Bates is finally released, and he and Anna joy- and tearfully reunite. At Downton, Bates is greeted with enthusiasm, with Thomas being an obvious exception, especially now that he's got Bates' old job. Bates and Anna are offered a cottage on the property, which is a fixer-upper to say the least, but if anyone's going to have a can-do attitude about whipping the place into shape it's these two.
Against Lord Grantham's wishes, Matthew forces a meeting with Jarvis, Downton's managing agent. Jarvis, however, is much more on Lord Grantham's side in the running of Downton, and I was thinking how much Matthew must regret not bringing Murray in to even up the teams, so it doesn't surprise me when Matthew does in fact summon him, much to Lord Grantham's chagrin. Matthew also finds an ally in Branson, and when even Lord Grantham starts to come around to the ways of change, however reluctantly, Jarvis quits on the spot. Since I'm not sure he wasn't alive in the 1700s, it's probably for the best.
The continuing absence of a bun in Mary's oven prompts Matthew to get his equipment checked out in London, and when he's done, who does he run into but Mary, there for the same reason. She tells him that she had a little issue Down There that required a minor operation, but now she's fine, so they can get to making babies. Given how drastically different these two look in almost every way, I can't be the only one wondering how a kid of theirs would come out, can I?
The Dowager Countess, despite showing solidarity for Cora last episode, comes to Crawley House to lecture Isobel on taking Ethel in, but she comes to regret an offhand insult tossed Ethel's way when she later happens to see her crying in the street due to the ill treatment she's been receiving in the village. The Dowager Countess' solution is to place an ad for Ethel to find work at a healthy distance from Downton; Isobel isn't happy at the liberty taken, but Mrs. Hughes and Edith convince her it's for the best. Ethel does get one attractive offer, but it has the problem of being near her son and the Bryants, so she declines to pursue it. However, the Dowager Countess sees her actions through by having Mrs. Bryant over to meet with Isobel and Ethel, and Mrs. Bryant tells Ethel she'd be only too glad for Ethel to be in Charlie's life in some capacity, so it looks like Ethel's journey is going to end reasonably happily.
Ivy agrees to go on a chaperoned date with Alfred, but it's clear that she's still hung up on Jimmy James, and Daisy's stock continues to rise when she asks Alfred in front of everyone why he likes Ivy when she treats him so poorly. Jimmy James, for his part, is getting tired of Alfred being Carson's favorite and sabotages his serving efforts, but Carson is unimpressed with the both sides of the prank. Feeling down and lonely – he has no family at all – Jimmy James chats with Thomas, and even though Thomas' head is telling him Jimmy James isn't interested, he's clearly finding it hard to overcome what the other parts of him are saying (these parts have been led on by some calculatedly offhand comments from O'Brien), and soon, he can't restrain himself from sneaking into the sleeping Jimmy James' room and kissing him. Unfortunately, just at that moment, Alfred barges in to talk about Ivy, and all hell quickly breaks loose… as you'd expect. A livid Jimmy James makes it quite clear that there's nothing between them, and the day starts hitting on Ivy something compensatorily fierce.
Everyone notes the thick tension between the three boys, and Carson asks what's up, but Alfred keeps quiet until O'Brien puts the idea in his head that it could go badly for him if he doesn't speak up. But although Carson is shocked, he limits his initial response to dressing Thomas down in private. Thomas doesn't deny his actions, and adds that Jimmy James is innocent in the matter, and then Carson makes his pronouncement: Thomas will resign, citing Bates' return as the reason, and Carson will give him a good reference. However, this is not enough for the vengeful O'Brien, and she convinces Jimmy James to threaten to go to the police unless Carson withdraws his reference. Mrs. Hughes later finds a distraught Thomas and gets him to tell her the story, and she goes to Carson and tells him he can't allow Jimmy James to blackmail him in this way. Meanwhile, Thomas runs into Bates and tells him he envies him, and although Bates is short enough with him at that moment, the encounter leaves an impression on him, and he also senses O'Brien's hand in the matter, so he goes to Mrs. Hughes for the story. With everyone's hands below stairs tied, Bates makes the impressive play of telling Lord Grantham the whole situation, and Lord Grantham is, given his propensity to rail against nonconformity, rather surprisingly blasé about the whole thing, but he still doesn't know how to help, so Bates finally goes directly to the downtrodden Thomas to ask for a weapon to use against O'Brien, and soon, Bates, with a whisper, is threatening to expose O'Brien's involvement in Cora's miscarriage back in Season One (although the message is coded so he doesn't understand it). Shaken to her core, O'Brien succeeds in getting Jimmy James to reverse his play with Carson, and I expect we'll see exactly how Arctic the Bates-O'Brien relationship gets as a result.
Edith pulls the Dowager Countess onto her side in the matter of the job, heads off to see the editor in London, and soon, she's announcing to the family that she's officially a journalist. However, his flirting prompts her to check him out, and when she realizes he's married, she tries to quit. However, the editor tells her that his wife is in an asylum, and while it sounds like a line, his emotion in saying that he's tied for life to a woman that no longer knows him seems real enough. It still looks like Edith is doomed never to have an uncomplicated relationship, but that doesn't mean she won't eventually welcome the action.
A cousin of the family, Rose, comes to stay with the Dowager Countess, and when she turns up, she sets off warning bells in Edith's mind, so she keeps a close eye on her as the two of them and Matthew head to London to stay with Rosamund. Rose quickly disappears, and thanks to a helpful cabbie, Rosamund et al soon discover that Rose is carrying on with a married man. They tell her that they won't betray her secret if she behaves herself for the rest of her trip, but they don't reckon on how good the Dowager Countess' hearing is, and soon the Dowager Countess is telling Rose that she's being shipped off to Scotland for a while. Rose doesn't actually tell them they haven't seen the last of her, but I have a sneaking suspicion about it.
Branson tells Mary that the christening has been arranged, but he was only planning to invite her and Matthew; later, though, he manfully asks Lord Grantham to come, saying Sybil would want him to be there. He also chooses baby Sybil's godparents – Mary (aw) and his brother Kieran, whom he describes as a "rough diamond." Kieran proves to be more the former than the latter, as he only abandons his drunken plan to eat downstairs with the servants when Branson lectures him in the steeliest of tones about his rudeness. Knowing that Branson intends to take baby Sybil away and work with his brother, meeting Kieran is quite the shock for the family, but the Dowager Countess, of all people, has the solution – hire Branson as Jarvis' replacement. Attracted by escaping his brother and the prospect of working closely with Matthew, Branson accepts with a minimum of fuss, and with Branson in place in Jarvis' old cottage, Matthew tries to carry out his plans, and after a shouting match (with Lord Grantham hilariously suggesting they put money into a literal Ponzi scheme), Lord Grantham realizes that Cora and Mary are seeing things Matthew's way (although I should mention Cora has gotten past her anger at her husband over Sybil's death), so he tells them he'll be taking a back seat to Matthew from now on. B ranson, however, continues his bridge-building by making an eloquent speech to Lord Grantham about pooling their strengths for Downton's sake, telling Cora that he and baby Sybil will live at the house, at least while she's young, and bare-handing a catch to clinch the cricket match.
Oh, that reminds me! There's an annual cricket match against the town, and Lord Grantham is captain of the underdog house team; desperate for a win, he tries to get any able-bodied man around, including Branson and even Thomas – which means that he wants Thomas, his best player, to stick around. Carson sniffs that Lord Grantham will have to make that happen himself, so Lord Grantham informs Jimmy James that Thomas will be staying on, and then oh-by-the-ways him that he's being made first footman. Jimmy James is placated enough not to raise a stink, but two policemen then show up saying that Alfred's made a complaint to them about Thomas. Lord Grantham pulls Alfred aside to tell him that Thomas didn't choose to be the way he is, and perhaps they shouldn't judge? Alfred goes along but is unhappy about it – and he doesn't even know about being demoted to second footman yet.
With the opening and closing of many doors within, it's all appropriately dramatic, but the point is that we start with Bates' release from prison. Anna, awaiting him anxiously in a car, jumps out and runs to him when she sees him appear and while I've seen scenes of this nature play out countless times in movies and on TV, I think this is the first when the ex-con appeared in a three-piece suit and bowler hat. They embrace tearfully, he thanks God and Anna for his release and they kiss. Well, just Bates and Anna; despite all their piety, I'm not sure God needs to see this up close. Cut to the car, and when Bates sees Downton in the distance, he smiles...
