Downton Abbey Season 5 Episode 8

SPOILER ALERT! This post is intended for those who have already seen Downton Abbey Season 5 Episode 8

Isis is gone and Anna is in the clink. What the heck is wrong with Julian Fellowes??? He has got to be kidding. Just when you think that we are in the clear with Bates, the police inspectors come to the house for the umpteenth time looking for someone short! (sound of hair being torn out by me).

On a lighter note, a wedding is a great way to finish the series (well we still have the Christmas Episode next week). Even if we did have to put up with Mrs. Shrimpy aka "Insane Mother" and Lord Sinderby aka "His Crustiness". Poor Rose and Atticus! They are sooooo adorable and deserve much better. Thank goodness the silly setup photos of Atticus didn't throw Rose off more than momentarily. Mrs. Shrimpy has done her worst now but it looks like Lord Sinderby is going to be trouble in the future.

Thank goodness Daisy didn't bolt in the big metropolis after all. You have a farm to run in Yorkshire my dear! And what was the nonsense with Denker and the new footman about? Is she the new O'Brien come to stir things up? Can't wait to see her lock horns with both Formerly Evil Thomas and Delightfully Snotty Spratt in the future.

Lovely acting from Mrs. Patmore this week. However I am glad the memorial story line is finally finished.

Prince Kuragin certainly gave Dame Maggie some pause for thought. Did he have to refer to wanting to hop into the sack with the Dowager however? Shudder! I hope she will send him on his way. Now Isobel however should really get together with Lord Merton. Fingers crossed for that relationship.

Tom is going to Boston, Mary is being sad instead of being horrible and Lord Grantham is finally in on the Edith and Marigold story. I wondered when the penny would drop now that Marigold is living at Downton.

Well, I will leave you with this lovely full length photo of Lady Rose in her drop dead gorgeous wedding dress. I believe it was a vintage find by the costume department. Bravo!!! Click on the photo to enlarge it for a better look.

Best Lines of the Week 

Lady Mary: Why does she (Edith) have to carry on as if she'd invented motherhood?

Countess Violet: Though love may not conquer all, it can conquer quite a lot.

Prince Kuragin: I wish to spend my final years with you. As a friend. As a lover. I don't seek scandal. Only love.

Daisy: London is full of possibilities. Sometimes I think my life has no possibilities at all. I feel as if I've been down a coal hole and someone's opened a lid and brought me into the sunlight.

Susan Flintshire: Do you find it difficult to get staff?
Lady Sinderby: Not really. But then, we're Jewish. So we pay well. (snap!)

Lord Sinderby: Divorce signifies weakness, degradation, scandal, failure.

Countess Violet: My dear, love is a far more dangerous motive than dislike.

PS Thank-you to my fave character Molesley (and I suppose Julian Fellowes) for making me look up the Wallace Collection. I must see that if I am in London.

Downton Abbey Season 5 Episode 7

SPOILER ALERT! This post is intended for those who have already seen Downton Abbey Series 5 Episode 7

Isis!!!!!! I can't see to write this for the tears. It's almost as bad as losing our darling Sybil! I have to say that as corny as Julian Fellowes' writing is at times, I really loved the tender scene at the end of this episode. If we had to lose Isis, at least she got to die with dignity surrounded by love. Cora is right. May we all be so lucky when our time comes.

On a lighter note, the young ladies of Downton are now sorted for a while. Lady Rose is engaged to her Atticus Aldridge. Could we have a happy ending on Downton for a change? Well, perhaps not with Rose's mum the ever spiky Susan appearing back from India.

But the lame "tableau" at the Cinema seemed to have done the trick for Mabel Lane Fox and Tony. By the way, do the Brits really pronounce it Kinema or is that just Charles showing off his Public School Latin pronunciation? And I suppose Charles bogging off to Poland is just another future history lesson on the Nazis from Julian Fellowes? Sigh!

The weirdness with Lady Edith bringing Marigold to Downton was odd even for this show. And can we finally put the Anna/Bates/Mr. Rapist story to rest? No, I suppose not.

I must say I do enjoy the fireworks at every other dinner scene at Downton. Larry Merton is every bit as much fun as the redheaded school teacher.

And Molesley snickering below stairs at Tom Branson's use of the word "bastard" in reference to horrible Larry Merton had me in stitches. I LOVE Molesley! Possibly the best character ever to arrive at Downton Abbey! More Molesley!!!

My next fave is Spratt and his keeping the Dowager Lady Violet from getting too comfortable with her new maid Denker. But again, I adored the tenderness with which Violet admitted to bitchy Mary how much she will miss the company of Isobel when she leaves. Awwwwww. But how sad Isobel looked saying farewell to her Dickie man. Oh dear!

