verbicide | downton abbey, part 4

I can't believe it's over! Argh!!

Great episode, though frustrating in some ways to watch Mary and Edith compete to ruin each other's lives. What an unnecessary and sad waste. And as much as Edith is a villain in this piece, I feel as though her parents are a bit to blame as they totally wrote off any attempt to get her married. Why? Because she wasn't pretty enough or something?

O'Brien--I can't she didn't just fall over dead when the Countess cleared up that misunderstanding.

Hurray for Gwen! Hurray for Thomas leaving--what a crafty weasel. The whole thing with Lady Sybil seemed somewhat extraneous--a lot of story for just a scratch on the head.

I was totally shocked when Lady Grantham turned up preggers. So unexpected--and it was a boy. That whole scenario was so freaking awkward. I wish Mary had shown some balls and married Matthew--as she clearly loves him, and didn't feel the need to marry him before, when she didn't, even if it meant security the estate.

Anna's trip to London and unearthing Mr. Bates secrets --also just seemed like much ado about nothing. I was relieved that Bates didn't get sacked in the Thomas-O'Brien plot, but I didn't really expect him to.

What else?

Can't wait for the second series to air!!

Current Mood: cold

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

rolypolypony.livejournal.com

We JUST finished it! DH is annoyed that it ended w/ like EVERYONE unhappy! Except for Gwen - yay for her!

I feel bad for Edith - I like her! I think she suffers from classic middle child syndrome ;)

From:

verbicide.livejournal.com

I agree with DH--I think that nails the feeling I had. Everyone was so unhappy, and then...it's OVER! (For now, at least.)

And I feel bad for Edith too. Though man--sending a letter that is sure to ruin your sister, that was hardcore! I was still sorry to see her shot at happiness ruined, though!!

From:

richboye.livejournal.com

I actually hate Edith, for the reasons discussed below.

From:

verbicide.livejournal.com

I think her actions are pretty despicable, but at least there's some reason behind them? (As compared to Thomas the Sociopath.)

From:

richboye.livejournal.com

Okay, first of all, did you that Lady Viola, the Dowager Countess of Grantham has her own facebook page?

re: Mary and Edith. On the one hand, Mary was sort of an impetuous fool for letting the Turk into her bed (not because I think she's a slut, but because she has to know she's playing with fire), but on the other, despite her position and affluence and sophistication, she's clearly very naive, cloistered almost, plus she's getting mindfucked left and right - she was supposed to marry her cousin as a formality to maintain her position as heiress(sorta) of Downton, then he dies (on the Titanic, of all things!) then they bring out Matthew who's handsome and dorky (to them) and all nouveau riche but also nouveau douche too, and she's all turned around. She had one bad night and ... jeeze. Can you imagine being her, this ivory virgin who dares to be unchaste and he dies in her bed (and she has to tell her mother!)! As nightmarish as that would be for any of us, it's gotta be a thousand times worse for her! Plus Mary's getting really bad advice from awesomely evil socialite Aunt Rosalind, Lady Moneypenny.

And so, I find Edith pretty despicable (Edith's venom stems from Mary being the object of Matthew's affection, despite Edith's best efforts, right?). Mary is awful to her also, but Edith is the one who went nuclear first.

One thing I like is how you can really see the passage of time, in its weird way. Matthew grows more aristocratic and suave, Mary grows a little more wintry and aloof, but it really shows with Edith. When we first meet her, she's less chic and well styled than Mary (who's frickin' gorgeous anyway); Edith is sorta dorky but well tailored. This installment, she's dressed more extravagantly, more elegantly, just to let us know that she's older and more mature.

Lady Viola is always delightful even as she (hopefully) half-jokingly mentions having the Turkish ambassador assassinated.

Yay for Gwen! Yay (?!?) for Bates. Boo for Mrs. Hughes, who despite her calm, maternal managing, gets tag-teamed by Mrs. Pademore (who is really annoying) and Mrs. Byrd, who's vaguely shrewish an domineering for a guest chef. Be honest, would you have let Mrs. Pademore have control of the stores? I might have let Mrs. Byrd, but even a sighted Mrs. P. would be an annoying, excitable Mrs. P.

I missed it - what happened to Thomas?

I love how they are totally like "WTF" when it comes to installing a telephone.

Also, good on you, Hon. Evelyn Napier, for discussing with Mary the shit about her and Kamal.

Did I mention Aunt Rosalind, Lady Moneypenny? I've always liked Samantha Bond since I saw her in The Ginger Tree, and she really carries herself well.