...while inside, Alfred wonders how they should speak to Bates upon his return and Mrs. Hughes is like, uh, normally, maybe? Jimmy James, probably in an attempt to clarify Alfred's question, asks if they should pretend like the whole prison thing never happened, but Bates -- having just appeared in the doorway -- tells him that won't be necessary. I'd wonder why there isn't a bell at the servants' entrance to eliminate dramatic entrances such as these if I hadn't just answered my own question with my use of the word "dramatic." Everyone greets Bates warmly enough, with the exception of Thomas, who looks like someone at a will reading who got left nothing but the deceased's iguana. Bates greets "Thomas" with an appraising look and notes he's still there, and Thomas corrects him that it's "Mr. Barrow" now, but yes, he's still there and as busy as ever. Carson starts to say that there have been some changes and it sounds like he's going to address the matter of who's going to be valet to Lord Grantham, but he changes his mind and turns the subject to Sybil and he's got to be feeling awkward about the staffing decision if he'd rather bring up a tragic death than discuss it. Bates says he wrote a letter to Cora and then thanks the kitchen staff for fussing over him...
...while upstairs, Edith tells the breakfast crowd that the editor has written to repeat his offer and invite her to meet in London, and Matthew suggests she make the trip as she could see Rosamund and also go shopping. Lord Grantham, however, already having stiffened like he just found a servant's hair in his strawberries and cream, scoffs that the editor is just trying to convince Edith to write for "his horrible paper." Although Edith understandably declines to get into it with her father, she does say that she's going to make the trip, not least because she hasn't been to London in ages. Once she's gone, Lord Grantham asks Matthew not to encourage her before noting that Matthew has "trapped poor old Jarvis" into a meeting. Matthew replies that it won't take long, but since Jarvis is the agent, there are things they need to get straight, if Lord Grantham is with him? Lord Grantham snits that he's glad Matthew things there's a role for his agreement and honestly, I hope these two start to see eye to eye soon as their fights are not exactly the stuff of ticket sales. Branson evidently is of the same mind, as once Lord Grantham is gone he asks Matthew if he's sure he wouldn't rather "cut and run" like him and the answering look on Matthew's face suggests he's considered it... and not only one time either.
By Couch Baron
However, at least one of those parties' moods is about to improve, as Lord Grantham's stomping out of the breakfast room leads him right into Bates, whom he greets as warmly as you'd expect. That is to say, no hug. After Bates explains that he's there so early because of the dawn release time (like, nice symbolism there, prison), he thanks Lord Grantham for the car and Lord Grantham asks where he's staying. He tells him he's back in his old room, but -- presumably referring to his marital status -- Lord Grantham says that won't do and that he'll ask Jarvis how they're doing in the effort to find him and Anna a cottage. He manages not to add, "If it's okay with Matthew," but that comment would probably be lost on Bates at the moment now anyway. Bates starts to ask about Thomas, but even though Lord Grantham promises to sort it out in time, he suggests Bates take the opportunity to rest and read some books for the moment. From the way Bates just stands there after Lord Grantham leaves him, I'm wondering if maybe he doesn't think much of that suggestion, which makes me want to turn to him and say in a Homer Simpson voice, "You know, Bates, in some ways you and I are very different people."
Seeing a car pull up, Ethel rushes in from outside to inform her mistress and then we cut to the Dowager Countess in with Isobel, and she's apparently made a complaint about the Ethel situation as Isobel notes in reply that she didn't walk out of the luncheon when she found out about her. The Dowager Countess, however, replies that she was there to support Cora. "It didn't seem appropriate to let the whole thing end in chaos and a quarrel." If I didn't love the propriety of British nobility, I wouldn't watch this show, but I have occasionally to admit that it does have its drawbacks. She goes on that while she doesn't criticize Isobel's motives, she doesn't think she considered the consequences, adding that Ethel is "notorious" in the village. Isobel doesn't think so, but the Dowager Countess informs her that she knows so and it's true this episode is long enough, but I still would have liked to hear exactly what made her so sure. Isobel gives us the banner headline that she feels like one should do battle for one's beliefs, but the Dowager Countess isn't so easily deterred: "And is poor Ethel to be the cudgel by which you fight your foes?" Just then, said cudgel comes in with tea and Isobel rises and says she was just telling the Dowager Countess how Ethel's cooking is coming along. Ethel happily says she's been studying, as these days a working woman must have a skill. The Dowager Countess: "But you seem to have so many!" As Isobel's and Ethel's falling faces clearly indicate, that was rather unkind, but to quote pretty much every character on Archer at one time or another: You just gonna softball it in like that?
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From the way she's walking on his arm, it looks clear that Cora has let go her anger toward her husband and as they amble around the grounds, Cora expresses the opinion that Thomas hasn't done anything wrong, so Lord Grantham can't just sack him. Lord Grantham, however, doesn't suppose Thomas can expect to stay his valet now that Bates has returned, so Cora suggests he let Carson come up with an idea. They then see the nurse wheeling baby Sybil around, which prompts Lord Grantham to ask if Branson has said anything further about moving out. Cora, however, wonders how Lord Grantham can want him to: "He's our responsibility now, Robert; he and the baby. We owe that to Sybil." You'd think Lord Grantham would be so happy that she can discuss such a subject without acrimony that he'd agree to anything, but he merely says he's got to get on as the meeting with Jarvis and Matthew is happening. I suppose he's at least been consistent about that topic putting him in a bad mood.
Speaking of bad moods, here's Thomas asking Bates if he's got any plans and Bates tells him it's early to say. Molesley, however, does a better job for Bates than he could do for himself by blundering up and saying he expects Thomas will be looking for something to do now. With the room filling up, this statement is met by stares ranging from awkward to icy, but Alfred at least can be relied on to be both oblivious and one-note, so he says there's a late film on that night (Way Down East) starring Lillian Gish, and would Ivy like to go with him? In response, Ivy asks Jimmy James if he's going and gets a negative reply and I'd think it says something about how obvious it is to everyone that Alfred's wasting his time that no one even winces on his behalf, but Ivy attempts to make the question about how she can't go with Alfred on her own, as her mother wouldn't like it. Mrs. Hughes agrees and says that she'll sanction it if "Marge" or "Alice" will go with them, and Ivy gives in with the condition that Mrs. Patmore give her blessing too. She adds to Alfred, "Straight there and back, mind," and he looks at her like this is some kind of victory instead of the closest he's ever going to get. Man, he's an idiot.
It's time to meet Jarvis, who's old and also disapproving as he notes that Matthew's proposals would essentially mean a complete overhaul of the estate all at once. Matthew tries to defend his plans, but Lord Grantham -- emboldened by having an ally to his reactionary mentality for once -- scoffs that the whole thing is ridiculous and Downton has existed harmoniously for hundreds of years. I'd point out that Lord Grantham was so desperate for funds to keep said harmonious existence going that he blew his wife's entire fortune, but that point will be made for me soon enough. Jarvis tries to take a slightly more conciliatory tone in pointing out how new Matthew is to the Downton game and when Matthew decides it's his turn to get offended, Lord Grantham says he is new, so there's no point in biting Jarvis's head off... as if you can't see his teeth marks all over Matthew's neck. Matthew reiterates what I just said, which is that Lord Grantham used Cora's money to bail the place out for years, and now Downton needs to be self-supporting if it's to survive. Lord Grantham is actually taken aback by Matthew's vehemence and he says he's given them plenty to think about. Upon being prompted, Jarvis agrees in a tone of voice that makes it sound like he's wondering if there's any possibility of upping his retirement timetable.
The Dowager Countess is being driven home in the rain when she catches sight of Ethel, who suddenly is so overcome with emotion that she has to stop and sob into her hands for a moment before carrying on. When she's passed, the Dowager Countess looks guilty, but going with the territory of everything out of your mouth being a zinger is the occasional one that lands hard enough to break the skin.
