S06.E09: Christmas Day

[sark1624]

How could they discuss about the matter they didn't know? Only Edith knew (presumably she was told by Bertie when they walked in the park, although the audience was kept in the dark), but she evidently didn't take the possibility seriously as Bertie's cousin was young and unmarried.

 

Of course irl the Crawleys would have known. But in DA they didn't know that Blake would inherit a title, either.

 

 

In a real scenario Edith or the Crawleys would have pulled their "Debrett Peerage Book" and would have seen that Bertie was indeed the next in line to the tittle, the only shock about his situation was that his cousin was gay and unmarried. But those families always checked those books to see the possition of certain person in some aristocratic family, even Robert told that to Cora´s mother when she asked about Matthew. For that reason i think that was incredible implausible that Violet was more worried about Mary and Henry than Edith and Bertie; a possible marriage betwen one of the Crawleys girls with one of the "grandest man in england" is a big deal, so naturally all the family would have put their efforts in that. Also for that reason when Mary said that she doesnt want to steal Edith´s attention with her pregnancy is illogical, again, in a real aristocratic family all there would have been bussy with the wedding and the pregnancy of one of their daughters with some car dealer is secondary in that moment.  

[bc1795]

It was a small nod,  but I liked Cora's (McGovern's) mention of  "Ordinary People"

[proserpina65]

Suddenly I have allergies which seemed to be making my eyes water.  Yeah, that's it, allergies.

 

I'm gonna miss this well-dressed posh soap opera more than I'd ever thought possible.  And although some of the storylines were wrapped up a little too easily, I enjoyed the hell out of that.  Everyone got some happy-ish resolution, and I'm not even mad that, despite his previous crapittude, Thomas ended up as butler because he finally, finally seemed to learn something about how to treat people if you want them to treat you nicely in return.  And there were hopeful notes for the future for Isobel, Mrs. Patmore and Tom, even if we didn't see the actual endings there.  Plus, the clothes - oh the clothes!  Especially the dress Edith was wearing at the Ritz!  I want that dress!!!!  (Although, of course, it would look like crap on me.)

 

One note: given Carson's reaction to the hairdryer (Oh Lady Mary wanted it?  That's okay then.) all I could picture was "A vibrator!?!?!?  Oh, Lady Mary wants it?  No problem then.".

[crowceilidh]

 

I did like when the reverend asked, during Edith's wedding, if anyone had a reason why the marriage should not take place, and there was this big PAUSE.

I was yelling, "Gregson, Gregson, Gregson" at that moment.  Sure he would resurrect and screw the whole thing up.  Very entertaining that they put the pause there.

 

The other place I was yelling was the final moment between Lord Grantham and Carson, but here I was yelling, "Kiss, kiss, kiss!"

 

I thought it was very nice to have a series wrapped up in a bow, though it made for an often tedious season as JF presented the boxes and then checked them.  So many television series end so unsatisfactorily story-line-wise.  Lovely to have a soap end in happiness all around.

 

In the "tribute" (aka pledge break) afterwards, one of them (Carmichael I think) talked about how easy it had become as JF had got their voices and acting style down, so they merely had to read the lines.  That made me laugh - I thought Leech and Dockery and Goode were all "reading lines" for at least the last 3 episodes.  Leech was a caricature by last night's episode.

 

I wish I'd registered Patricia Hodge's "What I call" - I guess I was too busy being stunned by the severity of her appearance.

Edited March 7, 2016 by crowceilidh

[poeticlicensed]

Overall, I'm left with positive feelings. Even though it was a soapy ending, I'm glad things worked out for everyone. Where wil I get my house and dress porn from now?!

 

Despite tearing up a little at certain points, mainly because I was saying goodbye to the characters, not the story, I still had to shake my damn head at some of the stuff that happened. 

 

Like when Anna went into labor. For God's sake, just because your water breaks, doesn't mean to have to immediately take to the closest bed. Particularly for  a first child. I realized they wanted Anna to give birth in Mary's bed to show what good buddies they are but GMAFB, that house has dozens of bedrooms, and I do believe a woman whose water just broke is able to be be taken to another room. 

