiness was in a way their own doing, even if they couldn't quite figure out why they kept doing it. sometimes things become an habit and after awhile it's no longer an habit but something that is an integral part of you.

The thing is.. I feel bad for Barrow, but not for Mary.

[chocolatine]

The only thing that can redeem this show for me is if Henry dies in a fiery car crash in the CS. I can't stand how Mary does whatever she wants with no regard for anyone else, and things keep coming up roses for her.

 

I wish Edith would embrace the "modern woman" role, move to London full-time and focus on her publishing business, and make it publicly known that Marigold is her child so that (1) Marigold knows that she was a wanted child of a loving relationship rather than a charity case, and (2) so that any man who might be interested in Edith knows the deal upfront.

 

Carson's been bugging me for a while now, and in this episode he was straight up hateful. Saying to Molesley "what makes you think you'll be any good at [teaching]" - WTF? The school principal has evaluated Molesley and hired him to teach, is that not a good enough endorsement for Carson?

Edited November 9, 2015 by chocolatine

[Lived In Inch]

 

After all that behavior, MARY is the one who gets a happy ending? Why am I not surprised. I canNOT be happy for that miserable cow. She doesn't deserve half of Edith's kindness.

I second all of that.

 

I also cannot understand why Julian Fellowes made Branson come back from Boston to become a glorified cheerleader.

 

 

[kmm49]

Anyone wanted Edith to shoot Mary on her wedding day? Oh, damn, no! Then we'd have a long, unbearable court/prison storyline. What a rushed mess!

 

The writers have always favored Mary over Edith. Therefore Mary gets the happy ending instead of being the miserable old maid she deserves to be and Edith gets to be unhappy in love but a successful, single mom businesswoman. Anyway, I can see Bertie coming back for Edith eventually.

 

Also the writers were basically saying screw you to the Mary/Tom fans. Personally, I hope Mary isn't happy with Henry. I don't see it working. I also don't buy she's in love with him. Eventually I can see Edith getting married and Mary divorcing.

 

The Barrow suicide attempt was lame and rushed. I could care less.

 

This season could've been so much better. I would've liked to seen Edith happy and Tom find someone. Carson/Mrs. Hughes and Bates/Anna potential was totally wasted. The rest I just don't care about.

Edited November 9, 2015 by kmm49

[Alonzo Mosely FBI]

Maybe to get him off the Sam Adams ale and the clam chowder, Mr. Branson has gained some weight ! :-)

[onthebrink03]

 

I also cannot understand why Julian Fellowes made Branson come back from Boston to become a glorified cheerleader.

Because Allen Leech had a contract and the fans wanted him back.  Screw giving him any sort of proper storyline and send off.  That would be asking a tad too much.  We can't have Fellows actually bring Tom front and centre even for a moment.  He's not really utilized the actor and his character (other than a prop in someone else's storyline or that disastrous turn with the horrible Miss Bunting) since Sybil died.  Why start now, eh?  

Edited November 9, 2015 by onthebrink03

[Pogojoco]

I so wish Edith would outrank Mary in the end. Mostly because that moment when they all realize that was one of my favourite moments in the entire 6 seasons of this show. 

 

Also, Mary? It's not Tom's secret to tell so he doesn't have to get back into your good graces for not telling you. You self-centered bitch. 

 

This Thomas thing is so annoying. He's worked at this house for, like, twenty years. Let him keep working there and let Mosley go be a teacher. Or just kill Bates off. That'd be ok, too. 

[Starchild]

Edith said it, that once she's happy Mary will be nice to her, at least for a little while.

Right? And Mary had the gall to say, "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way." Seriously, bitch!?

 

I'd like to see Bertie and Edith get together in the CS, and, since Bertie seems tolerant of gays, I'd like to see them ask Thomas to be their butler. That way he stays in the family but still gets the chance to start over, and becomes head butler without having to wait for Carson to die.

 

Carson's a real dick, by the way.

 

Edited to add that if Thomas is Bertie's butler, that elevates his status above Carson's, no? Yes!