Whatever humanity the Dowager Countess just felt, though, it's not enough to stop her from telling Edith she agrees with Lord Grantham about the job. Edith wonders how she can when she's the one who's been telling her to find something to do, but the Dowager Countess meant like running a local charity. I wonder if Edith's journey is going to end with her bringing the Junior League to the UK. For now, though, Edith says that she's going to meet with the editor and if she likes him, she'll take the job; she doesn't want to fall out with Lord Grantham, "but I don't want to be invisible either. I've had enough of it." I'd imagine she would have welcomed literal invisibility following her experience with Sir Anthony, but her point is taken and the Dowager Countess smiles and says she's coming up to the house that evening, so she'll see what she can do on Edith's behalf. She does add, however, that she wants a favor in return and I'm not sure if she has something specific in mind. I'm guessing no, as she seems like the type who would hold back a card until just the right moment for best style and substance.
Ethel serves Isobel some tea, but Isobel can see her long face and asks what the matter is. She admits she had a nasty encounter in the village; a "Mrs. Bakewell" refused to serve her and while her husband eventually did, "it wasn't very nice." Yes, if you're going to be denied service, it would be better for it to happen at the hands of a "Mrs. Bakecrappy." Isobel says they'll take their business elsewhere, but Ethel tells her she's used to such treatment and I'm sure Isobel feels doubly bad that Ethel was misused in this way and that it looks like the Dowager Countess had a point.
Alfred comes into the kitchen -- followed by Jimmy James -- to ask Ivy if she's set for that evening, to which Mrs. Patmore replies that she's given her blessing, although she's at a loss as to why. Alfred then asks Mrs. Patmore some cooking questions and when an exasperated Jimmy James tells the "big ninny" to leave her alone, Mrs. Patmore defends him, saying some of the best cooks in the world are men. Jimmy James asks if she really thinks "this sad beanpole" could be a great cook. As it happens, though, Carson enters on the tail end of that statement and asks Jimmy James why he feels the need to be so unpleasant before decreeing that Alfred can take the fish and meat in that night, while Jimmy James can follow with the sauce. When Carson's gone, Jimmy James complains that he should be the first footman and Ivy agrees, prompting this outburst to Alfred from Daisy: "Listen to her! You're taller than him, you've been here longer than him -- why are you taking her to the pictures when she talks like that?" Seriously, Daisy, this may be an anachronistic reference by a pretty wide margin, but you've come a long way, baby. Alfred shrugs and says he's got the tickets now and I suppose one of the benefits of him having most of the characteristics of a golden retriever is that his feelings aren't easily hurt.
Branson's sitting in the window seat holding the baby, when Mary enters and tells him not to get up. She sits in a chair to him and asks how the plans for the christening are going and he tells her it's all arranged to happen at a Catholic church in Ripon. Mary wonders if he was going to tell them, but he admits he was only going to invite her and Matthew. "I didn't think the others would want to know." I find that a bit unfair to, at the very least, Cora (who's been fiercely on Branson's side and also as an American couldn't care less about the Church of England) and Edith (who also defended Branson to Travis and at the moment can pretty much be counted on to do the opposite of what her father wishes). Regardless, Mary asks Branson to "give them a chance to behave properly" and she's one of my very favorites and even I find that rich coming from her generally, although in matters of tolerance her track record puts her on much firmer ground. Branson puts baby Sybil in her crib and after they admire her for a moment, Branson asks Mary if she'd be the child's godmother. And: Awwww. I'm not made of stone, here. Mary wonders if that's even allowed, but Branson tells her only one of the godparents has to be Catholic, adding that his brother will be the other -- he's coming and will stay in the village. However, Mary casually informs him that the brother will stay at Downton, whereupon Branson replies that his brother is a bit of a "rough diamond." Mary tells him she's quite fond of diamonds and I applaud her open-mindedness, but Branson maybe the "rough" part bears repeating?
Bates and Anna are out having a nice little stroll and I'm guessing Anna is being allowed some liberties in her schedule for the moment as well. They arrive at a row of brick cottages and Anna tells him which one she thinks will come to them, but Bates is still occupied with the question of what he's going to do. Anna firmly tells him Lord Grantham will have to turn Thomas loose and Bates smiles, "Revenge is sweet." Man, he's probably going to be extra-pious for a week just for that little moment of indulgence.
Back at Downton, Thomas lights up a cigarette as Jimmy James disparages Alfred to Mrs. Patmore, who has rather less than no time for him. However, when Jimmy James keeps muttering as he passes Thomas, Thomas chimes in that he's right, but he'd be better served not to lose his temper. Hilarious that he's passing on this advice, given that his guru on the subject was O'Brien. Speaking of her, when Jimmy James is gone, O'Brien's voice rings out from the inside room that he and Jimmy James "make a cozy couple," and although Thomas denies that, O'Brien informs him that Alfred has told her Jimmy James is always going on about how great Thomas is, "silly sloppy stuff." Thomas thinks Alfred is making it up, so O'Brien turns back to her sewing and tells him to believe what he likes. When he's gone, though, she smiles the smile of someone who knows exactly what he likes. Oh Thomas, since you love clocks so much, I hope you can hear them counting out the moments until your number is up.
Upstairs, Alfred is about to take some seafood in when Jimmy James adjusts the position of the spoons on the tray. Inside, Matthew has just informed Lord Grantham that he's asked Murray to come up to the house, as he felt he wasn't explaining his position on the running of Downton well and he knows Murray gets it. Lord Grantham, of course, is not thrilled that Matthew went behind his back, but that sentiment is forestalled when the Dowager Countess -- as was Jimmy James' general plan -- knocks the tongs and some of the food off the tray and let's just say that Alfred isn't the most nimble at dealing with the ensuing developments. Carson rushes over, aghast, but the Dowager Countess is a champ about the whole thing and Jimmy James smugly takes the tray from Alfred as the Dowager Countess gets the attention off the bits of shellfish on her dress by telling Isobel that she saw Ethel in town that day. Isobel informs the group what happened and proclaims it a shame that people can be so unforgiving, but Lord Grantham demurs: "Some people are unforgiving; others are insensitive." Given his performance at her luncheon, you can hardly blame Isobel for taking that as a shot in her direction, but that only makes me wonder who arranged the seating plan to have the two of them to each other. Cora then asks Edith when she's heading to London and after Edith tells her she's thinking to get the 10 AM train, Lord Grantham tells Cora she can't be encouraging this. Cora nimbly replies that Edith hasn't agreed to anything yet, so Lord Grantham asks the Dowager Countess to talk some sense into everyone and after Lord Grantham's comment a few moments ago, you can hardly expect Isobel to hold back: "Yes, let's hear how a woman's place is in the home." The Dowager Countess, however, while agreeing that women should eventually end up domesticated, there's nothing wrong with Edith having a little fun beforehand.
Edith thanks her as Isobel asks the Dowager Countess if she's changed her pills, but the Dowager Countess goes on that Edith's not getting any younger, so maybe she's just not cut out for domestic life. So the answer to Isobel's question is "no," then. Matthew is the first to recover from this bit of awkwardness as he asks Branson how his plans are going, and Branson replies that he was telling Cora that his brother has a garage in Liverpool and he's asked Branson to go into business with him. It's interesting and perhaps a tad convenient that the brother lives in England given Branson's staunch devotion to Ireland, but as we'll see, depth of character is just one of the things of which Branson got the lion's share. Mary asks if that's the same brother who's coming to stay with them and Branson pauses just long enough to make it seem like he doesn't think this is the ideal time or place to discuss it, but he does acknowledge that "Kiernan" is the same guy. Lord Grantham asks why he's coming, as of course one Branson is more than enough for him already, so Mary tells him it's for the christening, and in response, Lord Grantham just about rolls his eyes before downing his entire glass of white wine in one gulp. Lucky thing it's the fish course -- that's harder to do with red.
Downstairs, O'Brien is suspiciously asking just how Jimmy James arranged the spoons, but Jimmy James tells everyone he was only trying to help. Carson suggests that they can do without his aid, thanks, and also time maybe he could wait to be asked before taking charge? In case you thought this would mean Alfred is safe, though, Carson's pronouncement is that he wonders if Alfred wouldn't rather stay home from the pictures and "ponder his mistakes." He probably just means those of the evening, otherwise poor Alfred probably wouldn't have time to sleep for a week. Mrs. Hughes, however, pipes up that of course they're going, and Carson reluctantly gives them leave. "But you might contemplate what it is to waste a chance when it is given." Alfred, no great lesson-learner as we've seen, runs out of there with a smile on his face, whereupon Mrs. Hughes asks Carson if he never wasted a chance. Carson replies that if he did, he learned from it, which is all he's asking from Alfred. Mrs. Hughes: "That, and some ritual humiliation." Well, in Carson's defense, Alfred's behavior with Ivy suggests he doesn't mind that so much.
