Yeah, but that word “love” didn’t come directly from Sybil’s lips as far as we know. Was Branson so optimistic that he just assumed her agreement to go with him meant she loved him? I just found it very strange that they didn’t have Sybil say it aloud herself so we could hear it. And its absence rang particularly loud in my awareness when she told him her answer was “yes.” I suspect there’s a specific reason we didn’t hear Sybil say the love word. For instance, will she later claim “but I never TOLD you I loved you!” And is Sybil just using Branson’s affection as a way to escape a life that has little/no value for her?
I had to go read the next post to ascertain whether I was having a stroke. But no, that one makes sense. This description of nursing makes no sense to me whatsoever. I can read the words, but they just don’t seem to be working together to make anything larger out of themselves.
How does tailgating a bus make passengers less likely to board it? Wouldn’t most people avoid the bus driver who had run his horse up into the bus in front of him?
I have to agree re: Sybil’s “Yes” speech. It was the most heartily unromantic thing I’ve ever heard. So very snobbish: “Yes, I’ve decided that none of the men around here can get me out of this suffocating hellhole but you.”
And when he said “I’ve waited so long to hear those words” all I could think was that his confusion was understandable insofar as she’d still hadn’t managed to say them.
Does anyone else find their language waxes antique whenever discussing this show? It’s like when I finally plowed through the Count of Monte Christo in the original French - I can’t seem to think of this show in “American.”
The bus in front will pick up all those waiting to board at a stop and the bus behind will prevent the nursed bus from sticking around for more passengers to show up.
There was another Maggie Smith zinger that I liked better, about the masked ball in France, at which cholera broke out and half the guests were dead by [can’t remember when].
Really, she’s the only character I can stand at this point.
[QUOTE=Acsenray]
There was another Maggie Smith zinger that I liked better, about the masked ball in France, at which cholera broke out and half the guests were dead by [can’t remember when].
[/QUOTE]
Before they left the room, to which Robert says something like “Thank you, mother, for lightening the mood.”
That ball, btw, is generally attributed to a Europe wide cholera outbreak in 1831. It may conceivably have had some basis in a real event but I’m guessing it’s a tale grew with every retelling. It inspired stories by, most famously, Edgar Allan Poe (Masque of the Red Death of course) and Heinrich Heine among others.
On account, esteemed lady, of the fact that one generally boarded a horse-drawn omnibus from the rear, as in this picture.
The bus in front of the “nursed” vehicle presumably got first dibs on most of the passengers waiting to board, and then the tailgating bus following close behind it obstructed any other passengers who might try to get into it.
ETA: And also what Acsenray said.
That was really helpful in understanding what’s going on. Thanks!
This is the cleverer version of what I was thinking. I was kind of glad when she finally snuffed it.
On the other hand, I did feel just a little sorry for Thomas this week. It was all his own fault, but still.
Hate all you want–it’s a fun escapist show. The Upstairs/Downstairs Xmas special was unspeakably bad, IMO.
Anyway, IMO, P Gordon CANNOT be Patrick Crawley for one good, but subtle reason: he never recognized Sybil. She appears in the background in several of the scenes involving him. He never once recognizes her or exclaims (characters in that day and age were always exclaiming when they weren’t expostulating) “I say! My dear Sybil! How come you to be in a nurse’s uniform?” or some such.
Peter Gordon wouldn’t know Sybil from Adam. But Patrick Crawley would…
I love this show. Parts are not good, too much is glossed over, but I really like the characters and the time period. I loathe Thomas–Evil Man. I go back and forth with O’Brian, but she’s really not admirable. Daisy I want to tuck in bed and read stories to, Mrs Padmore is great, as is Mrs Hughes and Anna is fantastic. I miss the red-haired maid who got the typewrite-she was cool, too. I’m a Lady Mary fan, Lady Edith is a typical middle child, and Lady Sybil could have been so cool, but has horrible taste in men (and no chemistry between the 2). Love Matthew and the Earl, hate Sir Richard (new money-how gauche), and Cora I’d like to smack. There is something about her face make-up-it’s too severe or something. She just looks odd and she looks even odder in the RL interviews. Adore Violet and Mrs C’s verbal sparring, too. Love the house, the era, everything. Sure there are things wrong, but compared to most TV today, it’s grand.
I wondered why Violet had to be told “It’s a gramophone” by her granddaughter. That might have been the latest model but the technology had been around and in wide use since before the turn of the century, surely she’d have seen one before.
Thankyou Kimstu! That was the all-important missing piece of information! Now it makes sense. Thoguh I still say the nursed bus driver should just put on the brakes 'til he begged for mercy.
That bit about Sybil is brilliant. Of course! I suppose he’d argue that she was only little last time he saw her, but still.
