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. 🙂

Find other Downton Abbey Episode recaps here.

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads or Instagram. 😉

Photo Credit – ITV

It was Super Bowl Sunday last night but I had zero interest in either team or any of the game. I didn’t even know who won until my Facebook feed became overrun with game related posts. However, so you won’t think that I don’t appreciate a good game, this post will be dedicated to my favorite Downton Teams. Thankfully, Brian returned home from Stanford just in time to watch it with me. (BTW, my FIL is making progress, although we aren’t able to bring him closer to home yet.)

Photo Credit – carlithiel.tumblr.com

#TeamBlake – Ah, what is this crafty fellow up to. I assumed last week that Blake was going to try and get Mabel back with Gillingham but when he invited her to dinner with Mary, that was priceless. I imagined Mabel being like Matthew’s Lavinia. (Now, that I think about it, Mary has a habit of stealing engaged men.) However, feisty Mabel was anything but. She refused to take Gillingahm back as sloppy seconds. She storms off but I am certain we have not heard the last of her. Mary chides Blake at his attempt but he says it was merely done for show. What do you think he is up to?

Photo Credit – carlithiel.tumblr.com

#TeamByeByeBunting – I did not believe for one second that Bunting was actually going to leave. When Tom first told her that he basically chose Downton over her, Brian was cheering saying, “Good for you, Tom!” I told him not to get his hopes up because I knew Daisy was going to try and talk him out of it. When Tom went back to see Bunting after he heard she was leaving I thought, this is it. He’s going to take her in his arms and I am going to be sick. Well, he did take her in his arms but it was only to give her a good bye kiss. Brian continued to cheer Tom and I was dumbfounded to see Bunting drive off. Downton threw me a curve ball by not throwing a plot curve ball. My team actually won! Although, instead of a victory dance I felt a bit downcast. I thought Bunting had the potential to be a likable character but the writers just made her unbearable with her rudeness. Either way, I was proud of Tom and liked him more for holding his ground and taking a stand instead of this constant will – he – won’t – he dance.  Bravo.

#TeamTakeYourBabyBack – It’s hard for my 2015 mindset to fully understand the times/ Downton mindset that made it absolutely impossible for a mother to respectably care for her child born out of wedlock. I feel for Mrs. Drewe and I know she loves Marigold but I wish Edith would just come clean about Marigold to her family and somehow get her baby back. That is easier said than done but I don’t think Edith can go on living this way much longer. I am assuming she is planing to kidnap Marigold and that it will all go horribly wrong. Not to mention that to Marigold, Edith is just the neighbor lady, not her mama. Will Edith successfully take Marigold back? Will she sacrifice her to the Drewes and live with a broken heart forever? Whatever the outcome, there will be  more heartache ahead but I am hoping Edith finally catches a break!

Photo Credit – carlithiel.tumblr.com

#TeamGettheHellOutofMyRoom – When Mr. Bricker arrived as Robert was leaving overnight, we all knew trouble was brewing. However, when he started sneaking through the hallways after hours Brian and I both yelled, “Oh, come on!!” Seriously? I don’t know who I was more mad at, Bricker or Cora. I really do like Cora but sometimes her calm reserve and sideways glances drives me a little crazy. Although she may have enjoyed Bricker’s attention and playfully reprimanded him, I never suspected that she would ever follow through on his flirtations. (Although, this is a lesson to married women that these little flirtations are dangerous, and while flattering, they shouldn’t be toyed with.) But when Bricker was standing there in her bedroom I wanted to shake Cora and say stop being so calm. Get this weasel out of your room pronto! Get your American blood going and set him straight. But noooo… instead Robert comes home early and is on his way up the stairs. Natch. Well, I guess the trend these days is to end the game with a fight because Robert belted Bricker and they fought mano a mano. I will admit that Cora’s coolness came in pretty handy as she calmed a puzzled Edith explaining that she and Robert were simply playing a game and they accidentally knocked over a lamp. Umm….ooookay. We’ll leave it at that.

(The clock is ticking and this blogging game is almost over. Time to speed through.

