Finally, some major drama on our “story,” as my husband’s beloved late Grandma called her daytime dramas on TV! Not a moment too soon, as things were becoming a little sedate.
Don’t get me wrong: I am thrilled the whole adoption/Edith/Marigold saga is over (or is it?), but it’s always nice to get the old pulse racing, isn’t it?
Here’s my List of highs and lows for Week 5! (Can we be at Week 5 out of 9 already????):
1. Line of the night, early on: “You have as much chance as a cat without claws in Hell.” A new way to say snowball’s chance, from Robert. (Something about Cora and his mother and the dinner featuring the minister of health, Mr. Chamberlain. Can’t quite recall because of the great SHOCK ahead…
2. Can the honeymoon be over already for the Carsons? I absolutely cherished the scene where Mr. C is sawing through his chop as if through a football.
3. Missus likes Bubble and Squeak with lamb; Mister doesn’t. Uh oh. What, no Spotted Dick for pudding?
4. As far as fashion, Edith won again, although that green, gem-spangled frock of Mary’s was spectacular, too. I loved Edith’s deep blue walking coat and hat ensemble, for her stroll with Bertie ( Hey, Bertie!).
5. Home decor item of the night: The kelly green ceramic horses in Edith’s chic London flat. Yes, Edith, we all endorse the flat life for you!
6. Septimus Spratt, all day long! How I adore his peculiar, froggy voice and drollery. Denker needs to go inhabit an island with Miss Bunting and other loathsome characters.
7. Speaking of which, Daisy is on my last nerve ending. Petulant, pouting, stomping, whining…and now territorial about who Mr. Mason spends time with? JUST STEP OFF, DIZZY, er, Daisy.
8. Because–and I could break into song–my kindred spirit Mrs. Patmore seems awfully interested in Mr. Mason’s alleged “loneliness,” does she not? Kicking myself for not seeing THAT coming. So sad we only have four more episodes to relish all of that goodness!
9. Nice job, Countess Dowager, blackmailing the future PM, Neville Chamberlain, to coerce him into preserving your village hospital.
10. Let’s say I was Gilbert Blythe right now, regretting a certain comment about a certain waif’s hair color–what tip might I give Mr. Carson right now? Oh, yeah: FOR THE LOVE OF TEA AND CRUMPETS, DON’T SAY IT!
11. But he did say it: Could you, Mrs, P, help my blushing bride out with her weak cooking skills, because “it’s been awhile since Mrs. Hughes played with her Patty Pans.”
12. Mr. Carson will be lucky if he doesn’t get a whack to the head with a Patty Pan.
13. And finally, the ghastly, shocking climax of the Robert-has-abdominal pains story arc: Lord G spews blood all over the dining room table, inciting horror and fear all around and begging the question, will he make it?
Only four weeks left to tie up any number of loose ends!
Hey! Last week’s blog elicited all kinds of yummy comments, each one entered in a drawing to win Downton Tea at the end of the season. Super fun, so let’s do that again!
Question of the Week:
Which loose end are you most curious about?
Okay… I take it all back about boring episodes. This one was marvelous… So glad it looks like Lord Grantham will pull through. I’m really enjoying Edith’s chance at love and life. And – yes – Mrs. Patmore? And maybe that cute, non-reading, tousled black-haired boy for Daisy? Mary’s coy bantering was lots of fun. He’s very dashing and sophisticated. Good match! What do you think? Love all around!
I do like Henry Talbot, but I am really beginning to suspect there may be un-brotherly and un-sisterly feelings bubbling beneath the surface for Tom and Mary!
Will Tom end up alone?
See my comment to Jamie above,. Susan. I don’t think Tom will end up alone!
Most curious about MARY! And who will she MARRY?! Could it be Tom????!!!
Who will Mary Marry? 🙂 I think it could be Tom!
My loose end is Edith. Will she finally find true love? Mr. Barrow has done so much to sabotage himself every step of the way, Will he actually teach Andy to red and progress or will he use the lessons to get something out of him. I, too, wonder if running the estate will lead to love for Tom and Lady Mary.
I think Edith will find true love. Bertie really seems to dig her. As for Thomas, I hope he is wrapped up on a good, redemptive note.
Oh dear I’m still feeling a bit queasy over the dinner surprise. Eek. I, too, am pleasantly surprised at the potential Mrs. Patmore/Mr. Mason relationship blooming…that would be so sweet. I made the mistake of looking for possible dog names on the list of characters on a certain website and got a major spoiler about something coming up ahead…now that I KNOW how that loose end will be tied up, I’ll just watch it happen. 🙂
Wow! It is tempting to find out what happens, but I am going to try and let it unfold…:) Dog names? I wrote an article about that once. Boy or girl? Breed?
