User Reviews

Lady Mary, with the help of loyal Anna Bates, plans a weekend romantic getaway with Mr. Gillingham. A headstrong risk-taker, Mary is definitely risking her reputation. She even buys this sort of old thingy that makes women stop getting pregnant at those times, but Anna bought it for her. TBH, I don't really like Mary much, mostly because of how she treats Edith. Poor Edith, of course, is constantly visiting her secret illegitimate daughter Marigold. Then she wants to be her grandmother, much to the dismay of the adoptive mother.

And then there's the excitement for the new radio, or "wireless" as they called it in 1924. The world is changing rapidly, but Robert is not very adaptive, and so are the Dowager Countess and Carson.

Meanwhile, Miss Bunting, Branson's friend and probably love interest, teaches Math to Daisy. What will happen to these two? Will they conquer the world together with their beliefs, or will Branson continue to stay in Downton and fit in with everyone else?

If there is one thing I have always found wonderfully strange about Downton Abbey, it is that it has such a large cast of characters, and reoccurring guest stars, and yet it rarely feels like anyone is ever fully left out. Almost everyone has something going on in their life, usually worth interest, and it is rare for two episodes to go by without some sort of update. Now, with praise aside, let's talk about the episode.

Topic 1: My Future Here – Thomas Barrow, Baxter and Edith

With James gone, and Thomas without a friend, Anna takes a bit of pity on him. For while he is the resident butt wipe, I think she believes even he deserves a friend. Though with him knowing he made his bed, change certainly doesn't seem on the horizon. In fact, just to keep life interesting, and dish out some shared misery, he tells Moseley about Ms. Baxter's past. Something which rocks how he sees her for he is all but sure there is a reason behind her thievery. But, with her unwilling to tell him, nor Lady Grantham, whether there was any real reason, both are left not fully sure how to feel about her.

As for Edith, as her and Tim pursue Marigold being Edith's god daughter, you can see Tim's wife Margie isn't much for her doing so. For, like Lord Grantham, there is the fear that while she may be interested in Marigold now, what will happen if she gets bored? The poor child will have become attached to someone who has thrown her away like an old doll. Something which Edith and Tim know won't happen, but that doesn't mean everyone else feels the same.

Topic 2: Times Are Changing – Rose & Lord Grantham

With the memorial being a hot topic, one which surely will be erected, the question is: where to put it? If just because there is a split between putting it where a would-be cricket field would be, or in the center of town. The argument for the field is because it would be a peaceful place, as opposed to in the town where likely it would be used as a gossip point, or somewhere people would sit to tie their shoes. However, with the seeing of one boy mourning in the town over his father, it seems decided that the center of town would be best. For, as Ms. Hughes said, it creates a reminder while on your way to places, such as church, and makes for a more central location.

Now, as for Rose, with the wireless, also known as a radio, becoming a big to do, she wants one. However, Lord Grantham isn't easily swayed into getting one just because Rose would like to listen to music. But with the king doing a radio address, it seems he changes his mind about having a radio in the house.

Topic 3: Let's Talk About Love – Mary, Ms. Crawley, and Tom Branson

To begin, Mr. Blake has come with a friend to see a painting held in Downton, as well as see Mary. Of which leads to him pretty much conceding to Lord Gillingham and him wishing the two the best. Something which is sort of nice for Mary since with her and Gillingham beginning to really test waters with one another, all blessings are needed. Though it isn't just blessings needed, but also protection. For with Mary certainly not trying to have a true scandal on her hands, she asks Anna to go get some form of contraceptive since she herself can't. Something which naturally is awkward for Anna, but with the most subtle of threats that Downton has been downsizing generation after generation, it seems Anna will go against what makes her feel comfortable for her lady.

Leading us to speak on Ms. Crawley. Someone who continues to perplex me for while she speaks as if she is uncomfortable with Lord Merton's pursuit of her, she continues to entertain him without objection. Which perhaps is only perplexing to me since I don't understand English custom, nor the times, but still it is making me so unsure if she may like him or not. Though she certainly does present herself as someone who is interested in something. Whether it is just good conversation or something more though, it is rather hard to tell.

Leaving Mr. Tom Branson. His relationship with Ms. Bunting is continually being coerced through various means. Be it Rose trying to play match maker, or Ms. Patmore asking her to be Daisy's tutor, it seems everyone, whether they know it or not, are giving reasons for these two to be in each other's space. Something Tom is starting to grow to like, and acknowledge, for she continually reminds him of who he was when he met Sybil, and who he was before her. For while he does enjoy the hospitality of his in-laws, he has never truly fit in. Something they all acknowledge and what makes Ms. Bunting, despite her opinion on matters, tolerated for Tom's sake. However, Lord Grantham makes it be known, to his wife anyway, he will not stand for Tom even thinking about taking away their oldest grandchild. A battle he is unlikely to face, but could very well may.

