L i N d $ @ y

Series 5 Episode 2
Sunday, September 28, 2014, 9:00-10:00 PM British Summer Time


Description
A bombshell was dropped in last week's edition, and it's clear as this episode begins that the household, both upstairs and down, is still coming to terms with what has happened - and it falls on Robert's broad shoulders to make what could be a far-reaching decision about the situation. Rose, meanwhile, seems more concerned with persuading him to buy a wireless than what is happening to those around her - but then again, she's always been trapped in her own self-centred little world. In the kitchen, Mrs Patmore thinks she may have found a way to help Daisy cope with her studies, while Thomas' devious ways look set to scupper Baxter's friendship with Molesley. Finally, as Lord Merton continues to woo Isobel, Anna is reluctantly drawn into Mary's latest scheme.
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Countdown to 5x02

 

puffball7

Thanks for the thread!

I love Tim Drewe, he's a great bloke.

This episode could have been renamed Rose's fixation with the wireless!

Best line of the programme though? Robert, "And will you tell Mr Bricker to stop flirting with Isis!" LOL

OK, I'm going to nail my colours to mast and come out in support of Blake, I much prefer him to Tony. The whole rendezvous at the hotel had all the romance of a wet kipper, far too pre planned.

And Sarah Bunting? I can't help it, I just don't like her. Couldn't help but laugh at her slight hypocrisy about being prejudiced! Pot calling the kettle black I think. Although I take my hat off to her for helping give Tom some of his backbone and fire back, even if she'll never understand his relationship with the family and why he's changed. Plus it's not her place to tell him where he can live his life, that's solely his choice, not forgetting his daughter of course.

northboundtrain

I really need to re-watch the episode, because the feed kept cutting out so I missed several scenes or parts of scenes.

But I just have to say that I was so happy with Mary/Charles scenes, especially their conversation after dinner. I was spoiled for Charles's speech, and I was excited about it then, but of course I wasn't sure what the context would be or how Mary would react.

Well, I'm extremely pleased with all of it. Charles made some excellent points (and I noted he only opened his mouth about them after Mary prompted him), and I thought Mary's reaction was telling. I want to watch the scene again to comment in a little more detail, but put me down as a very happy fan.

Other minor thoughts...

* Very disappointed to see Jimmy leaving. He wasn't one of my favorite characters, but he was the only younger male character downstairs, and Thomas considered him a friend.

* Loved the scene with Violet standing up at the king's voice and everyone else following her lead.

* This wasn't a great episode for Robert (understatement). Was there actually a scene of Bricker interacting with Isis at all? If so, I missed it. I imagine, though, that he'll get his comeuppance on that front.

* Mr. Drewe was incredibly obvious in that first "set up Edith to be the godmother" scene. I cringed.


I like hearing this, because it kind of underscores what I was thinking throughout tonight's episode -- that Charles is coming across the better choice of the two.

Andorra

LOL, I'm still laughing at Robert. I loved the scene in the bedroom!

First he said that Bunting "draggs Tom to the other side" as if she was some kind of vampire , then he says he won't allow a "harpyre" to raise his grandchild and then he tells Cora Bricker shall stop "flirting" with Isis!!

That was so hilarious!

I liked Sarah a bit better this week. Yes, that's possible . She is still prejudiced, but I thought it was funny that she and Robert are the two prejudiced ones and the rest of the family is fully supportive of Tom!

I also think we know where this is going now. She says he can't stay and she will make him chose. And he will chose Downton over her. I'm very sure of it.

But I liked that she gives him confidence enough to stand up to Robert at dinner. I loved that! And I loved it that Cora said he only says what he always wanted to say. Very astute Cora!

Two wonders in one episode: I liked Sarah a bit and I liked Blake! Yes, I come out and say it: I liked Blake for the very first time.

The scene in the hotelroom between Tony and Mary... I'm afraid I don't feel it. But I didn't feel it with Matthew either. I'm just not enough into Mary's love life to get interested. So I can't judge if it was romantic or not. No idea.

I liked a lot of other scenes, but I'm too tired to write about them. I'll do that later.

HarshBench

Definitely bonus points for Blake and Sarah this week. I liked her and I thought she was being straight with Tom but also respectful. Yes, she is biased against the family but then to be fair Robert was being very biased against her too. She put a little steel in his spine and he stood up to Robert. And got the last word! Yay.

Man was Robert being an ass. His line about Isis was hilarious though. But saying he won't let Tom take Sybbie?! Oh, you mean the granddaughter you didn't want to interact with because she calls you Donk and isn't a good conversationalist yet? He practically ran out of the room when the kids entered! Like it's his choice whether Tom takes Sybbie. Yeah, good luck with that Robert. She's his last link to Sybil and frankly he seems to have been missing her a lot more than you have. Robert hasn't once mentioned her name since S3. That's a cold hard fact. Over Tom's dead body would he leave his child behind.