Mary climbs into bed with Matthew and mildly chastises him for summoning Murray without telling Lord Grantham, but Matthew points out that she berated him for not getting involved with Downton, which is all he's doing now. "You can't have it both ways." Mary coyly replies that she can if she wants, which is what I both hoped and expected she'd say, but after she kisses him, she asks what's wrong. He wonders if he should see someone, as if there's anything preventing them from conceiving, it's obviously his fault. Mary tells him he shouldn't worry, as she's sure nothing's wrong, but Matthew says that's just the point -- they're not sure and even with the secret she's keeping I'm surprised Mary doesn't tell him just to go to the damn specialist already if it means they won't have to continue having this conversation.
Walking back from the show (which started at 10:30, so this group is going to be dragging ass in the morning), Alfred says it was okay, but he likes British films better as they seem more real. Ivy, however, prefers the American offerings, like WHAT A SURPRISE she disagrees with him and after some chatter about Ivy Close and King Alfred...
...we head back to Downton, where Jimmy James comes into the servants' area to find Thomas, who tells him everyone else has gone to bed save the picture-goers, who haven't yet returned. Jimmy James complains about how Carson doesn't like him, to which Thomas says he loves Jimmy James. I think he's using the expression in a more offhand way than it reads on the page, but I'm still surprised that Jimmy James takes the statement completely in stride as he laughs that if that's true, Thomas is on his own (meaning he's the only one who likes Jimmy James). Thomas asks about Jimmy James' family, but Jimmy James tells him all he's got is cousins -- his father was killed in the war, "the flu" (I'd imagine the Spanish version) claimed his mother and he's an only child. Thomas suggests it must get lonely and when Jimmy James asks why he would say that, Thomas tells him he knows what it's like, so while I can't remember if Thomas has ever said one way or the other, it seems reasonable to conclude that he's an orphan, too. Thomas goes on that they both like to appear very sure of themselves, but it's an act at least to some extent; still, he shouldn't worry, because while Carson may prefer Alfred, no one else does. Jimmy James still feels sometimes like it's "Jimmy contra mundi," whereupon O'Brien appears and suggests he use his Latin to impress Carson and get back in his good graces. I actually never took Latin, but I would still have thought from knowledge of other words that the expression would be "contra mundum, so maybe Jimmy James is more right than he knows in his assessment that his Latin won't help. He takes off and Thomas is so charmed by the interaction that he fails to cover up his pleasure in front of O'Brien and she takes the opportunity, sitting and telling Thomas she knows what's going on. Thomas tries to tell her that Jimmy James is "a proper little ladies' man," which all the available evidence does seem strongly to indicate, but O'Brien brings up Alfred again. This battle between what Thomas' brain knows and what his heart wants to believe is obviously getting to him as he sharply tells O'Brien that if Alfred says Jimmy James is interested in Thomas, he's lying and Thomas must really be at sixes and sevens if it doesn't occur to him that the person who made a formal declaration of war against him is the one telling lies, but he does really seem spun out here. O'Brien asks if what's going on is supposed to be a secret before leaving Thomas to himself...
By Couch Baron
Edith thanks her as Isobel asks the Dowager Countess if she's changed her pills, but the Dowager Countess goes on that Edith's not getting any younger, so maybe she's just not cut out for domestic life. So the answer to Isobel's question is "no," then. Matthew is the first to recover from this bit of awkwardness as he asks Branson how his plans are going, and Branson replies that he was telling Cora that his brother has a garage in Liverpool and he's asked Branson to go into business with him. It's interesting and perhaps a tad convenient that the brother lives in England given Branson's staunch devotion to Ireland, but as we'll see, depth of character is just one of the things of which Branson got the lion's share. Mary asks if that's the same brother who's coming to stay with them and Branson pauses just long enough to make it seem like he doesn't think this is the ideal time or place to discuss it, but he does acknowledge that "Kiernan" is the same guy. Lord Grantham asks why he's coming, as of course one Branson is more than enough for him already, so Mary tells him it's for the christening, and in response, Lord Grantham just about rolls his eyes before downing his entire glass of white wine in one gulp. Lucky thing it's the fish course -- that's harder to do with red.
Downstairs, O'Brien is suspiciously asking just how Jimmy James arranged the spoons, but Jimmy James tells everyone he was only trying to help. Carson suggests that they can do without his aid, thanks, and also time maybe he could wait to be asked before taking charge? In case you thought this would mean Alfred is safe, though, Carson's pronouncement is that he wonders if Alfred wouldn't rather stay home from the pictures and "ponder his mistakes." He probably just means those of the evening, otherwise poor Alfred probably wouldn't have time to sleep for a week. Mrs. Hughes, however, pipes up that of course they're going, and Carson reluctantly gives them leave. "But you might contemplate what it is to waste a chance when it is given." Alfred, no great lesson-learner as we've seen, runs out of there with a smile on his face, whereupon Mrs. Hughes asks Carson if he never wasted a chance. Carson replies that if he did, he learned from it, which is all he's asking from Alfred. Mrs. Hughes: "That, and some ritual humiliation." Well, in Carson's defense, Alfred's behavior with Ivy suggests he doesn't mind that so much.
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By Couch Baron
Mary climbs into bed with Matthew and mildly chastises him for summoning Murray without telling Lord Grantham, but Matthew points out that she berated him for not getting involved with Downton, which is all he's doing now. "You can't have it both ways." Mary coyly replies that she can if she wants, which is what I both hoped and expected she'd say, but after she kisses him, she asks what's wrong. He wonders if he should see someone, as if there's anything preventing them from conceiving, it's obviously his fault. Mary tells him he shouldn't worry, as she's sure nothing's wrong, but Matthew says that's just the point -- they're not sure and even with the secret she's keeping I'm surprised Mary doesn't tell him just to go to the damn specialist already if it means they won't have to continue having this conversation.
Walking back from the show (which started at 10:30, so this group is going to be dragging ass in the morning), Alfred says it was okay, but he likes British films better as they seem more real. Ivy, however, prefers the American offerings, like WHAT A SURPRISE she disagrees with him and after some chatter about Ivy Close and King Alfred...
...we head back to Downton, where Jimmy James comes into the servants' area to find Thomas, who tells him everyone else has gone to bed save the picture-goers, who haven't yet returned. Jimmy James complains about how Carson doesn't like him, to which Thomas says he loves Jimmy James. I think he's using the expression in a more offhand way than it reads on the page, but I'm still surprised that Jimmy James takes the statement completely in stride as he laughs that if that's true, Thomas is on his own (meaning he's the only one who likes Jimmy James). Thomas asks about Jimmy James' family, but Jimmy James tells him all he's got is cousins -- his father was killed in the war, "the flu" (I'd imagine the Spanish version) claimed his mother and he's an only child. Thomas suggests it must get lonely and when Jimmy James asks why he would say that, Thomas tells him he knows what it's like, so while I can't remember if Thomas has ever said one way or the other, it seems reasonable to conclude that he's an orphan, too. Thomas goes on that they both like to appear very sure of themselves, but it's an act at least to some extent; still, he shouldn't worry, because while Carson may prefer Alfred, no one else does. Jimmy James still feels sometimes like it's "Jimmy contra mundi," whereupon O'Brien appears and suggests he use his Latin to impress Carson and get back in his good graces. I actually never took Latin, but I would still have thought from knowledge of other words that the expression would be "contra mundum, so maybe Jimmy James is more right than he knows in his assessment that his Latin won't help. He takes off and Thomas is so charmed by the interaction that he fails to cover up his pleasure in front of O'Brien and she takes the opportunity, sitting and telling Thomas she knows what's going on. Thomas tries to tell her that Jimmy James is "a proper little ladies' man," which all the available evidence does seem strongly to indicate, but O'Brien brings up Alfred again. This battle between what Thomas' brain knows and what his heart wants to believe is obviously getting to him as he sharply tells O'Brien that if Alfred says Jimmy James is interested in Thomas, he's lying and Thomas must really be at sixes and sevens if it doesn't occur to him that the person who made a formal declaration of war against him is the one telling lies, but he does really seem spun out here. O'Brien asks if what's going on is supposed to be a secret before leaving Thomas to himself...