#TeamRobertHasARighttoBeMad – The next day Robert was giving Cora the cold shoulder and family members noticed. I do think Robert should be allowed a little time to grieve the situation. However, I am hoping he remembers that he himself had a dalliance with Jane the maid and unlike Cora, he actually acted upon her infatuation. I want to see Cora and Robbert make up and for both of them to realize how much they do love each other and how they have to make sure they don’t take the other for granted.

Photo Credit – carlithiel.tumblr.com

#TeamFreeAnna – You already know how I feel about this storyline. Anna looks more guilty each day and I hate it. Hate it.

#TeamMosleyandBaxter – I was so pleased to see them talking again. I love these two and feel they bring out the best in each other. I am also touched by Baxter’s concern for Thomas. As nasty as he may act, she sees the hurt man inside of him.

Time out! I can’t rush this last one because I saved the best for last.

Photo Credit – carlithiel.tumblr.com

#TeamAtticusAldridge – I’ll admit it. I have fallen in love with Atticus as a a match for Rose. Rose started this show as a party loving flapper but she has grown into a beautiful character with emerging depth. Her generosity and empathy for others is reminiscent of Sybil and her work in the hospital. The meet-cute between Rose and Atticus was so sweet and the name, well, the name Atticus Aldridge is downright regal. When Atticus first told Rose about his family leaving Odessa, I didn’t understand what all the hush hush was about. Brian immediately said that he was probably Jewish. As we learned, he was. (Is?) I loved how Rose couldn’t understand why that would be a problem. She did not hold any of the prejudice his family had suffered. That line also touched the heart of Atticus and he knew he wanted to see Rose again. Yay! I am always ready to cheer on a good love story!

And of that was not good enough, I stumbled across this piece of info from Digital Spy as I was trying to fin the correct spelling for Atticus. There is a real baby by the name Atticus Aldridge.  The baby’s parents won a contest to name the Downton character. Matt Barber, who plays Atticus, said this:

“The charity is called Sugarplum Children, it was set up by a lady whose daughter has type 1 diabetes and knew Julian Fellowes somehow, and they auctioned off the opportunity to name a character in return for raising money for the charity.

“The people that won it, their son is called Atticus Aldridge. I think he’s now about 18 months old. It was unbelievably lucky [that he had a Downton-style name], it’s a really awesome name. I’m a bit jealous!”

Okay, that is the end of the game. I’ll leave you now with my favorite quotes of the night.

Favorite Quotes

Violet: (In response to the nudist colony) “In Essex? Isn’t it terribly damp?”
Rosamond: “Would that make a difference?”
Violet: Well, yes if you had no clothes on. I think it’s a mad idea.”
Isobel: I doubt they were aiming it at you.”

Doc: “Can I ask you a personal question?”
Violet: “I’ve lived through great wars and my share of grief. I think I can manage an impertinent question from a doctor.”

Violet: “The idea of Princess Irina scrubbing the sick and emptying bedpans is a cheering one.”

Rose: (Speaking of her granny) “You make her sound very constant.”
Prince K: “She is. Ruthless, but constant.”

Robert: “I accept change but I want to navigate it gently. I don’t want to leap into it and put everyone’s backs up.”
Violet: “But you wear rompers without a second thought these days.”

Mrs Hughes: “I wish men worried about our feelings a quarter as much as we worry about theirs.”

Violet: “Rosamond, you are addressing your mother not the committee at the Woman’s Convection.”
Rosamond: “I am afraid you’ve read somewhere that rudeness in old age is amusing, which is quite wrong, you know.”

Okay, you know the drill. Don’t leave me hanging. Tell me your thoughts about the show! Favorite scene? Favorite quote? Predictions? Do tell. 🙂

Find other Downton Abbey Episode recaps here.

Oh, and one more note – Is anyone else enjoying Grantchester??

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads or Instagram. 😉

Sorry this is late but as you can imagine, life is a little busier these days. I was solo this weekend while Brian was with him mom at Stanford Medical Center where his dad is still recovering. Today I was busy running errands and helping my MIL with some things. My FIL is doing well, although we were hoping he would come out of ICU today but he was having some heart issues so he’s still there. His recovery is going to take some time and a lot of effort (from each of us.) As such, this may be shorter than normal.

