Well. The small bit of light in last night's Downton was the hiring of the handsome footman.
Do it for the girls. Too funny.
It was like seeing Brad Pitt standing there, wasn't it?
I'm glad Bates and Anna got their letters, it made them both so happy.
Tom. Branson. I have never liked him. I am mad at him. I never liked how he forced himself on Sybil.
Why couldn't someone talk sense into her? Foolish.
If he wanted to be a rebel so badly, he had NO BUSINESS marrying anyone.
Go ahead and rebel and put your life at risk. But he is wrong to drag a woman into this with him.
yuck.
I like that Matthew is Edith's cheerleader.
Ethel and Fantine. So much alike. Sad story.
Many clever jabs and barbs this week. Please feel free to shout them out in the comments.
I'm not so good at remembering them.
No whining says tough and no nonsense Dowager Countess. Find something to do.
How I love her pluck.
(Maggie Smith is coming back for season 4 after all. Good. News.)
Oh! And Daisy finally gets what she has been wishing for....
but Ivy is very pretty...
Isn't that rotten luck for her?
A sad show, I think.
Not my favorite.
Matthew's mother goes from awful to sweet in a blink of an eye.....
Opinions?
Thoughts?
Be my guest :o)
Donna
Hello! Of course I am first -- and you are early today! Just back from the dentist. That is another story.
ReplyDeleteI cried real tears when Ethel said goodbye. It broke my heart.
Mrs. Hughes is becoming more and more of a favorite of mine.
I was glad that Lord G. laid into Branson. He had it coming.
At the end when Bates and Anna are reading their letters it just made me so happy. I fairly beamed while watching it.
That's all I will say - truly. I just almost quoted a quote that is from next week! yikes.
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ReplyDelete
DeleteOh so EARLY! Home again with a barfer so happy to see you here. :)
I said to Scott last night that between Tom and his rebels and E and her tragedy, Julian Fellowes must have been listening to the soundtrack from 'les mis' when he wrote this season. Lots of parallels. I cried, of course, when the Bryants showed up, but I feel hopeful for the boy, too. Poor E. If they had only helped sooner....
Have you seen much of Fellowes work? He's touched these ideas many times...part of his genius is that he continually layers characters and information, expanding his viewers knowledge of history and social mores.
DeleteDownton was a spin-off of his screenplay for "Gosford Park", filmed at the real Cora's country house Wrotham Park, yes there was a real Cora. She was heir to the Cologate fortune and married Henry William John Byng, 4th Earl of Strafford. There's a portrait of her at the foot of the stairs if you look carefully.
Fellowes acts and produces as well as writes. He played the father, Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond, the illegitimate son of Charles II in a Brit mini tv series "Aristocrats". An excellent period production with a terrific cast based on the life long correspondence of the four Lennox sisters.
Emily Lennox married James FitzGerald, the 20th Duke of Kildare and moved to Dublin. Their fifth son Lord Edward FitzGerald died of wounds received in resisting arrest on charge of treason in the rebellion of 1798. Unfortunately the history of the Irish & the English is not a happy one and has long been a recurring theme in literature and film.
Hi Steph. I will be out this morning so I wrote this last night.
ReplyDeleteI know you mean Ethel and are probably kicking yourself.
Yes. Tom is like the boys in Les Miz. I didn't think of that.
Interesting how the married women lounge around in bed and not the singles.
AAAAHHHHH. Ethel. I have been screwing up their names since season 1!!!!!!!
DeleteI would be less inclined to lounge in the morning (I'd probably spill tea on myself anyway) - the downstairs breakfast table seems more interesting to me.
DeleteFeel free to edit it if you are able!!!
DeleteMy cursor got stuck. Had to publish before I was ready. (#firstworldproblems. Hah)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Tom is becoming more selfish. He was already such a brat, and this latest episode just takes the cake. I don't blame Robert for being so hot about it - and I understand why they protects him legally - but I do think he deserved more consequences...
And, interesting discussion with Matthew and Mary and the nursery....
I am kicking myself because I missed it last night. I have off today which threw everything out of whack. Darn! Plus our Ravens were playing . . .
ReplyDeleteCan you watch on PBS.org?
