Rabid Downton Abbey fan: Do not continue reading this post if you have not seen the latest Downton Abbey installment (#5). In this post-traumatic stress episode, in which the viewer is still reeling from events that unfolded in Episode 4, Julian Fellowes is finally starting to concentrate on the characters again.
Credit: Courtesy of © Joss Barratt/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2012 for MASTERPIECE
Daisy’s relationship with her papa-in-law is strengthening and promises to bode well for her financial future.
Isobel’s good heart is having a positive impact on Ethel.
Mrs Hughes and Mrs. Patmore are turning into the sort of servants one could easily imagine as friends.
And Maggie Smith simply shines as the grieving dowager who desperately wants to save her son’s marriage.
Credit: Courtesy of © Joss Barratt/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2012 for MASTERPIECE
As for the prison story, it seems that Mr. Bates might finally frolic in some open meadow with his fair bride again.
Wonder of wonders, Matthew and Mary showed a spark of marital harmony in a very affecting bedroom scene.
There are a few problems, of course, for this season can still not compare to Season One. Those two Neanderthals – Robert and Carson – are becoming insufferable with their stubborn adherence to old customs.
And the whole Catholic issue is somewhat tedious, but not unrealistic. There was a great deal of animosity and hostility towards Catholics from British Anglicans and American Protestants in the early 20th century. All the ceremonial hoopla of this relic-loving, reliquary-prone religion gave Protestants in the US and Anglicans in the UK the heebie jeebies, and so the Robert’s distaste is not all that surprising. (My father’s side of the family were staunch, conservative, Pope-fearing Catholics, which my mother’s side definitely was NOT. My maternal uncle quipped that if all St. Servaas’s bones were put together, scientists would discover that the man had been at least 12 feet tall.)
Seal of St. Servaas
What is unrealistic is Robert’s SURPRISE that Tom Branson would want his daughter to be baptised in his faith.
Fellowes has made our earl look stupid on too many occasions.
Where I once admired our lord of the manor, I now find him irritating. Having said that, the final scene in which he and Cora hold on to each other in mutual grief had me grabbing for my hanky.
Which brings me to one final thought: Has anyone else noticed this strange phenomenon? – Robert’s dog, Isis, doesn’t seem to age. The series began in 1912 and is now covering events in 1920-21.
Isis should have aged 8 or 9 years. She would have a gray muzzle at the very least and the slow gait of an older dog. But she is as sprightly as ever! Go figure. (Ah, a reader wrote to say that Pharaoh preceded Isis, so that would make our lovely bitch only 3-4 years old. Continuity preserved!!)
Now for my book giveaway. You all must be salivating. (Unfortunately, only U.S. Viewers are eligible.) St. Martin’s Press has kindly sent me a copy to give away of their gorgeous new Downton Abbey companion book, The Chronicles of Downton Abbey: A New Era, written by Jessica Fellows and Matthew Sturgis. It is a lush volume, made of glossy paper and filled with color photographs. Included are details of all the main characters and glimpses of what went on behind the scenes from the perspective of the film’s director, executive director, and other members of the crew.
I particularly like the items that go with each character. For example, Thomas’s chapter showcases images of the accoutrements of his position, the brand of cigarettes he would have smoked, and the nature of his collars. The Earl and Countess’ possessions include images of their jewelry, picnic basket, newspapers, hat, and embroidery hoop. Mrs. Patmore’s and Daisy’s chapter includes images of various kitchen items. And so on, and so on. This book, in addition to the equally wonderful The World of Downton Abbey, given to me for Christmas by a dear friend, are the perfect coffee table adornments for those of us who are DA addicts.
Order the book from PBS for just $19.99
Contest Rules: For a chance to win a copy of this book, all you need to do is write about some aspect of Episode 5 that you liked or didn’t like – just as if you are the reviewer! The contest is open until February 10th, midnight. PLEASE NOTE: CONTEST is Closed. Tinuviel, you are the winner, chosen by random number generator!
Images courtesy PBS PRessroom.
I look forward to reading your comments! NO SPOILERS, PLEASE!!!
Jane Austen's World 
Bates’s situation seems to be too easily solved just by prison blackmail. I wanted something more interesting in the plot like someone else who didn’t like Bates who arranged the arsenic switch, etc, namely Thomas or other worthy villain. The cinematography this season and the lighting in particular, not just in prison, but everywhere are too harsh with eerie shadows on all the faces. Soft gauze on cameras in the 50’s produced more flattering results. I’m not a fan of digital cameras which are used everywhere now in the making of movies as well as made for TV series like this one. Isis is probably another dog, one of several. There were many Lassie’s and he/she never aged either.
My review of Episode 5: Mourning the spark of Fellowes-y fun and froth that permeated Season 1 . . . in this episode everyone’s dour, Lady Hatchet-face and Matthew have settled into an entirely vanilla existence, and Robert’s cartoonishly boorish. Please, for the love of all that is Violet, won’t someone dish up some snappy one-liners and smoldering glances? One hates to get all soapsy about it, but I felt just too weighed down by the whole tone of this episode.
As you said, at least there is a little more getting back to the characters in this one.Matthew’s part has been really dull compared to the first two. Even his married life has been lukewarm until tonight. The book looks fabulous. Thanks for the giveaway. I really love this blog! ~jen red~
Jennifer, I have had to edit your remark. NO PLOT SPOILERS PLEASE!
Robert is an ass. Agreed. The women rocked this episode. Who would want to miss out on a good pudding, indeed. I mostly had no complaints with this episode. I like Mary again, but she’s on probation. I have switched my DA crush from Robert to Thomas, and I think we should take bets on whose life gets more interesting, Edith’s or Daisy’s. At last, Downton is emerging from the trash pile.
As you can see, I’ve lowered my expectations!
The book I most eagerly long for is “The Wit and Wisdom of the Dowager Countess of Grantham” (a collection of her one liners!) … Tonight’s episode revealed what I love most about this series: the strong chemistry between the various characters is so real it transcends the script and comes over the TV screens: Anna and Bates (and her joy lit up the screen and brought a happy ending to this evening’s episode) – Tom’s love for Sibyl (the way his face subtly but suddenly lit up when Lady Mary told him Sibyl wanted the baby to be Catholic); the scene of Lady Mary and Matthew in bed (often they are confrontational when they are dressed but open their hearts when they are next to each other in bed); and the pain of Lord and Lady Grantham’s “falling out” was healed by the Dowager Countess and their long embrace at the end was so gratifying. So although the plot line often has holes in it and lumbers along creakily – the emotions are always so palpable and heartfelt. Carson and Lord Grantham may be slower to evolve as modern characters … but the world moves ahead day by day with or without them.
Good review.
Ahhh…well said. The episode was so good it almost redeemed the past ones.
I liked that Mary finally told her father that he was being a nitwit. It was nice to see some affection between her and Matthew too. Loved the ladies’ revolt at the luncheon, and the dowager was wonderful as always. My favorite line this time was Mrs Patmore’s though: “The problem with you lot is that you’re all in love with the wrong person.” Made me laugh out loud. :)
O’Brien is evil. I actually feel sorry for Thomas.
That line of Mrs. Patmore’s made me laugh out loud, too. It applies to so many of the relationships throughout this show!
Just a note,
Vic, you may want to remind your reviewers to NOT divulge spoilers in their comments. I just read one up above re: Matthew.
Thank you,
Stephanie
Done. It is vexing to have to repeatedly remind people.
While I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Downton fan, I am glad there is finally some spark in the plot and characters, which I felt had been lacking until last week. Bates FINALLY gets to go free, but as much by being violent as by the truth…The men of rank (Lord Grantham and Mr. Carson) are rankling me… The ladies are finally speaking up and thinking for themselves…I now officially like O’Brien less than Thomas because she’d sacrifice Jimmy to get Thomas in trouble and promote her nephew…and Daisy may finally get it through her cute but thick head that there could be a better life out there than one in service!
Two things:
1) Isis is the NEW doggie! Pharaoh was the name of Robert’s dog in the early years.
