DA Christmas Special (After the Rush)

[tripp3235]

So it's been a couple of day and the euphoria of finally seeing my couple in each other's arms has started to lift.  It shan't go away, not entirely, but I should recap my feelings on the episode as a whole.

Mary/Matthew: Of course, my favorite part of the show.  I feel the proposal scene was wonderful and beautifully shot.  I think many of their

Comments

[maryme2]

Carlisle: I disagree a bit about Carlisle. He was introduced in epi 2 when an engaged Matthew wasn't around, and I think he did NOT know what he got into because Mary didn't tell him (and probably didn't realise herself) how much emotional baggage she carried with her, and that she would never even want to free herself of Matthew. I also felt that he was trying to learn to behave proper (loved the tweed scene in epi 2) when he was first introduced to the Granthams. He was sort of the male equivalent to Lavinia, we just all knew that this could never work. Being in love with Mary, I think he was already in too deep when he realised how matters stood, and he sort of reacted automatically if inappropriately as he saw his pride being hurt, and Mary withdrawing. The apology he got from Mary was for entering into the relationship with him on false pretenses, and it was nice gesture. It was important to her to admit responsibility for the early stages, and I didn't see her apologise for any of their later arguments.

admission: Absolutely agree about the admission. There are may ways to phrase it, I might have said it differently, but yes, I missed Matthew saying that he had feelings for Mary, not only high thoughts. Especially since he wasn't even close to tears.

Edith: I think we expect too much of Edith. She HAS not changed since season 1. She'll always be attracted to men with a low self-esteem because they feel she's not out of their league so they're nice to her. And she's interested in farming. And now Strallan's disabled so she could actually run his estate. I think he's a lovely man with, to, and for her. They're endgame.

Robert: The only reason why Robert had to have that dreadful thing with Jane was to pave the way for THIS SCENE with Mary. I have been aching for this to happen for ages, since season 1 because he is SO IN LOVE with his daughter! And she never realised! I think I've said it in many enough places now that I have not been happy with Matthew's proposal, but Robert's declaration of love was everything I could have hoped for! I want Lord Grantham to live forever!!!!! And Mary and Matthew can move in with him and spend evenings in the library talking and drinking whiskey.

Rosamund and Lord Hepworth: I found that storyline just amazing. Very well-written and well-paced. Really moving, too. Though I think it's a one-off. There don't seem to be any loose threads remaining. Still, if JF wants small subplots, that's the way to do it.

Interesting

[tripp3235]

Carlisle: I disagree. Carlisle is supposed to be observant man, or so I thought. While he might not know of Mary's feelings without Matthew around, I'd think he would have studied her when he was around. Given Carlisle seemed jealous of everyone Mary even spoke to (he even asked if he should be jealous of Carson), I'm sure he noted quite well Mary's obvious interest in Matthew. He was the only one who noticed during the Patrick discussion that Mary only cared how this made Matthew feel. And when he proposed and she didn't answer for like a year, I'm sure he knew what that meant. It was only after she came to him with her problem did he get the answer to the proposal.

admission: Well, I really wanted to hear it from Mary to Matthew. He's heard from everyone else she loved him. She should say it too. And I do think he was close to tears. He looked quite emotional.

Edith: I think she's changed. She has realized that life isn't about people coming to her but she coming to people. Maybe they are endgame, but I'm not that crazy about Anthony for her, though he is a very nice man.

Robert: Yea, I agree. Now we know the reason for the near affair with Jane. Seems rather sad though at least he didn't go through with the part. This reminds me of something else the episode forgot to do and properly explain what happened to Mary. You'd think she had given him an engraved invitation into her room which wasn't the case.

Rosamund: I wonder if he has anything in the future for Rosamund. I would expect she'd be backburnered for awhile, but maybe in the future.

Re: Interesting

[maryme2]

admission: Well, I really wanted to hear it from Mary to Matthew. He's heard from everyone else she loved him. She should say it too. And I do think he was close to tears. He looked quite emotional.

Ah, that way around! No, actually I'm glad SHE didn't. Because Matthew has been so presumptious to assume -- since the beginning of S2 -- that because he dumped her in 1x07 believing that she didn't love him, she actually didn't. I don't think it's her business to refute his claim by saying "I love you" because that would suggest he had a right to make that claim in the first place. HE has always made unjust accusations about her NOT loving him. He said that twice in the CS alone while nothing in her actions suggested anything but love. And M/M were never about words, only actions. So I'm glad it didn't come up. Eolivet knocked some sense into me with regard to Matthew's CS, so I'm happy he didn't say it either.

Re: Interesting

[tripp3235]

But it's not about a claim or who was right or who was wrong. It's about love. And from what I got from the "You lived your life and I've lived mine" comment, let's just go into this together. And I'd like to have heard "I love you." It's not a big deal. I'm confident they love each other certainly. But I guess in S1 I always hated the way Mary said she loved him that first time. Like she just realized it. In some ways it can be romantic but I didn't care for it. And I think she struggled with those feelings too. She loved him but not necessarily enough, MD admits that Mary didn't realize it UNTIL Matthew walked away and she lost him. Which is interesting because it's that lost that forces to finally break down. It's a great parallel to the beginning first scene of Mary hearing she lost her fiancee.

I guess I just think after their kiss they could have said it emotionally. It's like when you start letting those feelings go and you can't stop. Or maybe that would be what would happen to me when I started kissing Matthew. :D