Downton Abbey 6.04

[shallowness]

Fine, I misread the Mary/Tom potential! At least 'think of you as a brother' makes more sense here than in some contexts canon has lobbed that at me.

I wish Mathew Goode’s character would drive Mary in a really fast car...and then dump her. But I don’t think he will, because they seem to be pairing everyone off (hints of Daisy and the new footman, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a love triangle between Mrs Patmore, Mr Mason and that Sargeant Willis...) And she set out her stall pretty bluntly about everything but her sex life – how and why Downton is important to her, George and Matthew.

Mainly, this episode was about reminding us that Sybil was the best of them, which we already knew. But it mostly did it quite well. It was nice to see Gwen bringing the ideals into sharp relief against reality. Let’s not mention how her hair has changed colour.

However, I will welcome that Gwen's ultimate triumph - apparently - was marrying a self-made man. Granted, they seemed very happy together and he was supportive of her, if with-holding of information, but 'and then I married up' is an odd ending for a tale of upward mobility through education. It might not be so odd for the time (unlike other things they do and usually say on the show), but still.

(Poor Rose Leslie, that Vin Diesel film looks dreadful.) Anyway, it was a nice callback to the first series and moved the plot on decently.

Granted, Mary was there for Anna in her high-handed way, but yes, whatever she meant by the monkey typing Shakespeare line rebounded on her for managing not to be a bitch to Edith (I’m not sure whether to take Edith’s comment about Mary having to step back from being an agent for Tom as tactlessness or an attempt to be snippy.)

Shut up, Daisy!

Also shut up, Violet AND Tom and most characters on politics.

Are we back to Thomas visiting a potential new position in the next ep?

Everyone has weighed in on the hospital plot upstairs by now. Zzzz. It’s ever more obvious that Robert is going to end up there.

Anna and Bates had that really gorgeous scene of talking perfectly clearly about her pregnancy without mentioning it, which was them at their best – a state they generally aren’t allowed to achieve.

Meanwhile Molesley, although he adores Baxter, was a bit bullying and self-righteous. He definitely crossed a line by speaking to Cora (who deserves a holiday). I know he had the rights of it, but it was her decision to make freely to testify.

Quite possibly there was more that occurred to me, but Strictly and RL have eaten my brain.