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Ugh, SO MANY THINGS HAPPENED THIS EPISODE! I barely want to talk about any of the other stuff that happened because I only want to talk about the THINGS, but whatever, let’s do it. It’s 1919 now, if that means anything to anyone, all of the injured soldiers are out of Downton, and Cora is being the worst, as usual. She asks the Lord if maybe they should fire Bates now that his wife has committed suicide, which, you know, duh, can’t believe they haven’t fired him YET, and then she suggests that they kick Matthew out — the only injured soldier they are still taking care of — because she wants Mary to get over him. My goodness. What a nightmare! Don’t you know that Matthew is Lord Grantham’s ONLY SON, CORA? The Lord shuts her down on each topic and asks if there’s any other reason why she wants Matthew and Mary to stay away from each other, and she lies and said there is not. There is, though! The thing with evil Richard! YOU MONSTER WOMAN!
Later, the new maid drops some apples outside and Lord Grantham helps her pick them up and then he asks her if she ever wonders what the war was all for and at that moment you know they’re going to get together but you’re thinking, “What? No way. NO WAY.” But, spoiler alert, YES WAY.
Now that the war is over, Thomas is still hanging around Downton because he’s That Guy and everyone’s asking him what he’ll do next. “You just going to hang around here and scheme about bullshit forever, Thomas?” “Or maybe are you maybe going to leave here eventually since there is no logical reason for you to be here at all other than to make us all upset?” No. He tells O’Brien that he’s bought a bunch of goods left over from the war from some random guy and he’s going to sell them at a higher price on the black market until he has enough money to go into a non-black market business. Cool. Very cool idea, Thomas.
Upstairs, Bates is dressing the Lord and the Lord is asking him about his wife’s suicide. He brings up how it’s odd that there was no note and it is exciting because I had just listened to a This American Life episode where they talked to a crime scene investigator who mentioned that no suicide note often means that it was actually a murder, and then Bates says that maybe it was just a last minute decision, and then the LORD says, then why did she already have the poison? GOTCHA, BATES! YOU MURDERER!
Later, Anna is walking down the hall, pleasant as a peach, until Richard calls her into his room. He tells her that he wants to be able to make Lady Mary happy, but in order to do so he has to know more about her than he does. Soooooooooo. Maybe you can spy on her for him, Anna? He says he’ll pay her extra to do so, but she refuses because Sir Richard is awful and Anna is wonderful. He asks her not to mention it to Lady Mary, but then she goes downstairs and promptly lets Carson and Ms. Hughes know about it. Richard, man. What a jerk. After Anna leaves, Carson and Hughes talk about how Carson feels, leaving Downton to work at Mary’s new place. Carson says he’s going to regret it every minute of every day, which seems A BIT dramatic, and then says that he always assumed he’d die at Downton. My goodness. These people sure do love Downton! Hughes says she doesn’t know why he’s leaving, because she thinks Mary is an uppity minx, but then Carson tells a sappy story about how one time Lady Mary did something cute when he was a baby and then gave him a kiss, and then Hughes is like, “I get it.”
(Later Carson lets Mary know that because of this Sir Richard thing, he’s not going to be able to work for them anymore and will be staying at Downton, because he can’t work for a man he doesn’t trust. It seems odd to me because the whole reason he was going there in the first place was to protect Mary, kind of. And it’s clear now that she needs him more than ever! So. Like. I get why he doesn’t want to work for Sir Richard, but also I DON’T get why he’s backing out on vulnerable Lady Mary. But. Whatever. Downton Abbey!)
Outside, Sybil talks to Branson about how she envies him for being able to work, because she hasn’t been able to work since the war ended. He responds, “Does this mean you’ve made up your mind,” which is very, very funny. “Branson, can you drive me into town?” “Does this mean you’ve made up your mind?” “Branson, how are you doing today?” “Does this mean you’ve made up your mind?” “Branson, your hair looks very nice.” “DOES THIS MEAN YOU’VE MADE UP YOUR MIND?” (She has not made up her mind.)