Photo credit: itv.com

Okay, where to start….

She Love Me, She Loves Me Not

Mary decided that she was not in love with Tony and planned to break it off. Although she likes him, she wants him to be her children’s godfather, not their father. I hear a chorus of “I told you so” from #teamblake members everywhere. (Myself included.) Tony is nice and certainly easy on the eyes (wait, can I say that as a married Catholic woman?) but there was no spark. No fire. It was all too vanilla. Now compare that to when Blake and Mary are in  the same room. The sparks are definitely flying. More importantly, they do have a lot in common, they have a similar backgrounds, they work well together and they complement each other. But, that’s just my opinion. 😉

Tony, of course, disagrees. He was shocked and angered that Mary broke it off with him. I was a little taken aback that he was going to fight her on this. Maybe he’s not all vanilla. The one thing I didn’t understand is when Blake told Mary maybe she could soften the blow. What did he mean? My first thought was to get Gillingham back together with his former fiance. (Her  name escapes me at the moment.) Or maybe he wanted Mary to tell Tony she chose Blake instead. That would seem to aggravate, not soften. What did you think he meant?

Unrequited Love

Rose continues to surprise me that she prefers to spend time feeding the Russians in a soup kitchen instead being out on the town. Her character is developing into someone with much more depth than the flighty girl of seasons past. At the soup kitchen we met Violet’s old beau once again. This time we find out that Prince Kuragin once asked her to run away with him. She was tempted to do so but Lord Grantham subtly gave her two picture frames of their children. She declined the Prince’s offer but it seems she never quite ended her love (or fondness) for him.

This was an interesting bit about Granny. I always picture her a little like Mary as a young woman, opinionated with a sharp tongue and definite ideas of how she will lead her life. Knowing she had the opportunity to run away with wild abandon, yet she decided to honor her marriage vow, makes me admire her more.

Now Violet has set it upon herself to look for Kuragin’s wife. It was discovered that many of the Russians ended up in Hong Kong, where they found work as servants, taxi drivers, milliners and prostitutes. Violet commented, “I will not suggest which of those callings the Princess Kuragin was most suited.” It’s obvious Violet did not like the woman yet she said that she owed her.  Why did she owe her? Did something happen between them? Did the Princess know about the Prince’s plan to run away? We’ll see.

Meanwhile, Violet’s gal pal had her own romantic intrigue. As expected, Lord Merton proposed to Isobel. What was not as expected was how eloquently and beautifully he expressed his regard for her. Well, not just regard. He was in love with her. I never gave him much mind but for the first time I really felt for him. I still prefer Isobel with the doctor and she seems to be more suitable for him but now I hope Lord Merton does find happiness with someone.

In the downstairs quarters, Thomas is looking for happiness and seems to be taking extreme measures to find it. He came back from “visiting his dying father” looking like he was dying himself. Baxter, who I admire for trying to be kind to him despite his nasty behavior to her, found him screaming in his room with what looked like a syringe and heroin. Later she saw an ad in a magazine he was reading about “choosing your own path.” I can only assume he is undergoing treatments to supposedly cure him of his homosexuality. It will be interesting to see if he eventually opens up to Baxter and shares his ordeal.

Baxter’s side-kick was not at her side last night. Instead he was doing the numerous jobs of “first footman.” I had to laugh at Carson trying to rid him of holding onto to no longer relevant titles since he is so resistant to change himself.

The Calm before the Storm

Robert was not having a great episode. First he had to deal with his jealousy over Mr. Bricker’s infatuation with Cora. Then he had to once again be jousted by Sarah “I-send-people-to-the-confessional-for-their-thoughts-about-me” Bunting at his own dinner table. Omg, is that woman incapable of shutting her bloody mouth? I have no problem about how she feels. I have a big problem with how she expresses it! It is one thing to hold your convictions but another to insult the man that is feeding you, not to mention humiliating the very man you supposedly care for and who just asked you to behave. If Tom does not distance himself from her after this last episode, I will really lose respect for him.