 

Bad anemia turns into good anemia? So he never had another test after the initial one? Um ok

 

As for the costumes, I realize that they all wear wigs because some of the hairstyles are so intricate, but Daisy's new do was so obviously a wig, I actually laughed out loud. Rose definitely won the wedding dress lottery, with Mary coming in second. I was so underwhelmed at Edith's dress. I guess I was just expecting more. 

 

As for a sequel (or prequel), nope I'm fine leaving it as is. And I believe the JF is now working on an NBC series about the Gilded Age, which I both anticipate and fear. Edith Wharton is one of my favorite authors and I just know I will be comparing her work to any story and show  about the Gilded Age, so I an worried I am setting myself up for disappointment. But I'll watch of course. 

Edited March 7, 2016 by poeticlicensed

[proserpina65]

And I still don't get the plot with Isobel, Lord Merton, and Amelia. Why was Amelia trying so hard to prevent Isobel from seeing Lord Merton? How does it benefit her? You would think she'd be happy that her father-in-law, whom she hates, is out of her hair. I get she's the villain but characters still have to have motivation for doing things?

 

I supposed that she and Larry were afraid he'd marry Isobel and leave some of his money to her, thus depriving them of part of the fortune they so desperately wanted.

[Mrs Shibbles]

Like when Anna went into labor. For God's sake, just because your water breaks, doesn't mean to have to immediately take to the closest bed. Particularly for  a first child. I realized they wanted Anna to give birth in Mary's bed to show what good buddies they are but GMAFB, that house has dozens of bedrooms, and I do believe a woman whose water just broke is able to be be taken to another room.

 

Guess it was part of Fellowes' wrapping everything up in a pretty bow. Season 1 started with Pamuk dying in Mary's bed, now the series ends with Baby Bates being born in it. 

 

What were Henry and Mary discussing at the wedding? something like "Should we tell them?"  Was that just about the stupid used car business Henry was going into, or was it a pregnancy?

[terrymct]

Was that what they were doing? Because my understanding was the estate passed on to the heir and there was nothing anyone could do about it. That's what drove the whole first season. 

 

 

The issue the first season wasn't just plain old inheritance, it was that someone (Robert's father?) had put in place an entailment that said everything has to go to the male heir.  That's why guy that was killed on the Titanic, then Matthew, was the heir and everyone else would/could be out on their butts.  If not for the entailment, they'd have had a bit more latitude.

[stillshimpy]

I supposed that she and Larry were afraid he'd marry Isobel and leave some of his money to her, thus depriving them of part of the fortune they so desperately wanted.

 

That's the thing, depending upon the terms of the entail, if Larry married again there's chance that there was a substantial income left to any surviving wife after his death.  The title, the house and the land would all be entailed to next male heir, but apparently Larry's daughter-in-law was very worried about any money or income being diverted to Isobel.  Apparently she was happy enough with the situation when it meant Isobel would be Larry's nursemaid for the remainder of his life and presumably politely follow him to the grave in short order, but with his death looming, a claim could be made against his monetary estate for spousal support after his death, or he might have been at liberty to leave her a fairly good annual income that was an entirely separate from the title and land. 

 

I felt so bad for that poor actor playing Larry's daughter-in-law in that scene with Violet.  She's playing opposite Maggie Smith, for god's sake, she's going to be run over with a bus loaded with talent and a gift for scene stealing anyway , but she was such a diabolical cartoon of a character anyway, there was no way to add any shading to that "Harumphumph!" sort of chin lift and "Well I never!" sort of look she had to deliver after Violet zings her. 

 

Poor actor.  That won't be going into her audition reel.  "Here's me getting turned into a mat under Maggie Smith's heel." 

 

The scene where Henry and his mother play dueling "I'd like to make an announcement" roulette was unintentionally hilarious to me.  Clear the cast of day players was being directed to essentially not react to that oddity, because in relief even the most restrained and well-bred of gentry would have chanced a quizzical "What the actual fuck is going on here?" expression. 

