That's fair enough, we're all entitled to like who we like on the show, I just tend to find his storyline's pretty much the same every series, and I can't find any sympathy for someone who's basically a bully, sure he has the odd moment when he's briefly 'human' but it doesn't take him long to revert to type again.

Okay, I'll hold my hands up and say I probably haven't been following his storyline's closely enough, most likely because I don't care about him, but as he's fictional it's not worth worrying over.
He's still horrible, a liar and a bully though, so not a huge amount of character change.

We all have our favorite and not-so favorite characters on the show so no worries. I for one find Thomas interesting and was bummed he didn't have a proper SL last season. I'm excited that it looks like something big is coming up for him whether it be good or bad, at least there's progression for the character. I tend to tune out with SLs for characters I don't usually like as well, for example: Sarah Bunting. Another is this whole Mary/Tony/Charles drama which looks to be over (the triangle, I mean).

It hasn't been the same for me either. I wasn't an M/M shipper but I miss Matthew's sunny presence, and certainly Sybil's as well. That house is too full of ghosts now....there is something missing that they took with them and it can't really be replaced.

I agree. It really hasn't been the same without Matthew & Sybil. Yes it may have opened writing opportunities for Fellowes but it's just really not up to par with the first 3 seasons.

I too think that one more season of this show would be enough. Or maybe this should be the last season, I wouldn't feel too bad if it was but I would also like the show to end on a high note. Not like this.

Oh, I've never thought those were the only character traits she finds attractive. But I think it's a large part of what she finds attractive.




I don't know, I think a large part of her attraction to Tony is because she's physically attracted to him and enjoys that such a "glamorous pirate" is attracted to her. She might also like that he has a touch of the "old world" to him, and that he's charming, but mostly I think it's a physical attraction.

Why?

1. In their first scene together, they only talked briefly, but Mary turned to give him another look as they departed. They didn't talk long enough for her to be intensely fascinated by his personality, but all she needed to be attracted to him physically was a look -- which she got. So it does seem to me like it's his face/body that hooked her.

2. Her reaction to what Charles said about sex and love struck me as very telling. I still feel like that's going to come into play later, and if it does I think it'll be bad for Tony.




I think this comes down to how we view Mary. Does she need a total Matthew clone to be happy? No. But I do think she needs to find her husband someone who is interesting to talk to.

Is that man Tony? I personally don't think so.

You think Evelyn could be that kind of man. Maybe, but like I've said, I'd need more evidence of that.

I do think Charles, of the three suitors we've seen, is the one who's "brain she finds most entertaining," as JF said.

Is that the ONLY thing she needs to make her happy? No. I think she needs other things, like loyalty, passion, a sense of humor...

But I do think "he has to be an interesting guy" is somewhere at the top of the list.




Was Matthew only concerned with her well-being and her happiness? I don't think that was his sole concern. Matthew also wanted Mary for himself, just as Charles does.

Charles is just blunter about certain things than Matthew was.




No one said JF was going to make her crawl back to Charles. Nor would I particularly want to see Mary crawling to Charles or anyone.

But that's not the only way this story could play out happily for Mary/Charles.




I actually disagree on this -- while Thomas is a trouble-maker, he has more layers to him than that, as we've seen most notably in his relationship with Jimmy. That gives RJC a lot of subtle things to play, even when he's causing trouble on the surface.

Looking forward to discussing it One of my favourite scenes ever in this episode.

Now you've got my curiosity up...I haven't watched season 5 since it originally aired. Might do that this weekend! (thank goodness I know what a weekend is!)