Back to Robert, I must say that I was touched by how kindly he dealt with Edith as she opened her heart to him about Michael and her fear to know what really happened to him. He explained that knowing the truth, as ghastly as it might be, was better than not knowing. Poor Edith, cannot get much lower. The pain of Gregson’s death was only magnified by being banished from her little girl’s side. I am just waiting for that storm to blow and for her to crack and take her child back.

The other storm that is about to blow is the Bates situation. Not only is Bates under suspicion but now Anna is too! Beloved Anna. She innocently delivered a note to Gillingham’s and then went to where Green was killed. She didn’t know that she was being followed by a police officer who was watching her moves. So now they both are going to be in trouble. Shall I say again how much I detest this dragged out storyline? Shall I explain how much I loath the thought of another “is Mr Bates going to hang” cliffhanger? Shall I express my disdain at the thought of having to watch Anna’s pained expressions again?? No? Fine, then I shan’t mention another word.

Random Thoughts

— I admired Cora for not going further with Bricker when she had the chance last episode but she is treading dangerous ground as she enjoys his flirtations. I’d hate to see her make a mistake she’d regret. (And Brian does not like Bricker one bit!)

— Kudos to Daisy for expressing herself so eloquently to Robert. Kudos to Robert for accepting defeat so gracefully.

— Kudos again for Robert for not jumping over the table and strangling Bunting on the spot. For once I appreciated Mary’s icy response when it was directed to her.

Favorite Quotes

Lord Merton: “I should really get down on one knee but I fear I’d never get up again.”

Robert: “We can talk about it [selling the land] tomorrow.”
Mary: “Not me. I am going up to London first thing. Aunt Rosamond is taking me to a dress show.”
Robert: “It’s good to know you have your priorities straight.”

Blake: “I wish I could work you out.”
Mary: “I wish I could work me out.”

Violet: “Oh dear, Susan has been in a rage since she was playing with her dolls. I am proof against her tantrums.

Okay, your turn. Tell me what you think!

Find other Downton Abbey Episode recaps here.

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd or Instagram. (It’s set to private but I’ll approve you.) 😉

PPS – This post may contain affiliate links.

Phote credit – itv.com

So what did you think of last night’s DA? The storylines seemed to go a bit slower but it was still enjoyable.

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary

The show opens up with Mary and Gillingham in bed after a week of playing house. Gillingham is smitten and Mary plays along but as soon as he is out of the room Mary’s expression shows that she is only playing the part and her heart is not in it. (Didn’t I say that Tony was not right for her. He was too “nice” and she needed a man like Charles Blake that would challenge her and keep her on her toes. And hopefully, without having  to get her into bed first. But I digress.)

Unfortunately, Violet’s butler, Mr. my-facial-expression-are-priceless Spratt spotted Mary and Gillingham outside the hotel. Being the little rat that he is (okay, maybe that is harsh but I still can’t forgive him for sabotaging Mosley) he told Violet what he saw. Violet’s jaw nearly dropped but with lightning fast speed and she crafted the perfect excuse and feigned shock that Spratt could think anything so undignified and Spratt gave some of his best facial expressions yet. Grandmama saved the day and kicked butler butt at the same time

Now Lady Mary must face the music with Granny. I am glad someone tells Mary that times may have changed but most people would still be shocked at this behavior. I still think it is odd, particularly after how she suffered when her previous fiance found out about Mr. Pamuk. Mary tried to justify her actions but she really only succeeded in looking like a bratty teenager, complete with haughty looks and eye rolls.

And if all of this wasn’t enough, Mary had the gall to ask Anna to take her diaphragm and sex book and hide it in her cottage. Seriously? But then again, she also once asked Anna to help her carry a dead naked man from her bed so maybe that’s not so far fetched.

On a side note, I am assuming the birth control is going to be found in Anna’s room. Will Bates find it? Will he think that is why they haven’t been able to conceive a child? Will this tie back into Green and the rape and somehow make it look like Anna was guilty of… I can’t even finish the sentence. I don’t know. It just seems like more drama is going to come out of that one.