Edited March 7, 2016 by stillshimpy

[proserpina65]

Was that what they were doing? Because my understanding was the estate passed on to the heir and there was nothing anyone could do about it. That's what drove the whole first season.

 

The Earl of Grantham's estate could only pass to a male heir because it was entailed that way.  Not all English estates were set up the same way, and even when they were, the lord often had private monies which he could leave to whomever he wanted.  I presumed that Amelia and Larry were worried that Lord Merton would marry Isobel and leave some of his fortune to her when he died, and that's why they were trying to keep her away.

[rose711]

I am very happy the way everything worked out.

[crowceilidh]

Oh yeah - there was a scene that went over my head - Patmore, Daisy and Hughes talking about Edith finally being happy and then they said something like "Will they tell her?" and "She'll find out soon enough" --- and I didn't know who "she" was or what was going to be told.  I rewound and watched it again and still didn't know.

[Dejana]

1920s evening gowns could be gorgeous but IMO the wedding dresses weren't nearly as attractive, and the veils were hideous. The costume designers weren't as "accurate" with Mary or Edith as they could have been, a good thing.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Dejana

[Barbie]

Oh yeah - there was a scene that went over my head - Patmore, Daisy and Hughes talking about Edith finally being happy and then they said something like "Will they tell her?" and "She'll find out soon enough" --- and I didn't know who "she" was or what was going to be told.  I rewound and watched it again and still didn't know.

I think they were talking about Marigold and when/if she will be told who she really is..... 

[kassa]

And it's funny, because in that great documentary series about the real life of servants, a story is highlighted about a servant who gave birth in her employer's drawing room, and was immediately fired for bringing disgrace upon the house.   If you had a medical condition and neither you or your insurance could pay for it yourself, you were fired and shipped off to the workhouse, there was no pension, they did not take care of you. 

 

 

I don’t know where or what time period that documentary covered, but there have always been decent people and horrible people of all ranks.  My own great great grandmother was in service in the late 19th century.  She was the cook, and on her half day off (!) was eager to go out with her girlfriend who was one of the maids.  And so she was helping her with laundering some lace thingamajig so she could be done with her work and they could get going.  Unfortunately, there was a straight pin in the lace.  It went into my gg grandmother’s arm, and she got blood poisoning and lost the arm.  Far from kicking her out, the family kept her on (a one armed cook!) and said they couldn’t dream of letting her go.  Charity?  Sure.  But honor and loyalty, too.

 

60 years later her (elderly) daughter (my great grandmother) was employed as a companion to an even more elderly rich lady.  When my ggrandmother died, the family sent my grandmother $1000 for funeral expenses, even though it had been a few years since she had worked for them.  (I don’t know how much funerals cost in the early 70s, but probably not more than $1000.)  Just kind (rich) people looking out for people who worked for them, despite no legal requirement to do so.

 

I did get a kick out of Daisy re-evaluating Andy while watching him in his shirtsleeves doing manual labor.  That was the 1920s equivalent of half naked, and she was drooling. 

 

Not sure how just putting Master Bates in the nursery is going to work out.  Is he going to share Talbot Baby Nanny?  That’s a bit of a perk.  Have some underling maid watch him?  (More likely if such an accommodation were made)

 

I laughed at ready-to-pop Anna saying she was just going to “run” the hair dryer up three flights of stairs.  Suuuuuure, she was.

 

I think it highly unlikely that Bertie's mother went from saying insulting things about the dead gay cousin to graciously accepting Edith and Marigold in the space of one day.

 

 

I don’t know how gracious it was.  I think Bertie was standing up to her for the first time, and she was knocked off her game.  She’ll be a passive aggressive pall over that marriage, I’m sure.

 

Did Thomas truly hate being a servant, or did he just hate being under the thumb of a butler who despised him?  Plus, he’s older.  I enjoy my job a lot more than I did in my mid-20s.  I’m better at it, I’m better appreciated, I have more personal liberty to do it the way I want, etc.   Being Under Butler seems to have consisted of  still acting at Carson’s beck and call.  Now he will have the oversight of all of the other servants, but also the responsibility of the wine cellar, personal daily professional contact with the Earl (not as the guy who brings up the tea, but the guy who tells him when there’s a blackmailer waiting in the library), etc.  Also, he will have the ability to hire young gay footmen.  (Just kidding.)