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DeleteJust finished watching Episode 3 online. Here's the URL: http://video.pbs.org/video/2325927711
DeleteI love you, Jody! Thank you. Couldn't find this when I looked.
DeleteBeing a Ravens fan.....You watched the much more thrilling show last night. I hope you can find the DA on line.
ReplyDeleteI am in total agreement with you about Tom!! I am so hopeful that Mr Bates will be out of jail BEFORE the end of season 3. I have a very funny feeling that James or Jimmy the footman is not very interested in the female staff. I want a backbone and the witt of the Dowager countess when I grow up ;-)
ReplyDeleteMaggie Smith had several great lines but I'm not good at remembering specifics. Something about "every family" and the comments about how hideous was the castle in Ireland the revolutionaries burned. :)
ReplyDeleteLIke I've mentioned, I'm catching up on Season 1 on Netflix and hope to on Season 2. I did not however, know that Ana and Bates were married! Is that right? I think that's what was said. (I don't even know yet why he is in prison...so lots of catching up to do). Also, in the preview for next week looks like Thomas is "approaching with his hands on" the "new handsome footman". I'd like him to leave... and he is mean and conniving! I like Matthew's mother. I like Ethyl too...she's going to get some positive attention down the line someplace! I'm so glad to be watching this. It's so far from what I normally watch!
ReplyDeleteDid anyone of you see the Sunday Morning show this week? They showed the people that owned the real castle that this show takes place at. The couple that own it gave "us" a tour. haha Pretty cool. (I don't watch the show, sorry).
ReplyDeleteI am very much like the Senior Mrs. Crawley. I can go from kind to mean very quickly because I am too darn opnionated, and you know what? I agree with her. Ethel should have taken the money and she should have continued raising her son, and I totally would have continued being a lady of the night so my son can be with me. But despite the decision, it takes a super strong woman to make that decision. Any decision like that takes an inner boulder to help you make it.
ReplyDeleteI think Sybil is waking up from the love coma. She was very surprised and disgusted by his behavior, but hormones has her still believing in him.
I love Matthew, and I am glad he has taken an interest in the estate. I think it is the Grantham curse that the men cannot take care of the estate and they need someone else's money to keep it running. Mismanagement is such a small word.
Love Edith getting into journalism. I love her now that she is not looking for a man, but is doing something completely for herself.
And to cap off Ana and Bates. HAPPY about the reunion. But I am still not understanding why there was such animosity at the jail with Bates. I sorta feel this is his dead wife's continued plan.
I hope that I will come to like Edith now that she has something other than a "woe is me" cause to support. Glad she didn't marry the old guy!
ReplyDeleteThe new additions to the staff will be interesting. Funny how the new girl looks so much a prettier version of Daisy herself. I was rooting for Daisy though! New footman looks like trouble...close the door when you change!
I have a feeling Tom will come to a sad demise...I don't think he'll be around long.
I like this show, go out of my way to watch it on a Sunday, but no, it's not my favorite either. I love the costuming more than anything.
Oh, and it will be interesting to see how the mismanagement of the estate will unfold. Lord Grantham is beginning to really look a bit irresponsible.
Steph, I had your same thoughts about the Les Mis parallels! The Irish Enjolras must have been filling Tom's head with "this" being so much bigger than him and his love life. Tom is behaving selfishly and I had high hopes for his love for the common man and sense of justice doing some good for the Granthams...
ReplyDeleteIt was touching how Matthew hoped Mary had seen the doctor to confirm a pregnancy, and I'm not sure if her reaction was out of her own disappointment or because she's not interested in being pregnant just yet.
My heart broke for Ethel. Don't think I could ever be that unselfish. </3
Mary Z
I was reading these comments and all the good observations and question. Glad to read that Maggie Smith is coming back for another Season.
ReplyDeleteAnd I just remembered a line I enjoyed about Albert - the tall gangly footman that looks like a puppy rescued from a puddle (I think that's how it went) - and Carson sticking up for him and saying he had good stuff (or words to that affect) even if he WAS Mrs. O'Brien's nephew! Mary and Matthew chuckling about it did my heart good.
James may be handsome but I'm pretty sure I know where this is going and I know I won't be happy.
