Photo Credit: Nick Briggs/Carnival Films 2014 for MASTERPIECE

I had mixed feelings about this episode. It had some sweet moments and there were parts that left me dissatisfied. Sometimes the pace of the show bothers me. On the one hand they drag on story lines until they are dead in the water. At other times, they rush through one scene to the next before we can digest it or they skip over an entire scene (Edith being told about Gregson or Cora being told about Marigold) and instead just show the aftermath. It’s weird. Anyway, here we go.

The Fizzling Love Story

Mary’s storyline was definitely in the dissatisfied column. Gillingham was still holding onto Mary even though Mary, Mabel and Blake all wished he’d get over it.  At this point in time, I’m over this whole storyline. Mary has been unbearable with her witchy attitude (if my mom wasn’t reading this I’d have typed a different word.) Frankly, I want neither Blake nor Gilligham to go with her. I’ve become disenchanted with Gillingham after he talked Mary into his little hook-up holiday and Blake has lost some of the charm he had last season. Finally after all this back and forth between suitors, the way everything was resolved was by Blake purposely kissing Mary in front of Gillingham. The whole scene seemed rushed and anti-climatic. Yawn. I was not impressed. The only awesome scene with Mary was when Granny told her, “A lack of compassion can be as vulgar as an excess of tears.” Best line of the season.

If Downton Where a Zombie Apocalypse

There were a number of tender moments between Anna and Bates discussing their future and sharing loving looks, which is almost a guarantee that something bad is about to happen to them. (If you are also a Walking Dead fan, you know it’s similar to the character that gets a lot of sympathetic screen time. He or she is usually the next one on the zombie menu.) Anyway, I do hope Anna and Bates find the truth about why Dexter had to talk to the police. I don’t want them to feel like she was purposely trying to cause problems for them.

Mama’s Taking Charge

I am a little disappointed that we did not get to see the scene when Cora found out about Marigold, instead we just saw the aftermath. However, I am so pleased how Cora took charge of the situation. Once she found out that Granny and Rosamond kept the truth from her she was determined to find Edith and Marigold. Since Rose confided in Attcus about Edith, he suggested that they contact Gregson’s office in London. (Did no one else seriously think of that?) They went to the office and found Edith working there. They persuaded her to partake in a rather fantastic scheme to adopt Marigold from the Drewes.

They headed back to Downton and planned for Mr. Drewe to meet them at the train station. Unfortunately Mary and Anna are also at the station. They got off the train and Drewe went to the next station alone with Marigold. (For one brief moment I feared Marigold leaving alone with Drewe.) But it all worked out except for the fact that Anna saw Mr. Drewe with Marigold. She later tells Mrs. Hughes about it, which is a little of character for Anna who knows how to keep a secret. I am supposing it is because they found the photo of the baby under Edith’s pillow on the night of the fire. Maybe she is putting two and two together.

Edith does confront the family with the prospect of her raising Marigold at Downton. No one could understand why and I am sure Robert would have refused had he not been so upset over Isis’ illness. However, he let Cora decide, which settled it. On a side note, I am not a pet person so maybe I don’t have enough animal compassion but it bugged me that Robert showed more love and tenderness to Isis than his own children.

And You Thought Bunting Was Bad

Isobel and Lord Merton seemed genuinely happy with their decision to marry, that is until Isobel meet Lord Merton’s sons. The eldest, Larry, made Miss Bunting look like Miss Manners. In an earlier season, when Sybil was still alive, he insulted Tom and caused a scene. He picked up where he left off tonight by calling Marigold an uncomfortable piece of baggage, calling deceased Matthew a fairly odd cousin, and saying that Isobel was a lower class woman of neither birth nor fortune that she would be an inevitable failure. After a few more jabs about chauffeurs and Jews, Lord Merton threw him out. My heart broke her Isobel who was left speechless by his cruelty. Whether or not Isobel will goes through with the marriage, is unknown.

On a happier note, Rose and Atticus become engaged.

Random Thoughts

• I love the sweet exchanges that Tom and Robert have been sharing. They differ in their thinking but they have mutual respect for one another.
• It was touching to see Granny open up about Isobel. Her reluctance to her marrying Lord Merton was not due to her change in rank but because she would miss her as a companion.
• Sybbie is such a cutie. Will Tom actually leave for America? I love you, Tom, but just make a decision already! Every time you come on screen I hear the Clash song in my head, “Should I stay or should I go now?” Just stay.
• Spratt is priceless.
• Didn’t the Daisy, Mosley, Baxter, Dixon storyline seem a little odd? I’m being such a Debbie Downer with this episode. I need some sleep.

Favorite Quotes

Violet: “He’s a man. Men have no rights.”

Bates to Anna: “Whenever I see a problem, you see only possibilities.” (That’s something I could say to Brian.) 😉

Violet to Mary: “A lack of compassion can be as vulgar as an excess of tears.”

Spratt: “I’d say she [Denker] takes after the dachshund, m’lady.
Mary: “In what way.”
Spratt: “She’s quite untrainable.”

Violet: “Typical Spratt. He’s as touchy as a beauty losing her looks.”

Baxter: “I like when good things come from bad.”

Okay, now tell me your thoughts about the show! Favorite scene? Favorite quote? Predictions? Do tell. 🙂

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