Last week I was busy with sick kiddos and family stuff so by the time I finally got a chance to sit down and recap Episode 2 I figured I should just wait and make a combo post with Episode 3 instead. (Scroll down if you want to skip straight to Ep 3.)

As usual  – SPOILER ALERT!

All photos courtesy of PBS Masterpiece.

Episode 2 Recap

Episode 2 was relatively uneventful so it can be summed up like this:

• Letters from Rose and Tom were read.
• Mary read in between very obscure lines and assumed Rose was pregnant.
• Edith got her first zinger in a long time, telling Mary, “As usual, you add 2 and 2 to get 53.” Indeed!
• Mrs. Patmore gave into the dark side and decided to just buy a bottle of horse radish.

• Violet tells Robert what I’d like to say to computer trolls who post their rudeness and idiocy.
• Thomas is rebuffed at every turn. I actually feel worry for him.
• Mr. Skinner tries to hid the fact that he is freaking out that Mary is the new agent.
• Mary wants to take Marigold  to see the pigs. Edith worries that Mrs. Drewe will be there but not enough to tell Mary the truth about Marigold.
• Edith must go to London to deal with her brutish editor.
• Anna undresses  Mary. It still feels disconcerting that a grown woman cannot remove a simple dress from her body. However, it has brought them close enough for Anna to share with Mary about her pregnancy problems.
• Later Anna cries as she polishes shoes. The Anna and Bates drama is poured on so thick it dampers my love of the show. The reasoning for not wanting adoption seemed dismissive. I’m getting irritated. Writers, give Anna some happiness. Stat! (Or so help me, Fellowes!)
• Mary suggests to Anna that she see the same fertility doctor she went to. Anna protests that Mary shouldn’t go through so much trouble. They reminiscence about hiding dead Turks and Dutch thingamajigs. Finally Anna agrees to see Mary’s doctor and she is diagnosed with an incompetent cervix, a condition that is relatively easy to fix. Are sunshiny days in Anna’s future?? We can only hope!

• Violet, Isobel and the gang continue to fight over the hospital situation. Isobel makes a comment that I had to google to understand. (Basically it was a reference to gentlemen of yesteryear who wore Parliament type wigs, getting into a fight on the green causing their wigs to fall off.)
• Mary insists that Carson have his wedding at Downton. Mrs. Hughes wants her own wedding saying things like, “It may be where we work but it’s not who we are” and…

• Carson tries to make his argument and Mrs. Hughes teases, “And heaven forfend we lowly folks should do anything to contradict the blessed Lady Mary.” This wedding is bringing out another side of Mrs. Hughes and it is surprising me a little. But I understand her reasoning – her wedding is the only day when she is allowed to have things as she wants and not as it is dictated to her.
• Daisy is upset. I sort of lost interest.
• The family goes to the pig show with Marigold. They ooh and ahh over the porkers and the alarms are going off in our collective heads as we yell, “Why is no one holding Marigold’s hand?!” Sure enough, she is missing. So is Mrs. Drewe.
• Mr. Drewe knows immediately where Marigold is. He heads back to his home, to the chagrin of Lady Mary who is left without a ride home. He walks into the house to see his wife cradling a very still Marigold. I worry, “Is she dead? Will Mrs. Drewe go into a psychotic rage when Drewe takes her from her arms?” (This is why Brian doesn’t let me watch Dateline. 😉 ) No, Marigold is merely sleeping and Mr Drewe takes her from his wife without incident.
• Mrs. Drewe is deeply hurting. Mr. Drewe has the patience of a saint. Marigold is returned and Mr. Drewe must leave, for the sake of his wife who is close to losing it. Incredibly sad all around.
• We wait for episode 3.

Recap of Episode 3

Well if Episode 2 seemed relatively uneventful, this one made up for it. So many zingers! So many happy moments! A wedding! Branson! Anna smiles! I told Brian it seemed more like a season finale than a middle of the season episode. Here are a few thoughts.