2) Regarding Robert and Carson, they don’t bother me at all. Why? I certainly don’t AGREE with their stubborness regarding change but I do UNDERSTAND it. If you’ve read any book where there’s been a massive upheaval of class/changes, the young people embrace them or adjust to them faster and some of the older ones fall into the “Why can’t the world be the way that it always was?” Think of Scarlett’s maid, Mammy, and how she insisted, even with Tara in ruins, that “Ladies don’t do things like that!” Even Ashley admitted that he wanted the return to the Old South but knew it could never be, again.
And look to our political system. One group has been accused of wanting the U.S. to go “back to the 1950’s” and another group wants to march into the future. No amount of bickering will convince either side that they are right or wrong.
So, it is what it is and those in real life (and fiction) that can adapt, thrive, and those that can’t adapt feel loss, fear and anger.
Thanks for the reminder about Isis and Pharaoh.
And yet the Dowager Contess seems very pragmatic. And she was the one who wanted especially to keep things as they were.
I agree that Robert and Carson’s stubbornness was realistic given their characters, ages and social status. Who has the most to lose from a new world order? What I liked the most about this episode were two things
1)The historical background : Catholics vs. Protestants, women’s issues, social upheaval – this is a new time period for me so I like seeing the drama played out and learning while having fun. I’m supplementing my Downton Abbey watching with a class on Empire, which I assure you is not as much fun as watching Robert blow a gasket.
2)The acting in this episode was suburb. I thought everyone did a fabulous job portraying different aspects of grieving and adjustment.
I would love to win the book. It will be a good companion to the first book and a nice display for my Downton Abbey Clothespin dolls.
By the way, I loved this episode! Not disappointed in the least. Thank goodness the plot of Bates getting sprung is almost upon us! Daisy is my favourite character and the reason I got hooked with Downton; so happy to hear that Will’s Da is looking after his girl.
Isobel Crawley along with The Dutchess are becoming the forward thinking characters. Especially Isobel. She wants Edith to suceed as a cook and I love when she takes a taste of her cooking and never complains and tries so hard not to show her distaste. Isobel has always shown her big heart, sometimes too forcefully. She continues to have someone she is trying to help. Bravo to her for helping the young women after the war that had to turn to prostitution to feed their families.
I am also glad that Daisy has options other than continuing as a kitchen maid/asst cook. I had a fancy before this episode that she would also go to work for Mrs. Crowley to help Gwen, but Lord Fellowes (see the Wall Street Journal for Feb 2) has a better story line. Williams father really does care for her, so she will be respected and loved and have a chance for a life out of the kitchen. I guess the doctor helped Lord and Lady Grantham to get back together, but he did succumb to pressure from the Dowager – and maybe played with the data from his “research”.
Patty:I agree about the doc being prodded by the Dowager but I completely understand her reasoning. Poor Sibyl is dead; her parents are alive but dying from grief so what does it matter to the doctor how he plays fast and loose with statistics? At least his minimalizing Sibyl’s chances to “tiny” brought Cora and Robert into a point of healing…finally. I would have been bored stiff if we got 5 episodes of Cora not talking to Robert; I like how Fellowes is wrapping up plot points to move the season along.
This is a different Patty. I wrote the first entry.
Yes, the two Pattys have different IP addresses!!
I love the way life for Ethel and Daisy is improving. I am also rooting for Edith!
I fear for Bates. I won’t believe he will be free until I see him limping up the driveway to the house. What will Bates and Anna do if he IS set free? They can’t share a room in the house, can they? Will they buy a pub and keep it?
Neither of them are farmers, so they can’t take over the farm and besides, Branson needs that job so he can raise sheep and Sybil and keep near to
DA. He can’t go back to Ireland, and I don’t believe he will take Sybil from those who really love her. I get the feeling that we are being set up each episode – the problems solutions are just within our grasp….
This episode sparkled and reminded me of why I love Downton so much. It was all fresh and crisp with so many scenes of real intimacy: Mary and Anna, Robert and the Dowager, Daisy and William’s Da, Mary and Matthew and, finally, Cora and Robert. It was the perfect episode to bring us out of last week’s tragedy and begin the slow, difficult process of moving forward. I loved it! One last word – just when we think Maggie Smith can’t get any better, she does. She has made the Dowager Countess the backbone and the conscience of Downton Abbey, for which I am so very grateful.
I enjoyed the entire episode with the exception of the doctor going along with the Dowager to save the marriage of Cora and Robert. I feel that Cora should have been allowed to reach her own conclusion regarding the fate of her marriage without being manipulated. Robert is getting tiresome with all the coddling he requires.
You can understand his character a bit better if you realize his mother has probably eased his way before….
There are a couple things I did not like, I feel Robert was getting a little bit forceful in what goes on in the lives of others, in particualarly Cora. She needed to do something after Sybil’s death and thwe way Robert reacted at the idea of granddaughter being Roman Catholic.
I am still confused as to what happened with the dr. did he lie to the crawleys or did he do research and in fact did realize how slim a chance there were for sybil to get out of it alive?
The doctor shaded the truth. It’s too late to help Sybil; let’s hope that any women of childbearing age know enough to ignore Robert’s suggestions…
I liked to see that Mrs. Patmore softened to help Ethel become a more able servant. Mr. Carson seems to be overstepping his jurisdiction.
Whenever she appears in a scene, O’Brien is so consistent a character. Unlike all the other characters, she hasn’t yet exhibited any puzzling or wavering changes in behavior. She remains a trouble-maker.
I am waiting for the day when O’Brien is exposed as the person who left the bar of soap on the bathrrom floor causing Cora’s miscarriage.
As I recall, Thomas knows that it was she who did the nasty act.
I was thankful for a less traumatic episode, as Sybil’s death was too tragic for words. Cora’s grief seems normal but Robert seems like he’s going through the motions. He’s insecure about his financial standing now that Matthew has urgent concerns about how the estate is being managed. I’m thankful the Dowager brought in the doctor to disclose his doubts about Sybal surviving her difficult birth under any circumstance. Good thing Bates is being released from prison as that story line is past dull and L
I was surprised that Tom Branson was barely shown among those grieving. Much more time was given to Cora and the sisters. In reality his loss is as great as theirs considering how much he loved Sybil.
I am hopeful that Edith will grow more independent and not just drive everyone about. Write the column for goodness sake.
For the day, and US women receiving the vote in 1920, the overlying theme of the day of feminism is being infused in every element of DA, especially in the control of the Matriarch of the family, the Dowager Grantham. She, obviously, would be in control, and be a wise and noble bird. Too, the coddling necessary to appease the wallowing Lord Grantham is no surprise. Men were not perfect and not always strong of character. Robert has a lot on his plate and being weakened for his failures. Though I can’t predict fiction, if this were biography I’d almost predict a suicide. But this gentleman is not so humble as to believe he could potentially be wrong about anything, but that everyone else must be. And dear Bates- my crush- how I’ve feared for him. I feared he won’t be released, that something would go wrong but I see from the previews for next week that my fears are baseless. Still I fear that in the future he must remain cautious and vigilant- though again, this may not be so in a fiction writing.
As a woman who lost a similarly aged son to Sibyl’s age at nearly the same time, I and the Lady Grantham share similar griefs. Though I don’t recall them, some of the quotes I agreed with or found comfort in.
Tonight’s episode was very lukewarm for me. Other than Daisy’s relationship with her fatherinlaw I did not feel the plot move along well. There just seemed to be too many awkward moments in this episode and other than the moving scene with the earl and the dowager Maggie Smith did not even have great lines! Let’s hope the next episode has some joy and plot motion.
Agnes Gawne, I must have been watching a different Downton Abbey than you did.
this series is immense because of the huge number of characters and I feel at times Fellows runs out of time to give them their equal place in the storyline. That being said, I really enjoy Downton Abby and love all the characters. I was a bit sad to see lady sybil pass away.
This is by no means a spoiler, since I’ve not seen the rest of the 3rd season, but I will confess a certain suspicion about Bates. We’ve watched him become more and more violent and ruthless in prison. Is it possible (gasp) that he actually did kill his wife? It seems unlikely that he will simply return to Downton and step back into his old position. I hope I’m wrong, but those brief scenes in prison certainly read like foreshadowing to this writer…
I think that Cora and Robert’s reconciliation was too pat. I would have liked to see him sleeping in the dressing room at least until the next episode.