Mr. Carson is going to be in the doghouse real soon . . . he needs to get a grip and cherish his bride, not make comments about her cooking. Daisy is getting on my last nerve with her behavior this season . . . I’m all for her spreading her wings to a new suucess/way of life and leaving Downton ( a la Gwen), but her possessive jealousy of Mr. Mason is too much. Why is she begrudging him some happiness, perhaps with Mrs. Patmore (yes, please). I could see Robert’s heath scare coming from a mile away (I’m an RN) and the bloody scene at dinner didn’t bother me at all. I hope Edith finds happiness at last and that Tom finds someone too. As for Mary, a part of me wants to see her eat her own words and fall madly in love with someone who is “beneath her status” ~ the dashing Henry Talbot could fill that bill quite nicely.
Well said, Joy! Henry Talbot is dreamy, but more and more I think somehow they will have Tom and Mary together in the end, leaving Henry in dust of his car. 🙂
Agreed on all of the above. Plus I’ll add how I liked a couple additional quotes – Both from Violet of course! I’ll hopefully get the words as close as possible to the actual quote … “When we unleash the dogs of war we must go where they take us.” AND “If I had to withdraw my friendship with everyone who’d spoken ill of me, my address book would be empty!” I was enjoying her hot temper toward Dinker … er … Denker I must admit. And yes, Edith’s fashions have been such delight this season. I must say that coat she had just wrapped around her before she was kissing whats-his-lips … oooo that was a good coat.
Denise, marvelous quotes from Violet! And “whats-his-lips”–love it! Bertie, I believe, is his moniker.
Maybe Mr.Fellowes was trying to jump on the Walking Dead band wagon with the horror. Yikes! Thought it would lead to some sort of example as to why Cora’s side made sense.
At first I thought matching Tom and Mary together was too predictable. But maybe a story line of Tom trying to match make and Mary’s fear of marrying down will make me want to root for them to be together.
The secret of Marigold may be out of the bag but it will certainly cause strife for Mary as to why she was the only one left in the dark.
But the loose end I’m most curious about now is Edith. I love how she has come into her own this season. And with a new guy in the picture it will sure to eventually be a nail biter. Will she tell him about Marigold? Or will he find out some other way. Will they become their own little family? With only a few more episodes left I imagine lots of things will need to resolve soon. (and an actual episode where the Bates were without any kind of strife. Who would have thought)
“The secret of Marigold may be out of the bag but it will certainly cause strife for Mary as to why she was the only one left in the dark.”
Yes, great insight, Laura! Why WAS she the only one left in the dark?
Several threads were of particular interest to me, as Week Five unfolded. First, I am thrilled that Bates and Anna did not lose another wee one. And I cannot wait to see the joy that awaits those two. If Julian deprives me of that joy, I shall never forgive him. Secondly, I thought Mary might have softened a bit toward Edith when it seemed she began to put two and two together re: Marigold. Will Mary figure it out and will she finally have a soft spot in her heart for her sister? Last of all, seeing Barrow sobbing alone in the servants’ hall. That was actually painful and sad. What will become of him?
Poor Barrow! He really is a most fascinating character. One week I loathe him, the next, I love him!
Strangely, I find myself liking Thomas more and more as we near the end. And I am happy for Edith, with her fabulous apartment and new fella. But I also keep hoping the guy who was mudding around in the pigpen with Mary to come back…what was his name again?
I know how you mean. But in the last 48 hours, I have come to believe that Tom and Mary will end up together, as far more than “brother and sister.” 🙂
I want poor Edith to find a great love but that will turn Mary into a green-eye monster / bully. Love to see a romance for – Mr. Moseley and Cora’s maid.
Molesely has really grown on me this season. Would love to see him and Baxter settle down!
I hope Edith finds true love! She is the sweetest. Sad we won’t see it develop much though if she does.
Edith used to be my favorite, too, but they really wrote her character into a bad corner with the Marigold storyline. I am softening my stance, though, and rooting for her and Bertie! 🙂
I forgot one thing that keeps coming to mind. Maybe I missed a comment either in the episodes or in peoples comments. (if I did I’m sorry if I’m a bit blind and/or late to the party) Why hasn’t anyone brought up the elephant in the room in regards to Mary’s race car driving “maybe” boyfriend. Helloooo….her husband died in a car accident driving too fast. That may be the reason she’s not too keen on the racing…or the guy.
I’m most interested in the Mrs. Patmore and Mr. Mason loose end. Please let it be so!