I don’t think he’s a devout Catholic, but it’s looking like he’s certainly a devout Irishman. So I’d guess that Anglicanism will be an issue.
Branson:
It is, he cares not about the money, and would have had Sybil if she had been disinherited, as indeed Robert initially indicated he would be. As for living on the estate, he is not happy with that either, but at present he will be arrested if he returns to Ireland, and didn’t have any practical alternatives, especially with Sybil ready to pop. Now that he has the infant to look over, it will be tempting to stay at Downton with it’s maids, cooks, and especially the wet nurse. It would surprise me if he were to ask for his old job as a chauffeur back, while letting his Daughter be raised upstairs, but that would be in character.
Bates:
So now the evil guard is scheming to foil Bate’s plan to establish his innocence. Of course the attorney had to come to the prison and blab out the whole plan to enable that plot thread. I am positive that in the end it will be shown that the real murderer could only have had two equal length legs, and Bate’s shorter leg will prove his salvation. Either that or it was a one armed man that did it. This whodunit is really annoying in the middle of this otherwise enjoyable soap opera.
On the Prudishness of the staff: The lower you are on the totem pole, the more important it is to have someone you can look down upon. “I may be just a scullery maid, but at least I’m no whore!”
Branson:
It is, he cares not about the money, and would have had Sybil if she had been disinherited, as indeed Robert initially indicated he would be. As for living on the estate, he is not happy with that either, but at present he will be arrested if he returns to Ireland, and didn’t have any practical alternatives, especially with Sybil ready to pop. Now that he has the infant to look over, it will be tempting to stay at Downton with it’s maids, cooks, and especially the wet nurse. It would surprise me if he were to ask for his old job as a chauffeur back, while letting his Daughter be raised upstairs, but that would be in character.
Bates:
So now the evil guard is scheming to foil Bate’s plan to establish his innocence. Of course the attorney had to come to the prison and blab out the whole plan to enable that plot thread. I am positive that in the end it will be shown that the real murderer could only have had two equal length legs, and Bate’s shorter leg will prove his salvation. Either that or it was a one armed man that did it. This whodunit is really annoying in the middle of this otherwise enjoyable soap opera.
On the Prudishness of the staff: The lower you are on the totem pole, the more important it is to have someone you can look down upon. “I may be just a scullery maid, but at least I’m no whore!” Also Ethel was a maid, so there is some fear of her immorality spreading.
Oh yeah, it is looking like handsome new footman might be willing to at least lead Thomas on if it will improve his station. Ethel could learn a thing or two from that one. It won’t turn out well when he finally jilts Thomas and earns his scorn. Thomas is a sadistic fuck IMO.
Of course he was wearing white tie; the family was having dinner when Sybil went into labour.
You don’t need to go that far into the future if you want zepplins. I could see Lady Edith’s journalist career going well and her serving as an expy of Lady Drummond-Hay. And of course the Imperial Airship Scheme is getting off the groudn in a few years, and maybe one of the family is on the ill-fated flighted of the R101.
I wonder how badly you can botch up a cup of tea. Servants often aquired their masters’ snobbishness. Remember how the staff looked down on Matthew when he first arriving despite Matthew being far above them on the social latter.
His Catholicism is definatly deeply connected to his nationalism and sense of Irishness.
Fellows has said he’d like to explore racial issues in the future. The most likely scenario would involve Indian royalty visiting Downton (the only other nonwhites a family like the Crawleys would ever socialize with would be foreign diplomats). That could lead way more tension downstairs than it would upstairs.
But Robert pointed out that Dr. Clarkson had made a couple of pretty significant mistakes in the past; there was little time to think things through clearly - a decision regarding which doctor to trust was needed immediately. And as someone has already pointed out, Sybil could’ve died either way. We’re pissed at Robert and the Snob Doctor, but that’s cuz we know what happened. The conversation would be different if she had been taken for C-section and died anyway.
It’s a crapshoot. Both docs had good points. What can you do??
BTW, do you think O’Brien knows/suspects that Thomas is gay? And if so, is she shielding him?
[QUOTE=brownMouse]
BTW, do you think O’Brien knows/suspects that Thomas is gay? And if so, is she shielding him?
[/QUOTE]
I think she’s setting him up to advance her nephew by either getting them fired (or potentially jailed- homosexual propositioning was illegal at this time) or get blackmail ammo.
Nitpick: Bates’s
I don’t think Sir Phillip was making good points … he was just appealing to his personal status.