However, I appreciated that Daisy is being given a way out of Downton. By the time Mrs. Patmore retires, England will be in the middle of the Depression, if not WWII, and the great houses won’t have much future left to them. I like to imagine that she’ll become one of the farm owners we saw on All Creatures Great and Small, which I watched religiously when I was a child.
Julian, You bring back wonderful memories with “All Creatures Great and Small” and, while I can see Daisy in charge of a farm, I can also see her as an entrepeneur selling her jellies, jams, and baked goods to the great houses, the village, and even in London; maybe set up her own shop. Do you also remember “The Duchess of Duke Street” and the heroines humble beginnings?
The heart and soul of Downton is the relationships between the characters and the way they all end up helping/working with each other… and sometimes againt each other. One of the greatest displays of heart is the way Ethel has been treated by many of the ladies. Yes, Ethel did choose to enter her prior profession, but she did so in order to feed her son. The minute she made better arrangements for him, she left that behind and has never looked back. In that day and time, the kindness of many of the ladies and servants shows a real credit to their humanity. This is what I love best about Downton – society dictates a great deal in that day but heart dictates even more.
Rebecca: this was a very insightful comment. Truly enjoyed reading it!
What a fantastic book! Too bad I don’t live in the US. No worries, though, I think I may get one for myself anyway. Haha.
Message to Vic:
Why are Canadians excluded from this “prize”?
I’m a new viewer to Downton and I absolutely love it! Of this episode I especially loved when the women stood up to Robert (pun intended) when he ordered them to leave the luncheon. I expected them to jump to their feet automatically, but they all seemed to wordlessly agree with each other to stay put. Wonderful women all!!!
What bothers me the most is the relationship between the characters of Mary and Matthew…that is what drew me to the show 3 years ago. There was such a wonderful tension between the two, up to and including the Christmas proposal. Then all these months later, this season has been quite a disappointment. I find the bed time scenes very boring and the issues between the two forced. Very disappointing!
“I suppose she has an appropriate costume for every activity.” “Lie is so unmusical a word.” The Dowager does not disappoint.
I always covet when there is a mention of my favorite animal, sheep. When Tom and Mathew were discussing the workings of Downton’ s holdings and they determined at the same moment that part of the land would be better served grazing sheep. And Tom earned a bigger place in my heart in that he mentioned he grew up raising black faced. You know, maybe we might see Tom running the agricultural portion of Downton. Mmmmm.
Replying to my own comment…after watching the next episode last night, I look like a genius, just saying.
The splendor, the glamor and the essence of Downton Abbey has returned in the last two episodes. In a small way I feel like we are being reintroduced to the main characters again. While these characters have evolved and grown, their personalities are once again what is driving the story line. I admit to some difficulty with these episodes because the content hits very close to home, however, that may also be the most important part of the story. Most certainly worth a second or third watch .
Your review speaks for many of us.
(With no intention of prying…why do you write “because the content hits very close to home”?)
I’ve been avoiding Season Three discussions, having already seen the whole things thanks to an intrepid brother-in-law, but I can’t resist the chance to get my hands on that book! I am surprised to hear so many complaints about the season, as I liked it better than the previous. I also feel almost exactly opposite from everyone else about where the characters currently stand. I think Robert’s reactionary stance is very believable. His entire way of life is slipping from his grasp, his ingrained beliefs are falling apart, and I feel great sympathy for him. Cora, on the other hand, infuriates me. I understand she is hurting too, but she is so mean to Robert! How hateful to blame him when he already so clearly blames himself.
I agree with your comments on Robert. Cora’s reactions are normal considering the circumstances: She is in shock and grieving her baby daughter’s death. Blame and anger are an avenue that some people walk through on their journey of grief. But as we see, the Dowager uses her influence wisely. At her age she has seen much death and grief and it’s negative effects on people. The last scene we see of Cora and Robert they are both grieving together in each other’s arms for the tragic loss of their daughter – now the healing can begin.
I agree about Robert, and also he lost his wife’s fortune and is being accused of mismanaging the estate which is really his life’s work and responibility for posterity.
I understand why Robert is the way he is, but it does not make for a good story. Instead of seeming like the natural progression, I just sigh at more “omg everything changes in the 1920s and some people cannot keep up”. It’s such a stereotypical characterization/storyline that it really needs more sensitive handling to be interesting.
I at least find the anti-Catholicism interesting, as it’s not a frequent subject in period drama. Poor Tom!
I was thinking the same thing you were about Robert and Carson…stalwarts of a dying era struggling to stay afloat in a fast changing world they can’t, or won’t, keep up with. I never noticed Isis not aging; interesting point!
A very good friend of suffered from eclampsia just 13 years ago. Thankfully, she survived and so did her tiny baby. I was reminded, while watching the “sweetest spirit in this house” die that eclampsia is still something women suffer 100 years later. I will miss Lady Sibyl.
I find myself wondering what I would do in those positions and it’s been fun. It is interesting to see the older ones dragging their feet into the future and the younger ones quickly embracing it. But I especially love the show of compassion and support for Branson and Ethyl.
I found it odd that Daisy did not immediately want to better herself by moving to the farm and learning how to run it. I could not imagine having to do the lowest job in the manor in lieu of taking his offer. And though I felt relief that finally Mary and Matthew had a moment of ‘real’ emotion, I was disappointed that it did not end in a hot kiss. After such a declaraton, I would certainly have kissed my handsome husband. As for Bates, it has continued so long that I am not even excited that he is coming home. And, though I thought Violet was correct to do what she could to help save Robert and Cora’s marriage, I was concerned that the doctor glossed over the error the other doctor made. All in all, with Cora and Robert embracing at the end I felt better after having seen it.
Maybe it’s because I’m as old as Highclere Castle that it’s so easy for me to understand the motivation behind almost everyone in the cast. Surely, most of you have grandparents or neighbors who steadfastly REFUSE to change with the times, whether it’s interracial marriage, gay rights, an African American president,…heck, even cell phones!!! Robert and Carson fall into that catagory. To put it into modern terms, they would be the Boomers that claim that “no good music has come out since 1) The Beatles; 2) The Stones; or 3) Elvis. They would be the tragic modern person who claims that “High School/Uni were the BEST years of my life!” So, although I find that person sad and they make me sad, I understand that whatever makes them tick, they just CAN’T change.
Regarding Daisy, she’s the easiest to understand. Remember, she told Will’s Da that she was “…one of ELEVEN children” and whether it was her parents or her mindset, too, she was groomed for SERVITUDE and NOTHING else!!!! Is that so hard to understand? Boy, I don’t think so. Daisy has virtually NO Self-Worth so Da’s believe in her is foreign and hard to grasp. But, I have faith that with the showering of love that he’s showing her, she’ll blosssom, if Fellowes allows it, that its. ;)
Regarding eclampsia, as of 2013, they STILL don’t know what causes it. Lots of guessing, like Alzheimer’s, but no clear facts. Also, post-partum pre-eclampsia may occur up to six weeks following delivery even if symptoms were not present during the pregnancy. So, if Sybil was brought to hospital and DID survive the C-section, there still was no guarantee that she would have lived. As Doc called it, putting poor Sybil through a rough ride to hospitcal to be gutted like a fish….well, how she died was the nobler of inevitable endings. :( R.I.P. poor Sybil.
re Daisy. Also, she was just promoted from scullery maid to assistant cook and probably believes she’ll eventually be able to be a cook at a good house in the future, which was probably a pretty good and secure living in those days for someone in her class. I agree it will take her a little while to wrap her head around owning property. And running a farm is hard work, too.
I do understand where Daisy is coming from, but she has begn to want to better herself by moving up in the kitchen, thanks to Da’s advice, so I thought it odd that she would so easily put off this chance to advance as well.
