Downton Abbey

[Sue Sue Applegate]

I agree, Allison. She is thoughtful, spunky, capable, humorous, and adorable!

[charliechaplinfan]

Well, what happened last night?

[Sue Sue Applegate]

A new footman arrived that attracted all the attention of the maids AND Thomas. Evil Maid O'Brien universally threatened Thomas, Matthew becomes "an investor," in the estate, checks the books, is horrified, and realizes the Earl of Grantham has been remiss in his reactionary organization of all financial matters concerning the estate, and as Matthew tries to approach the master, is horrified at the ease with which such a serious matter is rebuffed. Daisy is obviously attracted to the Evil Maid's footman/nephew, and Mrs. Hughes and Isobel Crawley try to help smooth a transition for allowing the rich grandparents of the naughty maid's baby to be the guardians of their grandson, whose mum has now a tainted reputation.
(Forgotten their names. Was the maid's name Ethel?)

Mary is busy with wallpaper choices as Matthew tries to bring up the subject of children.

And, happy, happy, joy, joy, Anna and Mr. Bates finally receive packets of letters withheld due to Mr. Bates being "out of favor."

[JackFavell]

I saw the first half of the episode, but slept through the second half twice, waking up for only the same half hour of the second showing. grrrrr.

Violet told Edith to quit being a drip and get over herself. She told her to find something to do with her time, preferably not gardening.

Sybil makes a call to Edith, saying she's got out, and that she was not followed. The family can't figure this statement out at all, but it turns out that Branson has been at the burning of an estate in the area, a Sinn Fein target, though they never say the name of who he's affiliated with.

Branson shows up at the Abbey, tells Mary she can't reveal to anyone that he's there, so she promptly runs and tells everyone in the house except their guest for the evening, who happened to be a Catholic priest, at least I think he was, he didn't act like one at all.

Grantham blows his top and Branson shows that he is not really sure anymore where his loyalties lie. I thought he was too quick to go all to tears, and to do it twice in an episode was unforgivable on the part of the writers.

Sybil shows up, unscathed. This was a complete let down for me. I would have hoped that something dramatic would have happened, there was so much potential. But no, it was all about the reuniting of the couple, who seemed to be apart for only about 15 minutes.

Below stairs, Daisy is setting her cap for O'Brien's nephew Alfred, is it? The girls and Thomas are all agog over another new and very handsome boy, Jimmy. I can see Thomas' downfall reflected in his oh so blue eyes. He's trouble, big trouble, I am guessing for more than one person at Downton. Here's where it all gets interesting, I'd love to see an evil young man showdown in future.

Ethel returns and finally decides it's best for her son that he go with the portly and obnoxious father in law, while the wife seems sympathetic. Isobel arranges a meeting, but doesn't agree that it's what's best for Ethel or her son. Mrs. Hughes, who is in on the secret, is practical and realizes that in this world they live in, there can be no better outcome for Ethel's boy.

Bates frames his cell mate with the packet of drugs that was meant for his downfall. Roommate swears vengeance. Bates and Anna both think that they are being blown off by each other, but Bates realizes that his mail has been tampered with.

[JackFavell]

Ooops, sorry Sue Sue!

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Ooh. I liked yours, too!
Together I think we covered all the angles! It is our duty to keep Allison informed!

[JackFavell]

Ha! We must have covered everything...

I am liking Edith's outfits more and more. Scuse me for shallowly only paying attention to the costumes.

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Well, she is looking snappier and more professional. Me thinks the previews reveal her more professional journalistic foray in the upcoming episodes. And if you are a guilty fashion voyeur, than I am, too!

Might she take up with that snarly ex-fiance of Mary's? He was the Rupert Murdoch of his day, true?

[JackFavell]

Oh you are good. I never thought of that! Of course, she must.

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Thanks, Jackie. Just trying to stay ahead of the Abbey game....

[moira finnie]

Branson shows up at the Abbey, tells Mary she can't reveal to anyone that he's there, so she promptly runs and tells everyone in the house except their guest for the evening, who happened to be a Catholic priest, at least I think he was, he didn't act like one at all.

I believe the guest was actually a highly placed Anglican cleric, who was seen in conversation with Grantham about Roman Catholics. The Anglican said that "I don't want to appear anti-Catholic," but Grantham chimed in with a knee jerk "Why not? I am." When the priest said "Not in any real way, I'm sure," the Earl of Downton replied smugly: "I don't want thumb screws or the rack, but there always seems to be something johnny foreigner about the Catholics."

As he spouted off with this casual prejudice of the time and his class, Grantham's fugitive, Irish Catholic son-in-law had just arrived at Downton surreptitiously while his pregnant wife and daughter of the Earl, Sybil had phoned up to let her family know she was "out of the flat and on her way."

The series doesn't have time to go into detail about the history of the Irish Civil War (1921-1923), but it sounds as though Tom Branson has been involved with the IRA Irregulars and been a participant in one of the first tragic incidents launched against the Anglo-Irish in Ireland that followed the compromise of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921. Homes were burned, neighbors were killed, and longtime ties in communities were shattered in the process. The terrible irony is that for two hundred years, many of the Anglo-Irish (Robert Emmett in the late 1700s and early 1800s, and Lady Gregory in the 1900s, for example) had been fervent advocates of an independent Ireland; had lived and intermarried with native Irish, but sometimes became targets of the more fanatical Irish revolutionaries who rejected any continued relationship with Britain (a British governor-general oversaw the newly established Irish Free State).

[charliechaplinfan]

I was going to say it wouldn't be a Catholic priest, at Downton?

How has Cora put up with him all these years, she's obviously more in touch with the times and more intelligent. I can only guess there's something to him that isn't apparent. Granted Hugh Bonneville is an attractive man but Grantham's prejudices and reckless investments take the edge off the attraction of Grantham. Nice house though.

[JackFavell]

Ahh, thank you Moira! I thought I heard the Anglican priest say he WAS Catholic, which confused the heck out of me. Then when Grantham spouted off, I was so shocked I about fell off my chair. His charm is wearing thin.... I'm sure they are going to figure out a way for him to eat his words.

[moira finnie]

I know it's disheartening to think that Grantham has feet of clay, but much of the storyline of Downton Abbey could be subtitled "The Education of an Aristocrat" don't you think?

Robert Crawley can't help being what he is, but life has been handing him lessons all along, though he only seems to be able to acknowledge this occasionally. I think that Cora "puts up with him" for the simple reason that she loves him, warts and all. He knows deep down that his American wife and progressive daughters are his saving grace, as he acknowledged in an earlier episode when Cora pointed out to him that moving to a smaller house wasn't a tragedy. So what if he doesn't think that a gentleman should know how balance a ledger, have a daughter who writes to The Times about suffragette issues, or offer sanctuary to a runaway Irish ruffian who will soon be the father of his grandchild. The world is changing way too fast for him. Naturally, he falls back on his native prejudices to defend himself and his world view.

He only accepts things reluctantly, though WWI and the miasma that followed sure threw him for a loop. Remember this question?


Guess what, your lordship? Things are only starting to change...

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Lovely comments, Moira. And part of that change to come was hinted at by none other than Mary's sweet Mum(Shirley Maclaine.) She seemed so shocked at how change had yet to come to Downton Abbey. But after her visit this season, it's changing even more. (As if World War I hadn't altered the course soon enough.)

Thank you for reminding us of the historical implications that had not been revealed as part of the plot.It's always nice to know the history behind the tumult.