Christmas at Downton Abbey
Nearly a week late, but obviously there are many things to be said about the last episode. No need to come up with a name for this one, I guess, but I'll subtitle it "It's All About Teh Mary/Matthew" because it totally is. :P
- What?! No dog's ass? WHAT SHOW AM I WATCHING?!
- Awww, lookit O'Brien hanging ornaments with Edith. And I love the little moment where Mrs. Hughes chastises Daisy for standing there goggling at the tree before doing the exact same thing herself.
- I was really aware this time of the changing fashions. My goodness, you can see Mary's ANKLES. And you're constantly seeing the women in sleeveless dresses with the loose waists.
- The Dowager Countess is not impressed with your Christmas card.
- I love how grey the outdoor scenes look. I wonder when they shot this.
- That's sweet that they do gifts for the servants. I mean, not that I'm surprised they'd do that, but I guess it's just that they make a ceremony of it. There was a very sweet little moment between Mary and Anna. And I think Mary may have scored some points with Mrs. Hughes. Not many points, but a few.
- "Mr. Bates has most unjustly been ACCUSED of murder." You tell her, Carson!
- Ugh, Carlisle is insufferable. How DARE the servants leave the fancy folk to fend for themselves for a few hours at Christmas!
- Violet boggling at the nutcracker was golden. As was pretty much everything Maggie Smith did in this episode (but that's not exactly new, is it?). Her reminiscing about the Lord Hepworth's father was particularly awesome (and funny to hear someone refer to "the late 60s" and mean the EIGHTEEN-sixties). Mais où sont les neiges d'antan. *sigh* Where indeed, Violet.
- I thought the Reggie Swire thing was rather throwaway. I guess it just served as closure for the Lavinia storyline, but it was weird to see so much story devoted to a character we never met.
- Ooooh, Matthew and Carlisle cannot meet without having a glare-off.
- I looked FOREVER for the macro of Violet holding the spoon up just before digging into the pudding with the caption "Incendio!" but couldn't find it. *teh tragedy*
- The ouija board plot was silly, I thought. Especially Lavinia supposedly communicating to ... Anna and Daisy. Two people who she didn't know and who had no idea it was her and therefore wouldn't have been able to communicate her message to the intended parties. It's nice (though a little precious) to know that she wishes them well, but honestly.
- "Sir Richard, life is a game in which the player must appear ridiculous." And LOL at Mary explaining out loud what she means (instead of acting it) out of frustration with Edith.
- I have liked the Bates storyline more this season, but I wonder how much longer they can put him (and Anna) through hell.
- SIR ANTHONY STRALLAN! I've missed you and your awesome grin! Oh, Edith. I started to laugh when he said he'd taken a bullet in the wrong place (as opposed to the right place?), thinking SURELY there was not yet *another* Downton gentleman who'd been disabled, ahem, in that way.
- Poor Edith, stuck serving drinks. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't instantly been reminded of "She's a graduate of MIT, but she still has to serve drinks to men!" (MST3K joke)
- Carlisle's continual whinging about having to fight for what he has and "waaah, why do the servants need a few hours to themselves for the holidays" makes him sound so middle class. And a crappy human being, of course. :P
- Heh. Matthew always seems to step into the frame whenever we need to be reminded who's a better man for Mary.
- So what exactly do the women do at a shoot? Cheer the men on? In Gosford they didn't even go out with the men. They just met them at the gazebo (!) for lunch.
- I'm glad that Sir Anthony knows Mary was lying that day he was going to propose. "If you think I'm going to give up on someone who calls me 'lovely'--" *hugs Edith*
- Violet's interrogation of Lord Hepworth is beautiful.
- I was so hoping the Pamuk business would come out at last and that Matthew and Robert would know the truth. Cora has a wonderful moment when she finally decides to tell Robert.
- I very much wonder how the prosecution knew to call O'Brien and Mrs. Hughes and ask them (and Robert) those questions in testimony against Bates. Vera could have told someone about the "bitch" argument and maybe knew that Mrs. Hughes had overheard, but telling anyone would have telegraphed her premeditation. Is it possible this might come out in the next season?
- I'd almost forgotten Matthew was a lawyer until the scene in the pub where they discuss the sentencing with Murray.
- "I don't often feel selfless. But when I listen to you I do." I'll say it again ... WHEN O'BRIEN DISAPPROVES, YOU HAVE DONE SERIOUS WRONG.
- Oh my gosh, I love the scene with Mary and Robert. So much. Robert doesn't get many awesome daddy moments, but this was probably the best. Can't say anything else. Too busy crying. Except LOL at his comparing Sybil's marriage to the war and Bates's murder trial.
- "I deserve to be unhappy; so does Mary." Um, why does Mary deserve to be unhappy, Matthew?
- LOVE the scene with Violet and Daisy. It seems like Daisy has gotten all her ideas about love from novels and doesn't realize that she *did* love William.
- Thomas hiding the dog was just ... weird.