Speaking of Bates,  a witness has come forward and she heard Green say, “Why have you come?” Apparently Green knew that Bates may come after him for what he did to Anna. He made sure everyone would be suspicious of Bates if anything were to happen to him. Bates gave his alibi but technically he still had the opportunity to get to London. (And there was that ticket to London that Mary burned last season.) You know, all I can think about this did-he-didn’t-he storyline, is two song titles –  Let it go and shake it off! It is getting old and I cannot take much more of looking at Anna’s anguished face as she suffers from worry. After all that she has been subjected to, please let her have some happiness!

(Spoiler alert!! If you don’t like sneak peeks of what’s to come, skip this paragraph……… I was getting a photo for this episode and I accidentally saw a photo for an upcoming episode in which  Bates AND Anna needed to prove their innocence. What the what?? This can’t be good for my blood pressure!)

Rose and Her Russians

Here is another example of behavior that seems out of character. What has happened to Rose? Last year she was scandalously involved with a jazz singer and then sneaking around dance clubs disguised as a lady’s maid. Suddenly she is organizing teas for Russian refugees. I don’t begrudge her charity work but it seems like a big leap without much explanation as to why she has had such a change of heart. Am I missing something?

The one good thing about this storyline is that it gave us an opportunity to see Granny speechless when she came face to face with an old Russian friend (flame?) she knew years ago. Mary teased her about it but she insisted there was nothing to it.

Secrets Revealed

Baxter continues to agonize over whether or not she will tell Cora the rest of her story. I wanted to kiss Mosley when he firmly told her that she should tell the truth on her terms since either way, the outcome would be the same. Baxter had courage and shared the story that she allowed a bad man to change who she was and stole for him. In the end she was left to carry the blame but she has learned her lesson. Cora forgave her and let her stay. Baxter looked obviously relieved and overjoyed that the weight was lifted off her shoulders. (Now go give Mosley a kiss of thanks, Baxter.) 😉

It has already been established that lately Robert has been displaying more love and affection to Isis than his wife. Cora expressed her feeling of uselessness, longing again for he days when she was busy and making a difference in the world. At times Robert treats her more like an accessory than a partner in marriage. Meanwhile, Mr. Bricker is more than infatuated with Cora, not only paying her compliments but he genuinely values her opinions. After their evening at the art gallery, Bricker is about to burst with want to kiss Cora but he lets Cora take the lead. Cora is flattered and enjoys the attention but she knows that she cannot step over that line. They are treading on dangerous ground but I am happy they showed some moral restraint. Cora went back inside Rosamond’s home only to find Robert fuming that she was out with Bricker. He speaks cruelly to her and she goes to bed.

It’s interesting that in the previous season when Robert was feeling useless and unloved, he had his fling with the maid. Now it is Cora’s turn to be temped to do the same. Whenever I see these scenarios play out, I am reminded of the importance of couples to nurture their friendship and romantic love. It is so easy to get bogged down by the routine of the day that we forget that our spouse still needs to feel loved and desired and appreciated. It is something you must constantly work out whether you are newlyweds or married 20 years. When that is not available in the marriage it is much more tempting to acquire it elsewhere. Okay, and that is a completely random thought. Did I mention that it is very late and I am feeling a bit punchy for want of sleep. So let’s wrap this up. Who else haven’t we discussed…. Edith!

Oh, Edith. I can’t help but hear The Smith play whenever you are on screen – “Please, please, please, let me,” “How soon is now,” “Heaven knows I’m miserable now…” It could go on and on. I have no idea where this storyline is going. Will she finally tell the truth? Will she kidnap Marigold? What was Robert saying to Edith in the preview about telling the truth? I have no idea. Where do you think the storyline will go?

Okay, let’s stop there. If I forgot something, please add it in the comments!

Favorite Quotes

Isobel: “Surely servants are human beings too.”
Violet: “Yes, but preferably only on their days off.”

Mrs. Patmore: “Sympathy butters no parsnips.”

