It occurred to me that people who really dislike Blake will continue to see what they want to see rather than what is actually portrayed on screen. The Mary storyline which I enjoy, the truth is it isn't really high-stakes or high drama. Nevertheless I always appreciate some objectivity and fairness in discussing all the characters involved in that plot.
For me the excitement level of the show so far is declining. The scattered plots involving different characters seem unconnected and not that riveting in this episode.
Who wants to remember Patmore's cowardly nephew? Usually I enjoy these little side dramas but this one was too familiar to be interesting.
I really, really hate this new dynamic between Carson and Hughes. Ugh please no! They are fantastic as professional and courteous partners. This new flustering Hughes is an uncomfortable sight for me.

I don't care about Bricker although it's opening up a new dynamic in Cora and Robert's relationship. But where is this headed? I hope somewhere unexpected otherwise all this screen time given to Bricker is another non-drama.

Thomas, Baxter, Molesley have some good dynamics going although Baxter revealing her secret should have concluded last episode. Wasting one scene just for her to reveal that she was under an evil influence and for Cora to announce she wasn't going to fire her (was she really going to fire her?) was not air time well spent.

I did enjoy getting to know Cora afresh and seeing a side of her we rarely see.

The characters who are bringing the drama for me are not given anymore to push their story forward like Edith, Bunting and maybe to a small extent Isobel and Merton.
Even then these characters are sort of secondary to the main story line which I'm losing sight of more and more.
And Bates and Anna, I mean what can I say? It's a pity Fellowes feels he has to give Brendan Coyle a storyline all of his own every season but this plot interests very little! Why? because I believe it's going nowhere. We will find out that the so-called lead will not give any new evidence and we will be left with either a re-tread of his season 2 story line or a plot that will 'remain a mystery'. Who wants to see that?

Something big really needs to happen soon to blow this season open. Much of this episode was too mellow especially when compared to the last few minutes or so. I usually love listening to podcasts of each episode but this episode's plots besides Mary and Edith's plot, didn't have much to say for itself.
Looking forward to next episode. I expect I would enjoy that one more.

Bunting brings drama simply by being contrarian and in conflict with the toffs. Whenever they meet, like it or not, sparks fly. Some don't like her (Robert, Violet, Mary), some like her (Daisy, Rose), some are trying to understand her (Tom). This is good recipe for great dynamics worth watching - upstairs and downstairs separate in their opinions and yet this character moves in both of these worlds. I mean regardless of how you feel about it, when she's on screen, the drowsiness you were fighting (brought on by Bates and Anna lol) will disappear quickly. That is drama.

Yes, I agree. But I also think Charles... I don't know how to put it, but I don't think he will immediately fall at Mary's feet just because she has dumped Tony, even if he's still into her.[/QUOTE

Exactly.

TBH, I'd like to see Mary break up with Tony and then realize that maybe she can't have Charles either.

No, sorry. For me she doesn't add drama, but is just an annoying cow who's insults gets repeated and repeated and repeated. Tom is doing nothing but apologizing for 6 episodes now. First 3 to her, now the last 3 for her.

There is no drama there for me, but only annoyance and she is seriously ruining my enjoyment of the show. I thought I was unable to stay away, but I will probably add to the declining ratings, if she doesn't disappear soon!

And I'm pissed as hell that there is STILL NO LOVE INTEREST for Tom Branson! Still just that boring Sarah Bunting business, when it is clear as daybreak that she will disappear! But JF is dragging it out over episode after episode so it becomes clearer and clearer that the later she will leave, the more rushed a potential new romantic storyline for Tom will get! IF we ever get one! It looks as if he will end yet ANOTHER series without a love interest!

I hate that!!

I'm SO over Mary and her non-descriptive, boring merry men!

I could endure that snoring storyline if only there would be a nice storyline for Tom and I think I really waited long enough! We're now almost 2 series after Sybil died and he has done nothing but sulking and being stalked by awful women!

I still enjoy this show immensely, but I agree.
The various storylines do feel disjointed, which is probably inevitable with so many characters and storylines, it's not like they can all be connected. But at least S4 was focused on this "Mary recovers from Matthew death" arc (no matter if you liked it or not), while in s5 no storyline seems central so far.
I also agree that something big needs to happen. I know that many disliked Anna's rape storyline in S4, and indeed it could've been handled better, but the truth is, around episode 5 or 6, when people started to understand something was wrong with Anna, and it was clear Green was going to pay for what he'd done, I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
Now, I'm not very excited by any of the storylines... but we'll see.

Bunting is here to stay. I'm surprised no one noticed that the painting Della Francesca is the one Pamuk and Mary were looking at when he pounced on her.

It's actually not the same--it's supposed to be the same but they used two different paintings. I'm an occasional art nerd and I noticed they switched them for whatever reason.

for this Sunday's new ep!

You're absolutely right Lasso! Here's the comparison...

S1 E3 / S5 E2


X

I watched a few eps of season 1 the other day and noticed Mary shows Pamuke 'the' painting..I am wondering, if Robert was about to lose the estate after losing Cora's moolah, why didn't they sell it then? LOL (I know, I know, tradition and being a caretaker, etc, but sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!)