- "Even Ms. O'Brien." Oh Bates, you are a saint! LOL "NO TOUCHING"; the guard's relenting cracked me up even more.
- As silly as I found the ouija board plot, Mrs. Patmore's trick was HILARIOUS. And so obvious it doesn't even deserve the word obvious. "Is it usually so specific?" O'Brien's smile makes it - SHE APPROVES.
- Matthew zest in forming a search party for the dog is amusing, especially as it kind of screws Thomas's plan.
- I hadn't thought about the fact that Anna staying at Downton would keep the Bates scandal going. Good on Mrs. Hughes for resisting.
- And now the truth comes to Matthew. "Don't joke. Don't make it little, not when I'm trying to understand." I love, love, love you so much for that, Matthew.
- As much as I loved the Mary/Matthew stuff, the thing that got me the most was the scene at the farm with Daisy and Mr. Mason. "Without you, I'd have no one to pray for." *CRIES* And I love that he gives Daisy good advice about career advancement.
- I don't like that Thomas is rewarded for his trick. I'm sure he was at least a *little* worried about the dog, but it makes me worried for the future. Mainly what it might mean for Carson.
- I love that Matthew punching Carlisle had to do with Lavinia and not Mary, and I'm a little dismayed that so many fans seem to link it to Mary.
- Yell-y Robert! No Dramatic Chipmunk this episode, though.
- "Do you promise?" BAMF! I love how no one laughs, everyone is so used to her snark.
- Carson is so sweet, running to give the good (or at least not-so-bad) news to Robert.
- So, for something called "the Servants' Ball" the servants seem to have an awful lot of work to bring it off. Or at least that's the implication from the announcement that it's going ahead.
- "Perhaps it would be nice if you partnered O'Brien." "Crikey." Oh, Matthew.
- Thomas dancing with Violet = LOVE.
- High-fiving Anna SO HARD for busting Ms. Shaw and Hepworth. Her best moment of bamfiness since the snuff box incident in Season 1.
- So how many hours did it take from Carlisle leaving for Mary and Matthew to affix to one another? Seems like less than 24 hours.
- I'm sorry, but the main thing I have to say about the proposal scene is OMG MARY WHY ARE YOU OUT IN THE SNOW WITH BARE ARMS?! Yes, the scene is lovely. Yes, Matthew is awesome for saying Mary doesn't need his forgiveness. Yes, I love that Mary made Matthew kneel down so that it was all official and everything. (And I couldn't help thinking of Moonstruck in that moment - "He's ruining his suit!") Yes, the kiss was lovely. And yes, probably my favorite bit was the twirling. *happy sigh* DON'T SCREW THIS UP, SHOW!
- What?! No dog's ass? WHAT SHOW AM I WATCHING?!
- Awww, lookit O'Brien hanging ornaments with Edith. And I love the little moment where Mrs. Hughes chastises Daisy for standing there goggling at the tree before doing the exact same thing herself.
- I was really aware this time of the changing fashions. My goodness, you can see Mary's ANKLES. And you're constantly seeing the women in sleeveless dresses with the loose waists.
- The Dowager Countess is not impressed with your Christmas card.
- I love how grey the outdoor scenes look. I wonder when they shot this.
- That's sweet that they do gifts for the servants. I mean, not that I'm surprised they'd do that, but I guess it's just that they make a ceremony of it. There was a very sweet little moment between Mary and Anna. And I think Mary may have scored some points with Mrs. Hughes. Not many points, but a few.
- "Mr. Bates has most unjustly been ACCUSED of murder." You tell her, Carson!
- Ugh, Carlisle is insufferable. How DARE the servants leave the fancy folk to fend for themselves for a few hours at Christmas!
- Violet boggling at the nutcracker was golden. As was pretty much everything Maggie Smith did in this episode (but that's not exactly new, is it?). Her reminiscing about the Lord Hepworth's father was particularly awesome (and funny to hear someone refer to "the late 60s" and mean the EIGHTEEN-sixties). Mais où sont les neiges d'antan. *sigh* Where indeed, Violet.
- I thought the Reggie Swire thing was rather throwaway. I guess it just served as closure for the Lavinia storyline, but it was weird to see so much story devoted to a character we never met.
- Ooooh, Matthew and Carlisle cannot meet without having a glare-off.
- I looked FOREVER for the macro of Violet holding the spoon up just before digging into the pudding with the caption "Incendio!" but couldn't find it. *teh tragedy*
- The ouija board plot was silly, I thought. Especially Lavinia supposedly communicating to ... Anna and Daisy. Two people who she didn't know and who had no idea it was her and therefore wouldn't have been able to communicate her message to the intended parties. It's nice (though a little precious) to know that she wishes them well, but honestly.
- "Sir Richard, life is a game in which the player must appear ridiculous." And LOL at Mary explaining out loud what she means (instead of acting it) out of frustration with Edith.
- I have liked the Bates storyline more this season, but I wonder how much longer they can put him (and Anna) through hell.
