She wasn’t being nice. She was being mean, but to Spratt this time instead of Denker. She knows they are fighting, but props up whichever side is about to lose to play them off against each other. Otherwise they might team up against her 
.
It’s a metaphor for 16th-19th century British foreign policy in regard to the countries of the European mainland, no doubt.
Maybe they can do a “Six Feet Under” type of ending? 
What percentage of the great estates in Great Britain are still in private hands?
StG
Hadn’t heard that next season might be the last. Cite?
Forgot to add, I felt very sorry for Lord Merton. He bared his soul and declared his love for Isobel - proposed marriage - she didn’t give him an immediate answer and thought about his proposal long and hard - then announced to all and sundry at a DA dinner party that they’d be getting married - and NOW she’s changed her mind because of his idjit sons? Grrrrrr.
And is a different child playing Marigold? The little girl with the farmer and his wife looked different (cuter IMHO) than the little girl at DA.
NPR’s review of the season: 'Downton' Wraps Another Season Of Marriage And (Sigh) Muuuuuurder! : NPR
A couple of episodes ago, Robert brought Isis to bed and stated that she wouldn’t make it through the night. And then there was the plaque.
JF on the end of the season: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/02/arts/television/julian-fellowes-on-twists-in-the-downton-abbey-season-finale.html?ref=arts
I thought someone mentioned it upthread.
In between those two, there was a scene with Robert talking with a tradesman about getting a grave marker for Isis, and noting that the tradesman makes many things.
They use that word in the movie The King’s Speech. It was set in 1930’s Britain so I’m assuming it was widely used then among upper class Brits.
Mentioned, yes, but with no cite. JF doesn’t suggest it in the NYT interview.
Around Christmastime last year, when the season ended it’s run in the UK, there were a lot of rumors and speculation that season 6 might be the last. I forget where it started, I think Fellowes gave an interview at the time that suggested it would end after the next season, and since TV contracts in the UK are generally for three years, it didn’t seen unreasonable that season 6 would be the last. I don’t know if Fellowes has given another interview to dispel those rumors now that it has finished airing in the US.
Marginally relevant, and I’ve often pondered this question: the lyrics to “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” (from one of those Busby Berkeley/Gold Diggers of 193x movies):
He’ll do right by little Nelly
With a shotgun at his bel…tummy
A Congressional fan of DA gets in a little trouble: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-rep-schock-reimburses-government-for-downton-abbey-renovation-20150227-story.html
He says he’s not a Downton Abbey fan and both he and the designer say that it wasn’t an inspiration. It’s an awesome looking office, though.
[quote=“Shodan, post:538, topic:694244”]
…
[li]What about Edith’s publishing business? I thought she inherited it from Gregson. And what about his mad wife? Can’t she cause some trouble or other?[/li][li]I agree with you, LavenderBlue - Edith is damn hot with her hair down.[/li][li]The notion that everybody knows about Marigold except Mary is way implausible. Mary may be contemptuous of Edith, but she isn’t stupid. If Lord Robert can figure it out…[/li][/QUOTE]
It would seem everyone’s forget about the insane Mrs Gregson, even though she’s the reason why Gregson went to Germany in the first place. Wouldn’t Gregson have to leave part of his estate in some kind of trust to care for her?
As far as Mary note figuring out the truth about Marigold; I can’t imagine her deigning to pay anywhere near enough attention to Marigold or Edith to make any kind of connection. I wouldn’t have even noticed Edith was gone if weren’t for the rest of the household going into a panic. Hell they probably could’ve just pretended Marigold was Sybie and Tom left her at Downton for safekeeping.
Hmm, a scene set in the 1970s with Mary & Edith still bickering and stuck in the same house together (each once refusing to die first). Maybe follow it up with an nonagenarian George Crawley, Earl of Grantham, in a wheelchair complaining about the blasted film crews about making a move off Aunty Edie’s roman à clef. Throw in a shot of a jar of Mrs Mason’s Perseveres in the background.
Typical Fellowes’ besotment with Mary: some guy is invited to go shooting, and accepts. Mary sets out to make him feel as bad as possible over his disruption of whosie’s chance to go shooting that day. Pointlessly, of course: when Some Guy (I have trouble w/names, sorry) apologizes and wants to get out of the way she says he can’t for assorted reasons. So now Some Guy knows she’s an asshole who likes to make people feel bad over things that A) aren’t their fault and B) which they cannot do anything to remedy.
His reaction: why, of course he immediately falls for her. :smack:
Brilliant! Send me a script ASAP!
:standing ovation:
Right, he saw a plaque made for a soldier, (I seem to recall the phrase " . . .for a garden") which gave him the idea.
There seemed to be a sort of softening in Mary during the Sybil remembrance; she reached for Edith’s hand. I hope it’s a sign that they realize we’ve had enough of the nastiness.
It’s no surprise to me that the Princess was less than pleased to be reunited with Kuragin. She saved Violet from this charming debaucher once, why must she be dragged thousands of miles to do it again? She probably suspects that he hit on Violet again, and why not? What better chance has he of landing a comfortable life? And now Violet has foisted him upon the Princess, with no means of support and no resources upon which to call. At least in Asia she would have had the comfort of anonymity; no one there would have known her when she was young and wealthy.
I forgot to say: I thought the actress playing Mrs. Hughes did an outstanding job. Her acceptance was the only truly authentic moment in the whole thing. She really drew me in and I nearly wept happy tears for her.
Which is what I miss in Anna. Ms. Frogatt seems non-plussed by the turn of events, and I don’t blame her a bit. How could anybody play that nightmare? At this point, I think a taser should be aimed at Fellowes and fired any time he tries to claim that he is avoiding a soap-operatic tone.
It’s rather baffling that Bates would have swapped war stories with an old comrade-in-arms York publican, to such an extent that the man remembers him months later . . . but Bates can’t even remember which pub?