Downton Abbey S3 - spoiler-free until broadcast in the U.S.

Lady Sybil Crawley

You are Lady Sybil Crawley. The youngest daughter of Lord Grantham, you’re compassionate, strong, and really concerned about social justice. You’d also like to be able to vote. The bravest and most idealistic member of your family, you’re the most likely to end up at a political rally, try and help a servant to a better job, or scandalize your sisters by wearing pants to a party.

Weird… I’m Grandpa Walton.

G’night, Grandpa!

Besides advancing the plot, was allowing someone to buy/invest in half of the estate possible? What would happen if it turned out that the wounded soldier from the second season was the true heir? What would happen to Matthews investment? For that matter, why not sell it to Mary back when their was a possibility of the heir marrying someone else and kicking them out?

Since Matthew was an attorney, I’d like to think they signed a legal document about the “partnership.” But Lord Fellowes likes to leave things non-specific, unless we’re talking about the correct use of silver spoons.

If Matthew was truly bright, there would be a clause allowing him to get money back in case another heir appeared. I doubt “Patrick” will return–he’s not pretty enough. But Matthew is still only the Heir Presumptive. Theoretically, Cora’s death or a divorce could leave Robert free to marry again–and produce a male heir. This seems unlikely–but the eventuality ought to have been considered. Or did they just do it on a handshake, since Matthew will inherit the whole kaboodle when he succeeds Robert?

How could Mary have “bought” Downton? I think the fortune was tied up by the entail. Besides, Robert never really wanted to separate the fortune, the giant house & the title. First he wanted to leave it all to his son. When that didn’t work out, his cousin was the next heir; if his cousin’s son, Patrick, married Mary, all would still remain together. The Titanic sank, but Matthew marrying Mary was the obvious best option. Rumor, a dead Turk, a War & ridiculous plot developments caused years of delay–but the match was made. If Matthew had married someone else, I still think Robert would prefer the title & all the estate continued joined. There were “settlements” for the girls, his mother & then Cora probably still had rights to the Dower House–nobody would have starved. He was not terribly eager to break the entail…

Back at the very beginning, Mary was more put out at losing the money than the house–or “real Patrick.” She envied aunt Rosamund–a rich widow with a nice house on London. But who knows what motivations anybody will have when next we tune in?

Ha! I’m John Bates! My favorite character, though don’t know if that’s a good thing since he certainly gets a lot of hardships thrown at him…

I’m Anna! Didn’t see that one coming.

Oh my god, Mary is such a fucking bitch. Not even while standing over the body of their dead sister can she be nice to Edith.

Elizabeth McGovern was sob-inducingly convincing as she watched Sybil die. Holy crap. I hope she spends the entire rest of the series vivisecting Robert over his idiocy and snobbishness. “There’s *some *truth in it,” Robert? Some? And then Mary bitched it up further to Matthew defending her poor moronic father.

Ugh, I love hating these people! (Mrs. Bird can DIAF as well. Though Isobel got some sweet burns in at least!)

Eh, I think Lady Mary was just being honest, but I think she felt as Edith did at that moment. I do think she’s being a total bitch to Matthew–and a short-sighted one at that.

I did not see Sybil’s story ending this way. And I’m surprised the baby is a girl. If it were a boy, it’d be the next heir only if M & M didn’t have any kids. I’m starting to think that the Turkish Gentleman gave Mary the clap and she’s now sterile.

I am thoroughly sick of the Bates story. But Cora and Robert’s story is getting GOOD. She really did her part well this episode. And good on Mrs C for slapping down the nasty Mrs Birch!

How could they all be that stupid? I was screaming to get her to a doctor when he said she had a headache, swollen ankles and confusion because it was so obviously pre-e. Were they really that medically ignorant back then? The Dowager was just a fucking bitch tonight. Her granddaughter died and she seemed remarkably indifferent.

Yeah, I was welling up a bit myself watching Cora mourn over her lost daughter.

As soon as I heard them talking about her symptoms, I was thinking, “That’s pre-eclampsia.” And I’m not a doctor. Some of what they said about the risks of transporting her to the hospital for an emergency C-section did seem to have a little validity, although I am guessing that by the time of this story they did know about germs and no longer went from the morgue to the delivery room. But I don’t think antibiotics were yet in use.

Mrs. C was awesome tonight.

The baby can’t inherit because it has to go from male to male. If Matthew can’t father children then they may either lose the title or look for a yet more distant cousin.

Well, they did have a doctor; two of them. It’s just that the one Lord G trusted was a pompous ass.

I disagree about the Dowager. I don’t think she was indifferent at all. How slowly she walked to her car, like she had aged another 10 years overnight.

Oooh, I never thought of Mary having VD from the Turkish gentleman. But how long have they been married? A few months at most, right?

I wish Cora had had the guts to take charge and drag Sybil to the ER. She’s been through three pregnancies. Surely she’s familiar with at least some of the possible complications? I know after two pregnancies I certainly am. And after tonight my husband certainly knows all about pre-eclampsia symptoms and pregnant women!

I’m with you on the Dowager. That was a powerful scene when she went walking into the room- and we saw her from the back. She suddenly looked like an old woman.

Re the gender of Sybil’s baby. It wouldn’t be able to inherit the title or the entailed estate whatever the gender. M & M’s child would inherit because Matthew is the next heir, not because of Mary. Inheritance in this case is through the male line only. Had Matthew married Lavinia and had a son, he would have been the heir. Mary’s children by anyone other than Matthew (boys or girls) have no rights at all.

In some ways the most moving scene was watching Thomas cry. He’s not moved by much so to see him react to her death said volumes about her fundamental goodness.

London specialist with a knighthood who specializes in serving the aristocracy vs a country GP. Not only was Robert in awe of him he was also profoundly uncomfortable with any discussion of details of pregnancy. It’s exactly what a man in his position would do. Remember we’re only a generation or two removed from the days when most people blindly treated doctors orders as commandments, didn’t ask questions, and would never dream of seeking a 2nd opinion. My mother had aunts who got hysterectomies without ever asking why; because the doctor said so. At the same time most doctors simply weren’t willing to go against another doctor. That Clarkson did shows alot of courage on his part. And yes, Violet is utterly devestated. She never dreamed she’d outlive her youngest grandaughter
Jehan’s right about the baby. If the title could pass thru the female line there wouldn’t have been a show, Mary would’ve simply been her father’s heiress presumptive and could marry whoever she wanted.

I agree that Violet was utterly devastated and behaved exactly as an aristocrat would. When she was walking across the room, I thought she was going to collapse.

I wanted Cora to put her foot down and insist Sibyl go to the hospital. If she had done that, a) what would Robert have done? and b) would the servants have obeyed her if Robert opposed her? But surely he wouldn’t have opposed her. When Cora said, “I’d have taken her an hour ago,” I wanted to scream. I guess there was no way to do an emergency c-section at the house? After all, they’ve been done since the time of…well…Caesar.

Right. And if Sibyl had died anyway, Clarkson would have been in deep fertilizer.