I thought that all the servants were pretty much aware which way Thomas swung. Wasn’t there a scene in Season 1 when Daisey was mooning over Thomas and Mrs. Patmore or someone told her with a knowing grin that “he’s not for you”?
Yeah, everyone downstairs except Daisy knows Thomas is gay.
It’s reasonable to assume that O’Brien is happy if her shenanigans simply fuck with Thomas, but if she could somehow get him and/or the usurping first footman canned, it will also help her nephew.
I think O’Brien is personally attracted to the new footman. She doesn’t necessarily see him as a rival to her nephew, but she’s certainly out for any ammo she can use against Thomas.
I see Branson less as a socialist and more as a nationalist/pro-Irish-independence activist.
I’m still slightly pissed that another poster spoiled the fact that Sybil was going to die. Nonetheless, it was a very powerful scene. Ditto on the kudos to Elizabeth McGovern. “Please move, Sybil.”
They did foreshadow her death because everyone was heaping the praise on her before she died.
Loved Maggie Smith’s stoic yet profound grief. Well done.
Don’t know why they’ve made Mary such a shrew just when she was getting likeable.
Re c-sections: I recently watched “Bramwell” about a female doctor near the turn of the last century. If that show is to be believed, hysterectomies were common cures for everything so they definitely performed surgeries. Bramwell herself performed a few.
I agree that the Bates/Anna thing has been dragged out too long. I mean, really, how much more do they have to endure?
Here’s an interesting article on the subject of what they should have/could have done about the eclampsia.
I got that spoiled by effin’ Wikipedia. In fact Wikipedia did it to me twice. Prior to Season 2, I wanted to look at the cast list, because I had forgotten some actor’s name, and the cast list itself spoiled a plot point by calling Sybil “Lady Sybil Crawley, later Mrs. Thomas Branson.” I was fucking pissed. But I didn’t learn my lesson, because I did it again before Season 3, and Wikifuckingpedia screwed me again in exactly the same way by listing her as “the late Mrs. Sybil Branson.” Fuckthefuckingfuck! I hate Wikipedia. The fucking cast listing should just be a bare list of the names of the actors and the characters and shouldn’t reveal plot developments.
Why would they need to involve the servants at all? Edith & Matthew can both drive, and between them and Cora, Tom, Clarkson, & Marty could’ve gotten her to the car. And while c-sections have been performed for millenia up the late 19th century they were the option of last resort, when the mother was already dead or completely beyond help. By 1920 Sybil had at least had a chance of surviving, if they could get her to a proper operating room with proper intruments. They only would’ve cut into her at the house if she seized or died before the baby was born.
Thank you for that article. I knew it was pre-eclampsia and I kept wondering what could be done to help her medically. Helping people be aware of the symptoms and treatment for this horrible condition is very useful. One of my dear friends is only alive today because she was treated promptly for it.
I wonder if there’s going to be a Tom Branson:Lady Edith romance. Both could do worse, and they’re both journalists (sorta kinda).
I don’t get the love for Mrs. Crawley (Matthew’s mother). I despised the way she tried to take over the running of the entire house when Downton opened up for the wounded officers, rearranging the time for Staff dinners to make things more convenient for the nursing staff, and trying to take over parts f the estate that weren’t given for her to use. I dislike the way she thinks because she believes in a cause, not only should everyone else, those that aren’t are somehow lesser beings. She’s a meddling busybody, although with the best intentions.
I always thought Thomas was less gay than that he’d sleep with anyone who he might benefit from, male or female.
StG
When it comes to the Granthams, she’s right. They have no need for all the resources they have, and as a member of the family, it’s perfectly appropriate for her to push them in the direction of being of some goddamn use to society. Lord Grantham’s little hissy fit in Season 2 as one of his worst moments.
He’s only shown sexual interest in men. Whatever interest he has shown in women has nothing to do with sex.
I think most people would react badly to their 3rd cousin’s widow constantly butting in and telling that their house is too big and they should just give it away for free.
Naw, he is a sucker for a pretty male face, even more so than the maids. Making the pass at Mr. Pamuk had no upside other than satisfying the desire in his loins, and would have gotten him fired if he hadn’t been able to swap access to Lady Mary for Pamuk’s silence. Pawing Jimmy isn’t going to advance his career either. Is there ever going to be an explosion when Thomas finds Jimmy balls deep in the new kitchen maid. At least Daisy will stop being such a bitch then.
Just my speculation, I haven’t seen next episode.