While Bates puts Matthew to sleep, aww, Matthew tells him about the tingling he’s been feeling in his legs. His doctor tells him that he’s imagining it and when he asks Bates’s opinion about it, Bates tells him “who knows,” pretty much. “I don’t know, dude. They’re your legs and I’m not a doctor.” Matthew thanks him and then asks him not to say anything to anyone else because he doesn’t want to ruin the suurrrpriiiiiiiisssssssssseeeeeeee!
While everything else is going on, Hughes leaves to tell Ethel — the old red hair maid — that the Bryants — the parents of the man who impregnated her — are going to be coming to Downton for lunch. They think that maybe they can talk to them about how they have a grandkid, and maybe if they know they’ll help Ethel! That’s FOR SURE not going to work, “Hey here is a kid it’s yours I have no proof please make the check out to Ethel The Red Hair Maid,” but whatever. Worth a shot! They agree that it is worth a shot. Also: The baby is so cute.
And, finally, we’ve gotten to one of THE THINGS! The Lord passes by the new maid, whose name I should definitely know, and asks her about the wine — totally just wanting to talk to her, definitely not caring AT ALL about the wine. Then when he’s about to leave she stops him and tells him that she’s been feeling sad since he said that thing about how the war wasn’t worth anything. Then he says, “Oh don’t listen to me. I’m a foolish man who’s lost his way and I don’t know how to find it again.” And then they look like they’re going to kiss. And then you’re thinking, “This is weird, because they’re definitely not going to kiss.” And then THEY DO KISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT! Ahhhhhh! Lord, you should divorce Cora and marry that maid! She seems a lot nicer than Cora! Cora is awful! MARRY THE MAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then, like, right after that big thing happened, THE NEXT BIG THING HAPPENED! Matthew and his fiance are in one of the rooms, whatever, and his fiance tries to move a dish or something and almost falls into the fire, don’t worry about it, and as she almost falls into the fire, MATTHEW STANDS UP TO SAVE HER!!!!!!
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT? Afterwards the Lord calls everyone in to see him stand up. (Which he seems to be able to do with ease after this?) (I’m no doctor, but I’d think that even if you are able to stand up with some sort of hysterical strength, prompted by wanting to keep your fiance from falling into the fire, that proves you will be able to stand up in the future, it doesn’t really mean that you’ll be able to stand up just on your own for good now) (Doesn’t he need physical therapy?) (HELLO?) Everyone is very cute and excited when they see him. It’s a good moment. Hooray for all of us.
So anyway, what else. Bates tells Anna the thing the Lord says about how she must’ve bought the poison before hand, but he admits that HE is actually the one that bought the poison before hand. UH-OH, BATES! YOU MURDERER! (As a side note, when Bates begins talking about his deceased ex-wife, Anna gives a perfect look of, “Listen, I know your ex is, like, troubled, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear about her all the time,” and it’s perfect and I love it.) He says she asked for it because they had rats. Whatever. We get it. You murdered her.
At dinner, Matthew announces that — since he can walk again — he wants to marry Lavinia as soon as possible because she is wonderful and he wants to marry her at Downton. Everyone is pleased, kind of. Mary is not pleased. No duh. Cora is not pleased because she is awful and doesn’t want to be bothered with having a wedding at Downton. (“I have SO MUCH TO DO.”) (Later she begins telling the Lord that she doesn’t want to have the wedding there with, “Just because Matthew’s been lame…” and he explodes at her and calls her stupid. It’s great. She IS stupid.) Inspired by this moment of love or whatever, Sybil goes outside to tell Branson that she wants to run away with him now. (“SO YOU’VE MADE YOUR DECISION?”) She asks for matches to burn her bridges or whatever AND THEN THEY KISS FINALLY!!!!!!!