Edited March 7, 2016 by kassa

[missmontyp]

"will they tell her"   They meant Marigold and probably meant in a few years when she is older.  They were wondering when and if Edith and Bertie would tell Marigold that her father was Gregson and not Bertie.

[proserpina65]

I had a fleeting moment of worry that Edith's new title would lead her to give up being so involved with the magazine, before I remembered she's fictional. I'm pleased that she's happy with a genuinely nice husband, but it's an about-face for the direction she was heading half a season ago: modern woman in London living on her own, publisher of her own magazine. 

I prefer to fanwank it as her still doing the magazine thing, only part-time.  And mama Pelham dying soon after the wedding so that Edith doesn't have to tiptoe around her for long.  Hey, the story's no longer Fellowes' so I can imagine what I want.

[AndySmith]

The main issue for Edith and Bertie with regards to the magazine is how far Hexham is from London. Today it's over 5 hours by car...I can only imagine how long of a commute it would have been back then.

Edited March 7, 2016 by AndySmith

[proserpina65]

Why do you think the estate gets sold?  It seems like the (fictional) family has done the best they could to ensure it would survive and stay in the family.  I think the episode where they do the house tour implies that they are going to keep it and take advantage of the interest in these estates, along with keeping the land as prosperous as possible.  I would think it would go a similar route that the family/owners of Highclere did and still do, since it is still under the control of the Carnarvons.  They have made it through the same time periods and have made Highclere earn it's keep with the tours and filming location stuff.  I don't know all the history of Highclere though, so I might not have the whole story there.

 

Some great estates remained in the hands of the original family.  The castle that stood in for Brancaster, Alnwick Castle, as well as other holdings including Syon House outside of London where the exteriors for Gosford Park were filmed still belong to the Duke of Northumberland.  (Who, incidently, inherited the title when his somewhat dissolute elder brother died of drug-related heart failure; although, unlike Bertie's cousin, the brother was decidedly not gay, if his relationships with Barbara Carrera and Naomi Campbell's mother are anything to judge by.)  He's had to sell some possessions, admit visitors, rent properties out for filming, etc., over the years, but the estates are still running along.

[proserpina65]

I think that the plot was really odd if we were supposed to believe that Bertie's mother would tell publicly that Edith had an illegitimate child and therefore she couldn't accept her son's engagement. But that kind of behavior would have been impossible for then she would publicly humiliate also Bertie and that would destroy his chances to succeed as a Marquess.

 

The only thing Mrs Pelham could have done would be to make Edith break the engagement because she wasn't "worthy" in her own mind.

I don't think she had any intent to reveal it publicly because, as other commenters noted, she knows who butters the bread in her family.  I imagine she tried to shame Edith into breaking the engagement, and when that failed, tried to bully Bertie into doing it.  That didn't work either, so she was stuck with accepting it or having her son hate her.  I don't think she'll be all sweetness and light to Edith, but maybe she'll be polite so as not to find herself chucked out of that lovely castle.

[LiveenLetLive]

19 20s evening gowns could be gorgeous but IMO the wedding dresses weren't nearly as attractive, and the veils were hideous. The costume designers weren't as "accurate" with Mary or Edith as they could have been, a good thing.

I sell vintage clothing and I agree about the wedding gowns of the period (now Wedding gowns in the 30's were to die for) anyway all 20's fashions favored thin women, hippy gals were at a disadvantage. 

[proserpina65]

The main issue for Edith and Bertie with regards to the magazine is how far Hexham is from London. Today it's over 5 hours by car...I can only imagine how long of a commute it would have been back then.

Perhaps Edith can pop down once a month to check on the magazine and do some shopping?  :-)

[poeticlicensed]

I sell vintage clothing and I agree about the wedding gowns of the period (now Wedding gowns in the 30's were to die for) anyway all 20's fashions favored thin women, hippy gals were at a disadvantage. 