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As Thomas glumly brushes the lint off Lord Grantham's jacket, Lord Grantham mistakes his mood for worry over his position. I mean, it is that, but not the way he thinks. Thomas dully says he'd appreciate it if Lord Grantham would let him know when he's reached a decision and Lord Grantham promises to discuss it with Carson and work something out...
...and then downstairs, Matthew is using the post-dinner cocktail hour to show Mary and Branson the property map and explain his plans. Mary sighs that she hopes Lord Grantham will see things Matthew's way sometime in the near future, while Carson -- in an infuriated whisper -- asks what the hell is up with Jimmy James and Alfred, as they both apparently have had their heads up their asses all evening. Cora asks about Murray and is told he'll be up the afternoon; Cora replies that he'll be followed by Kiernan, "so it promises to be a day of contrasts." Heh. Back in front of the map, Mary asks for Branson's opinion and he agrees with his boyfriend -- they need to properly compensate the tenant farmers while they have the money. Overhearing this, Lord Grantham notes that this is coming from a Marxist and he and Branson bicker a bit about the definition of socialism before the Dowager Countess pipes up that maybe Branson "watering down his revolutionary fervor" might have some benefits? She asks Branson if he knows anything about farming and Branson tells her about his grandfather being a sheep farmer in Ireland. Lord Grantham pulls a bit of a face at that, but Carson is too busy to do the same as he gets wind of more whispering between Jimmy James and Alfred and once again asks what's going on but gets only vague answers in reply. I do kind of love how agitated it makes Carson not to be in on the latest gossip, not that I wouldn't behave exactly the same way.
In the dark, Lord Grantham admits he can't sleep and then he turns on the light and admits he's a bit stunned that Matthew would summon Murray without asking him first. Cora points out that he keeps telling everyone that Downton is a dual monarchy now. "I never realized you didn't mean it." Apparently after midnight, you can reliably expect your wifely commentary to be sugar-free around here. Lord Grantham is like, let's see, you're now against me on the subjects of Matthew, Edith and the christening -- does that cover everything? Cora takes things one at a time and points out that even the Dowager Countess took the other side on the subject of Edith, but Lord Grantham, while admitting that was a shock, immediately adds that she'll have had some ulterior motive for that. Cora asks if she's really so Machiavellian, to which Lord Grantham makes up for a lot of bullshit by simply replying, "Yes." Hee.
In a restaurant, Edith arrives and apologizes for her tardiness, explaining that the errand was a family matter. He notes that she's very family-oriented, with talk then turning to Mary's wedding, at which Gregson says Mary looked glamorous. (Edith: "People say so.") Edith then gets it over with and tells Gregson about being left at the altar, but while he apologizes for bringing up the subject, she tells him it's actually a relief that the news didn't spread all over the globe. She then accepts the job, which is great, except I hope she knows that if she gets jilted again, her position will make the news rather likelier to have an extended reach.
Murray has made it to Downton and he asks Lord Grantham if he questions Matthew's goal to make Downton self-sufficient. Lord Grantham says no, of course not, but he wonders if things can't evolve more slowly, as they did in the past? Murray, however, details the checkered financial history of the and current Earls of Grantham and while Lord Grantham sighs that when he told Murray to speak his mind, he didn't mean him to be quite so frank. He does, however, seem much more inclined to listen to Murray, probably because he can't very well lecture Murray on the halcyon days of yore when he's as old as Nebuchadnezzar. However, when Matthew mentions how "wastefully" the estate has been run, Jarvis stands and protests being accused of, according to him, "malfeasance and corruption," and even though Lord Grantham himself tells Jarvis that they have to concede some measure of progress, Jarvis tells him he's no longer the man for his job before "I SAID GOOD DAY"-ing his way out of there. When he's gone, Matthew gets that awkward look on his face that appears when he's offended someone, which is moving closer and closer to being his default setting.
Giggling is coming from the servants' area and we can't have any of that, so Mrs. Hughes goes and summons Carson, who comes out to find a mustachioed brute who can only be Kiernan, emphasized by the fact that he remains seated when everyone else stands. Upon hearing Kiernan's identity, Carson asks if perhaps they could fetch Branson, but the man himself appears with Mary in tow and unsmilingly asks his brother to come upstairs. Kiernan grandstands that he'll stay down below with the servants and when Mary invites him to come up and get changed, he cracks a joke about changing into a pumpkin that gets some more laughs and I'm sorry, but I don't buy that any of the servants hired by Carson would be laughing as this rube tries to score a point off Mary. Of course, Carson and Mrs. Hughes are aghast and when Kiernan sees how the line fails to go over with his brother, he asks if they can't eat with the downstairs crowd and wonders if he's too good for them now. Branson, however, says they know he's not, but Cora has been kind enough to invite him to dine, "and I'll not let you snub her. Now get a move on." It's probably not particularly warm there, but I'm guessing at least some people present are resisting the urge to fan themselves after this display of Branson's steely temper. Kiernan silently obeys, trying to save face by doing so with a sardonic smile, and when the upstairs crowd is gone, Mrs. Hughes sighs that she knows -- Carson always said Branson would bring shame upon the house. But Carson zigs when she thought he would zag, saying that the way Branson respected Cora's invitation was "exemplary" and I wasn't thinking of him when I said people were probably turned on there, but he's not exactly disproving my point.
In their bedroom, Mary asks Matthew how it went and Matthew endearingly collapses backward onto the bed in response before confessing that Jarvis resigned and now he's going to have to make all his grand plans work. He holds his hand out to her, brushing aside her protests that he'll make her "untidy" and with enthusiastic urgency, he tells her that he knows he can make Downton's continued existence safe for their children, should they ever have any, but only if she's with him. As their theme music kicks up, she wonders about Lord Grantham -- saying she loves him, but while Matthew has no problem with that, he asks her to believe in Matthew. In response, she kisses him and asks if that convinces him and he smiles: "Convince me again." After she complies, she gets up to go downstairs, but turns back to tell him not to question whether they'll have children. "Because we will." He smiles, not letting any doubts appear on his face...
...but downstairs, doubts are all over the place, as O'Brien is wondering what's taking so long with Thomas. Obviously, she expected Jimmy James to tell Carson, but since that hasn't happened, she's going to Plan B, which is to convince Alfred to speak up by telling him he could be in real trouble if Carson finds out he knew all along. Alfred still thinks it's Jimmy James' secret to tell, but O'Brien wonders if Jimmy James was complicit in it. And you know I love her, but she's dragging too many people into her web not to deserve a comeuppance, I have to say. Alfred thinks it was clear Jimmy James was an unwilling participant, but O'Brien thinks that could have been an act for Alfred's benefit and reiterates that Alfred needs to speak up for his own good. Alfred looks confused, so I'm guessing if I had my captioning on at the moment it would read "gears grinding."
Edith looks pleased with how she looks for dinner and the ensuing cut to her sitting at the table makes it pretty clear she's ready to announce her new job. First, though, Kiernan is telling Lord Grantham about his "automobile refurbishment" business in Liverpool, saying that there are rooms over the garage and -- surely bringing up the subject because of the baby -- that there's "a bit of a park" not too far away. Everyone's like, yeeeeeeeeah, and then the Dowager Countess recalls one time where she and her group were taking the train back from Scotland when it was engulfed by a blizzard and as a result, they spent the night "in a tradesman's hotel in Middlesboro." It won't be a surprise at this point, but she couldn't have delivered that line with more distaste if she were actually holding her nose for it. Mary asks who is going to the christening and even the Dowager Countess says she'll be happy to if Branson wants her, but Lord Grantham thinks Branson won't want him there and he wouldn't know what to do anyway. Rather than let this die, though, (as he easily could) Branson tells him that Sybil would want him there. "She loved you with all her heart and she would want you there." Lord Grantham is taken unawares by this heartfelt declaration and looks at Cora, who knowingly asks him, "Will you argue with that?" Lord Grantham tries to cover the fact that he's having feelings by saying he won't, if everyone thinks it's so important and I suppose at least he must be getting used to losing battles of wills today. And speaking of which, across the table, Matthew asks Edith how she got on in London, given her the opening to announce to the table that they have a journalist in the family. The Dowager Countess laughs that they've already got a country solicitor and a mechanic, so why not? Mary asks how she found the editor. Edith replies that he was nice -- "very nice" -- and Mary, God love her, knows her sister well enough to raise her eyebrows fractionally in her husband's direction. Can't wait until you actually meet him, my dear.