The fact that Daisy is struggling with the prospect of leaving DA and beginning a new life is not surprising to me. She has known no other life than servitude. She was raised to believe this was the only life she was suited for. DA has been the only real home she’s had. But I admire how she has grown. She’s been bullied, pushed, stretched and challenged but as a result she has grown. She’s stronger than she thinks. She had a flashback when she was dancing with the Albert (?) to the time when she danced years ago with Thomas. I think she remembered that her “crush” on Thomas had led her into folly and maybe now she’s mature enough to assess that the footman is not where her future lies. Since William’s da’ took her under his wings I’ve seen a future career for Daisy that compares with the “Duchess of Duke Street.”
Daisy didn’t refuse- I think she just needs time to wrap her head around it. It was completely unexpected, and anyone who thinks their whole life will go a certain way might be taken aback at having a completely different path open up
“And the whole Catholic issue is somewhat tedious, but not unrealistic. There was a great deal of animosity and hostility towards Catholics from British Anglicans and American Protestants in the early 20th century. All the ceremonial hoopla of this relic-loving, reliquary-prone religion gave Protestants in the US and Anglicans in the UK the heebie jeebies, and so the Robert’s distaste is not all that surprising.”
I disagree that the Catholic issue is tedious. It is a major factor in the Irish British centuries long conflict in which the Irish people were considered “the other.” The brutality towards the Irish was made easier because of their religion which is a big part of their cultural heritage. This is probably why it is so important to Branson that his daughter be Christened a Catholic. Sybil, because she loved him so much, understood this although religion was not that crucial to her it seems.
I also want to add that there is a lot more to the Catholic Church than relics. I think there is great beauty to the services that the Protestants threw out, unfortunately.
Having been raised Roman Catholic (and now following Jesus Christ in a non-denominational evangelical church) I can appreciate your comment “there is a lot more to the Catholic Church than relics.” What I take with me from my Catholic upbringing is a deep reverence and respect for God and the things of God. And as I’ve learned since then, all professing Christians serve the same Triune God and where we differ wise men choose to speak/tread softly.
It will be interesting to see where DA/Fellowes takes the Roman Catholic Church issue.
Robert and Mr. Carson really bothered me throughout the entire episode. Maybe it’s living in this era, but I couldn’t stand their controlling behavior towards everyone. Also, I felt that even though I really glad that Bates is going to get out of jail and that it’s about time that they finished up that story, I felt that it was too convenient a way to get him out.
I, too, wonder at why Daisy would not jump at the chance to move to her papa-in-law’s farm and get a chance to run things her way, after being on the bottom forever downstairs. For sure, I would give up on moony footmen who Just Don’t Get It (Alfred, this means you). But Daisy’s chance makes me wonder:if her fr.in law has that nice farm, why did his son William have to go into service at all? Wouldn’t he have been a farmer (had he survived the Great War), taking over his dad’s place? Hmmmm…and then there is the question: if O’brien manages to pull down Thomas with her machinations, will it bring down Jimmy (James) as collateral damage at the same time? …and FINALLY! a little heat between Matthew and Mary. About time! And as always, Maggie Smith gets THE best lines. I hope they never bump off that character. She and Mrs. Patmore say what everyone else thinks, but won’t say. The Dowager Ducchess is the True North of Downtown Abbey.
Ladig: I grew up on a dairy farm and farmin’ “ain’t for everybody!” Both my Mum and Uncle, who would have inherited it, thought it “disgusting, dirty and beneath them.” NEITHER wanted ANYTHING to do with the farm, and perhaps William felt the same? Fastforward to 2013: I’m a landscape architect so most of my friends are, too. My male friend, Ed, also owns a firm and NEITHER of his children want to inherit it! Isn’t it sad? They both claim that “I don’t want to work THAT hard to get my money.”
Daisy has an uphill road to build up her self-esteem, but she’ll get there, slow and steady like the tortoise. :)
ladigdunquin: Remember when Lady Mary spoke with William as he tended to one of her horses, which he was good at. He mentioned in that episode that it was his mother’s wish for him to enter service and eventually work his way up.
Remember Daisy’s comment that a farmer takes his orders from the wind and the rain? Maybe Daisy feels that service offers more security.
Love your blog so much! Just my cuppa!
Also love Downton Abbey though I so wish that Fellowes was an even better writer than he is. My complaint is the soap opera type arc of the show’s plot line. Also, I love how another blogger describes the Anna and Bates story as Bateszzzzz. Just how I feel! I found them both to be such amazing characters early on in the series but now I am just sick of this whole story line and the trouble upon trouble being heaped on poor Anna. I am also disappointed in how Fellowes has recently written the Lord Grantham character who seemed so wise and decent in the first season. He is now a joke– even if his views are consistent with his times, they seem inconsistent with the man portrayed in Season 1.
Would LOVE the giveaway and the chance to study photos of the costumes. I believe a clothing line could make a fortune selling some of those beautifully cut Edwardian dresses to we modern women.
I agree about the clothing line! Who wouldn’t enjoy this sort of flattering costuming? This period produced some of the most elegant and wearable clothes ever for women. I have adapted a modern pattern or two and made a few dresses for myself, along the lines of 1912-1920s. Not all the dresses from this era are for stick-thin people, despite the flapper image. It is fun to see in the series the adaptations and fabric choices for women of different ages and classes.
Totally agree re: the changes in Lord Grantham’s characterization! It’s been so aggravating- he’s like a different person. Any wisdom or sense of nobility from season 1is gone. :(
The gray fog that has been ever present in this season is lifting, at least a bit. Carson and Lord Grantham’s need to hang on seems quite plausible to me. In my experience, females embrace change with more gusto and resilience than males. Cora, an American, is less likely to feel the deep-rooted sense of heritage and protocol than her husband, an English peer. The world in the 1920s is transitioning into something quite new and different and it’s not at all surprising that Lord Grantham is dragging his feet. This is his comfort zone as it is Carson’s as well. As for the two bullying the women, I believe it stems from a strong sense of duty. Women, whether we like it or not, were not treated as equals in the generations before the 20th century. In fact, women had little say over their own lives, but were bound by the rules of a patriarchal society. I find it fascinating that these two are clinging to what they know as the women march forward on so many fronts…Edith writing a column (I hope), the ladies not just accepting that Ethel was a prostitute , but standing by her by refusing to leave Isobel’s luncheon, and Daisy having the opportunity to go into business for herself. It’s a battle of the sexes Roaring Twenties style.
As for Isis, perhaps Lord Grantham did what Winston Churchill did… used the name Rufus, for all his poodles.
I bought the book (“Chronicles”) and enjoyed it!
My dad and I had a laugh as everyone ganged up on Rev. Travis at the dinner table. Had Tom been a Protestant or Orthodox Christian, there wouldn’t have been a 2nd thought to the matter.
Fellowes has said the anti-Catholic sentiment is based on his family’s experience.
@Ilze Choi, I agree with you on the final paragraph of your comment.
Good to see the women are making up their own minds for a change. Edith needs to take the offer for the column and make a name for herself that way. I’m waiting for Thomas and O’Brien to both get their come-up-enses! James/Jimmy needs to smack Thomas next time he gets too familiar!
It is always such a shame to waste a good pudding !
What a relief to have a lighter episode. Loved the way the women exerted their strength–a REAL power-lunch!! According to a documentary on the estate of the Duke of Devonshire, some estates had a custom of giving the lead managers their own homes in the village–rent free!! Wouldn’t that be great for Bates? What is going to happen to Thomas now that Bates will be returning? I’m more than ready for his comeuppance–wasn’t he a coward during the War? He never seemed to have paid the price for that. At least I’m looking forward to the next installment. I was nearly ready to abandon DA when Edith got left at the altar!
Loved your review as always. A few thoughts:
I’m glad Bates is getting out of prison; I was getting sick of those prison scenes, but I have to say Bates has a dark side to his character I don’t like and I wonder what it will mean for the future. Was Cora the only one not picking up on the doctor’s discomfort at the questions being asked of him? Anyone would have seen he was hedging his answers. Oh well, whatever works, right? Three cheers for Violet. Her son’s getting tiresome, however. I agree with your thought. Why would Robert express surprise an Irish Catholic would want his child baptized a Catholic? Bizarre. Maybe he just woke up.