Even at her worst in season one, Edith never bothered me as much as snooty Mary, the Erica Kane of the British upperclass, and it's a tribute to Michelle Dockery that I enjoy despising her. I'm glad that Edith doesn't let her get away with her snark, standing up and defending herself against this entitled princess. Edith has the more pressing problem, taking care of her illegitimate daughter Marigold who has been taken in by a farming couple near the estate. Her husband has no issue of allowing Edith to see her anytime she wants, but his wife is a different story, and her concern grows. As for Mary, she's busy preparing a weekend getting away with Lord Gillingham, and is too cowardly to go into the city to buy birth control, sending Anna instead. It's a very funny scene where Anna asks to deal with a woman salesperson and still gets the third degree, especially when the clerk tells her that abstinence works just fine. I've seen Dockery in other parts, and fortunately she drops that uppity snear that Mary has regardless of whom she's speaking to. It's surprising when she's alone with Anna that she's able to speak with vulnerability, obviously wishing that they were sisters, not Edith whom I prefer over both characters.

"It's a fad. It won't last." That's what Robert says about Flores desire to purchase a wireless, AKA a radio. It's certainly a convenience that Lady Grantham wouldn't take too, still dealing with the fact that Lord Merton is interested in Isabel. It's obvious that she's jealous by the thought that she could lose her surprising best buddy to a man or having to deal with her as an equal. That's one thing that Violet always had on Isabel even in spite of the fact that she truly likes her. For the servants, Mosley in shock to find out about Baxter's past, and she doesn't sugarcoat the situation when she tells him the truth. It's refreshingly honest, but once again, Thomas comes out bad looking in the staff's eyes once again, but where it really counts, with Cora, that's who really has the power to make the judgment.

Then there are issues with Tom, becoming familiar with Miss Bunting and in danger in the family's eyes of returning to the life of rebellious and fighting for social causes which creates tensions between Robert and Cora and Carson and Mrs. Hughes. The Sam the Eagle of Downton (Carson) pricks up his large bird ears every time something potentially dangerous is mentioned among the staff, and even Daisy begins to show some spark, obviously having changed in the past decade )or five seasons) on the show. Funny lines, the characters that we love (and love to hate), and a changing world. It's interesting to see which ones of the uppercrust are changing with the times (Edith and Rose) and those still demanding to be the bell of the ball (Mary) and those open to change but not wanting it to change too much (Robert). A scene towards the end between Anna and Thomas gives a sense of hope that people can change with Thomas being reflective over who he is inside and Anna sweetly supportive as Bates walks in and sneers at him.

Mary remains true to form. We all know how much she loves the adoration of men (her father, Lord Gillingham, Charles Blake, etc.), and never has a problem being a tease. In many ways, despite being the oldest, she's also the most spoiled and immature of the three sisters. Yes, Edith has had her moments, and even Sybil to a very small extent, but Mary simply suffers from entitlement. In short, she's never grown up.

Unfortunately, Edith isn't handling things very well in her own department. In fact, this was the Edith storyline that I disliked the most. Not because it was done badly, but because Edith is very selfish and naive to think that Mr. Drewe's wife wasn't going to become attached to Marigold, to say nothing of Mr. Drewe himself to overlook this. God forbid to live in the days when everything had to be concealed. What a horrid and cowardly way to live.

Meanwhile, Ms. Bunting is still disliked a great deal by Robert--to no one's surprise--but you can see that she has helped bring Tom back out of the shadows of privileged living without a voice. While Ms. Bunting is certainly abrasive, blunt, and doesn't choose her moments well, one has to admire her resolve. Of course, she does take things too far, as she will demonstrate in future episodes.

Mr. Carson and Robert mildly bicker over the placement of the WWI Memorial and where it should be placed, but the humorous storyline is the coming of the wireless (the radio) which Carson and others despise, while Rose begs Robert to get one.

And finally, we have the final consequence of Anna's decision to not come forward with Mr. Green's crime, and how hiding it, simply creates more problems, especially for her. It's difficult to sympathize with stupid, as I often say. She claimed to not want to be a victim, but she played one nonetheless, and the mystery of Mr. Bates's whereabouts will soon come to light.

There isn't a single bad episode of this series. There's simply degrees from good to exemplary, and this is simply another solid episode.