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shallownessDownton Abbey 5.2
Baxter/Molesley made me melt. I love how they lend each other such dignity. So, his theory that she did it to save a loved one who was starving was disproved, but it’s obvious someone else was involved, and he and Cora are right to insist on an explanation of her motivation, I think. Well, of course, I do, I want to know what happened. But it’s not the sort of thing you do with no reason.
Cora was awesome throughout the episode, by the way. Able to see that Tom needs his own friends and to take his own journey (although if the show tries to underplay her love for Sybbie and Sybil while showing that great love is the cause of Robert’s tantrums, I’ll be cross, disappointed, but not overly surprised). Generally reasonable, especially compared with that husband of hers.
And then there was the casting glee. I didn’t even much watch the adaptation of The Scarlet Pimpernel starring Richard E. Grant and Elizabeth McGovern, even though it was all I knew her from, really, before Downton, but people who have played Percy and Marguerite opposite each other (well, presumably) should have chemistry, and the script played it up – the history of the painting was basically a wink and a nod to The Scarlet Pimpernel. I have an adultery squick (see Robert and the midlife crisis maid), although I think Robert has been blundering about and not fully cognisant of how wonderful his wife is for quite a while, and I don’t think the show should be getting on its high horse, because it too has underestimated her at times, but basically I want the fic where Cora and this art expert have this feeling that they’ve known each other before – his visit to Egypt gives you a mystic in, even though I don’t believe in past lives, but obviously there’s actorly history to delve into. And I hope he comes back on the show for Violet to notice that it’s not just flirting with Isis that’s going on.
(I should also admit that for two seconds, I wanted Blake/Rose to become a thing just to spite Mary, but it became obvious that he thought she was a silly child, which she is.)
I also really liked Violet and Isobel’s oneupwomanship and the fact that they were pilfering Elizabeth visiting Pemberley for the older generation, although given the Doc’s canonical feelings for Isobel, I do think he’s being unwontedly tortured.
Also, Mrs Hughes stuck to her guns and Carson changed his mind – HA! (Carson/Hughes shippers are probably still reviving themselves after what he said). Mrs Patmore did a good thing for Daisy – Daisy the only one left behind of that quartet of young silly lovers, none of whom ended up together, and it looks like there’s going to be no new young servants to join her. And Sarah fired up Tom’s spine. Mixed metaphor, but you know what I mean. It’s all very well being amused at your father-in-law, but then he spouts nonsense and you stand up to him...Oh, Branson, the best thing for you is to go away (and take Sybbie with you).
Ugh to Robert, in his passion, ignoring the fact that if Tom did take Sybbie with his away, he would be well within her rights AS HER FATHER and thus literally not taking her away from everyone she loves. Or does Robert think that only titled fathers have feelings?
Obviously he doesn’t, he’s having a tantrum.
But the same callous disregard for others in their tunnel vision for their feelings made me annoyed with Edith (and Mary to a lesser degree). Basically because of their libidos, other (lower class) women are being made to suffer. I wish the farmer could tell his wife Edith’s secret (Anna and Mrs Hughes are on to it, because that was a picture of Marigold as a baby, wasn’t it?). It’s a bit rich, having a lady swan into your farm kitchen, and you think carry on with your husband, but then, she wants the daughter you’ve adopted and given a place to on your hearth and in your heart.
On the other hand, I wished Robert would have remembered Edith when Downton was a hospital and the care shown then.
And Mary – well, she did apologise for sending Anna, and I was almost expecting her to back out. Blake made a really excellent point about her being cleverer that Gillingham and it probably not working out. Granted, I don’t think he’s given up the fight and after the whole pigs thing, I still think he’s the rebound, not Mr Grand Hotel. Some of Tony’s lines made me cringe.
What would help people to make people like you, Thomas, would be if you didn’t blackmail them and spit poison around every two seconds, you snake.
Ugh, the Green thing is coming back to haunt us all. I think I would rather more blithering on about silly people wasting their lives around newfangled entertainment boxes (this year’s telephone/toaster/whatever.)