Agreed. Here is a sampling of 1920s and 30s wedding gowns. You can tell when the 20s dropped waist dress turned into the 30s more sleek styles

 

http://www.vintag.es/2015/06/42-glamorous-wedding-dresses-from-1920s.html

[MakeMeLaugh]

kassa, I too loved Daisy's eyeing Andrew's guns (and more , looking up from the ground at him on a ladder) while he was repairing the roof for Mr. Mason. She was always the silly little nincompoop, so of course she has grown up into a silly adult nincompoop.

Denker and Stratt are like the cartoonish and buffoonish throw-me-right-out-of-the-story Thenardiers in Les Mis.

I watched every minute of the series and the finale but am sort of sorry everyone had to be paired up at the end to be happy. I would have been so happy for Thomas (or better, bring back O'Brien to do this) to have yelled out "she's Marigold's mother" during the speak now section of Edith's wedding.

Maybe baby Bates will grow up to accompany Master George into WWII like Bates and Robert.

No whispers/harbingers about the Great Depression?

Overall, five stars for acting, setting, costumes, art direction. Three stars for character development and dialog. Two for plotlines. Tonight I am watching Gosford Park on Amazon Prime.

ETA Mr MML was bawling like a baby for the whole show so perhaps I am a little more cynical just to balance him out.

Edited March 7, 2016 by MakeMeLaugh

[pbutler111]

There was certainly a bit of a slap-dash feel to some of these loose ends being tied up. It would have been very nice to have actually seen how Mary convinced Bertie that he should marry Edith after all rather than Bertie just showing up and basically saying that Mary sent him, like a candygram. And the whole idea of Tom and Miss Edmunds getting together is a nice one, but I would love to see how they would work around the fact that Miss Edmunds has a very busy and important job in London, while Tom is tethered to Downton by a child and, now, a business. He likes strong women? Okey dokey, Tom, guess you'll be quitting your job in favor or hers, then?

[meep.meep]

This. So much this. I was incredibly disappointed with season 6 and with the ending. The only good thing is, that I'm truly over Downton now and that I'm really glad it is over. Tom's lack of storyline and ending was sad. Just throw a last second "love interest" at him and give him a job as a second car salesman and that's good enough, right? After all who cares for Tom. He was only in the series for 6 years and he had dreams and ambitions once. But he looks good holding a puppy and loves the Crawleys,so what could his fans wish for?

Well he's got free day care for life.  That's worth something.

 

And Henry is not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer - I'm sure that Tom can make sure that he gets the bigger piece of the pie.

[kassa]

Edith will be spending the season in London, presumably.  Is that the summer?  Wonder if ladies' magazines were seasonal?  

[AndySmith]

or better, bring back O'Brien to do this) to have yelled out "she's Marigold's mother" during the speak now section of Edith's wedding

 

That would have been hilarious! Her last FU to the Crawleys...just pop her head sideways at the door and shout it out.

 

Perhaps Edith can pop down once a month to check on the magazine and do some shopping?

 

I figure she probably would, at any rate.

[Jodithgrace]

I kind of felt sorry for Marigold, going from the (relatively) cozy Downton Abby with her cousins (and more to come) to that cold, forbidding pile where she will be all alone, except for a nanny. (and her obsessed Mother) Even if Edith and Bertie got right to work on producing heirs, it would still be a few years before Marigold had any real companionship. It's not like there are kids in the neighborhood.

But I was very happy with everybody else's happy endings. I laughed at how everybody hurried and got matched up before the end. Only Thomas is still alone, and I was half expecting to see some new character..a mechanic at the car dealership, for example, to suddenly appear and give Thomas the once over. But I am contented enough with a reformed Thomas back at the only home he has ever known.

Even Dickie's anemia couldn't resist the happy ending, and stopped being pernicious just in time.

Farewell, Downton Abby..I will miss you.

[Spunkygal]

At the beginning when the family is on a walk and Edith tells her family that she is thinking about putting Marigold in a boarding school, Isobel asks if Marigold has any relations who need to be kept informed. There is hesitation from the group and Robert says none that we are aware of. Really!!! After all that Isobel has been through with you guys and you can't take her of all people into your confidence! And she is so progressive regarding women's issues! And most of the downstairs staff already knows!!! Really??!!! Shameful.