Agree Mary/Tony don't have chemistry and his "let us make love until the dawn" line was cringeworthy. UGH.

Unintentionally funny line of the episode? "I'll be sad to see the back of you" (Jimmy to Thomas). LMFAO.

But seriously, that was sad and touching. I loved their interactions and I'll miss him.

Oh, and Mary was a total b**ch for calling Edith an idiot at the breakfast table when Edith was clearly admitting fault and beating up on herself. So nasty and heartless. Mary just has to land the knock-out punch and pour salt in the wound. And no one stopped it!! Typical. And it's not like Mary was upset and shaken up from the fire so she doesn't have that excuse: she was perfectly calm and planning a sex week with Tony. And whether or not Mary knows about the Marigold has nothing to do with it either. Illegitimate kid or no, Edith was clearly feeling awful and embarrassed about the fire. It's terrible to kick someone when she's down like that.

I know people will defend her but IMO that was indefensible. I wanted to reach through the screen and smack the smug look off her face. I like Blake better than before but I do not care about her choice at all. Which man can tolerate a woman who treats her sister that way? Whichever one will let her get away with being nasty is the man for her. Good luck to him.

lassothemoon

I don't think she's going to choose Blake but of the two he was so sassy tonight and that was entertaining.

I'm not gonna say I like him but that improved hair looks good on him.

mrs. g

Good to see this again and I don't have to wait until Jan. to get clued in .

ajblondie17

Yesssssss. I'm still Team Evelyn but at least now we get decent eye candy no matter who she chooses.

Lauren60

Good episode overall....

I had a couple of "Aw aren't they cute" moments with Carson and Mrs. Hughes. When she said all relationships have their ups and downs and when he said he doesn't like it when they don't agree. Very cute.

I felt badly for Mr. Molesley. He was so upset at learning of Baxter's criminal history. He was very torn up about it but I think he's on the right track that there were extenuating circumstances.

I found the whole "wireless" story very interesting. What a technological breakthrough it was. They were in awe of having heard the king.

Edith's story is getting a bit way out there. Who wouldn't be able to see why she is so interested in Marigold? Edith should never play poker!

Charles Blake was as unlikable as ever. He was so hostile and aggressive towards Mary. He has the awful habit of abruptly ending their conversations and walking away. I'm done talking with you so I'm leaving. Mary is left to wonder what bus just hit her. I really didn't care for his "Mary I'm here to tell you" attitude. Mary doesn't need him to tell her to be sure before she decides. The poor woman has been pretty much torturing herself over not wanting to make the wrong decision. There was absolutely no romantic vibe between the two of them. Charles is in the story to put doubts in Mary's mind about Tony. He's an obstacle to them being together. Why would Mary want to be with such an angry, condescending and rude man? She doesn't and she won't. (I try to be a "positive" poster but he irritated me so much in this episode I just had to vent.)

I too missed the part where Bricker was flirting with Isis. I have a feeling it got left out of the final version. Poor Cora. She's not first in Robert's heart. Isis is. Wake up Robert!!

Didn't care at all about Jimmy leaving. I couldn't believe Thomas lamented about no one downstairs liking him. Why the hell should they? That was really laughable.

I felt badly for poor Anna having to purchase Mary's birth control. The lady druggist was so judgmental. Anna was a real trooper with the whole thing even though she was horrified by the experience.

puffball7

I know! Sarah Bunting was actually ok in this episode, like you said she was straight and fair with him about her opinions of the family, Sybil, his confidence to be himself. But she did it all respectfully. See! It makes all the difference! She was much more positive, which was better, the negativity that she had been exuding was beginning to get me down.

But I agree with Andorra, the conversation last night did seem to be steering the storyline towards Tom ultimately choosing what he wants, to be a part of the family or not? I thought how the conversation ended was interesting, when Tom said he was the man who tempted Sybil over the wall to a new life and Sarah saying he can be that man again, but Tom saying he wasn't sure if that was possible, ie too much has happened and changed in his life to go back.

Robert's tantrum in the bedroom was very funny! I love it when Robert throws his toys out the pram like a petulant child who's not getting his way! Sometimes he really does need to grow up!

And why does he insist on getting into debates with Tom? He doesn't do himself any favours. Tom nearly always wins them and is proven to be the more cleverer man.