I liked best the tender scene with Mary and Matthew, and the foreshadowing it conveyed.
reganwalker, enjoyed reading Vic’s review as I did yours. My thoughts: I am not convinced Mrs. Bates committed suicide. Could Sir Richard have had someone “bump her off” and put the arsenic into the pie while she left the house to post a letter? Remember her neighbor said she was terrified of Mr. Bates. Well, what if it was someone else she was terrified of? She had cheated on Mr. Bates – who with? While we did see a dark side of Mr. Bates while he was in prison remember in Season 2 we heard that he wasn’t always such a nice guy after he married Vera – and I don’t blame him. And prison is a world of survival which we know nothing about. As for Lord Grantham, he is totally displaced. The world as he knew it has changed so suddenly, kind of like an earthquake (I’m a Californian) and his equilibrium is gone. I look forward to what Lord Fellowes is serving us in next weeks episode.
Yeah, I got that Robert’s comfortable world has been shaken up and maybe he’ll never adjust but it still gets tiresome all the same.
Bates definitely has a very dark side but I enjoy seeing this in a character.
Nasty is always more interesting.
I still miss Vera Bates. Not only is the actress terribly talented but her character was so deliciously evil. I am hopng for some flashbacks to her death to see what really happened.
I was also sorry to see Isobel’s cook leave the scene.
Her character was terrific.
The big bore for me in this Season is the new kitchen maid at Downton.
She is so boring that I cannot recall her character’s name!
Her name is Ivy (I think).
Thank, Rebecca!
Her name is Ivy and I am not enjoying any scenes in which she appears
until she starts to create some real problems and then I’ll see the purpose of her being there.
I thought this to be a very strong, emotional and compelling episode on many different levels.
Grief is overwhelming; the Dowager addressed it eloquently.
Regardless of one’s spiritual beliefs, organized religion can be a pain in the you-know-what, especially when there is a Christening to consider. God forbid the child should be baptized in the Anglican or Catholic church as opposed to the Catholic versus Anglican Church. In the days of the Grantham’s; it was nothing less than tribal warfare.
And I do mean tribal clans — Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose..
I have to say that Lord Grantham handled the situation with great delicacy.
Let us not forget there are two sides to every situation, and in this instance, he handled it as well as could be expected. Bravo Lord Fellowes! I o not envy you with this topic.
I think there is a very strong character with Daisy. I would love to see the development of her character striking out on her own; and with Lady Edith.
There should be more development of story line for Lady Edith and the women’s suffragette movement; unless someone plans to leave DA — in which case they may be killed by a raging housewife. At that point I hope Mrs Levinson has a return visit.
Isis is a beautifu dog, but one of many.
Long live Isis!
Peg
I agree with your observations re organized religion and Lord Grantham’s
strained grace at the breakfast table when the topic of baptism was introduced as well as your choice of words “nothing less than tribal warfare.”
I am looking forward to a struggle over control of the “Baby Sybil”.
I somehow don’t think that the mighty Grantham clan will want to
simply hand her care and upbringing over to Tom.
Your point is well taken, 1redowl, with respect to the Granthams not giving up control over Baby Sybii.
I thought JF was going to develop the cultural conflict of Lady Sybil and Tom Branson earlier, but JBF’s departure from the show changed the story line dramatically.
Let the religious wars begin; tribal warfare is most intriguing.
In reply to the religious/tribal wars beginning, I find that to be the least interesting aspect – with the exception of the-Bates-in-prison scenario.
I’ve read NO spoilers anywhere so this is just wishful thinking on my part. I was hoping that Mary and Mathew would offer to adopt baby Sybil if her dad wanted to go away. Or, that he’d stay and tend the sheep on that homestead. Downton needs a baby in their cast; I’d buy the popcorn to see the Dowager handle a baby!
I think Matthew offered – for himself and Mary – to care for the baby if Tom wanted to move to Liverpool to work. Tom declined the offer, saying she goes where he does. I suspect he’ll find work closer to Downton, if only for baby Sybil’s benefit.
I can’t see Tom parting from his daughter, ever. As he said she is the only one who connects him to Sybil. The dilemma of giving up your child for practical concerns like a wealthier life is a heartbreaking thought to a parent.
I could go on and on about what happened in this episode, but I will just say that I would love a black hat like Lady Mary or Edith’s, as worn at Isobel’s luncheon.
I was wondering about the dog too. She looks exactly the same. Did she have puppies and this dog is actually Isis II or Isis III?
[“Where I once admired our lord of the manor, I now find him irritating. Having said that, the final scene in which he and Cora hold on to each other in mutual grief had me grabbing for my hanky.”]
That was sooooo COWARDLY on Julian Fellowes’ part. Very cowardly. He had the opportunity to depict a serious rift between Cora and Robert over something as realistic as a child’s death. And instead of developing a possibly dramatic storyline from it, he swept it under the table using the Dowager Countess and Dr. Clarkson to resume their “happy marriage”. I am so disgusted by Fellowes’ unwillingness to explore what could have been a very dramatic and interesting storyline. Coward.
The rift between Cora & Robert would certainly have been worth longer scrutiny. But the season is wrapping up & Bates in prison took up so much time….
I totally agree with you!
It was all too simple and easily solved.
Tension always makes for a better plotline.
I really liked episode 5. It felt like the “old DA” for me. I love that O’B. is back to her evil little ways and I am even starting to feel a bit sorry for that snake Thomas. I love that Mary is finally showing some tenderness and appreciation for Matthew. I was glad to see Violet want to get R&C’s relationship on the path to healing – they must grieve together or it will destroy them both. I liked that Dr. Clarkson got a dig or two in on that ass Sir Phillip. I did not like Ethel before but am beginning to cheer for her. And LOVED that all the women stayed at the luncheon! Cora finally found her backbone! Glad to see Mrs. P and Mrs. Hughes being decent to Ethel and helping her to help herself. Robert is becoming insufferable and I hope he changes his tune. Kudos to Mary for being so honest with him. I think Robert and Carson are a little upset that the womenfolk are forgetting their places! Maybe this is why they are digging their heels in so deep…they see change coming and they don’t like it. All in all, I really enjoyed episode five and can’t wait for the next one to begin.
I forgot to add about Daisy…,I, too, think she just hasn’t been able to wrap her head around the idea of leaving service and being on her own, her own person and her own boss. I think she will come around to the idea with the help of her father-in-law. Remember how long it took her to warm up to him! She really has to digest her decisions.
I really enjoy watching the interactions of Daisy and her father-in-law. He is so sweet towards Daisy and you can tell he really loves her and wants the best for her. I think Daisy is still struggling with her guilt over marrying William but is slowly coming to accept her reason for doing so. I think it is baffling to Daisy that she might have a future as more than just a cook at Downton Abbey.
The book looks fantastic and would love to win a copy.
I loved that Mr. Mason had some airtime(truth be told, I’m a Mr. Mason roleplayer on Facebook). ITV cut his comment about Daisy being a diamond, so that was especially pleasing to see the line(I’m in the US but have seen this episode). Great comments about Daisy and Mr. Mason above!!!
I thought Lady Mary really shined. “I’m never against you but you’ve loss this one” (or words close to that). Yea for Mrs. P helping Ethel. It was interesting to see Mrs. Isobel Crawley nervous about the lunch and somewhat threaten Ethel. Lady V’s great line…”It is always such a shame to waste a good pudding”!
Is our long DA nightmare(Bates in jail) truly, finally over???
Still think how Lady Sybil was removed from the show was just flat nasty. Very very very very very badly done indeed, Lord Fellowes(I know that was so last week but…).
I resented the Dowager’s interference and also the doctor’s fabricating the truth. Cora had a valid reason to be angry. It is too bad that they did not just have an out-and-out argument, Robert apologize with tears, and then the tearful hug. If my mother-in-law pulled that on me, I’d be furious!! But that was then and this is now….
I was not sure how long after Sybil’s death this episode was to have taken place, but it seems strange that the women’s “mourning” clothes were quite sexy. Mary wore sleeveless, somewhat low cut dresses with lots of jewelry…that would be odd even now if it were just a few days after a death.