Edited November 9, 2015 by Starchild

[Badger]

I think Thomas's story isn't quite finished.  He went "to the brink" as Rob James-Collier has said, and now we need to see what happens now that he's made it through.  He's not the only one who needs a final ending though.  

 

I was thinking  Cassandra Jones would be Rosamund.

[Brn2bwild]

Well that kind of sucked.

 

Granted, I would have liked it better if Henry were not stiff as a board, and if he and Mary had one ounce of chemistry.

 

And if he and everyone else didn't push her and make her feel confused about perfectly valid feelings.  They never did reach an understanding about Henry's racing/Mary's fears did they?

 

All my inklings about Tom were dashed pretty early in the episode (even if I hadn't read spoilers), when he had the opportunity for tortured double speak or a pained glance, and did neither.  So unless he rebounds in a big way in the CS, his character was wasted.

 

Oh well, I'm pretty sure,

especially thanks to spoilers

, that Edith, my favorite, will get the ending she wants, so there's that at least. 

[Hecate7]

I really got a thrill out of seeing the preview when Edith finally told Mary off for the petty, jealous bitch she is. And I absolutely loved at the beginning of the episode watching Mary's snide, satisfied condescension about Bertie losing his job become jealous disdain once she found out he is now her better. And the showdown was satisfying, though if I were Edith I would have started throwing the silver, the water pitcher, my cup of tea at Mary's face the second Bertie left the room, and I wouldn't have given her romantic advice at the end, either.

 

I haven't seen Mary tell Talbot about either Pamuk or Gillingham, two scandals which could come back to drag her through the mud some day.  Having dealt with that insecurity herself, maybe she should be more sympathetic to the fact that Edith had a lovechild with her fiance before he died and felt insecure about it. 

 

I kept waiting for Bertie to show up, even up until the last two seconds when Edith was watching the children play around Sybil's grave.  It really fucking pisses me off that Mary got away with everything yet again; she didn't go to London to try and make amends with Edith, I thought for sure that it would be her in the waiting room, instead of Spratt...  Mary does not deserve Edith's goodwill, Mary better start writing to Bertie trying to convince him to come back for her, fucking do SOMETHING to actually make it right rather then act as a passive receiver of Edith's character. 

I'd much rather see Edith move out and set firm boundaries, such as never being in Mary's presence again unless absolutely necessary.  That bitch shouldn't be allowed to win it all yet again, though she didn't win much since I don't really buy or care about her marriage.  And Bertie better come back!!!!!!  Preferably without any of JF's ridiculous, clumsy  references to Tenessee Williams.  I need to see Mary defer to Edith as the Marchioness. 

 

RBJ should have been given the chance to display his acting skills by performing his own attempted suicide, rather then just giving all the action to Baxter.  It could have been much more meaningful then him just being found in the bathtub, unconcious.  And despite the people running down dingy hallways, I didn't really get the sense of medical urgency here.  Perhaps if we had seen Dr. Clarkson and learned how he treated Thomas...I'm still not happy that Thomas won't go to London and find love, or at least casual sex. 

 

I guess Tom could still get a job in journalism and start seeing Edith's editor or move back to Ireland in the christmas episode?  But yeah, everyone else's story was shafted in favor of Mary's, including Tom who spent all of his time on her instead of himself.  What do you get for devoting yourself to a selfish, self-interested narcissist?  The chance to keep doing it.

 

 

Or....Tom being the one person who knows about Marigold and understands and cares, could have come back not to be with Mary, but rather to be with EDITH. Maybe he can work on the magazine and marry Edith.

[Free]

Right? And Mary had the gall to say, "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way." Seriously, bitch!?

 

This is the same person who cared more about her haircut than her own sister's dead husband last year, especially given that she herself was a widow.

 

I also cannot understand why Julian Fellowes made Branson come back from Boston to become a glorified cheerleader.

 

Definitely a waste, it's the weakest episode ever imo.

[Gladrags]

Poor Edith - the classic middle sister. Mary was lucky Edith didn't murder her right there in the dining room. 

 

This is the same person who cared more about her haircut than her own sister's dead husband last year, especially given that she herself was a widow.