[moonb]

I'm ok with the "happy endings for all" finale in light of the fact that we the audience know what's coming over the next 20 years, and just in time for the children to grow up. Let them have their happy endings for a few years, anyway. It's unlikely that Violet, Isobel, Robert, Carson and Mrs. Hughes will live to see it all, but the others might. 

 

Whoever directed this episode did a great job with the half dark, half bright lighting in the scene between Robert and Carson about how things have turned out. Nice nod to them both being products of a previous age, but also possible foreshadowing what's in store for Europe.

 

Edith needed her happy ending, but I prefer Isobel's and even Daisy's (yeah, I know). Isobel started out a widow and lost her only child, so it's fitting that she has a happy second marriage and family in Dickie and Violet, leaving aside the nasty sons and daughter-in-law. Her face always lit up around Dickie this episode (and vice  versa), and while I was annoyed Fellowes sped through their wedding, it's in character for Isobel to have the simple ceremony in the clerk's office anyway.  I'm always moved by "second chance at love later in life" stories.

 

And regardless of Andy, it was about time that orphaned Daisy figured out that Mrs. Patmore and Mr. Mason were her family and finally embraced that, 10 years later. 

 

Another vote for Edith's dinner at the Ritz outfit as a favorite, along with that red dress she wore at the beginning of the episode.

 

At the beginning when the family is on a walk and Edith tells her family that she is thinking about putting Marigold in a boarding school, Isobel asks if Marigold has any relations who need to be kept informed. There is hesitation from the group and Robert says none that we are aware of. Really!!! After all that Isobel has been through with you guys and you can't take her of all people into your confidence! And she is so progressive regarding women's issues! And most of the downstairs staff already knows!!! Really??!!! Shameful.

It's not technically a lie, since they're all right there, lol. But yes, there's the later scene downstairs, and the scene with Robert and Edith discussing telling Bertie's mother about Marigold, where Edith rattles off all the people who already know the truth. I'm not even sure you can call it an open secret at this point. And then Robert says, "oh, but don't tell Carson. He'd faint." Haha.

Edited March 7, 2016 by moonb

[Roseanna]

So what? A fortune isn't the same as a title.

 

No, but why on earth Lavinia's father kept his fortune secret? Irl he would have wanted the best marriage for her daughter even if he of course didn't want any fortune hunter. Also, he would have known that Crawleys would have looked down at Lavinia as a simple middle class girl, but the knowledge that she was an heiress and her fortune could have used for Downton would have made their attitude (but not that of Carson!) at least somewhat better.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

Can Downton Abbey's Grand Finale Deliver Happy Endings Even To Its Poutiest Patricians?
Christmas comes to Downton, but will everyone get to enjoy some holiday cheer?

[AndySmith]

What does Lavinia even have to do with this discussion? Or this episode?

[Roseanna]

Edith needed her happy ending, but I prefer Isobel's and even Daisy's (yeah, I know). Isobel started out a widow and lost her only child, so it's fitting that she has a happy second marriage and family in Dickie and Violet, leaving aside the nasty sons and daughter-in-law. Her face always lit up around Dickie this episode (and vice  versa), and while I was annoyed Fellowes sped through their wedding, it's in character for Isobel to have the simple ceremony in the clerk's office anyway.  I'm always moved by "second chance at love later in life" stories.

 

Why on earth? Was it regarded a bit second-rate and even shameful not to be married by the priest?

 

I am not against Isabel marrying, but why did she have to get a title?

 

A sad thing is she wasn't given by Fellowes a close relationship with George, which would have been normal in her situation, after losing her only son. 

[stillshimpy]

I did think it was amusingly heavy-handed to have Henry's mother be the outspoken champion for all things morality and prudery based as the final hurdle to clear, by the way.  She did come around very quickly, but it was an amusing note "Judgmental as hell, shaming, rigid:  A prude.  Until her third scene."  presumably heart-growth was charted into the Grinch percentile that day.  

