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 5 Episode 3

SPOILER ALERT! This post is intended for those who have already seen Downton Abbey Season 5 Episode 3

Well, Lady Mary is on the cutting edge of morality yet again. She seems to have enjoyed the roll in the hay with Tony Gillingham and yet doesn't seem impressed enough to get hitched again. Matthew must be a hard act to follow. I think Mary wants more of a challenge than Tony. He's just too eager!

The Lady Edith and Marigold saga is finally starting to bubble. The poor farmer's wife thought she had abducted Marigold, and I have to admit I was rather thinking that myself. Something is going to give with Lady Edith. I only hope she stays sane.

And good grief! Will we never hear the end of this Mr. Green the rapist valet story? Why can't we have a happy story with the Bates's? Maybe a mini Bates? Never mind...keep going stringing this mystery out of who flung the bastard under the bus, Lord Fellowes. It could have been any number of women in London I would think!

I wonder where Thomas is really going in London? Certainly not to visit his sick father if we know Thomas...and we certainly know Thomas.

Lord Grantham's surprise visit to London backfired big time. And Mr. Bricker is getting pretty cozy with Cora, who seems to be giddy as a school girl with the brazen flattery. But she doesn't seem to have any desire to take it past a flirtation as His Lordship should now be aware!

Daisy is turning into a well educated feminist thanks to the horrid Miss Bunting. By the way, how many times can Miss B come upstairs and make trouble before Lord Grantham sics Isis on her???  I was a little shocked that Daisy had to leave school at age 11 and that she thought education to age 14 would be wonderful. Gosh!

It's lovely that Mrs. Hughes and Carson still seem to be thick as thieves. But even she couldn't change Carson's mind about Mrs. Patmore's nephew. More friction downstairs!

I looooove the appearance of Prince Kuragin, the Russian flirtation of Violet's in the glorious Victorian era. And Lady Mary's sly dig at Granny was perfection! Hurrah! And any guesses whether the Fabergé eggs they were weeping over were real? They look pretty wonderful!

And now Baxter can stay (will the nasty man who forced her to steal show up in a later episode?) and there are plans under consideration to build ugly housing on "Pip's Corner" but Lord Grantham seems horrified even though it would free up some cash for the estate.

"Significant Looks Award" of the week goes to Spratt, Violet's butler and my new favourite character at Downton. Lady Mary's escapades just about popped his eyeballs out. By the way, I just re-watched Julian Fellowes's other masterpiece Gosford Park this weekend and you will find Spratt, Dowager Countess Violet and Mr. Bricker from Downton amongst many other familiar faces from various Period Dramas. I left the closed captioning on this time and caught a few lines I had missed on other viewings. :)

Best Lines of the Week:

Tony Gillingham: I want to acclimate myself with the routines and rituals that will govern the rest of my life. (Ewwwwww! Creepy!)

Lady Mary: I've been tarnished once and I won't be tarnished again.

Isobel: Servants are human beings too.
Violet:  Preferably only on their days off.

Isobel: Hopeless lovers wandering over a desolate moor. If it wasn't Emily Bronte it could be Tolstoy or Gogol.

Countess Violet (to Spratt): What were you imagining? Nothing vulgar, I hope. Nothing beneath the dignity of a butler of this household.

Mrs. Patmore: Sympathy butters no parsnips.

Mrs Hughes: My advice Daisy is to go as far in life as God and luck allow.

Countess Violet: In my day, a lady was incapable of feeling physical attraction before she was instructed to do so by her mama.

Lord Grantham: That an art expert would find your observations on the work of Piero della Francesca impossible to resist, yes, it is hard to believe. (Ouch. You're going to regret that one Robert!)

Lady Mary: Granny has a past!