The timing of Thomas' suicide attempt was fortuitous for Mary; it deflected attention from what she did to Bertie and Edith just in the nick of time. 

[Free]

The timing of Thomas' suicide attempt was fortuitous for Mary; it deflected attention from what she did to Bertie and Edith just in the nick of time.

 

Even for Mary, that was even worse.  For some reason Fellowes amped up Mary's character this way in the last episode barring the CS.

[Tetraneutron]

 

Also the writers were basically saying screw you to the Mary/Tom fans. Personally, I hope Mary isn't happy with Henry. I don't see it working. I also don't buy she's in love with him. Eventually I can see Edith getting married and Mary divorcing.

 

The Barrow suicide attempt was lame and rushed. I could care less.

 

It doesn't have to work. Mary and Henry are only together for one more episode. The point is now Mary has a happy ending. A love marriage, her estate, the Crawley line continuing. I have to give credit to the writers. Mary and Henry is much more interesting than Mary and Gillingham/Blake/the other one. And I usually think Matthew Goode is boring. 

 

The Barrow suicide was pathetic, but they've been making the character pathetic all season. So desperate for a service job when he used to hate it. So desperate to stay in Ripon because the Crawleys are that wonderful. And it especially doesn't make sense since Moseley is leaving and the Bateses are trying for kids. They actually do need Thomas. 

 

The one moment of drama they've been promising all season finally happened. And nothing could have lived up to the hype but it was still so bloodless. It's great that Mary apologized, and they sort of came to a resolution and acknowledged they'd never be friends, but I think a good way to end the story would have to be Edith no longer giving Mary the power to hurt her. 

Edited November 9, 2015 by Tetraneutron

[Sisygambis]

This was not good.  I'm not mad, just dissapointed.

 

Tom's character was wasted this season.  Leaving aside any kind of Tom/Mary shipping, at least his pushing Mary in past episodes seemed to have a point.  In this, it just came off as meddling - and I have no idea WHY Tom was so invested in this relationship.  I kept yelling at everyone to leave Mary alone - if anyone treated me like that over a romatic relationship I'd stop talking to them.

 

I loved everything about Edith.  And I LOVED her speech at the end to Mary about how their shared memories would one day be more important that their anger.

 

I am very unsatisfied.  Here's to hoping the Christmas Special is better.

[Andorra]

Julian Fellows really wrote the worst romance ever. 

 

The lovely couple has a big fight at the beginning of the episode. Then the woman and the man sort it out through talks and fights and tears and an emotional breakdown that reveals all the hidden fears and insecurities.

 

BUT she has all those talks, fights and even her emotional breakdown with other people! It should have been Henry who yelled at her for being such a bitch and it should have been Henry to whom she revealed her inner fears not Violet.

 

Instead we get all this with Tom, Anna, even Edith and Violet and then Henry gets summoned to tea and gets the happy news that he is to be married.

 

AWFUL! 

[gryphon]

I am frustrated...everything was so rushed...and of course, Mary gets her way.  I loved it when Edith called her a bitch.  

I did like Mosely getting the kids to listen to him....Mrs. Patmore's "scandal" (hee)  and of all people Sprat/Cassandra!   

 

This episode made me long for Season 1.  *sigh*

[Kostgard]

Well, that was a thing that happened. 

 

For the good - I enjoyed Moseley's triumph. Daisy wasn't annoying as hell for once. I liked everyone laughing at Mrs. Patmore's House of Ill Repute. And I truly enjoyed Tom calling Mary out for the bully that she is. I don't mind that Mary is sometimes a bitch. It gives her character more depth. But I always hated that she always got away with being awful and no one called her on her shit. I'm glad that someone finally called her on her shit for once in her life.

 

And I really, really like Edith and her ladies at the ladies' magazine. I would totally watch that if it were a spin-off. Edith has really become the bigger person between the two sisters, and the one who is far more interesting. Yes, she was a sad sack for the longest time, but she's grown out of it and come into her own. Mary is still the same as she ever was. She has small moments of growth, but she had Edith perfectly personify "conservative" and "progressive" - Mary is old-fashioned and will do what is necessary to keep things afloat, but it is old-fashioned things she is keeping afloat. Edith has grown and changed and even from the beginning, embraced newer things and ideas (learning how to drive way back in the earlier seasons).