 

Agreed. Here is a sampling of 1920s and 30s wedding gowns. You can tell when the 20s dropped waist dress turned into the 30s more sleek styles

 

Sweet Lords of Mercy.  I take it back.  Edith's dress was lovely comparatively.  Her veil a thing of beauty.  Some of those were hideous and the veils complete horrors.  Some were quite nice, but egads and eek on several of them.   Some of that's couture fit only for a particularly grim haunting.  Yipes. 

[helenamonster]

What was the name of Shrimpie's seat? I can't remember.

I wish someone had called him Shrimpie again!

 

Shrimpie is the Marquess of Flintshire.

 

What were Henry and Mary discussing at the wedding? something like "Should we tell them?"  Was that just about the stupid used car business Henry was going into, or was it a pregnancy?

 

They were talking about the pregnancy. Henry wanted to tell everyone immediately but Mary didn't want to steal Edith's thunder.

 

Oh yeah - there was a scene that went over my head - Patmore, Daisy and Hughes talking about Edith finally being happy and then they said something like "Will they tell her?" and "She'll find out soon enough" --- and I didn't know who "she" was or what was going to be told.  I rewound and watched it again and still didn't know.

 

They were talking about Marigold, which is apparently just this thing that's out and everyone is cool with now. This story and Anna's rape bugged me for a lot of reasons, but one of the things they have in common is that they were about events that had to be kept secret at all costs, only for the need to keep it secret disappeared as soon as the plot no longer required it. This show increasingly lost its stakes over the years and that might be one of the things that bothered me most about it.

 

When there was the pause during the wedding, I was convinced Anna was going to go into labor right then and there. I would have liked that: my favorite character spoiling a moment for my least favorite. Though I know it would have pissed most people off lol.

[Roseanna]

My husband has been a lot more patient with Edith than I have, but when she saw him at dinner and put all the blame on him for their breaking up, even he finally had had enough.  Last night he finally met the Edith "I am never responsible and always a victim" Crawley I have known these past six seasons.  

 

Edith took the full responsibility about their breaking up in their last discussion in ep8.

 

That said, the discussion in the Ritz was poorly written. Edith seemed to be angry towards Bertie but we weren't told the reason. Perhaps it was too painful for her to meet Bertie when he couldn't marry her (as he believed)?

 

Most of all, Bertie said only that he wanted to marry Edith because he couldn't live without her. Nothing was said about the reason why he dumped her: that he couldn't trust her because she hadn't trusted him.

 

BTV, considering Mary's behavior in ep8, why on earth Bertie trusted in her instead of suspecting that her aim was to make a fool of him by waiting for Edith who never came?

[Patricia07]

I couldn't believe that Daisy didn't get in trouble for removing that hair dryer from Lady Mary's room!!

[s-k-s]

What was Lord Merton's title, anyway? Do we know if it was hereditary or just lifetime? Does he have a castle or just that giant house?

He might just be a rich guy with a lifetime title - i.e., no giant landed estate tied up in an entail - in which case he could leave it all to Isobel and screw the scheming sons.

[AndySmith]

I believe he is a Baron, though not 100% about Larry inheriting the title or not. Downtown's wiki site seems to think he will.

 

Either way, I really like that Isobel is now a titled Lady.

Edited March 7, 2016 by AndySmith

[peacheslatour]

Edith will be spending the season in London, presumably.  Is that the summer?  Wonder if ladies' magazines were seasonal?  

I believe they are referring to the Social Season, which, (I hope someone will correct me if I'm wrong) usually began when the theatres opened in London and everyone returns to their town homes for "the season", closing their country estates  and leaving a skeleton crew of servants to maintain them.

[poeticlicensed]

I did think it was amusingly heavy-handed to have Henry's mother be the outspoken champion for all things morality and prudery based as the final hurdle to clear, by the way.  She did come around very quickly, but it was an amusing note "Judgmental as hell, shaming, rigid:  A prude.  Until her third scene."  presumably heart-growth was charted into the Grinch percentile that day.  

