Monday, January 21, 2013

Dishing on Downton, Week 3

Spoiler alert. If you haven't yet seen Week 3 do not read on and if you do, don't blame me.

I liked this week--it had some nicely subtle emotion to it--Daisy ready to tell Albert how she feels about him only to have him eyeing the new kitchen maid. And then the tear jerker--Ethel giving up her little boy to the horrible man. Why didn't an outspoken woman like Mrs Crawley point out that Ethel only sank so low because HIS SON got her in trouble to begin with? We guessed that Mrs. Crawley will give her a chance as a maid and the teaser for next week hinted that would happen. And Bates and Anna finally getting their letters. But Bates now has a deadly enemy and Anna isn't pursuing what she found out in London. How many more seasons before this is resolved?

And then there's Sibyl and Branson. Do you think that marriage is doomed? I rather suspect he may return to Ireland and get shot in an uprising, dying a martyr's death. What do you think? I don't see much future in the marriage.

And what do you think about the new footman? The maids adore him and we think he's clearly gay, so there might be attraction between him and Thomas. And someone at table mentioned that he looked like a stage footman, making me wonder if he really is not quite what he seems--on the run? And out of work actor?

Hooray for Edith now writing a column in a newspaper. Maybe she'll outshine them all. And the big question--is Mary pregnant?

So come on--let's hear what you thought of this week's episode.

15 comments:

  1. Poor Daisy. I can relate.

    There were a lot of new arcs introduced in this one episode, weren't there?

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  2. I have seen the entire series three and it just gets better and better!! Quite a few surprises yet to come hehehe

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  3. I wondered some of your same questions. My husband has started watching this with me, and he predicts that Bates is going to get killed while in prison because of that new enemy.
    I thought this was a better episode, too. The last one somehow felt like the writing had been rushed through. This one felt more settled.

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  4. I like all of the new mini-stories that are beginning. I'm really disappointed in Mary, who seems to be giving Mathew the cold shoulder now and who is also lording (ladying?) it above him a tad. I really wanted them to be the power couple who are also madly in love. Remember, in the beginning of the show when we were in such admiration of Lord and Lady Grantham's sweet relationship? I'm not seeing that between any characters this season. :( I'm a sap for that stuff, I guess.

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  5. I didn't like Ethel that much at first but giving up her little boy, knowing he won't remember her, showed such character. I think Mrs Isabell and Mrs Hughes are both so strong and wise. Poor Matthew! He knows what needs to be done but is going to hurt Robert and anger his wife to do what is best for Downton. Bother Lady Mary, anyway! She hounded and hounded him into giving the money to Downton with little regard to his feelings and now that the crisis is over, it seems she could care less if it is well managed. I knew she loved her father, but is her love such, that she can not abide the suggestion that improvements may be possible?

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  6. All I have to say is I could never have given up a child of mine like that. I can't imagine how traumatized a child of that age would be to suddenly be torn from his/her mother like that--especially when the two of them were so close. All they had was each other. I cried during that scene.

    And Mary better start showing Matthew some love. I mean, he DID save Downton Abbey. And if he's going to be killed off in early season 4, they need to get to work producing an heir and a spare.

    It's so hard not to go to Wikipedia and read through all the Season 3 episode synopses...

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  7. Anonymous, even if your alternative was to turn tricks in front of your son? Because that was her rationale.

    It was a different time, and I think the show is pretty accurately portraying the difference in attitude that existed then. Women, in particular, who were impoverished, had almost no options.

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  8. I quite agree with Kimberly...Lady Mary is getting to be a bother...she is showing her true colors...very shallow...I don't like the way she is always putting Edith down...her dislike for
    her sister comes shining through...and I am mightily feeling pity for Matthew..I don't know where the Anna/Bates thing is going...but it seems to be dragging on and on.. .as for the new footman...that has trouble written all over it...

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  9. Yes, I'm afraid Branson has an X on his back. The once detestable Edith has wormed her way into our good graces. YES, I do hope Mrs. Crawley does something for poor Ethel. I have had quite enough of the dreary Bates plot. And I agree with Anon - LADY MARY IS INSUFFERABLE! It's all such delicious fun.

    Hope people are also watching DCI Banks on public TV - it's by far the best crime drama they've since ... really since Prime Suspect. They've done justice to Peter Robinson's brilliant characters.

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  10. Nice to know I'm not the only person who's tired of the Anna/Bates story.

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  11. I'm finding Mary to be exceedinly prissy and it's getting on my nerves. Shame. I used to really like her. My husband guessed at the gay footman thread - trouble to come, I'll guess! Seems likely that Branson will get killed - that whole storyline about the uprising has to go somewhere or they wouldn't have introduced it. Fun times - can't wait for the next installment!

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  12. The possibility of a liaison between the new footman and Thomas is also intriguing because in the past that has been Thomas's soft spot: e.g. the suicide of the blinded (?) serviceman Thomas had linked up with hit Thomas really hard.

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  13. I disagree that Ethel's options were to turn tricks in front of her son or give him up. Mrs. Crawley offered repeatedly to help her find a new line of respectable work. Ethel turned it down.

    I can understand why Mary still dislikes Edith. She's the one who blabbed about the Turkish diplomat. But I do feel bad for Matthew.

    And get Bates out of jail already!!

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  14. Sybil and Tom's marriage is a story of star-crossed lovers but my bet is that Sybil will die in childbirth. Tom will be left to deal with the Crawley's and how to handle the baby will be his cross to bear.

    But Lady Edith deserves a good job!

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  15. Returning to Edith blabbing about the Turkish diplomat, did she not do that as revenge for
    Mary telling Sir Anthony some tall tale about Edith having an old man courting her? Mary and
    Edith have always been at each other's throats...I think both Sybil and Tom will be written out
    of the story...and probably Thomas if Bates comes back...

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