By Couch Baron
In the dark, Lord Grantham admits he can't sleep and then he turns on the light and admits he's a bit stunned that Matthew would summon Murray without asking him first. Cora points out that he keeps telling everyone that Downton is a dual monarchy now. "I never realized you didn't mean it." Apparently after midnight, you can reliably expect your wifely commentary to be sugar-free around here. Lord Grantham is like, let's see, you're now against me on the subjects of Matthew, Edith and the christening -- does that cover everything? Cora takes things one at a time and points out that even the Dowager Countess took the other side on the subject of Edith, but Lord Grantham, while admitting that was a shock, immediately adds that she'll have had some ulterior motive for that. Cora asks if she's really so Machiavellian, to which Lord Grantham makes up for a lot of bullshit by simply replying, "Yes." Hee.
In a restaurant, Edith arrives and apologizes for her tardiness, explaining that the errand was a family matter. He notes that she's very family-oriented, with talk then turning to Mary's wedding, at which Gregson says Mary looked glamorous. (Edith: "People say so.") Edith then gets it over with and tells Gregson about being left at the altar, but while he apologizes for bringing up the subject, she tells him it's actually a relief that the news didn't spread all over the globe. She then accepts the job, which is great, except I hope she knows that if she gets jilted again, her position will make the news rather likelier to have an extended reach.
Murray has made it to Downton and he asks Lord Grantham if he questions Matthew's goal to make Downton self-sufficient. Lord Grantham says no, of course not, but he wonders if things can't evolve more slowly, as they did in the past? Murray, however, details the checkered financial history of the and current Earls of Grantham and while Lord Grantham sighs that when he told Murray to speak his mind, he didn't mean him to be quite so frank. He does, however, seem much more inclined to listen to Murray, probably because he can't very well lecture Murray on the halcyon days of yore when he's as old as Nebuchadnezzar. However, when Matthew mentions how "wastefully" the estate has been run, Jarvis stands and protests being accused of, according to him, "malfeasance and corruption," and even though Lord Grantham himself tells Jarvis that they have to concede some measure of progress, Jarvis tells him he's no longer the man for his job before "I SAID GOOD DAY"-ing his way out of there. When he's gone, Matthew gets that awkward look on his face that appears when he's offended someone, which is moving closer and closer to being his default setting.
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So it turns out the Dowager Countess has summoned Mrs. Hughes to get her opinion on Ethel's emotional state and Mrs. Hughes unequivocally tells Isobel that as long as Ethel stays local, she won't be happy. Isobel is still bent out of shape that the Dowager Countess planned all this without involving her, but the Dowager Countess knew she wouldn't agree. "I know how you hate facing facts." Isobel is affronted by that characterization, but Mrs. Hughes reiterates her support for the Dowager Countess' position (the Dowager Countess' ensuing "I'm saying" faces are priceless), saying that Ethel will be happier moving away "than in reenacting her own version of The Scarlet Letter in Downton." THERE'S YOUR MUSICAL. The Dowager Countess, of course, doesn't get the reference and when Edith explains it, she replies, "That sounds most unsuitable." Isobel concedes that she'll talk to Ethel before surfing out of the room on a wave of offended dignity. Lord Grantham probably left it lying around.
Carson is aghast, naturally, at hearing Alfred's story and Alfred fills in some details, including the part where O'Brien thought Jimmy James might have been faking his anger. Carson: "Well, we can always rely on your aunt to take the ungenerous view." Heh. After considering and taking a deep breath, Carson rises and orders Alfred not to tell anyone further anything about what he saw. "The world can be a shocking place, Alfred. But you are a man now and you must learn to take it on the chin." Alfred looks like he wonders if that was the most fortunate expression, but he leaves without calling attention to it.
Ethel's in the kitchen when Isobel returns, having slipped in without Ethel hearing her. Ethel offers her some tea, but Isobel says she's going straight to bed; she then turns back, however, to ask Ethel if she's happy. Ethel pauses and then says she's happy compared to what she was and Isobel starts to tell her about the Dowager Countess' plan, but stops herself and heads to bed. It's not like her to hold back the truth, but the news will surely keep and it's been a long day...
...emphasized by the Dowager Countess, noting the ringing of distant church bells, saying to Lord Grantham and Cora she can't believe she's still there when all the young people are in bed. Lord Grantham says the car's ready whenever she is, but first she wants to talk about Jarvis; she tells her son that Jarvis was always his father's man and never saw Lord Grantham as anything but "the young master." If that's true, no wonder Matthew was a whippersnapper too far. Lord Grantham points out that regardless, they have to find someone else, but the Dowager Countess thinks the ideal candidate is under their roof -- Branson. I did rather call last episode that this would be the way he ends up staying around, but the suggestion is revelatory for Cora, who breathes, "Tom!" The Dowager Countess, however, thinks that one of the many benefits of giving him the job will be that they can call him "Branson" again and since I never stopped, she'll get no argument from me. Lord Grantham thinks it's a "mad plan," but Cora disagrees, saying that Matthew and Branson can skip through the fields holding hands... I mean, "work on the new ideas together," and while Lord Grantham scoffs at the small experience Branson has had, his mother points out that from a practical standpoint it's still more than Jarvis ever had. She adds that surely Lord Grantham doesn't want his granddaughter "to grow up in a garage with that drunken gorilla," and Cora chimes in that they owe this to Sybil. You see, Lord Grantham, if you'd gone to bed early you could have managed to lose only two arguments today instead of three (and I'm not even counting Edith's announcement). Lord Grantham agrees to do it on two conditions, but the first of them is that Matthew must sign off and even Cora is like, have you heard of bromance? His second term is that the two women both admit it when they realize they were wrong, and we'll just let the Dowager Countess field that one: "That is an easy caveat to accept, because I'm never wrong." If that doesn't signal it's time to go to bed, Lord Grantham, I don't know what will.
By Couch Baron
In their bedroom, Mary asks Matthew how it went and Matthew endearingly collapses backward onto the bed in response before confessing that Jarvis resigned and now he's going to have to make all his grand plans work. He holds his hand out to her, brushing aside her protests that he'll make her "untidy" and with enthusiastic urgency, he tells her that he knows he can make Downton's continued existence safe for their children, should they ever have any, but only if she's with him. As their theme music kicks up, she wonders about Lord Grantham -- saying she loves him, but while Matthew has no problem with that, he asks her to believe in Matthew. In response, she kisses him and asks if that convinces him and he smiles: "Convince me again." After she complies, she gets up to go downstairs, but turns back to tell him not to question whether they'll have children. "Because we will." He smiles, not letting any doubts appear on his face...
...but downstairs, doubts are all over the place, as O'Brien is wondering what's taking so long with Thomas. Obviously, she expected Jimmy James to tell Carson, but since that hasn't happened, she's going to Plan B, which is to convince Alfred to speak up by telling him he could be in real trouble if Carson finds out he knew all along. Alfred still thinks it's Jimmy James' secret to tell, but O'Brien wonders if Jimmy James was complicit in it. And you know I love her, but she's dragging too many people into her web not to deserve a comeuppance, I have to say. Alfred thinks it was clear Jimmy James was an unwilling participant, but O'Brien thinks that could have been an act for Alfred's benefit and reiterates that Alfred needs to speak up for his own good. Alfred looks confused, so I'm guessing if I had my captioning on at the moment it would read "gears grinding."