 

 

 

 

Sweet Lords of Mercy.  I take it back.  Edith's dress was lovely comparatively.  Her veil a thing of beauty.  Some of those were hideous and the veils complete horrors.  Some were quite nice, but egads and eek on several of them.   Some of that's couture fit only for a particularly grim haunting.  Yipes. 

Yes, my grandmother and great aunt were both married in 1924. Their dresses were not as bad others that I have seen, but the veils were awful. I have my grandmothers veil and my mom asked me if I wanted to wear it for my wedding. Um no. But then again, I was married in the 1980s, so I have no right to judge. At least I didn't wear a knock off of Diana's dress, like many of my friends and they looked like huge cupcakes.

[SusanSunflower]

Wait ... so Elsie is stuck with that crochety old man who is likely to be getting more dependent, depressed and, yes, crochety for the duration? Oh joy!

 

I found this finale more lock-step machinery-creaking perfunctory rather than joyous ... but I was -- aside from Elsie's life sentence to playing Cinderella to Carson's prince -- overall satisfied, if far from convinced, particularly wrt Mary's wedded bliss. Henry's true soul mate is obviously Tom and Mary will shortly be as "bored" with selling cars as she was with racing cars, because it's trade. I again felt that Bertie's veneration of his libertine cousin's life and freedom might be foreshadowing.... oh well. It was nice to see Robert "appreciate" Cora ... creak creak. 

Edited March 7, 2016 by SusanSunflower

[AndySmith]

I believe they are referring to the Social Season, which, (I hope someone will correct me if I'm wrong) usually began when the theatres opened in London and everyone returns to their town homes for "the season", closing their country estates  and leaving a skeleton crew of servants to maintain them

 

More or less. It's also when daughters of nobility are presented to society (like we saw with Rose). Apparently, politics was also a part of the Season.

Edited March 7, 2016 by AndySmith

[Pj3422]

That last shot -- of Downton Abbey in the snow... did anybody else get a "St. Elsewhere" finale vibe? That it was a snow globe, and the entire series took place in Marigold's mind?

[ichbin]

I wish I'd registered Patricia Hodge's "What I call" - I guess I was too busy being stunned by the severity of her appearance.

 

I totally forgot Patricia Hodge was in Miranda, but that's because in my mind she will always be Mary Fisher from The Live and Loves of a She-Devil (TV, not movie).

[Constantinople]

The main issue for Edith and Bertie with regards to the magazine is how far Hexham is from London. Today it's over 5 hours by car...I can only imagine how long of a commute it would have been back then.

 

Send a raven.

[TomServo]

I wish I'd registered Patricia Hodge's "What I call" - I guess I was too busy being stunned by the severity of her appearance.

 

That was actually the moment when I realized it was Patricia Hodge.  Because, yes, they made her look so severe I hadn't recognized her.  I missed the Ordinary People reference, though.

 

 

No whispers/harbingers about the Great Depression?

 

I took the scene near the end where Cora and Robert were saying things like "the estate is safe in Mary's hands...we never know what's coming, of course..." as anvil-hanging.

 

Like when Anna went into labor. For God's sake, just because your water breaks, doesn't mean to have to immediately take to the closest bed. 

 

No, but maybe she knew it was going to be her only chance to rest for a bit after being on her feet all day doing chores.  I did appreciate that they bothered to throw some water on the floor for effect.

[MrsR]

Here's the thing that pisses me off the most about the ending:

 

The show's premise to start with was the entail. It brought Matthew and Isobel into the family and set up the most interesting aspect of this family estate problems, that the family wasn't in control of it, not really.

 

So when does Fellowes choose to end the show? At the very moment, and I mean moment, that entail was made illegal and the family could do with their property what ever they wanted. The Law of Property Act went into effect on January 1st, 1926, the very moment the servants downstairs began to sing Auld Langes Syne.

 

And Fellowes NEVER mentions it.  

 

Was he being ironic? Or did he not do his research? Because Merton didn't have to leave his house to his ungrateful horror of a son. He could leave it to who ever he liked. The title would go to the son but he could have left the house to Isobel. I like to think he eventually did.

Edited March 7, 2016 by MrsR