Downton Abbey February 8, 2015 SPOILERS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember that the show opens with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. It's now 1924 or thereabouts, since Hitler is just being sent to Landsberg. So, the dog could very well be Isis. And, yes, she'd be old.

The first dog was Pharaoh. Isis would be about 8 given her introduction to the series.

[Anonymous]

A few random thoughts:

1) I don't think Mary is a total bitch. She has a lot of compassion when it comes to Anna, or Carson, or Tom. She just has a total blind spot about Edith. It's like she never got over Edith being born or somethig. I think Edith should have snapped back with "well, I'm sorry I can't get forget the man I love in an instant like you've apparently forgotten matthew.". I think I think about Matthew and his darling blue eyes more than Mary does, at this point.

2) I'm generally surprised that people are so resistant to the idea that Edith's boyfriend was killed by the brown shirts. That seems to me EXACTLL what would happen to that guy. I see the thugs threatening someone and him stepping in and saying "now, see here, chap. There's no call for that sort of behavior...." and then getting his face bashed in with the German version of a baseball bat.

3) I hate it when they say things like "not my thing.". I think something like "I don't go in much for the horses." would be more historically accurate. Although an Irishman who didn't go in much for the horses would be itself a surprise. But maybe he's from a different part of Ireland.

3) love the DC, so much. The line about no one thinking before 1914 was priceless.

4) Also loved Mrs. Crawley's line about how at least Atticus wasn't Catholic, so she would t have to convert. Better a rich assimilationist Jew than a pesky papist, apparently. poor lord g -- he'll have one of each.

[Anonymous]

No, Mary is totally self-absorbed. She loves Carson b/c he is completely, blindly loyal, she loves Anna b/c she helped her cover up Pamuk dying in her bed, she loves Tom b/c Sybil loved him. Remember she was not thrilled at the prospect of Sybil marrying the chauffeur in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A few random thoughts:



3) I hate it when they say things like "not my thing.". I think something like "I don't go in much for the horses." would be more historically accurate. Although an Irishman who didn't go in much for the horses would be itself a surprise. But maybe he's from a different part of Ireland.

I took it as the social scene was not his thing, not that the horses weren't.

May rode side saddle, the ex rode astride? Side saddle seems so dangerous for jumping & racing, but surprised the ex would do it if wild child Mary wouldn't. Guess I was hoping Mary might take a little tumble and then the doctor would have to whisper to the Lord that "the baby was lost but it was probably for the best." Edith would have learned about Mary's now lost love child and confided in her sister about Marigold and Mary would be aghast and use it against her at a later date.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone ever heard of a child named Marigold?

But I digress

[Anonymous]

Carson and Hughes sitting in a tree!
K I S S I N G
First comes love
Then comes a joint investment in a rental cottage
Then comes marriage
Then comes retirement in said cottage!

[Anonymous]

I officially, utterly, fucking hate Edith. That is all.

[Anonymous]

I thought Edith was going to kill herself halfway through the episode. I guess it's still possible, given the preview for the next ep.

[Anonymous]

I actually feel quite badly for Edith. Her story and treatment by her family members is so sad. I'm glad she took Marigold and hope things work out for her. Mary is very cruel to her and i don't get why.

[Anonymous]

I felt bad for Edith too. I think some people don't realize how different an era it was.

Also I find the fact that Cora never guessed the truth -- after all the months Edith spent in Switzerland -- difficult to believe. In earlier parts of the series she acted like a decent mother. After losing Sybil, could she really be so totally clueless?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Edith was going to kill herself halfway through the episode. I guess it's still possible, given the preview for the next ep.

I thought so too. I'm not sure I'm happier with this version of events. At least it would've spared the child so much heartbreak. There's no way Edith is going to provide a stable, happy home.

[Anonymous]

Mary can't resist the easy zinger. Someone like Blake or Mathew could deflect or give it back with a witty repost, but Edith is totally defenseless and for some reason that makes it worse for Mary--like a shark that tastes blood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Do you think Mary wears contacts to give her that weak eye look? She has the eyeballs of a 90-year old woman.

LOL why do you say this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Edith was going to kill herself halfway through the episode. I guess it's still possible, given the preview for the next ep.

there's always hope

[Anonymous]

Yay for Edith!
You don't seem to realize what ladies of the aristocracy went through at the time to hide an illegitimate child. Remember that ours was not a child-centric society like today until after WWII. What horrifies us today, ie Marigold being torn from 2 loving families, would have been the natural consequences of being illegitimate and different family members doing what they considered best to hide the secret.
That scene with Mrs. Drew brought tears to my eyes, but it doesn't diminish Edith in my view.

I am happy that Edith is taking matters in her own hands for the first time. It takes some maturity and no small degree of courage to do what she is doing in the 1920s. I expect and hope that she will take over the publishing house and be a successful entrepreneur, end up openly living with Marigold as her daughter and heiress to that vast fortune, and make her way as an independent woman.