Robert’s barging in on the luncheon was unrealistic, and if ever Cora was to be angry – that would be the time. Even his mother should have scolded him and told him he was very rude!
I agree. Very bad form. It is obvious Robert is very stressed, as would be natural after the death of his child. All the other changes are a threat to his worldview and it is too much for him
Concerning the mourning clothes: Remember when the family had to don mourning for Patrick & his father, back at the beginning? Mary was especially dismayed because black was so unflattering. However, those were Edwardian days. (Well, King Edward had died but “Georgian” never really caught on; before long, it was all considered “Before The War.”) And not so long after the days of Victoria, who made a fetish out of mourning.
Back in 1884, John Singer Sargent’s “Portrait of Madame X” was scandalous–partly because she wore a revealing black gown. In those days, black was reserved for mourning. During the War, so many deaths meant that women wore a lot of black.
In a couple of years (1926, I believe), Coco Chanel will invent the Little Black Dress. Black will become a glamorous uniform! The show’s designer may be jumping the gun a bit–but we’re seeing yet another fashion change.
(It would help if we knew exactly how long a time had elapsed since Sybil’s death. I believe next week’s previews showed some half-mourning.)
I think that the colour of the dresses mattered more than the style.
As you mentioned, half-mourning (mauve) was permitted after a period of time.
I do want to correct your term “Georgian”.
The Georgian period was in the 18th Century.
The Edwardian period was immensely influential on both sides of The Atlantic.
It affected clothing, cars, social mores and every other aspect in life.
The term “Georgian” was revived after Edward’s death. There were anthologies of Georgian poetry. But the phrase did not catch on.
Current scholarship examines a “larger” Edwardian era, beginning in the 1890’s and ending with the beginning of the Great War. This definition looks at social & political matters at work, rather than who was on the throne.
I positively laughed out loud at the blatant defiance of the Crawley ‘girls’ at Isobel’s ‘decadent’ luncheon. Such elegance and self-assuredness! Positively lovely! But actually laughed and clapped at the Dowager Countess’s priceless response, via her comment on the Charlotte Russe. Glad to have her back in her customary fine and regal form. Bravo, Crawley women! You’ve all earned the assignation. And bravo, Dowager Countess! As leader of the pack, you sealed the deal by setting a stately example. Now more than ready for Episode 6.
This week seemed a little slow to me.
The way the “dark side” of Mr. Bates’s character has emerged in prison makes me uneasy for future plot developments. I have been so fond of him and Anna that, if bad things must come to them, I at least hope for the satisfaction of those bad things being undeserved.
Conversely, Thomas is growing on me, even in his “broken” state (as a character in last season, I think, described him). I never used to like him, but there’s nothing like Miss O’Brien’s evil scheming to turn him into an underdog.
The grief of Tom Branson and Lady Crawley continues to touch me deeply, beyond the norm for a television program, and Robert’s interchange with Mary in the library about the moments when he misses Sybil most felt the most real of all his speeches in the last two episodes. In that moment, he was simply a parent who had lost a child, and Mary’s response hit the nail on the head.
As beautifully acted as the grief scenes have been, the lighter touches “downstairs” and between Mrs. Patmore and Ethel provided welcome comic relief that didn’t feel to me unseemly but did let me catch my breath. It’s surprising even in real life how laughter and life go on even in the deepest of griefs.
And Maggie Smith… what is to say except that she improves every scene in which she appears. She need not even speak a line. A look, a purse of the lips, and she has me. The way she turned away from Lord and Lady Grantham in their moment of shared grief and reconciliation was perfectly done and so expressive of the character.
Thank you for the forum, Vic, and for the giveaway. A CraftLit link introduced me to your site, and now I’m afraid I’m hooked.
tinuviel
I agree with your apprehension about Mr. Bates “dark side” affecting his future.
But wasn’t it his mother who shared with Anna that after the war or was it after he married Vera that his mood changed and this dark side appeared. I think he began drinking. Married to Vera I’m not surprised. And…he’s already been in prison once before for a crime Vera committed. There’s ample reason for Bates to have developed bitterness but that’s not healthy. First the cellmate attempts to “frame” Bates. Then another prison inmate plots revenge on Bate’s cellmate because he doesn’t like him and Bate’s complied when he was approached by that prisoner. And the last time he shows his “dark” side is when he threatens his former cellmate because he had gotten to Vera’s neighbor so that she wouldn’t tell the truth. It was that neighbor’s truth that voided the case against Bates and set him free. Maybe I’ve watched too many “Cold Case Files” on TV but I still am not convinced that Vera committed suicide.
I agree with you about Bates.
There is more to Vera’s “suicide” than we have yet been told.
I don’t doubt that Bates loves Anna but he has a lot of “history” especially with Thomas with whom he had some rather unpleasant scenes.
“and Robert’s interchange with Mary in the library about the moments when he misses Sybil most felt the most real of all his speeches in the last two episodes. In that moment, he was simply a parent who had lost a child, and Mary’s response hit the nail on the head.”
Well written.
And, do you recall Season 2 during the Christmas Party when Robert met with Mary privately and revealed that he knew about the Pamuk incident? The relief on Mary’s face as he told her to break it off with Richard and go out West and bring back a cowboy! He had removed his lordly robe at last. Their embrace was moving. He tore down the wall for her and gave her the permission she needed at that moment in her life.
(I believe if Mary had had such moments with her father as she was growing up she might now be less reserved.)
Agreed about the Christmas party. Yes, I remember that. Mary is so devoted to her father (and Downton) even this season that it threatens to hurt her marriage. In that she reminds me a bit of an English Scarlett O’Hara, although I think Mary’s character is the more complex.
Thank you for the affirming comments and for deepening my thinking about Bates, too. I had forgotten the conversation to which you refer and his previous incarceration. Agreed 100% about bitterness being unhealthy. If I could take Bates’s character arc anywhere I wished, I would love to see him truly forgive Vera and Thomas and his cellmate. It would be interesting and satisfying, I think, to explore that journey through his character.
Ah well, tomorrow is another episode.
I enjoyed and look forward to watching more of the Thomas/Jimmy storyline. Being gay myself, it’s nice to see gay characters in period drama (the only other time I have seen this is in “Lost in Austen”) particularly in such a popular show. People see what it what like for gay people then (fear of punishment and secretiveness) and often still today.
tinuviel
Enjoyed reading your most insightful review. Wouldn’t be surprised if you win the book!
ata, Thank you for your kind words. If the review was insightful, it probably means I’ve spent far too much time thinking about this. {Smile} Blessings on your weekend.
Came on board to read the Georgette Heyer article (my book club is reading Cotillion–my fave) and stayed to read the DA articles. I’m so mad at Robert from episode 4 that I could barely stand the grieve-with-Cora scene in episode 5. I’m completely sick of the prison thing–hang him or let him go already. So that leaves Edith, Ethel and Daisy to cheer on. Go Daisy! We’ve got to find her a decent bloke.
I agree with you regarding Robert and Bates in prison. I am looking forward to what happens to Edith, Ethel and Daisy.
I so happy that Bates is finally getting out of prison but it all seemed so simple. I have a hard time believing that no one would have noticed him taking that man aside and threatening him. They seem to notice every other small thing he did, so why would they somehow miss that? And how quickly that lady changed her mind about giving a statement. It all seemed almost a little unbelievable to me. I wonder if he is going to get his old position back. If that happens, Thomas is going to be far from thrilled…
O’Brien is really getting back to her old self, only her sights are set on Thomas. I know I shouldn’t enjoy such things, but my sinful flesh certainly enjoys watching it. Although, I do feel bad for James being involved in that whole thing too. He seems to be a nice guy.
I really loved the scenes with Daisy and Mr. Mason. Very sweet. I am glad to see Daisy acting like her old self a bit, and not the jealous cow, she has been.
I like Mrs. Patmore’s keen-eyed one-liner about the downstairs drama: The trouble with you lot is you’re all in love with the wrong people. It took someone really observant to say that so concisely. Great line!
