Pretty good so far, I must say part 2 seemed a little far fetched to me. The secrecy surrounding the butlers acting past, seemd a little overblown. The stranger came, he threatened, then he left and all is well again.
Then the Turkish diplomat’s stalkish date rape behavior ends with him dead in Mary’s bed. They are not worried about the political ramifications, the coroners inquest, or skull duggery in the house. But the biggest concern is the daughter’s reputation and intact hymen?
Also the hospital scene, where the dowager busts in the room to read the riot act to the docter. Ans before the dust even settles in the room the doctor forges ahead with a procedure he’s never done before, and miracles of miracles instant recovery of the patient.
Still I’m liking it, I find it entertaining and I just love those 1920’s dresses and hats. My young teens were watching with me (!) and commented on the styles and how they really liked it all.
The setting is the 'teens–Before The Great War–not the 20’s. Concerning the Dead Turk: Who cares about political ramifications? They’ll never affect People Like Them. And who would suspect People Like Them of skullduggery? If the daughter’s reputation is damaged, she might end up in an apartment with only one or two servants, living off her small income, rather than a mansion with half a dozen servants, living off her income & her husband’s–while dreaming of the Great House with its armies of lackeys, “stolen” from her due to the Entailment.
Of course, all of this is going to change. Horrid Thomas, wanting more than a footman’s position–will he prefer the trenches? Perhaps those idle daughters will find better ways to occupy their time–as the eligible men are killed off in France.
I highly doubt he’d prefer combat over working in a great house. Well unless he was offered a job as batman to a handsome officer who also delighted in the love that dare not speak it’s name. Come 1916 that choice will be made for him. The daughters will end up doing something like charity work for soliders or serving as VAD nurses. I don’t see any off them heading off to a field hospital in France though (well possibly Lady Sybil). Maybe one of them get’s sent to visit Cora’s family in New York, and sails on the RMS Lusitania. I wonder what would a man like Matthew Crawley be expected to to? He’s in his 30s and a lawyer. I highly doubt he has any prior military exeperiance. I suppose if he joins up at all he’d end up a staff officer dealing with military contractors.
Lady Sybil is the only Crawely daughter who seems likable. Lady Mary’s coming off as a spoiled bitch, and Lady Edith is kinda pathetic. Still, sending that letter is an extremely nasty thing to do to your own sister.
Downstairs, apparently everyone but Daisy knows about Thomas (though most of them don’t seem to even care). Mrs Patmore trying to explain it all to Daisy was funny. She really doesn’t have the slightest clue what everyone’s trying to tell her. Maybe if they got some of their Ladyships old dolls out they could explain it to her that way.
While I think it works well in the context of a dramatic arc, I just can’t stand Daisy’s naivety and stupidity. The servants have seen pretty much everything under the sun. Why don’t they spell things out more plainly for her?
Stories aren’t what they are about. They are how they are about them.
I so wanted Mrs. Hughes to marry the farmer. You can’t cuddle up to a big ol’ house during those long English winter nights.
And WTF is the big secret in Bates’ background? WAIT! Don’t tell me…
I love prominent noses on anyone, but especially on women… and Anna and Edith have two of the BEST I’ve ever seen! (Maybe they’re really sisters… and Mary is O’Brien’s love child…)
Are O’Brien and Thomas related? They act toward each other like mother-son.
How so? As with the first two eps, this one flew by before I knew it. It’s an engrossing series with a stellar cast. I don’t know how they’re going to resolve all the issues in the final ep next week, however, and hope they don’t give the story short shrift.
I would’ve thought he’d end up as one of those poor officers forced to lead his men in some lunatic mission over the top of the trenches. I’m not sure prior military experience mattered much in the end.
Poor Daisy. I find myself wanting to rescue her. And despite it all she seems fond of cook,a nd only wants to help her.
Thomas is evil. We hates him, precious, yes we does. . .
Edith hasn’t mailed the letter - yet. I’m betting her Fathehr intercepts it. Wasn’t it fairly normal for parents to censor their daughters mail in those days?
Also, Mrs. Crawley seems to be in quite the hurry to marry Mary off. Did the act go farther than I realized? Could she be pregnant? I honestly thought that he hadn’t made it that far. . .
Bates - could he have a wife still alive in Ireland? Or perhaps he doesn’t know whether she is alive? Or maybe he just loves her enough to want to see her with a stronger man, who can certainly provide for her?
I think it’s pretty clear that penetration occurred and that Pamuk expired in the throes of climax. Mary refers to him fairly clearly as her “lover.” However, for the purposes of society at large, it’s enough that Mary let him into her room and that he died undressed in her bed. No confirmation of further specifics is necessary.
I think it’s pretty clear that penetration occurred and that Pamuk expired in the throes of climax. Mary refers to him fairly clearly as her “lover.” **However, for the purposes of society at large, it’s enough that Mary let him into her room and that he died undressed in her bed. No confirmation of further specifics is necessary.[/**quote]
Oh, yes, I know. I was just wondering about the actual baby part.
That wouldn’t be usual, but I doubt Lord Grantham is going to intercept it. If anybody was going to censor the girls’ letters it’d Lady Grantham, but even so it’d be pretty easy for Lady Edith to avoid it. All 3 daughters are allowed to go into the village unescorted and all she has do is pop into the local post office. Notice she didn’t put any return address on the envelope so it can’t readily be traced back to her.
Lady Grantham (Mrs Crawley is Matthew’s mother) is worried the truth getting out re Mr Pamuk. Rumours are already starting to spread and they could destroy Lady Mary’s prospects of a good marriage offer (if the entail can’t be broken then marriage is the only way her future can be secured). She might even have to go New York for Cora’s realitves to arrange a suitable marriage (not that Cora would mind her marrying an American under normal circumstanes).
Plus Lady Edith is also entering the marriage market and directly competing with her sister for potential suitors. It would be very humiliating for Mary if her younger sister married before her. It’d raise plenty of eyebrows too. The only way for any of the daughters to enjoy the same standard of living they grew with is to marry well. That’s all that matters to them or the family. Lady Sybil is the only daughter who’s shown the slightest interest in a life outside the gilded cage.
His wife can’t be with another man (at least in any way acceptable to Bates) as long as he’s alive. Divorce was only an option for rich.
I did love that scene at the end with Dowager Lady Grantham at the flower show. I think she really did believe she was winning on her own merits for years on end, then suddenly realized not only is that not true everyone including the other contestants knew as well. She must felt like a gigantic fool.
Come 1916 that choice will be made for him. The daughters will end up doing something like charity work for soliders or serving as VAD nurses. I don’t see any off them heading off to a field hospital in France though (well possibly Lady Sybil). Maybe one of them get’s sent to visit Cora’s family in New York, and sails on the RMS Lusitania. I wonder what would a man like Matthew Crawley be expected to to? He’s in his 30s and a lawyer. I highly doubt he has any prior military exeperiance. I suppose if he joins up at all he’d end up a staff officer dealing with military contractors.