Edith looks pleased with how she looks for dinner and the ensuing cut to her sitting at the table makes it pretty clear she's ready to announce her new job. First, though, Kiernan is telling Lord Grantham about his "automobile refurbishment" business in Liverpool, saying that there are rooms over the garage and -- surely bringing up the subject because of the baby -- that there's "a bit of a park" not too far away. Everyone's like, yeeeeeeeeah, and then the Dowager Countess recalls one time where she and her group were taking the train back from Scotland when it was engulfed by a blizzard and as a result, they spent the night "in a tradesman's hotel in Middlesboro." It won't be a surprise at this point, but she couldn't have delivered that line with more distaste if she were actually holding her nose for it. Mary asks who is going to the christening and even the Dowager Countess says she'll be happy to if Branson wants her, but Lord Grantham thinks Branson won't want him there and he wouldn't know what to do anyway. Rather than let this die, though, (as he easily could) Branson tells him that Sybil would want him there. "She loved you with all her heart and she would want you there." Lord Grantham is taken unawares by this heartfelt declaration and looks at Cora, who knowingly asks him, "Will you argue with that?" Lord Grantham tries to cover the fact that he's having feelings by saying he won't, if everyone thinks it's so important and I suppose at least he must be getting used to losing battles of wills today. And speaking of which, across the table, Matthew asks Edith how she got on in London, given her the opening to announce to the table that they have a journalist in the family. The Dowager Countess laughs that they've already got a country solicitor and a mechanic, so why not? Mary asks how she found the editor. Edith replies that he was nice -- "very nice" -- and Mary, God love her, knows her sister well enough to raise her eyebrows fractionally in her husband's direction. Can't wait until you actually meet him, my dear.
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...but there's no rest for the weary or, at least, for my fingers. We reopen with Molesley and his father (you remember, the gardener whom the Dowager Countess allowed to win the rose competition back in Season 1) inspecting a cricket field, because as we'll learn the yearly match between the house and the village is imminent. Molesley the Elder informs his son that the village is taking the match very seriously or, at least, I think that's what he said, because the mere mention of cricket caused my eyelids to droop involuntarily. I may have to put on some tight shoes to get through this section. Molesley informs his father that no one takes the more seriously than Lord Grantham, whatever he may pretend...
...while back at the house, Carson tells Thomas that Bates is ready to get back to work and it's time to deal with their little matter so they can all move on. Thomas takes that to mean he's getting chucked out the window, but Carson tells him that although he finds his situation "revolting," he's not entirely unsympathetic -- "you have been twisted by nature into something foul and even I can see that you did not ask for it." Um... thanks? Again, though, given the time and place, it's probably more than Thomas should have expected. Carson goes on that Bates' return gives them the perfect excuse for Thomas to resign and coupled with the solid reference he'll be given, there will be nothing Thomas can't explain to a future employer. Thomas hangs his head and then asks about that night and Carson says that since it's almost the dinner hour, Thomas can dress Lord Grantham one last time before Bates takes over the day. Thomas starts to go, but turns back to deliver this: "I'm not foul, Mr. Carson. I'm not the same as you, but I'm not foul." Thomas, I wouldn't completely agree, but I'll back that play in the context in which you mean it. Carson's like, yes, how very nice for you; now let us never speak of it again. He heads out to ring the gong, only to find O'Brien in the hall. As he passes, he mildly tells her eavesdropping time is over and she starts to protest, but he hilariously doesn't break stride. And that's a pretty reliable way to ensure that you get the last word.
Upstairs, Cora asks about the cricket match and Thomas is apparently their best player from the way Lord Grantham thanks the Lord that they still have them. Edith asks if he won't be leaving -- word travels fast -- but Lord Grantham is like, not until we kick the village's collective ass. Edith baits her father by saying she hears the village team is in terrific shape and Lord Grantham bemoans the fact that the members of the outside staff are on the other team, especially since -- as we'll learn -- the village almost always wins. Lord Grantham then asks Mary what she was up to in London, as she looks worn out and Mary evades the first part of the question by answering the second, saying she'll try to rest the day. She then gives her mother an anxious look, which is met by a reassuring one and the exchange unsurprisingly makes a lot more sense if you've seen the episode through already.
Downstairs, O'Brien catches Jimmy James and tells him that she hears Carson made a decision regarding Thomas, so if he wants to go on record against him now is the time. Jimmy James isn't sure and professes to be disgusted by the whole affair, but O'Brien says that if he doesn't speak out, people may think he feels the opposite. And as much as I may disapprove of the particulars in this case, I still can't help but be impressed with the way she plays the entire downstairs like it's her personal string section.
Matthew appears dressed for dinner and is surprised to find Anna waiting outside Mary's room. Anna explains that Cora is in with Mary, so they may be late. Matthew decides to enter and see what's going on, which seems like an intrusion to me, but this is Matthew we're talking about. We catch Cora telling Mary that she'll be in good hands with a "Dr. Ryder," but that's it before Matthew announces his presence, which sends Cora off to get ready for dinner. As Anna enters, Matthew asks what that was about, but Mary plays it off as "women's stuff" -- not that she's lying -- before telling Matthew his ears must have been burning before, as they were discussing the cricket match. Matthew recalls that the village thrashed the house a year earlier, so he guesses he'll have to play and Mary confirms that. Matthew gets a jump on his Cloddish Statements Episode Quota by supposing that Bates is happy to be able to avoid cricket and Anna is like, pretty sure he'd rather walk without a limp, "Even if playing cricket was the price he had to pay." Matthew removes the dress shoe from his mouth, but both Mary and Anna are smirking, so obviously no offense was taken. I mean, they'd have to be pretty thin-skinned to think a man who spent significant time in a wheelchair meant anything by the comment, not to mention the fact that they have met Matthew before.
Downstairs, Molesley is talking poor Mrs. Patmore's ear off about cricket, saying it's in his blood and he goes on and on about doing right by the house and whatever to the point where the entire kitchen staff is kind of making fun of him to his face and he doesn't even know it. And can I just point out again that this is CRICKET we're talking about? (I lived in the UK for two years, so I'm allowed to find cricket soporific without creating an international incident.)
Mary and Matthew find Edith with paper in her hand and she explains that she's got to have this week's column off to the editor by the day, and that it's about World War I soldiers who have been reduced to begging on the street. Neither Mary nor Matthew takes her entirely seriously, which I take to illustrate the difficulties a woman faces when writing about a subject that's perceived to be the domain of men, but before that discussion can break out, Cora, Isobel and the Dowager Countess enter, and we learn that the Dowager Countess will soon be hosting the 18-year-old "Rose," whose mother is the Dowager Countess's niece. Apparently, the mother asked the favor of the Dowager Countess, as Rose has said she hates London and they won't be able to get on to Scotland until July. "Poor Shrimpy. His work keeps him nailed to his desk." As you know, I try to limit my references to future events, but if Rose should, say, act out a bit, the fact that her father's name is apparently "Shrimpy" would go a long way to explaining it. Isobel is like, let me get this straight: she's coming to a great-aunt in Yorkshire for a good time? The Dowager Countess sees nothing odd in that, so Isobel can only add, "How original." Heh.
By Couch Baron
Ethel's in the kitchen when Isobel returns, having slipped in without Ethel hearing her. Ethel offers her some tea, but Isobel says she's going straight to bed; she then turns back, however, to ask Ethel if she's happy. Ethel pauses and then says she's happy compared to what she was and Isobel starts to tell her about the Dowager Countess' plan, but stops herself and heads to bed. It's not like her to hold back the truth, but the news will surely keep and it's been a long day...
...emphasized by the Dowager Countess, noting the ringing of distant church bells, saying to Lord Grantham and Cora she can't believe she's still there when all the young people are in bed. Lord Grantham says the car's ready whenever she is, but first she wants to talk about Jarvis; she tells her son that Jarvis was always his father's man and never saw Lord Grantham as anything but "the young master." If that's true, no wonder Matthew was a whippersnapper too far. Lord Grantham points out that regardless, they have to find someone else, but the Dowager Countess thinks the ideal candidate is under their roof -- Branson. I did rather call last episode that this would be the way he ends up staying around, but the suggestion is revelatory for Cora, who breathes, "Tom!" The Dowager Countess, however, thinks that one of the many benefits of giving him the job will be that they can call him "Branson" again and since I never stopped, she'll get no argument from me. Lord Grantham thinks it's a "mad plan," but Cora disagrees, saying that Matthew and Branson can skip through the fields holding hands... I mean, "work on the new ideas together," and while Lord Grantham scoffs at the small experience Branson has had, his mother points out that from a practical standpoint it's still more than Jarvis ever had. She adds that surely Lord Grantham doesn't want his granddaughter "to grow up in a garage with that drunken gorilla," and Cora chimes in that they owe this to Sybil. You see, Lord Grantham, if you'd gone to bed early you could have managed to lose only two arguments today instead of three (and I'm not even counting Edith's announcement). Lord Grantham agrees to do it on two conditions, but the first of them is that Matthew must sign off and even Cora is like, have you heard of bromance? His second term is that the two women both admit it when they realize they were wrong, and we'll just let the Dowager Countess field that one: "That is an easy caveat to accept, because I'm never wrong." If that doesn't signal it's time to go to bed, Lord Grantham, I don't know what will.