So many kisses today! Elsewhere, O’Brien and Thomas are trying to sell counterfeit groceries to Ms. Patmore. She eventually agrees, giving him a list of things she needs to make Matthew’s wedding cake, and tells him she’ll judge whether or not she’ll actually purchase them by how good those ingredients are. Daisy says she wants to make the wedding cake, which is cute, but anyway while they’re all talking the Bryants arrive and are too busy for Ms. Hughes to get them to see the baby and Ms. Hughes tells Ethel and then Ethel runs into the house and into the dining room and interrupts lunch and tells them that this baby is their grandson!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Everyone is shocked, no doy, but Mr. Bryant — who has been AWFUL so far — tells her that if it is their grandson she would have some proof. He says that his son would never father a child and then not care for it, which is bologna, AS WE KNOW, and that if it was really his she’d have some proof. She doesn’t, though! So even though Mrs. Bryant wants to see the baby, Mr. Bryant sends her away, and then they both leave. Sad faces all around. Later, when the upstairs gang is talking about what happened, Mary says, “The truth is Ethel’s made her choice and now she’s stuck with it.” Lavinia says that that’s way harsh, Thai, and then Mary says, “Is it? Aren’t all of us stuck with the choices we’ve made?” BOOM. Mary wants your man, Lavinia! Whatever Mary wants, Mary gets!
Speaking of whatever Mary wants Mary gets, that night OLG comes into Matthew’s room to talk to him about Mary getting what she wants. She tells him that Mary is still in love with him and that maybe he should marry her instead of Lavinia? He says Lavinia has cared for him this whole time and it would be super shitty to break up with her just because he can walk again now and doesn’t need her to be his nurse anymore. OLG says, “Marriage is a long business. There’s no getting out of it for our kind of people. You’ll be 40 or 50 years with one of these two women. Just make sure you’ve selected the right one.” Which is true! But also what Matthew said was true! So! Let’s all just go to sleep!
Later, Bates gets a letter from his lawyer explaining that right before his wife died she mailed a letter to a friend explaining that he was coming over that night and seemed angry and, “you know how he gets,” and that she feared for her life. OOPS! It’s 100% possible that she is just framing him with her death, which would be such a Georgina I MEAN BATES’ WIFE thing to do, but I’d rather believe for now that Bates murdered her. YOU MURDERER! BATES!
Sooooooooo, phew, my goodness, LATER Mary goes upstairs to say goodnight to Sybil and discovers that she isn’t there. But she does find a note explaining that she’s run off to get married to Branson. Oh, Sybil.
So then blah, blah, blah, Mary and Edith find them at a hotel along the road or whatever and Mary convinces Sybil to come back and introduce the idea of marrying Branson to her parents slowly. They’ll be mad, but at least they’ll still be in her life, she says. It’s very reasonable. Sybil agrees. Branson is mad. They kiss again. Sybil goes back home.
Elsewhere, Ms. Patmore and Daisy find out that the ingredients are no good. They tell Thomas and then Thomas goes crazy and destroys everything.
He tells O’Brien that he’s lost everything he has — and then some — on these bullshit goods. Also he bought them from some stranger in a bar? Good grief, Thomas. Maybe you can work at Mary’s house? She needs someone! Carson just quit!
And, finally, the maid the Lord kissed approaches him to submit her resignation. She says he shouldn’t have to feel uncomfortable in his own house, but he won’t hear of it and tells her that she won’t lose her livelihood just because he wanted to make out real quick. “The fault was entirely mine. You will not pay the price.” It’s nice! And then we see that Carson probably heard the whole thing, right after he told the Lord that he was staying at Downton because he had so much respect for him and for Downton oh noooooooooooooooooooooo!
Also, Matthew’s mom found the toy Mary gave to him and he wouldn’t let her give it away.
Next week: Matthew gives the toy a voice and personality and refuses to go anywhere without it? WE’LL SEE!
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In terms of accuracy, Dr. Spaceman has a better record than Dr. Clarkson.
Ha! Yes I loved his, “Well this other doctor was all like, ‘He may walk again!’ And I was like, ‘That’s not what I think, so I’m not even going to TELL them what you said. Haha!’” Oh, Dr. Clarkson.
He at least seemed moderately chagrined, but he definitely hightailed it out of the room, “I…have to go now…before I get sacked ‘cos I’ve been proven too many times to be incompetent…is malpractice a thing yet?”
:Spanish flu? Is that some kind of aphrodisiac?” – Dr. Clarkson.