Cora’s face: I don’t think it’s the makeup, I think she’s a botox victim. Sometimes they miss the spot or do too much and the patient ends up with a completely placid brow, unable even to move their eyebrows. This gives sort of a saggy brow, which makes most people think they are scowling. This seems to have happened to her, though I must say I was hoping it would have worn off by now. This explains it well:Botox Customization and the Droopy Brow « Dr. Niamtu’s Weblog
Cartier came out with the Tank Watch in 1917. When an officer is waiting for the right time to lead his men over the top with a pistol in his right hand. it’s awkward pull out a pocket watch. Perhaps Grantham picked his up on the trip to London when he was fitted for the tuxedo–he’s up to date!
Yes, except the Cartier site seems to say that the Cartier Tank watch was first offered for sale in 1922, although it was indeed designed in 1917. (That’s imho a good-looking watch, btw.)
It’s certainly not impossible that Grantham could have got hold of one of the early pre-retail sale models: the horlogers who began designing men’s wristwatches during WWI seem to have been distributing them to military officers for years before they were sold to the general public. The Earl, chocolate soldier that he is, poor dear, might well have hankered after this official-looking new accessory and cadged one off a “brother officer” who didn’t particularly want it.
(You see, Lord Fellowes, this is why it matters to get the period details right. Because figuring out how the period details fit together and how they contribute to interpreting character and plot is FUN, you uptight priss. And when people are having FUN with your show, that encourages them to do what? WATCH it. Which I would think you’d be in favor of.
If, on the other hand, you lazily toss in outright anachronisms that even with the best will in the world can’t be fanwanked away, it breaks the viewers’ suspension of disbelief and they get sulky and demoralized.)
It’s also fun to find Fellowe’s character defects in the writing. For instance, when Lady Sybil is accepting the proposal, and informs her dear chauffer of why she’s decided he’ll be imminently useful to her. He shows no sign whatsoever of being offended by this, and treats it exactly as if she had said “I Love You.” That’s Fellowes, it would never occur to him that a lowly chauffer might do what I expected at the end of her sad monologue - be offended by it and dump her.
I have too much time on my hands today, so I watched the finale (again). And, you’re absolutely correct. Some notes:
SCENE: Sybil and Branson in the garage after the dinner in which Matthew announces he will marry Lavinia: no one used the “L” word (love).
SCENE: Sybil and Branson’s room at the Swan Inn. Mary and Edith confront Sybil: no one uses the “L” word.
SCENE: Drinks before dinner. Branson arrives. Sybil explains her plan to her family: no one uses the “L” word.
{Ah, finally, the “L” word!}
SCENE: The next morning, Branson announces to the staff his intention to marry Sybil.
Carson, to Branson: Have you no shame?!?
Branson: I’m sorry you feel like that Mr. Carson, you’re a good man. But no, I have no shame. In fact, I have great pride in the love of that young woman and I will strive to be worthy of it…{But, yeah, it wasn’t Sybil who used the word}
SCENE: Sybil’s room. Lord G, Sybil and the Dowage Countess discuss Sybil and Branson’s plans: no one uses the “L” word.
SCENE: Grantham Arms. Lord G & Branson argue. Lord G offers Branson money to leave the family in peace: no one uses the “L” word.
SCENE: In the churchyard after Lavinia’s funeral. Lord G, Sybil and Branson talk again about her decision to marry Branson. Lord G relents and gives Sybil and Branson his blessing: no one uses the “L” word.
I have a sneaking* suspicion Thomas “The Footman” Barrows will take the job as butler at Haxby Park. [sub](*See what I did there? 
)[/sub]
Oops! You meant that Wikipedia is wrong?
If Lord Julian finds out, he’ll just call us Leftists who don’t have sufficient social standing… (And he only a life peer!)
As a good Catholic boy with a sense of humour, I suspect Fellowes was quite happy for a Fenian to screw the English Aristocracy.
Those who are unhappy with the show have the option of the on-off button, rather than pissing all over those who are enjoying it. Yes, it’s a soap opera, and the plot lines are telegraphed. It’s not meant to be high art, just entertaining, and it succeeds at that.
I’m sorry I must have missed the sticky declaring that Cafe Society threads must only consist of uncritical discussions of their subjects.
In 8 pages I haven’t seen anyone mocking those who enjoy the show, instead a number of us have pointed out what we see to be flaws that detract from it. Where’s the harm in that?
What I learned from this episode: Mr. Bates needs some manscaping, like, STAT!
Ayup. And after my impassioned defense of trivia nitpicking in my previous post, I couldn’t resist nitpicking the style of his title of nobility: he is apparently “Lord Fellowes”, not “Lord Julian”.
This is because, as you point out, he’s a life peer with a title in his own right (though AFAICT he’d be styled the same even as a hereditary rather than life peer). It’s younger sons of hereditary dukes or marquesses who use the title “Lord” with their first names as courtesy titles, like Lord Peter Wimsey.