I was very touched when Lord Gratham was talking to Mary about missing Sybil. He said he would see something in the newspaper or the flowers that she likes in bloom and wanted to tell her about them. Then Mary told him to say that to mama. So very touching.
Well Vic, I have not read all the 107 comments thus far [yikes!] – so this is likely an echo of others’ favorites – but Mrs. Patmore saying to Ethel ““Anyone who has use of their limbs can make a salmon mousse” is right up there with anything Violet has ever said! – I wrote a post on making a salmon mousse and discovered a great website called Downton Abbey Cooks – there is also a book! – you can see it here:
http://downtonabbeycooks.com/
Great post as always Vic! – and thank you for editing out the spoilers!
Deb
vic – I meant ethel, not edith – please change!!
Deb, I do that ALL the time. I have made the change.
The thing I really like about DA is that hardly anybody is completely good or completely bad, as evidenced by O’Brien feeling regret after causing Cora’s miscarriage, Thomas turning up as a soft touch when it came to Sybil, the darker side coming out in Bates’ character, and the Earl, seeming so proper and smart in the early seasons and now seeming to be dumb when it comes to money and clinging to the old mores when the world is changing. So many of the characters on TV are black and white, and I’m enjoying the shades of grey here.
I agree with Laurel, no one is all bad or all good but I just never thought of it like that. The one scene I keep going back to in my mind is the luncheon and how much of a jerk that Robert came off as and how well (and united) the women handled the whole thing. Going back to what Laurel said, I find myself feeling sympathy for Thomas, talk about a turn-around! But I am glad to see O’Brien stirring the pot again. Gives us back a little spice-up. I want to see Cora rub off on Robert a little, so he can go more easily in to the future. And I have been wondering what would happen to M&M if Patrick suddenly happens to reappear? Who then would be the next Lord of the Manor?
My favorite moment in Episode 5 is when the ladies of Downton look at the Earl and remain in their seats when he orders them to leave Mrs. Crawley’s house. I love the sisterhood of the moment and how they stood up for poor Ethel.
For those of you that are unsure/worried about Bates turning “dark” and…the possibility of HIM killing his wife, please remember: POISON IS A WOMAN’S CHOICE OF DEATH! Throughout my life of watching both True Crime and fabricated shows like C.S.I., more times than not, if a woman REALLY wanted to “stick it to her man”, she framed him with her murder. I know that to the sane member of society, this sounds like “Say What?!?”, but I guess if you’re that f’ed up, killing yourself with poison to get even makes no more or less sense than the parent who kills their kids to get back at the spouse.
I see Bates’ jail house demeanor as just Survival Mode, just like any Super Spy that we watch, like Jason Bourne, who can kill a roomful of baddies but loves his woman intensely. At least that’s my take on Bates.
To echo Liz’s sentiments far above, I also question Bate’s a bit more than I have. He seems like two separate characters at times. He is sweetly sincere with Anna…yet in prison and when alone, there is a such a dark, foreboding side. I’m not sure how this will play out but I hope it fares well for Anna~
PS…I’ve only been introduced to Downtown a few short weeks ago. I ended up purchasing seasons 2 and 3 as I couldn’t located an adequate place to watch them online. But…I have not raced ahead to finish season 3 (yet!…not sure if I can hold back~) I would love the book to further my understanding of the show and the period~
I hope that it doesn’t fare well for Anna or there would not be any tension!
She has to begin to have some doubts or else the plotline will come to a halt.
I truly enjoyed the ladies in this episode. Their strengths of character came through.
Robert is an arse. In another episode he admitted how he botched the family finances and we all know that if Matthew hadn’t bailed them out they all would to have to adjust much more than he realizes. He can’t manage the finances and wants Matthew to learn how it is all done, but when confronted with the means he won’t allow anyone to make changes. He is a very weak man. Yes there has been a lot going on, but then that is life, when things happen it seems that they all happen at once to people who are ignorant of the world around them. Yay Julian Fellowes!! Great plot twists to keep us engaged.
I am irritated by Carson and Robert’s position regarding Ethel working for Isobel. It shows two levels of class distinction. Robert as the upper class man who easily snubs his nose pointedly in her direction. Other men in his class dabble with the arts of shady ladies and turn cold if they are exposed to their wives and daughters. While we don’t believe Robert is this sort we see the hypocritical nature of this issue. On his kinder side, we have witnessed how he can forgive and cheer on the under dog. But not so this time.
Carson can get a little over bearing over this and I admire Mrs. Hughes mildly taking him in hand in ways that bring on my smiles. While Carson me be ‘below stairs’ so to speak, he is very high minded and the more Downton is heading toward the future the more we see his ire rising.
Ethel is a good woman who fell for the oldest story a passionate suitor can spin and the temptation of that glamorous life she may have dreamed of with Charlie’s father, it never happened. Her peers tossed her out without a reference and her role as a prostitute was out of desperation, and she was ashamed of it. She was no longer the beauty we knew her to be…but tired and dirty froms craping a life together in poverty.
Mardell, your comments were so poignantly expressed.
We feel the emotion as it unfolds, and then realize the affect.
Your sense of it is just so beautifully puts it in perspective.
Someone commented about Thomas having knowledge of the bar of soap and the bathtub…unless I am mistaken, I don’t think anyone but O’Brien knows that she was the cause of Cora’s miscarriage. I do not recall her confiding in Thomas. Am I remembering correctly?
And on another note, I had never heard of mauve being a half mourning color.
But I do know that ladies wore certain style brooches to signify when they were ready to finally get back in circulation. Saw this on the History channel, a special on the history of mourning, customs and clothing/jewelry, differences between appropriate behavior for men and women.
And completely off the subject, does anyone else have a delay in their typing when submitting a comment?
I mentioned the bar of soap and I admit that I can’t recall if Thomas knows about this bit of informtion. He and O’Brien exchanged many confidences in the early days if the series.
I know that he and O’Brien used to be alot closer and share many confidences but I think the facts of the miscarriage and her role in it she has kept to herself.
I am absolutely in awe of the way Jullian Fellows used the author’s craft to reach audiences. Downton Abbey is kept moving, yet the characters are well developed, the history and culture of he times are well represented. There are times when I would like to shake some sense into Robert; however, I know that his character is loving, but weak and at times misguided. I believe his character developed in direct relationship to his mother’s strong, opinionated, “never-to-be fooled with” personality. I am anxiously waiting to see how Edith’s life will unfold. I want to believe she will be a trail-blazer in forging a way for women. I loved the luncheon scene at Isobel’s house. It spoke loudly about the burgeoning strength of women.
Hard to believe that the Earl of Grantham could burst into a “girl’s” luncheon and demand that all guests return home with him immediately. Such hubris is surely symptomatic of the Earl’s inability to deal with reality. The ladies, though appalled at Robert’s behavior, calmly stayed put, and with Lady Violet’s observation, “It seems a pity to miss such a good pudding”, left him to make his awkward exit. Cheers to the ladies who kept their heads!
And it makes me wonder if it was Carson who told the Earl where all the women had gone. Carson’s behavior doesn’t surprise me that much as his whole job, his whole world is to bring peace, harmony and organization to the upstairs…he wants no upsets and that is why he is rebelling so heartily. But I am still baffled by the way Robert is suddenly dragging his knuckles. I can just see Mr. Carson delivering the news about where the ladies of the house have gone off to!
Actually, it was pretty much the “pot calling the kettle black” on the Earl’s part. Remember when he almost put another maid in Ethel’s position? Cora was upstairs ill and he had several entanglements with the maid with a “dead” husband and a young son? Interesting how the men comprimise the woman, then become aghast at her perdictiment! This maid was smart and left. Was her name Sarah? Wasn’t it when Cora was recovering from her miscarriage?
I do not remember her name but clearly remember the situation. Robert set her up with some money or contacts or something for her son and his schooling, didn’t he? It may have been when she was recovering but I remember being on the edge of my chair with anxiety that someone would walk in on them when they kissed. She was smart to leave and I think maybe Mrs. Hughes had an inkling of what was going on.
Someone on the blog mentioned this before – that Bates probably saw the Earl and the maid enter his room. I quite agree. There was just enough time for the passionate kiss before the unexpected knock on the door saved them both from a grave mistake. Once again, Bates saved Lord Grantham.