So Vera is so determined to make sure Bates ends up in jail that she was willing to die for it?! Seems like a pretty high price. Guess she didn’t have much to live for otherwise! What if the letter framing him never reached her friend? And surely Bates wasn’t actually at her house that night, right? Right, Bates? Oh, who am I kidding, of course he was, because he’s BATES! Can’t wait to see how this plays out, with Vera cackling madly from beyond the grave.
I feel like poisoning was too premeditated of a murder to be implied by a “you know how he gets.” That isn’t exactly a heat of the moment kind of killing.
Oh, I agree, but Vera hasn’t exactly proven herself to be the sharpest knife in the drawer. Plus, it’s Downton! Of course Bates will be a prime suspect, especially since he told Anna he was the one who bought the poison. The shopkeeper is sure to remember such a strange purchase!
Is rat poison really that strange of a purchase in London?
You know, it might turn out that there’s a third party. Normally I’d say that’s doubtful, but this is Downton as you say. Had her send the letter, Vera thinking that she was setting him up for something else, only to have this unknown person poison her.
I was being facetious about the “strange purchase”, it being Downton and all.
I’m just surprised Vera HAD a friend to send the letter to, she’s such a hag. You might be onto something–surely she has plenty of haters!
Haha, I’m slow
I actually just thought about the third party after reading your comment. When I first saw the episode, I just assumed he was innocent and she framed him because I’m a sap and will willingly be lead where ever the writers want to take me.
I read British mystery novels, so I can tell you that (at least during this period) if someone in England was purchasing poison they had to sign the “poison book” that was kept at the chemist (that’s pharmacy to you). So I’m guessing that’s how Scotland Yard figured out Bates bought it. Also why Anna was so concerned and kept TELLING Bates he should fess up before they found out, because she KNEW how easy it would be to find out.
Sheesh. I love Bates, but Anna’s definitely the brains of that duo.
eemar, I recently read a book set in the 60s and they had to sign it even then! Yay books!
eemar–interesting bit of info! That clears up why Anna was so intent on Bates telling them (I was sort of confused on that point). You’re right, Anna’s definitely the smarter one; she’s proven it time and again!
“Does this mean you’ve made up your mind?” is Branson’s demanding, impatient, selfish version of “As you wish.”
A lot of Branson criticism is right on, but I definitely wouldn’t call him impatient. Dude has been waiting for over threeeee yeeeaaaaars omg.
You mean, “Dude has been pressuring for over three years.” He spends the rest of his time reading the newspaper and misdiagnosing world events. He is the Dr. Clarkson of revolutionaries.
This episode is definitely full of THINGS! Can’t wait for you to get to next week though, Kelly! So many MOAR THINGS!!
Did anyone else think at first that Sir/Ser Richard Jorah Carlisle Mormont was going to do something really gross with Anna like make a move on her or even try to force himself on her, and so then you were relieved when all it was was asking her to spy for him? Anybody?
And yay Matthew! You are adorable and now you can walk your adorable face places!!
Haha, Thomas, you’re a big dummy and you definitely deserved what you got for being the worst.
YES I thought that too, but then it was Lord Grantham who got disgusting with a maid.
I remember being so disappointed with the lord for kissing that maid. He is otherwise so nice. What the heck?
I know! MAJOR FAIL, LORD GRANTHAM. I’m very disappointed in you. Go to your room.
I think they did a nice job of setting it up. They’ve had Cora’s bitchiness escalate in the last couple of episodes, and he was clearly frustrated with her. They’ve also pointed out how he’s been feeling useless, with the other members of his family having stuff to do and him feeling left out an alone. I know, boo hoo. Doesn’t excuse it, but does explain it. He also obviously feels terrible about it. I still like him. He done far more cool things than uncool things, and this episode just demonstrated he’s human.
I agree, you can see why he does it. Cora was being truly awful. It’s still disappointing, but you’re right.
booo lord grantham
he should have bought a car for his mid life crisis instead of kiss that maid
season 1: thomas’ hole is in his heart.
season 2 WWI: thomas’ hole is in his hand.
season 2 post WWI: thomas’ hole is in his head.
