Dame Maggie Smith is back and better then ever. I loved that she was given a chance to impart
her opinions on everyone and everything.
She is the keystone of the entire Downton estate.
The episode begins at the Grand Hotel in merry old
Liverpool. Mary and Tony are together,
but still keeping up appearances with separate, yet adjoining rooms. Cold as ever, Mary recoils from Tony’s
“vulgar” assessment that their night together has worked up her appetite. Mary also loves to believe that her virginity
is resealed each time she gets dressed.
She tells Tony in her “oh so bored” voice that she won’t be “tarnished
again”. I guess she really believes she
is the Holy Mother and boy is that tiresome, can’t imagine that it’s any fun
for randy Tony. As they are leaving, (cue
“up to something” soundtrack), Dowager’s own butler, Spratt, spots them. All he sees is a rather chaste kiss on the
cheek. Given his hatred of all things
ordinary, he will tell the Dowager tout suite.
Back at Downton, Edith is off to babysit. Rose has her poor Russian aristocrats to
amuse, and Cora is off to London to see the BM (British Museum) as the guest of
Mr. Bicker. Downstairs, Mrs. Patmore
grieves that her nephew Archie will not be included in a war memorial, since he
was shot for “cowardice.“ (Refusing to follow orders to go “Over the top!” and
to certain death). Carson is questioned
by the police about the death of Mr. Green.
It seems that Mr. Green has implicated someone at Downton, perhaps to
cover his own criminal behavior. The
police have a witness who overheard, “Why have you come?” before Mr. Green was
hit by the bus. It is certainly not much
to go on, but curious. Daisy has
continued her math studies, much to the other servants suspicion and perhaps
jealously. Mrs. Patmore will not be
dismissing her anytime soon, “Daisy, come, and carry up the spotted dick!”
(Love me some spotted dick, it’s a kind of pudding)!
The DC has so many brilliant lines about Mary, lust,
misfortune and the lives of servants that I think I’ll let her do the talking.
“Being tested does not bring out the best in me.” To Spratt,
urging him to spit out the details about Liverpool.
“It’s extremely inconvenient for them to have private lives,
preferably only on their days off.” The
Dowager’s muses on the personal lives of the staff.
“An unlucky friend is tiresome, an unlucky acquaintance is
down-right intolerable!” She says this to Lady Crawley about the Russian tea
Party. Isobel quips back, “You’re all
heart.”
“An unmarried woman is quite incapable of feeling physical
attraction, until her Mama instructs her to do so.” This is said to Lady Mary after she reveals
that she did go away with Tony for a test drive.
“A young woman of a good family who finds herself in the bed of a man who is not her husband has invariably been seduced! Free will is something for the
other classes! The Dowager is
incredulous that Mary won’t marry the man she slept with. Passion is clearly lost on her.
The scenes in London reveal the circumstances regarding
Baxter’s crime. A handsome, devilish man
deceived her. She felt so ashamed of
what he compelled her to do, that she would rather be seen as criminal than
reveal the truth. I think it’s
interesting that both classes have engaged in criminal, immoral behavior. The difference is the servants get caught.
Speaking of getting caught, Cora enjoys the company of Mr.
Bicker in London. It turns into a date
as they get caught up in flirting. This
would have been innocent and forgotten if Lord Grantham hadn’t picked the worst
moment to finally do something romantic and spontaneous. He’s fuming on her return to his sister’s at
midnight. (This after having received a telegram about their adventure, due to
phone trouble). I can understand his
being hurt and jealous, but then he goes on to be an ass. “ I doubt that he
could possibly value YOUR opinions about art.” I feel those separate bedrooms returning to an
Abbey near you.
The final scenes were at the Russian tea party. Ms. Bunting shows up (again!) and manages to
insult these royal “refugees.” Yawn. The Russian items of the household are
displayed and worshipped by the visitors. The Dowager appears and swoons at the memory
of a dashing man from St. Petersburg. And, then he appears! Mary scoffs, “It seems that Granny has a
past.” But, what will it mean now…
Questions for next time: Where is Barrow and is he using
drugs in the preview? What will Mary do since she clearly has no feelings for
Tony, and is she capable of feelings? What
will Edith do since she has been denied further access to her daughter? Branson, will he stay or will he go? (Can we
please bunt, Ms. Bunting.)?
Finally, will Mr. Bates be further implicated in Mr. Green’s
death? I hope that the Dowager will be back in full force next episode. Maybe
Mary needs to become a dominatrix, since she loves control and needs to be
obeyed! Now that would be interesting!
No comments:
Post a Comment