I suppose we have to say goodbye to Lady Rose so she can go and publicize her role as Cinderella (in the live action Disney film with Daisy as one of her evil stepsisters- more on that later next month).

And does Tom Branson have to take Sybbie to Boston? She is so adorable playing Pooh sticks with her papa and throwing hunks of moss into the stream saying "Why...why...?" Why indeed Sybbie.

Best Lines of the Week (mostly Dame Maggie this week):

Countess Violet: He's a man. Men don't have rights. (Snort!)

Countess Violet: My dear, a lack of compassion can be as vulgar as an excess of tears. (only Violet can put Mary in her place like this!)

Countess Violet: I've got used to having a companion. A friend, someone to talk things over with. Isobel and I had a lot in common. I shall miss that.

Spratt: She (Denker) takes after the dachshund. She is quite untrainable.

Lord Grantham: If you ask me, it's absolutely crackers! (for once, he's right)

Mr. Mason: Education is power. Don't forget that. There's no limit to what you can achieve...There are millions out there who could have done so much if they'd only been given an education. (I hope many young viewers watching in many countries take this to heart. Bless "Lord Fellowes" for being a socialist after all. Hurrah!)

Downton Abbey Season 4 Finale (Christmas Episode)

SPOILER ALERT! This post is intended for those who have already seen Season 4 Finale (Christmas Episode)

Downton Abbey relocates to Grantham House in London for Lady Rose's presentation to the sovereign at court, the start of the British social season. I enjoyed the episode, even though some of the story lines were a bit daft.

We get to follow Julian Fellowes's obsession with the London season and the debutante ball where every year a new crop of young ladies "come out" to London high society and were then able to participate in other events such as Royal Ascot and the Henley Royal Regatta and other various balls and events.

The court dress is usually a white (or ivory or light pink), short sleeved dress with white gloves, a veil attached with 3 white ostrich feathers and a train. I would say Lady Rose nailed the 1920s version above! That girl never gets nervous does she?

House of Worth Court Presentation Dress, late Victorian

Started in the Georgian era, the court presentations were officially abolished by Queen Elizabeth II in 1958, although if you would like an account of the lives of London debs in the 1960s, Julian Fellowes has written an entertaining book called Past Imperfect (he also has another very entertaining novel along the same lines called Snobs).

But as usual, I digress!

Delightfully, we have the return of Cora's mother Martha Levinson (the always welcome Shirley MacLaine) and newcomer Paul Giamatti playing Cora's naughty American brother Harold Levinson, fresh from being rescued from scandal by Robert.

Martha gets wooed by an English nobleman in desperate need of a cash infusion. Thankfully she sends him on his way, but promises to send a few American dames his way. Harold similarly tries to avoid getting snared but seems a little more smitten...with Daisy's cooking at least!

There was some craziness in this episode, not least of all the saga of the Prince of Wales's love letter (eye roll). And Lady Mary's attitude towards Bates and the train ticket seemed like quite a departure from when she was trying to help Anna spring him from prison a few seasons ago! Sigh.

Poor Edith's story was sort of glossed over, but I sure am glad she has parked her progeny with the handsome farmer next door. I wondered whether the pigs were the only reason he was still around!

Now who else was thrilled to see Daisy courted by her American admirer? Ohhhh, I loved this part! And we got rid of the insipid Ivy all at the same time. Perfect!

But the best was saved for last as Carson and Mrs. Hughes get all friendly like and hold hands in the waves. Swoon!!!

Best lines:

Mrs. Hughes: We're all tired. But not as tired as we're going to be.

Daisy: What difference does it make if you peel potatoes in London or peel them in Yorkshire?

Lady Mary: I'd rather sleep on the roof than share with Edith.

Lady Mary: Your niece is a flapper. Accept it.

Violet (to Isobel): Can't you even offer help without sounding like a trumpet on the peak of the moral high ground?

Mrs. Patmore: Mr. Carson, all women need someone to show a bit of interest now and then. Preferably in a manner that's not entirely proper.

Uncle Harold: I like my food good. I don't need it original.

Violet: The British peerage is a fountain of variety.

Uncle Harold: I would find it very hard to respect any woman who wished to marry me.

Mrs. Patmore (to Lady Rose): If the family is like sardines my Lady, the staff are like maggots!

Martha Levinson: Well the gang's all here I see.
Countess Violet: Is that American for hello?

Violet: The combination of open air picnics and after dinner poker makes me feel as though I've fallen though a looking glass and into the Dejeuner sur l'Herbe.

Martha Levinson: I don't really want to spend the rest of my life among people who think me loud and opinionated and common. Why don't you come and visit Newport and I will rustle up rich widows who want titles much more than I do?

Martha Levinson: I have no wish to be a great lady.
Countess Violet: A decision that must be reinforced every time you look in the glass.

Baxter: You've made me strong Mr. Molesley. Your strength has made me strong.