- SIR ANTHONY STRALLAN! I've missed you and your awesome grin! Oh, Edith. I started to laugh when he said he'd taken a bullet in the wrong place (as opposed to the right place?), thinking SURELY there was not yet *another* Downton gentleman who'd been disabled, ahem, in that way.
- Poor Edith, stuck serving drinks. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't instantly been reminded of "She's a graduate of MIT, but she still has to serve drinks to men!" (MST3K joke)
- Carlisle's continual whinging about having to fight for what he has and "waaah, why do the servants need a few hours to themselves for the holidays" makes him sound so middle class. And a crappy human being, of course. :P
- Heh. Matthew always seems to step into the frame whenever we need to be reminded who's a better man for Mary.
- So what exactly do the women do at a shoot? Cheer the men on? In Gosford they didn't even go out with the men. They just met them at the gazebo (!) for lunch.
- I'm glad that Sir Anthony knows Mary was lying that day he was going to propose. "If you think I'm going to give up on someone who calls me 'lovely'--" *hugs Edith*
- Violet's interrogation of Lord Hepworth is beautiful.
- I was so hoping the Pamuk business would come out at last and that Matthew and Robert would know the truth. Cora has a wonderful moment when she finally decides to tell Robert.
- I very much wonder how the prosecution knew to call O'Brien and Mrs. Hughes and ask them (and Robert) those questions in testimony against Bates. Vera could have told someone about the "bitch" argument and maybe knew that Mrs. Hughes had overheard, but telling anyone would have telegraphed her premeditation. Is it possible this might come out in the next season?
- I'd almost forgotten Matthew was a lawyer until the scene in the pub where they discuss the sentencing with Murray.
- "I don't often feel selfless. But when I listen to you I do." I'll say it again ... WHEN O'BRIEN DISAPPROVES, YOU HAVE DONE SERIOUS WRONG.
- Oh my gosh, I love the scene with Mary and Robert. So much. Robert doesn't get many awesome daddy moments, but this was probably the best. Can't say anything else. Too busy crying. Except LOL at his comparing Sybil's marriage to the war and Bates's murder trial.
- "I deserve to be unhappy; so does Mary." Um, why does Mary deserve to be unhappy, Matthew?
- LOVE the scene with Violet and Daisy. It seems like Daisy has gotten all her ideas about love from novels and doesn't realize that she *did* love William.
- Thomas hiding the dog was just ... weird.
- "Even Ms. O'Brien." Oh Bates, you are a saint! LOL "NO TOUCHING"; the guard's relenting cracked me up even more.
- As silly as I found the ouija board plot, Mrs. Patmore's trick was HILARIOUS. And so obvious it doesn't even deserve the word obvious. "Is it usually so specific?" O'Brien's smile makes it - SHE APPROVES.
- Matthew zest in forming a search party for the dog is amusing, especially as it kind of screws Thomas's plan.
- I hadn't thought about the fact that Anna staying at Downton would keep the Bates scandal going. Good on Mrs. Hughes for resisting.
- And now the truth comes to Matthew. "Don't joke. Don't make it little, not when I'm trying to understand." I love, love, love you so much for that, Matthew.
- As much as I loved the Mary/Matthew stuff, the thing that got me the most was the scene at the farm with Daisy and Mr. Mason. "Without you, I'd have no one to pray for." *CRIES* And I love that he gives Daisy good advice about career advancement.
- I don't like that Thomas is rewarded for his trick. I'm sure he was at least a *little* worried about the dog, but it makes me worried for the future. Mainly what it might mean for Carson.
- I love that Matthew punching Carlisle had to do with Lavinia and not Mary, and I'm a little dismayed that so many fans seem to link it to Mary.
- Yell-y Robert! No Dramatic Chipmunk this episode, though.
- "Do you promise?" BAMF! I love how no one laughs, everyone is so used to her snark.
- Carson is so sweet, running to give the good (or at least not-so-bad) news to Robert.
- So, for something called "the Servants' Ball" the servants seem to have an awful lot of work to bring it off. Or at least that's the implication from the announcement that it's going ahead.
- "Perhaps it would be nice if you partnered O'Brien." "Crikey." Oh, Matthew.
- Thomas dancing with Violet = LOVE.
- High-fiving Anna SO HARD for busting Ms. Shaw and Hepworth. Her best moment of bamfiness since the snuff box incident in Season 1.
- So how many hours did it take from Carlisle leaving for Mary and Matthew to affix to one another? Seems like less than 24 hours.
- I'm sorry, but the main thing I have to say about the proposal scene is OMG MARY WHY ARE YOU OUT IN THE SNOW WITH BARE ARMS?! Yes, the scene is lovely. Yes, Matthew is awesome for saying Mary doesn't need his forgiveness. Yes, I love that Mary made Matthew kneel down so that it was all official and everything. (And I couldn't help thinking of Moonstruck in that moment - "He's ruining his suit!") Yes, the kiss was lovely. And yes, probably my favorite bit was the twirling. *happy sigh* DON'T SCREW THIS UP, SHOW!