 

Mary/Talbot was anticlimactic and boring. If they had actually shown how they fell in the love and why they fell in love it would be thrilling, but it wasn't developed at all. I wasn't expecting Mary/Tom at all, because that is one point that Fellowes has actually been consistent on - Mary completely flipped a bitch over the idea of Edith outranking her. A woman who does that is never going to marry someone on the payroll, no matter how fond she is of them. 

 

That was also the most boring suicide attempt I've ever seen. That's all we get? It was nice that Mary showed her support and brought George to see him, but...seriously? That's all? Thomas just sitting in bed reading, realizing he's been a big meanie to everyone? Christ on a cracker. What a waste. And he's gonna stay put and go absolutely no where and spin his wheels for the rest of his life. Thrilling storytelling. 

 

So... Christmas special. The only thing I am looking forward to is the possibility of Bertie coming back and Edith finally getting a wedding where she isn't left at the altar. I'm sure the Bateses will have their murder baby (one moment of comedy - Anna pointedly asking the cop what he was doing there. You just know she was thinking "Dammit, did my husband kill someone again?"). Mary and Talbot will some some sort of...zzzzzzzzzz. Sorry. They bore me.

[NorthstarATL]

I really did think that when Tom was telling Mary off that they would suddenly realize that the only passionate exchanges either of them have have been with each other. Otherwise, Tom being simply a matchmaker was indeed a waste, and Mary's legitimate fears pertaining to Talbot's profession were well-founded and should have been enough to allow her decision to stand.

 Mary was completely over the top wrong in what she pulled on Edith, though. But I was really disappointed in Bertie, hoping that when he stood up that he would defend Edith and say that none of that mattered, instead of leaving like a child. Unless he totally redeems himself in the CS, I think Edith is well rid of him.

   Moseley's story was great, Patmore's amusing, and Barrow's sad. I feel the worst, though, for Mrs. Carson-Hughes.

[Ide]

Well, were to start...

 

Edith/Bertie: since I'm sure they'll get together and marry in the CS I wasn't that sad maybe because her happy ending is doing a detour.

 

Mary: well she really was a bitch. Unhappy people can be such arseholes (see Thomas) I loved when Tom lashed out on her and Edith too. The talk with the Dowager was very emotional and she finally admitted what her fear was. I'm still not a fan of Mary/Henry, the only good thing about it is that he is as strong-minded as she is and he can stand up to her. That's what she needs, but I was hoping it won't be Henry Talbot. The marriage came too fast.

 

Thomas (Barrow): I knew a suicide attempt was coming but I was so shocked, and when I saw him in that bathtub I started crying (then again when Mary was at Matthews grave and the Dowager/Mary talk, so basically I had tears in my eyes all the time). I knew Mary and George would visit him in his bedroom, that scene was so cute. Thomas and Mary were the most unhappy people in that house, that's why she probably felt the need to visit him with George. Apart from this, Thomas storyline was shit, he tries to kill himself is saved by Mrs Baxter and now everything is well? How many scenes did he have? Like three, for such strong stuff definitely not enough!

 

Tom: that intensive matchmaker role was so exhausting. Now he has his new best friend living with them at DA, well done! :( Although I loved the "talk" he had with Mary and it was important he was the one who talked like that with her.)

 

Carson: oh my God, since this series I never knew how much I don't need to see him. He was again a insensitive bastard (towards Mrs Patmore)

[Llywela]

Wow, the pacing and narrative structuring of the stories in this episode were all over the place.

 

It was definitely a season finale, not a show finale - so many loose threads left hanging. The Christmas episode is the show finale. I just hope it does manage to tie up a few of those loose ends.

 

Julian Fellowes has a genius for coming up with big storylines and then robbing them of every ounce of actual drama by placing the emphasis of his storytelling in weird/wrong places.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Llywela