Violet: “An unlucky friend is tiresome enough. An unlucky acquaintance is intolerable.”
Isobel: “You’re all heart.”

Violet: “Can we be confident that there will be no unwanted epilogue.” (I cringe at the thought of a baby being refereed as such , but it is a classic Granny quote.)

Violet: “In my day a lady was incapable of feeling physical attraction until she had been instructed to do so by her mama.”

Okay, your turn. Tell me what you think!

Find other Downton Abbey Episode recaps here.

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd or Instagram. (It’s set to private but I’ll approve you.) 😉

PPS – This post may contain affiliate links.

Photo Credit – ITV.com

I was out of town this weekend but was able to catch the latest episode of Downton Abbey at the hotel. However, the recap is a day late. Sorry!

Secrets

The show opened with Anna and Mrs. Hughes discovering the photo of baby Marigold that Edith hid under her pillow. Anna is a woman of discreetness (she’s getting a lot of practice from Lady Mary lately) and the look on Mrs. Hughes’ face showed that she is putting two and two together, especially after she overheard Edith and Drewe talking after the fire.

I am waiting for Mrs. Drewe to put two and two together. Her annoyance with Edith is growing and her anger towards her husband is understandable. I’d be having a “lively chat” with my husband if he was trying to pawn off the child I had adopted into my heart. I think there will have to be some confessions made from Drewe if he doesn’t want to damage his marriage. Whether or not Mrs. Drewe would keep quiet if she found out, or be spiteful, I don’t know. Worst case scenario, she realizes the baby is Edith’s but thinks Drewe is the father.

Meanwhile, the other keeper of secrets is Anna. I wanted to hug the poor girl when Mary kept telling her she wanted to avoid the consequences and Anna exclaimed OMG when she realized what she was being asked. Anna manages to procure Mary’s requested item and Mary ventured out on her “sketching holiday.”

On the downstairs front, Jimmy made his goodbyes and left Downton. There was a sweet exchange between him and Thomas. (And later between Anna and Thomas.) I like that Thomas is not shown as a 100% villain. I enjoy when the veil is lifted and we get a glimpse into the vulnerable and hurting man inside. My heart goes out to Thomas at these moments. However, these glimpses do not last long. Thomas was back to his nastiness as he sought his revenge on Baxter by spoiling the good opinion of the man who cared for her most.

I felt for Mosley as he struggled with the revelation of Baxter’s past and her refusal to justify her actions. She does admit that she may not have acted on her own but she’d say no more. Although, I wish she’d come clean, I admire Baxter for accepting the responsibility and the consequences of her actions. You can see how much it pained her to relive that moment of her history and the shame she felt because of it. Her confession to Cora has seemed to give her an inner strength she did not have when she was cowering under Thomas’ gaze. I do hope things work out well for her (and Mosley) in the end.

Sex vs Love

A new character is introduced tonight, an art historian by the name of Simon Bricker. (A familiar face to the lover of period movies.) It seems that things are being set up for Cora to have a romantic brush with Bricker. In turn, Robert spent most of the show upset about something. (Huh. I said that as if it was unusual.) He is correct to suspect Bricker’s intentions, even though he seems more concerned about his dog Isis than his wife. (I couldn’t stop laughing at that.)

Charles Blake is back and he is not pleased with Lady Mary. He does not hide his displeasure, although he does wish Mary happiness. Her exchange with Charles shook Mary’s confidence a bit. I find ill logic in her thinking that having sex with a man she thinks he might love will help her avoid divorce. If anything, the opposite is true, but as I mentioned before, that is a topic for another post.

Despite her temporary misgivings, Mary secured her hotel room, which was adjoined with Gillingham’s room. Moments later, he knocked on her door looking as dashing as ever. They share seductive banter with one another with lines like, “We’ll make love all night, and in fact, for as long as either of us has any stamina left.” Wait, wait… is this Lord Gillingham from Downton Abbey or Rico Suave from a telenovela? It’s getting hard to tell. (Insert eye roll.)