Andorra

I like where Tom's and Robert's relationship is going right now. They're more on an equal footing now. Tom doesn't hold his head down all the time like he did in series 3 and 4. He's gaining confidence. I love that! But I also love that Robert seems to sense it and is testing him, even if he then is astonished every time Tom comes out of his shell. I think Tom is slipping into the role of Sybil a bit. He's not backing down all the time any more and he can do it, because deep down he knows Robert likes him now even if they disagree.

It reminds me a lot of my brother's relationship with my father. They don't agree in politics (and the funny thing is that my father is the "almost communist" in it and my brother is a business man and very much a capitalist), but they're are very fond of each other. So they have these heated debates sometimes, but they also are very loyal to each other and like each other.

When Matthew was the most beloved son, now Tom is the rebellious one, but it more and more develops into a father/son relationship nonetheless.

lassothemoon

Haha true. Gillingham's methods are just so disturbing to me, that he would risk her reputation as well as George's ( because that's the thing, widows having affairs is one thing but widows with children are another ) out of a misguided sense of "love." It doesn't help that I think he killed Green.

I have a "you're funny and I want to keep you"/ "you're such a butt" relationship with Blake. This is the only time I've actually emphathized with Mary in that sense.

northboundtrain

I have to stand up for Charles here. He was on his way to bed. If Mary hadn't opened her mouth to ask him for his blessing, he would have gone upstairs and that would have been the end of it.

But because she did ask him whether or not he'd be happy for her and Tony, that gave him an opening to reveal his thoughts. Now, he could have lied and said, "You two are a great match," but that would be totally out-of-character.

And, for me, a large part of this goes back to why Mary felt the need to ask him in the first place. She knew from their pre-dinner conversation that he was hurt. So why didn't she just let him go upstairs? Why did she ask for his blessing? Did she just want him to spout empty platitudes she'd have to know he didn't mean, just to make herself feel better about her decision?

Or was she searching for something more than that?


I think if Charles were merely an obstacle, his words would have stopped Mary from going to Liverpool out of fear, and then the story would have been how Mary/Tony could come back together after Charles's interference.

Instead, Charles's speech seemed to make her more determined than ever to go through with her plan.

ClaireK80

I really enjoyed this episode, this season has started well IMO.

Mary / Gillingham are indeed a boring couple. TBH, I don't dislike him (even if he is a bit pushy), and I get why Mary would consider him a suitable husband - he's good looking, nice, titled, etc. But I don't see any passion between them, so I don't buy this "Mary wants to sleep with him before the wedding" storyline. And the last scene at the hotel was really cringeworthy.
So I guess I'm team Blake at this point - I like the way he challenges her (even if the dialogue in their last scene felt very anachronistic). I'm curious to see where this is heading.

I also found Sarah less irritating this time. She's not a good love interest for Tom, but I can see why she was introduced in the show, she does bring a different view on things, which is positive. And I agree that the relationship between Tom and Robert is developing in a nice way.

The war memorial storyline isn't probably the most exciting but I'm liking it a lot. I appreciated that Carson didn't immediately embrace Lord Grantham's opinion but asked to be convinced. The final scene between the butler and Mrs. Hughes was cute, they were almost flirting.

Edith's storyline is also well written but honestly I feel bad for Mrs. Drewe. Maybe her husband should tell her the truth, she seems a nice woman and I think she wouldn't betray Edith. But you never know. Also while Mr Drewe's plan makes sense, the way he introduced the idea to his wife wasn't very subtle. Sooner or later people will start connecting the dots.

I'm not particularly sad that Jimmy left, he didn't have much to do anyway. The scene between Anna and Thomas was quite moving. Surely Thomas is "misunderstood", as RJC always says, but maybe he should try to be a bit nicer with people? just a suggestion lol.

The Baxter / Molesley interactions were very good too. The actor playing Molesley is one of the best in the cast IMO, he is very effective in both the comedic and the dramatic moments.

And lastly, what Lord Grantham said about Simon Bricker flirting with Isis really made me laugh out loud. He really loves that dog.

ETA: so there was a witness for Green's murder. I hope this storyline is handled well, because the "Anna Bates investigates" plot wasn't exactly one of the best of season 3, and I'm afraid we'll see something similar in season 5.

puffball7

Thinking about it, I think you're absolutely right, I remember the actors saying something similar that Tom slips into Sybil's role amongst the siblings more and more this series and I think we are seeing that happen now.

I too am loving Tom and Robert's relationship right now, there are definite father/son vibes going on and Tom is slowly gaining in confidence to be himself in front of Robert because he now knows Robert does actually like him, he has his trust and vice verse. Of course they will never agree politically but they can have those disagreements like any other normal family now, without it damaging their personal relationship because that is what families do. I agree, I think we are seeing him turning into the rebellious son of the family and I'm enjoying watching it.