Resigned to Nibbly Bits and Sorry Looking Dresses

In the last episode Mrs. Hughes was adamant to have her version of a dream wedding but she had since allowed Mr. Carson have his way. She shared her concerns with BFF Patmore:

Mrs. Patmore: “That doesn’t sound like a bride on the brink of wedded bliss.”

Mrs. Hughes: “It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the brink of anything. Except possibly the grave. I wanted a big wedding breakfast with all of us sat at groaning tables, having a jolly time.”

Mrs. Patmore: “Well, why can’t you have that?”

Mrs. Hughes: “Because it’s not how posh people do it. They stand about with nibbly bits getting stuck in their teeth, and that’s what we’ve got to do.”

Mrs. Patmore would have none of that! She confided in Cora about Mrs. Hughes feelings on the matter. Cora then asked Mrs. Hughes to speak to her upstairs. There she coaxed Mrs. Hughes into telling them what kind of wedding she had in mind to the horror of Carson. She admitted that she wanted a sit down feast followed by a hooley (party with traditional music and dancing.) It was version unsuitable for the great house and Carson agreed.

Lady Mary was dumbfounded and argued that Carson should be married in the house. Mrs. Hughes was adamant that their wedding should be about the love of Charles and Elsie not about the great house and glorious people who have lived in it. Cora, with her American sensibilities agreed and settled the matter. Mrs. Hughes would have her wedding in the school house, no matter how much Mary protested.

“Middle-Aged” Edith

Edith has been breaking barriers by living alone in her London flat, firing her “petulant and overweight tyrant” of an editor and doing a last minute edit of her  magazine with the help of Bertie Pelham. (In last year’s DA Christmas special he was the agent at Brancaster Castle while Lord Sinderby was staying there.) I enjoyed watching Edith smile and take charge and relished the idea that Bertie admired her and was willing to get coffee, sandwiches or move papers about just to be near her. Could it be that our Downton Eeyore is on the brink of finding purpose and maybe even love?? Jolly good!!

Impudent Denker and Killjoy Spratt

Spratt’s nephew Wally Stern escaped prison and contacted Spratt for help. When the Sergeant Willis came around to question Spratt about it, he denied knowing anything and Denker backed him up even though she knew he was lying.  Denker is the last person you want holding blackmailing material. This is not going to sit well with Spratt. So my prediction is that they either land out killing each other (or falling in love.) 😉

Thomas aka “The Republican”

I don’t quite understand what they are doing with Thomas. In previous episodes he was a scoundrel with nine lives who always managed to talk his way out of a situation. He was a character we loved to hate but slowly we got a deeper look into Barrow and saw his vulnerability and even a softer side to him. My heart softened towards him, especially as Baxter tried to take him under wing. (I really love that girl.)

However, these days everyone shows nothing but disinterest or even annoyance with everything he says or does. It was obvious that there was not much work for him to do since he was always hanging about or looking through the want ads but I can’t help but feel worry for him. Even his job prospects (this episode he was being interviewed by what appeared to be Lady Havisham’s long lost brother) have been further opportunities for his character to be belittled. Who would have thought back in season one or two that I would care so much about what happened to Thomas!

Mary & Anna

Except for the foreign concept of having a lady’s maid, I love to watch the almost sisterly relationship between Mary and Anna. Anna shared with Mary that she may be pregnant and Mary exclaimed to a blushing Anna, “Lord knows the problem isn’t Bates!” They planned to wait until Anna is three months along then make an excuse to take a trip to London. (Although, with Bates being so amorous toward his wife, you’d think he’d notice her changing body before the three months were up.)

Things Get Nasty

The discussion of the hospital becomes heated when Violet, Isobel, Cora and the gentlemen gathered to discuss the hospital. Violet was upset that Cora was siding with Isobel. Isobel grew more smug and belittled Dr Clarkson in front of everyone. It was not the best we have seen of Isobel. Cora was troubled by the heated exchange and excused herself to return home only to get into another mess.