ReplyDeleteI'm very mad at Tom. What kind of jerk leaves his pregnant wife to fend for herself. He's an awful man. Poor Sybil. She should have listened to her Papa.
I have never felt so torn as watching that scene with Ethel and her baby boy. It was heart wrenching. Personally, I think she should have taken the money and raised her son.
I think it is so funny that the married ladies have breakfast in bed. Oh the life. ;)
I agree with your DA observations, not my favorite either but at least Edith is showing signs of life. Matthew and the finanaces is going to be TROUBLE. Violet is precious I did not know she might leave - heaens NO!
ReplyDeleteMy heart broke for Ethel - I hope she can get her son back along with some self respect.
Tom - his is horrid - Sybil is not happy with the situation one bit either - she will stay I predict.
Poor Daisy, between the handsom footman and the cute kitchen maid their will be lots to gossip about down stairs, just as she fancies O'Brien's nephew.
It did seem very odd that the married women have breakfast in bed? Hummmm do their husbands keep them busy allllll night ;-)
Hahahahahaha.....
DeleteI've been reading your blog for years now and rarely comment. But I absolutely had to share how much I loved Carson's reaction to the toaster. "Is it not enough that we are sheltering a dangerous revolutionary, Mrs. Hughes? Could you not have spared me that?!"
ReplyDeleteFunny! And he was glad Branson was not burning down the house!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen it yet. I know. I know. I am a tv failure.
ReplyDeleteJust deprived. Treat yourself!!!!!!!!
Deletetorturing myself watching the 'goodbye' again.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Steph, just popped in here again to see what's new. I did the same thing, a few days ago. sniff
DeleteSusan, I need to get more sleep. You're always up when I am, and there's something truly wrong about that. :) Hope all is well across the sea!!
DeleteI am an early riser, and sometimes my dog wakes me in the night - he's an old boy -- so to get sleepy I turn on my kindle and read, or check blogs and facebook! it's a bad habit ;-)
DeleteHere across the sea I am fighting a cold -- after having the flu over Christmas. Looking forward to being healthy again.
hope you get some rest!
So I'm late to the party because I couldn't watch the episode Sunday while I had a house full of guests who are behind in their DA watching...I just want to comment on the Tom/Sybil relationship. If the story line is going to highlight Tom's disdain for the upper class than I think it is getting more and more implausible that he would have chosen to marry one of them! Seems like he would have held all of the Crawleys in the same contempt and not fallen in love so easily.
ReplyDeleteWell, one more fashion comment- the dresses from the 20's are so very unflattering to the feminine figure! The ladies have no shape at all and look so flat chested, all of them. :-P Don't like them at all...
I loved Rosa's comment above: "I think Sybil is waking up from the love coma." I think she made a big mistake with her choice. Silly girl. I appreciate his passion, but he lacks love for his wife and respect for her family.
ReplyDeleteOverall, it's a great show. The Maggie Smith character is gold. Mary, her parents and Matthew are the glue. I like Edith more and more.
Thanks, Donna. Love your blog.
Well, I finally watched the episode and thought, just for fun, I'd come back, read the comments, and throw my thoughts into the mix. :)
ReplyDeleteThomas gets stranger all the time. He sometimes moves and acts like a robot. It is weird.
The new guy situation was weird too. Something is obviously going to come about due to his arrival, but...the whole thing was so strange. If they wanted to pit him against Albert, then they should have had Albert be a little less appealing (I mean, he's not Jude Law, but he's not ugly either). And the music...it was strange.
And my thoughts on Tom...he seems so lost. So confident of his cause. So passionate about it. So caught in between these two worlds that can't go together, as long as he holds firmly to both of them. (I agree with someone else, that it seems such an unlikely match, he and Sybil, since she represents the very world that he despises in his own country...maybe he thought she wasn't like them, was more of a rebel?) I keep thinking, though, that it's hard to feel very very judgmental, especially if we consider our own history, with the English, and how hard and passionately the young America fought against a tyrannical power in order to be free...I don't know enough about that time period, but it's easy to understand the passion for freedom when I think about the Revolutionary War. Maybe I'm thinking about it too much. It will be interesting to see where they take that storyline.
:)