The time frame for this flirtation was Season Two when the war was over, the house had returned to normal and everyone had a purpose except for Lord Grantham. Cora was busy with her community involvements and leaving the displaced Robert alone much of the time. (In fact it was he who authorized the hiring of this maid when Cora was busy with other things.) This was the foreshadowing of what we now are witnessing – Robert is trying to find his purpose in life again.
Well, fellow DA fans, we have less than 15 hours until we gather around our screens, alone or with friends, sitting by the fire or with a blanket on the sofa to watch 120 MINUTES of Downton Abbey!
Many thanks to Vic, our hostess. Her review and this blog are like a “tail gate party” for DA fans. I look forward to coming here and “talking” with all of you after each Episode.
I liked that the characters were, excepting the Earl, reminding me why I liked them in the first place.
In the episode, the Earl goes to Isobel’s to get the women to leave and the Dowager Countess says “it would be a shame to waste a good pudding”. Maggie Smith shows her amazing Grammy skills.
Cheers, Lara
I meant Golden Globe winner. :)
Please refresh my memory!
Did the father of Ethel’s baby, now with his Grandparents, die during the war?
Yes he did die. He was recovering at DA and was a handsome officer Don Juan. He pursued Ethel unmercifully. She was under the illusion he loved her and they might marry. They were discovered by Mrs. Hughes in her room and Ethel was dismissed and he was soon sent back to the front. He was an only child.
Ethel, when she first came to work at DA, thought well of herself, was intrigued by the movies, and had stars in her eyes when the wounded officer came to DA for recovery. The last scene of Mrs. Hughes and Ethel leads me to believe that she feels a little responsible for not having watched Ethel closer when she was working at DA and thus have prevented her affair with the officer. I always thought Mrs. Hughes should have waited a few days before deciding to fire Ethel…and without a reference too. But for the story line maybe that would not have given us as much drama.
I have read all of the foregoing comments, and I agree with so many, and disagree with so many others.
On the behavior of Lord Grantham and the ladies’ eloquent response: I saw so much of his actions and words to be a result mainly of his grieving the loss of Sybil, but in the larger picture, his attempt to regain (or gain?) some control over his world. It was exactly the scene at Isobel’s luncheon that moved me from disapproval to sympathy. I found that I expected more angry outrage from Cora et al., for his pathetic blustering, but then I felt instructed by their remaining calm. Mary and Edith kept quiet and followed their mother’s lead. Isobel did too, although she could have escalated the drama by ordering Robert to leave, but she showed deference to Cora to handle the situation. And once Cora showed patient and quiet strength, Violet sealed the deal with her quip. Once his mother had spoken, Robert had no choice but to leave quietly. His behavior would have been more scandalous if his audience hadn’t been limited to family members who after all, love and respect him. By not raising their voices, all the ladies brought the whole incident to the most successful conclusion possible. They asserted their position, upheld Ethel in her struggle and Isobel in her efforts, and allowed Robert the best chance to bow out as graciously as possible. No one scolded him, which allowed him to save face. (Yes, he looked like a petty tyrant, but his red-faced raised-voice demands were brought to a halt, instead of continuing and escalating.)
I would also mention here that Lady Mary was a reliable sounding board for her father, giving him truth and wisdom when he needed it. I wish she would be such for Matthew. Instead, she emulates Robert’s petulant tyrant behavior with him, at times. Don’t we all do that, though? We honor a beloved parent by imitating their strengths, and permit ourselves the weakness of perpetuating their faults – a tribute of loyalty.
Carson’s behavior: see above re: Lord G. No, not really, but he has such loyalty to Lord Grantham, and even though I disagree with his opinion of Ethel’s influence on the upstairs and downstairs ladies of DA, he was true to convictions that his duty was to protect his lordship above all. And the downstairs ladies (Mrs. Patmore and Mrs. Hughes), provided satisfaction for my baser desire for a smart-alecky response. Did anyone else crack up over Mrs. Patmore’s strident query: “Do I look like a frolicker to you?” following Carson’s exaggerated condemnation of her disobedient consorting (civil disobedience, if you ask me),with Ethel.
On Mary and Matthew: Such domestic tranquility as she cradles baby Sybil, with Matthew holding them both in his eye and in his heart and in his arms. One of the prettiest pictures a human can witness is the enraptured look of a new parent’s gaze, and we were treated to a beautiful bonding scene. I’m pretty sure I heard Lady Mary ovulate in the maternal serenity of the moment. And surely, I am not the only one who “conceived” the idea that M&M’s dreams may come to fruition sooner rather than later.
On the Dowager Countess: Love her. And she only gets better with age. Her exchange with Carson (epi. 4?) at the door after Sybil’s death was so poignant. She gave words to their shared grief, reaching across the divide, acknowledging Carson’s (and all the servants’) humanity with such graciousness, when, in her profound sadness, she could have treated him like so much furniture. And then, in an act of shattering subtlety, she expresses the fatigue of grief and the sorrow of the ages just by walking away from the camera. How many actresses have such command of their craft?
9 hours to go for episode 6 — what is in store for us all?
She is a true matriarch, a gem. Her guidance to the family (all the way to the kitchen), is constant and priceless. A true compass.
On Anna and Bates: I am ready for more development in this line. Anna is wise and wonderful in so many ways. I am ready for Bates to be released from prison. I have not enjoyed the prison scenes. They are dark and depressing (out of necessity, I know), and the characters all whisper in thick accents, and I never really know what anyone is saying. (I should watch with subtitles).
So many more characters I’d like to share observations on, but this is already about 5x too long. 9 hours and counting!
I loved the tender scene with M and M adoring the baby. I wonder though if Mary might be reluctant to be pregnant seeing what perils there are in childbearing, to say nothing of the fear she may have of losing her looks, her figure, and losing some control over her life.
Right on, WendyBee! You have NAILED it for me! I agree with much of what you say and also, you have shed some light on a new perspective on a few things, seeing Robert with sympathy instead of being appalled, shocked and disappointed…thank you. I, too, am anxiously awaiting our next installment and can’t wait to get settled in with my coffee, blanket and dog beside me. I LOVE this forum and the opportunity to swap and share ideas. I just wanted to also say your thoughts and comments on Violet and how beautifully she handled the scenes with Carson and the family were magic to behold. Those were the actual scenes that finally brought me to tears in that episode. Thanks again for your insight. Maybe you deserve to be the winner…
As always, my favourite part of the episode was the Dowager Countess, especially at the luncheon served by – gasp! – a prostitute (with a costume for every occasion). “It would be a shame to waste a good pudding” is just the latest of her scores of wonderful comments.
What I don’t like: The entire Bates prison storyline. Sorry, I know I am in the minority, and my husband loves Bates. I’m glad he’s getting out, especially since we’ll have much more drama when he resumes his position as valet. Whatever will Thomas do! Especially now that he doesn’t have O’Brien as an ally.
Robert needs some activity or such to re-masculate him. He has become weak and keeps chasing his ego in all the wrong ways. Acknowledging his daughters are strong young ladies would help. Then he could at least feel good about giving them an upbringing that prepared them for a modern world (even though he himself can’t stand the change).
I like when the Dowager Countess and Robert had their picture taken with the Catholic priest and the baby. Their looks were priceless.
The best part of episode five was definitely the dowagers’ line, ‘seems a pity to miss such a good pudding’. Very tense moment enlightened by her charming way with speaking her mind. I honestly think the worst part is the ever escalating situation that Mr. Barrow is creating. Awkward! :P
I loved Violet’s part in getting her son and dil together at last to grieve together. I also really liked Isobel’s kind hearted dealings with Ethel. I getting weary of Bates and his ramblings in the jail; same with Robert – the Earl.. not keeping up with the times.
Contest has ended! Tinuviel has won a copy of The Chronicles of Downton Abbey. Congratulations!
[…] Thank you ALL for leaving your detailed reviews of Episode 5. I enjoyed reading all of your responses. My review of Episode 6 will be posted on Monday, February 11th. My review of Episode 5 is at this link. […]