For me, part of the charm of Downton Abbey, and period movies in general, is the subtlety of attraction and the slow simmer that a glance or a smile can produce. The touching of a hand and eventually a tender kiss can send a heart fluttering and wanting more. I find that more enticing to watch than what actually goes on in the bedroom. I am a big fan of a healthy sex life but that should be left to a husband and his blushing wife. (Or vice versa.) 😉 I don’t want (or need) to see in on screen. But that’s just my opinion. I don’t begrudge you yours. 🙂

Case in point, I love the sweet dialogue between Carson and Mrs. Hughes about the location of the memorial.

Carson: “There’s a bonus. It puts us back in agreement, Mrs. Hughes. I am not comfortable when you and I are not in agreement.”
Mrs. Hughes: “You are very flattering. When you talk like that, you make me want tot check the looking glass to see that my hair is tidy.”
Carson: “Get away with you.”
Mrs. Hughes: “No, I mean it.”

That little dialogue and the looks shared between them was swoon worthy and for stodgy Mr. Carson, it was the strongest testament of affections we’ve seen from him so far.

In the closing scene, a policeman came to talk to Mr. Carson about Mr. Green. (Anna’s rapist.) Apparently there was a witness, which means that Mr. Bates and Anna’s relationship will be raked over the coals once again. Dun, dun, dun… Just please, let Mr. Bates be innocent. (No, it’s not preposterous to think Greene bent down to tie his shoe and then he accidentally fell into the path of a moving vehicle.)  Well, at least do not make us endure another dragged out Bates-is-in-prison storyline. Okay, thanks.

Favorite Quotes

— Violet: “Mrs. Crawley has been distracted lately with Lord Merton frisking around her skirts and getting in the way.”

— Robert: “Do people think we are some sort of hotel that never presents a bill.”

— Mrs. Hughes: “That’s a nice thing you are doing.”
— Mrs. Patmore: “Is it? I think I’ve been a damned fool and doubled my workload.”

— Robert: (Speaking of the wireless) “It is a fad. It won’t last.”

— Violet: “Mrs. Crawley is never happier than when she has the chance to use her guiding hand.” (The only thing better than Violet’s lines were the looks Isobel was giving Violet in return for her barbs.)

— Bates (Discussing Lady Mary’s trip.): “It doesn’t sound much like Lady Mary. It sounds a bit bohemian.”

— Lady Mary: “Charles, I am sorry if I’ve hurt you. It is just only lately that I’ve started to come out of the midst.”
— Charles: “And the midst is clearing around the lithe and supple figure of Tony Gillingham.”

— Cora: “She was a German Communist who was shot and thrown in the canal. We wouldn’t wish that on Miss Bunting.”
— Robert: (Considering the thought.) “Hmmm.”

— Mr. Bricker: “Goodness. Is this what they call a lively exchange of views.”
— Mary: “It’s about now that Papa usually fetches his gun.”

— Carson: “I don’t like it when we are not on the same side.”
— Mrs: Hughes: “We’re different people, Mr. Carson. We can’t always agree.
— Carson: “I know. But I don’t like it.”

— Mary – “You are not being fair. I am not some over-heated housemaid drooling over a photograph of Douglas Fairbanks.”

–Robert: “And tell your friend Bricker to stop flirting with Isis. There is nothing more ill-bred than trying to steal the affections of someone else’s dog!”

— Daisy: “Why is it called a wireless when there are so many wires?”

Random Thoughts

— Like Thomas, there are moments when Miss Bunting is not aggravating me and I was touched that she was determined to help Daisy with her studies. If she can channel a little more of her charitable heart and tone down her abrasive rudeness, I’d enjoy her character much more.

— Brian thinks that Charles Blake knows something about Gillingham that he is not telling Mary. I’m not sure.

— I thought is was so unkind of Robert to say about Edith that he hopes that Drewes don’t get sick of her. (As if he is a bed of roses.)

— I’m looking forward to learning more about Rose’s Russian refugees. One of them is going to have a past with Violet. Hmmm. Do tell!

Okay, now it’s your turn! Share with me your thoughts, comments and predictions! 🙂

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd or Instagram. 😉