Thomas, Thomas, Thomas – everyone knows that before you buy the goods, you try the goods.
ALSO – as a side note, Twenty Twelve is coming to BBC America, which means that everyone gets to see Lord Grantham as exasperated Ian Fletcher, Head of Deliverance.
I share the frustration/irritation that many have with Branson. But then the “upstairs” folks like Mary say things like, “do you want money to pay for the room?”
?!?!?!?!
and I think maybe if I had to endure people talking to me like all. the. time…. it might make sometimes act like a complete jerk, too.
It’s true. A lifetime of being treated like a second class citizen would be infuriating. But I’m more troubled at his cavalier attitude toward Sybil’s situation. He shows no empathy or any real insight into just how difficult it will be for her to give up EVERYTHING. I think I said in an earlier recap, it’s much easier to preach sacrifice when you’re not the one who has to sacrifice anything.
YUP. You just nailed EXACTLY my disdain for that guy.
I think it’s easy to judge Branson now because we have the perspective of several decades, but maybe we would sympathize with him more if we were in his shoes, in that time, in that moment? And obviously Sybil shares his views, or she wouldn’t have run off with him. I’m glad that she went back with her sisters, and hope that she can make amends with her family, but if not, should she sacrifice her love for the sake of what is easily accepted by society? I don’t think so.
i might need to rewatch it again but i thought she told him “you’re my ticket”. because she wanted to see the world right? that doesn’t really scream I Love You, but then again she was finally answering his terribly romantic proposal of “have you might up your mind yet”.
((
i fear for their future
Yes! How romantic! “You’re my ticket out of here!” Truly a romance for the ages.
After the comments from an episode or two ago – someone pointed out how Sybil has been leading him on for 2 years, she’s always the one who goes to talk to him, etc – I really tried to keep that in mind and like Branson or at least empathize… and I just don’t.
Wasn’t there something at the end of the hotel room scene where he mentioned to Mary that he knows she is just going to use this to get her away from him for good and she was like “Yep.” ??? I thought that was some quality Mary attitude.
First: I love these recaps.
Second: I love this show.
Third: I love and respect Lord Grantham, and do find Cora frustrating at times.
Having got all that out of the way, I must say: I completely agreed with Cora in this episode! Maybe she was thoughtless or careless with the way she expressed herself, but I Lord Grantham should have conferred with her before just agreeing to host a wedding, when his own daughter is engaged and maybe shouldn’t have her thunder stolen? By having a wedding at the house before her own wedding happens? (Even though of course we don’t want her to marry that asshat Carlisle, but still, it’s the principle of the thing.) Maybe I was just super pissed off because of how LORD GRANTHAM KISSED THE MAID!! I’m sorry but I don’t like that maid! She’s nice or whatever but she needs to back the hell off of a married man! AAAAAGGH!! I can’t wait for the next episode!
Since Ethel has no job and has been denied by the father and his parents multiple times do we never have to see her again??? I do not care for that story line at all probably because in the world of red-headed maids Gwen >>>>> Ethel.
From now on every time they show Ethel I’m going to queue up Ygritte hitting Jon Snow on the head with a sword (spoiler alert? no).
Also, what kind of heartless person throws away a tiny stitched dog? Whether or not it was a talisman that saved your son’s life?
Exactly!
And then this face. Ah Lavinia.
her face is the best!
She looks so genuinely excited, I like to pretend they didn’t tell the actress this would happen though I know that’s ridiculous.
Thomas losing his shit was both satisfying and heartbreaking.
Agreed. You just hate him so much, but when he actually shows emotion and hurt, it gets me every time. Remember in the first episode in season 1 when that horrible Duke guy burns the letters and basically leaves Thomas high and dry? Also, in this season when that solider at the hospital kills himself? Sniff!
(That gif is starting to make me dizzy though, gotta say!)
http://yls.k.af
It has some good things welcome to our website go shopping
Kelly, I’m not watching the second season so I don’t have much to say but I still read your recaps and they are still great, and my favorite part (especially now) is always the gem at the end where you forecast the next episode. Downton Abbey should probably hire you as a writer.