The Dress

Mrs. Hughes was having second thoughts about wearing her plain brown day dress to her wedding. Mrs. Patmore tried to surprise her by ordering a new dress in a catalog. Unfortunately the dress was just as ugly as the first. Anna reminded her that Lady Mary said she could borrow a brooch to which Mrs. Patmore responded, “A brooch? She’ll need a diamond parure to make this look any good.”

Mary suggested that they take one of Cora’s embroidered evening coats to wear over it. Unfortunately, Mary never told Cora. She had the chance, mind you. All she had to do was call out to Cora as she left the room but it was too much of a bother. Maybe she was too busy making faces at Edith for being excited about the magazine copy.

Either way, when Cora walked into her bedroom and saw Mrs. Hughes trying on her clothes, she reprimanded them. You could feel Mrs. Hughes’ shame as she apologized and hurried out of the room. Mary went to Cora and scolded her when it was Mary, let’s not forget, who could’t get her bum off the couch and warn Cora of her plan. Naturally, good hearted Cora felt bad, apologized to Mrs. Hughes, and gave her the coat.

The Nuptials

The big day finally arrived. Mrs. Hughes was treated royally as she was brought coffee in bed and Anna and Baxter came to dress the bride.

Carson grudgingly put on his boutonniere and gave the others to his last minute ushers.

We moved to Carson and Hughes exchanging their wedding vows as everyone looked on with smiles and tears in their eyes. After the ceremony they walked outside to cheers. They kissed and the music swelled. The went inside the school room and your eyes were immediately drawn to the cheerful atmosphere and food laden tables without a nibbly bit in sight.

Mary apologized to Carson and the new Mrs. Carson quipped that Mr. Carson would forgive her if she attacked him with a brick.

Anna and Bates playfully flirted with each other and the hope of them finding happiness felt within our grasp.

Mr. Moseley talked to the school master and admitted that he may have missed his vocation but Daisy did not have to.

Grab One More Kleenex

Carson gave a beautiful speech to his new wife saying:

“I will not be prolix, but it must be right that I mark that I am the happiest and luckiest of men. That a woman of such grace and charm would entrust her life’s happiness to my unworthy charge passeth all understanding.”

Here, here! Everyone toasted the happy couple including our long lost and beloved Tom. I was completely surprised to see him walk through the door, thinking he would not return until the Christmas special. He explained that he needed to go all the way to Boston to learn that Downton was his true home and they were his family.

The closing scene was of the adorable and impeccably dressed little cousins hugging one another. Sigh.

Random Thoughts

• Why do I so little patience with Daisy and her outbursts and assumptions?
• I assumed in the last episode that Mr. Mason would take over Yew Tree Farm once the Drewes leave but it looks like that may not be the case, at least for the moment.
• It was sweet seeing Mrs. Hughes and Carson blush as they discussed how they would avoid each other that evening so as not to see one another before the wedding.
• What’s the “little bit of indigestion” Robert had? Seemed too random not to mean something.
• Is it too late for Moseley to find his calling as a teacher?
• When are Moseley and Baxter going to get cozy with each other? I really liked them as a couple.

Best Quotes

Violet: “I know several couples who are perfectly happy. Haven’t spoken in years.”

Violet: “I have a feeling Cora and I will be saying ‘hello’ rather less than ‘en garde!’ in the next few weeks.”

Violet (Speaking about Spratt): “I know nothing of Spratt’s friends. He has a great many relations who seem to get married and buried with numbing regularity. Usually on very inconvenient days.”

Isobel: “Does cousin Violet know I am here this evening?

Cora: “Not unless you told her.”

Isobel: “I don’t want her to think I am plotting against her.”

Robert: “Aren’t you?”

Isobel: “Yes, but I don’t want her to know.”

Violet: “Well, in my experience, second thoughts are vastly overrated.”

Violet: “A peer in favor of reform is like a turkey in favor or Christmas.”

What did you think of the episode? What was your favorite scene or line?

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