Baxter/Molesley made me melt. I love how they lend each other such dignity. So, his theory that she did it to save a loved one who was starving was disproved, but it’s obvious someone else was involved, and he and Cora are right to insist on an explanation of her motivation, I think. Well, of course, I do, I want to know what happened. But it’s not the sort of thing you do with no reason.
Cora was awesome throughout the episode, by the way. Able to see that Tom needs his own friends and to take his own journey (although if the show tries to underplay her love for Sybbie and Sybil while showing that great love is the cause of Robert’s tantrums, I’ll be cross, disappointed, but not overly surprised). Generally reasonable, especially compared with that husband of hers.
And then there was the casting glee. I didn’t even much watch the adaptation of The Scarlet Pimpernel starring Richard E. Grant and Elizabeth McGovern, even though it was all I knew her from, really, before Downton, but people who have played Percy and Marguerite opposite each other (well, presumably) should have chemistry, and the script played it up – the history of the painting was basically a wink and a nod to The Scarlet Pimpernel. I have an adultery squick (see Robert and the midlife crisis maid), although I think Robert has been blundering about and not fully cognisant of how wonderful his wife is for quite a while, and I don’t think the show should be getting on its high horse, because it too has underestimated her at times, but basically I want the fic where Cora and this art expert have this feeling that they’ve known each other before – his visit to Egypt gives you a mystic in, even though I don’t believe in past lives, but obviously there’s actorly history to delve into. And I hope he comes back on the show for Violet to notice that it’s not just flirting with Isis that’s going on.
(I should also admit that for two seconds, I wanted Blake/Rose to become a thing just to spite Mary, but it became obvious that he thought she was a silly child, which she is.)
I also really liked Violet and Isobel’s oneupwomanship and the fact that they were pilfering Elizabeth visiting Pemberley for the older generation, although given the Doc’s canonical feelings for Isobel, I do think he’s being unwontedly tortured.
Also, Mrs Hughes stuck to her guns and Carson changed his mind – HA! (Carson/Hughes shippers are probably still reviving themselves after what he said). Mrs Patmore did a good thing for Daisy – Daisy the only one left behind of that quartet of young silly lovers, none of whom ended up together, and it looks like there’s going to be no new young servants to join her. And Sarah fired up Tom’s spine. Mixed metaphor, but you know what I mean. It’s all very well being amused at your father-in-law, but then he spouts nonsense and you stand up to him...Oh, Branson, the best thing for you is to go away (and take Sybbie with you).
Ugh to Robert, in his passion, ignoring the fact that if Tom did take Sybbie with his away, he would be well within her rights AS HER FATHER and thus literally not taking her away from everyone she loves. Or does Robert think that only titled fathers have feelings?
Obviously he doesn’t, he’s having a tantrum.
But the same callous disregard for others in their tunnel vision for their feelings made me annoyed with Edith (and Mary to a lesser degree). Basically because of their libidos, other (lower class) women are being made to suffer. I wish the farmer could tell his wife Edith’s secret (Anna and Mrs Hughes are on to it, because that was a picture of Marigold as a baby, wasn’t it?). It’s a bit rich, having a lady swan into your farm kitchen, and you think carry on with your husband, but then, she wants the daughter you’ve adopted and given a place to on your hearth and in your heart.
On the other hand, I wished Robert would have remembered Edith when Downton was a hospital and the care shown then.
And Mary – well, she did apologise for sending Anna, and I was almost expecting her to back out. Blake made a really excellent point about her being cleverer that Gillingham and it probably not working out. Granted, I don’t think he’s given up the fight and after the whole pigs thing, I still think he’s the rebound, not Mr Grand Hotel. Some of Tony’s lines made me cringe.
What would help people to make people like you, Thomas, would be if you didn’t blackmail them and spit poison around every two seconds, you snake.
Ugh, the Green thing is coming back to haunt us all. I think I would rather more blithering on about silly people wasting their lives around newfangled entertainment boxes (this year’s telephone/toaster/whatever.)