As a curiousness, I wonder what will happen in Downton Abbey II: The Downtonening. Will Matthew go to war? Will Isobel renew her passion for nursing? I totally see Mary or Sybil being some sort of volunteer (but not a Brit equivalent of the WACs, since this in WWI, not WWII). Of the male servants, the chaffeur, and William are prime trench fodder. Is Earl Grantham exempt from military service?

Edited Date: 2011-02-01 01:04 am (UTC)

From:

verbicide.livejournal.com

I didn't know Viola had her own FB page--how frightfully modern of her!

And re: Mary and Edith. I don't know, dude. Mary's always been pretty freaking nasty to Edith as we've seen from the beginning. Clearly Edith had a thing for Cousin James and there was Mary, asked to marry him even though Edith loved him. She's always getting shunted aside while the cream of the crop is selected for Mary--who unlike Jane Bennett--is totally snide and bitchy and unpleasant to everyone. Yes, the times, they were shitty, and her options were totally fucked up. But we've never seen an ounce of kindness from her towards Edith--who is her younger sister.

Edith's venom doesn't start with Matthew tossing her aside to chase the aloof Mary (which, wtf was that about Matthew?)

I don't think of Mary as a slut at all, though man was that a crazy ass risk to take with the Turk considering what it could do to a woman's reputation. But I felt pretty awful for her when he bizarrely died in her bed and she and her mom and her maid had to haul his carcass back to his room. And I don't find fault with her for not just docilely marrying the richest man near her. But she is so snappish to everyone?

(Except, maybe, Sybil. It was nice to see her genuinely panic when she's heard Sybil's hurt. And maybe I'm over defending Edith, who no one seems to like. But I think roly's right above--she's got some middle-child-sydrome going on.)

I've been having trouble keeping up with the timeline--what span of time's passed since they got the news of the Titanic?

I also loved Viola and Isobel's little hissyfit with each other. Especially with Viola practically rolling her eyes and saying, "What've I done NOW?" Hee.

Poor Mrs. Hughes--I wouldn't trust the cook with the pantry stocking either. And Mrs. Byrd was totally a bitch considering she was asked to come help out. And Daisy--GOD. Putting soap in the soup. What will that child do next?

Thomas tried to frame Mr. Bates for the wine he (Thomas) had been stealing. And then, got busted by Mosely. And then talked to Dr. Whatsit about getting a military post, because he probably figured he was about to be sacked.

And yes--good on Napier. That was classy. Too bad he was YET ANOTHER SUITOR Mary deemed unworthy for her.

I don't know Samantha Bond, but she did a great job here.

And YES--so many questions for DAII! Will there be a DAIII? When on earth is it going to come out? *impatient*

From:

richboye.livejournal.com

re: Mary and Edith. I have two older sisters (who are less than 15 months apart) who can be as vicious and mean and catty to each other as they are inseparable and close and a tight unit when necessary.

So, yes, Mary was probably always imperious and demeaning to Edith, who's definitely the Jan Brady of the three (even her name screams "dork") but, sheesh, Edith, KEEP IT IN THE HOUSE. Writing to the Turkish ambassador was escalating the conflict to the Nth degree.

re: timeline. It's around two whole years that we spend with the Grantham family (Titanic went down [although Celine's heart will go on] in 1912 and WWI was declared in 1914).

You know what's utterly amazing? That's ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO (almost). When you watch these period Edwardian WWI era pieces, it seems almost like the modern age only with less convenience but much more imposing clothing. These people are as far away from us as they were from the founding of the United States!

I would totally watch the Viola and Isobel Show, by the way.

Samantha Bond was the Miss Moneypenny from the Pierce Brosnan-era James Bond films, plus she's been around here and there, one of those staple English actresses.

Edited Date: 2011-02-01 01:31 am (UTC)

From:

verbicide.livejournal.com

I agree--Edith went way too far in actually contacting someone, anyone, outside of the family. I mean, if she'd let it slip to her dad or Sybil, that'd be one thing.

Wow, two years!

And yeah, it totally blows my mind when I think of how long ago that was.

I would also be an avid watcher of the Viola and Isobel show!

(Cool about Samantha Bond!)

From:

richboye.livejournal.com

I would also be an avid watcher of the Viola and Isobel show!

and yet, it would need a pithy little sitcom title:

Dowagers!

Judging Cora

The Social Contract

Izzie and Vy

Help a brother out here...

From:

verbicide.livejournal.com

You are a nut. I love it!

From:

rolypolypony.livejournal.com

She's always getting shunted aside while the cream of the crop is selected for Mary--who unlike Jane Bennett--is totally snide and bitchy and unpleasant to everyone. Yes, the times, they were shitty, and her options were totally fucked up. But we've never seen an ounce of kindness from her towards Edith--who is her younger sister.

Yes, this!