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By Couch Baron
Carson is lecturing Thomas on how he's committed a criminal offense and after yelling that Thomas should be horsewhipped, gets himself under control and asks if Thomas has a defense. Thomas says no and admits he was very drawn to Jimmy James, and while he got the impression that Jimmy James felt the same way, he knows now he was wrong. He adds that when someone is "like me," that person has to read signs the best he can, since no one can discuss it openly and this is hard enough for me to watch without Carson sniffing that he doesn't want to "take a tour" of Thomas' "revolting world." After double-checking that Jimmy James is an innocent party in "all this," Carson says he needs some time to consider his actions, adding that he'll also need to see what Jimmy James intends to do as he'd be within his rights to report Thomas to the police. Thomas looks like a fresh wave of dread hits him upon hearing that, but Carson goes on that he's sure it won't come to that and I read the subtext as that he'll take a personal hand in preventing that to what degree he can. That's surely more for out of concern for the house's reputation than Thomas', but despite Carson's earlier clenching, taking everything into account he's giving Thomas a pretty... um, fair shake. Carson wraps things up by getting Thomas' word that nothing actually happened beyond what Alfred saw and after Thomas leaves, Mrs. Hughes comes in and notes how "grim-faced" Thomas looked. Carson sighs that human nature is a funny business, to which Mrs. Hughes replies, "Now why didn't the poets come to you, Mr. Carson? They'd have saved themselves a lot of time and trouble!" If it weren't past Carson's bedtime, he'd probably say he's dealt with enough gays for one day.
The christening has apparently happened without incident and everyone emerges from the church to find a photographer waiting for them. Everyone looks lovely -- even Kiernan looks far more presentable than before -- and Edith sighs how strange it is not to have Sybil there. Cora assures her that she knows she's watching, prompting Mary to remark that she's envious of Cora. "I wish I did." Meanwhile, Branson, posing with Sybil in his arms, tells Lord Grantham that running the entire estate would be a big responsibility, but Lord Grantham borrows an arrow from Branson's quiver as he tells him to think of it as a christening present from Sybil. Matthew pipes up his enthusiasm for the idea, adding that he's ashamed he didn't think of it himself. There, there, Matthew -- he still loves you. The photographer then asks for a photo of the Dowager Countess and Lord Grantham with the latter holding the baby, and they're delighted to comply, only for their faces to fall when the Catholic priest who christened the baby joins them. HA! Don't worry, you two -- maybe Edith can use her new occupational status to keep the photo from making the rounds. Cora asks if Lord Grantham is afraid he'll be converted while he's not looking, and this storyline isn't the only one that line is good for. With that, we're at the end of Part One...
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By Couch Baron
...but there's no rest for the weary or, at least, for my fingers. We reopen with Molesley and his father (you remember, the gardener whom the Dowager Countess allowed to win the rose competition back in Season 1) inspecting a cricket field, because as we'll learn the yearly match between the house and the village is imminent. Molesley the Elder informs his son that the village is taking the match very seriously or, at least, I think that's what he said, because the mere mention of cricket caused my eyelids to droop involuntarily. I may have to put on some tight shoes to get through this section. Molesley informs his father that no one takes the more seriously than Lord Grantham, whatever he may pretend...
...while back at the house, Carson tells Thomas that Bates is ready to get back to work and it's time to deal with their little matter so they can all move on. Thomas takes that to mean he's getting chucked out the window, but Carson tells him that although he finds his situation "revolting," he's not entirely unsympathetic -- "you have been twisted by nature into something foul and even I can see that you did not ask for it." Um... thanks? Again, though, given the time and place, it's probably more than Thomas should have expected. Carson goes on that Bates' return gives them the perfect excuse for Thomas to resign and coupled with the solid reference he'll be given, there will be nothing Thomas can't explain to a future employer. Thomas hangs his head and then asks about that night and Carson says that since it's almost the dinner hour, Thomas can dress Lord Grantham one last time before Bates takes over the day. Thomas starts to go, but turns back to deliver this: "I'm not foul, Mr. Carson. I'm not the same as you, but I'm not foul." Thomas, I wouldn't completely agree, but I'll back that play in the context in which you mean it. Carson's like, yes, how very nice for you; now let us never speak of it again. He heads out to ring the gong, only to find O'Brien in the hall. As he passes, he mildly tells her eavesdropping time is over and she starts to protest, but he hilariously doesn't break stride. And that's a pretty reliable way to ensure that you get the last word.
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By Couch Baron
Upstairs, Cora asks about the cricket match and Thomas is apparently their best player from the way Lord Grantham thanks the Lord that they still have them. Edith asks if he won't be leaving -- word travels fast -- but Lord Grantham is like, not until we kick the village's collective ass. Edith baits her father by saying she hears the village team is in terrific shape and Lord Grantham bemoans the fact that the members of the outside staff are on the other team, especially since -- as we'll learn -- the village almost always wins. Lord Grantham then asks Mary what she was up to in London, as she looks worn out and Mary evades the first part of the question by answering the second, saying she'll try to rest the day. She then gives her mother an anxious look, which is met by a reassuring one and the exchange unsurprisingly makes a lot more sense if you've seen the episode through already.
Downstairs, O'Brien catches Jimmy James and tells him that she hears Carson made a decision regarding Thomas, so if he wants to go on record against him now is the time. Jimmy James isn't sure and professes to be disgusted by the whole affair, but O'Brien says that if he doesn't speak out, people may think he feels the opposite. And as much as I may disapprove of the particulars in this case, I still can't help but be impressed with the way she plays the entire downstairs like it's her personal string section.
Matthew appears dressed for dinner and is surprised to find Anna waiting outside Mary's room. Anna explains that Cora is in with Mary, so they may be late. Matthew decides to enter and see what's going on, which seems like an intrusion to me, but this is Matthew we're talking about. We catch Cora telling Mary that she'll be in good hands with a "Dr. Ryder," but that's it before Matthew announces his presence, which sends Cora off to get ready for dinner. As Anna enters, Matthew asks what that was about, but Mary plays it off as "women's stuff" -- not that she's lying -- before telling Matthew his ears must have been burning before, as they were discussing the cricket match. Matthew recalls that the village thrashed the house a year earlier, so he guesses he'll have to play and Mary confirms that. Matthew gets a jump on his Cloddish Statements Episode Quota by supposing that Bates is happy to be able to avoid cricket and Anna is like, pretty sure he'd rather walk without a limp, "Even if playing cricket was the price he had to pay." Matthew removes the dress shoe from his mouth, but both Mary and Anna are smirking, so obviously no offense was taken. I mean, they'd have to be pretty thin-skinned to think a man who spent significant time in a wheelchair meant anything by the comment, not to mention the fact that they have met Matthew before.
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The day, Carson is taking stock of who among the staff will be playing cricket, and when Molesley tells him he knows all there is to know about cricket, Carson replies, "You make me quite nervous." Hee. That wipes the smile off Molesley's face in the old familiar way and after Bates offers to keep score, Carson counts up the numbers and comes up with ten, including Branson, Matthew and Lord Grantham. Ivy asks Thomas if he won't be playing and Thomas fights to keep his voice under control as he supposes he'll be gone by then. Speaking of overplaying hands, Jimmy James pipes up that Thomas will, which NICE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IT, and Bates takes note of O'Brien's smirk. Obviously, he missed the whole falling out between the two, not that it was completely public knowledge anyway, but the wheels are spinning now.
Lord Grantham asks Cora where Mary is, but Cora tells her she won't be back until the day. She declines to elaborate, so Lord Grantham asks if everything's all right between Mary and Matthew and adds that he finds himself anxious to get the succession settled. Cora reminds him that it's early yet and then Carson enters to announce the luncheon. They talk about cricket, with Carson putting his nose in the air when he hears Branson won't play and Cora rolling her whole body in response. Even Lord Grantham suggests that maybe Carson confine his comments about the house's honor vis-à-vis cricket to conversations not involving his wife. She's a patient woman, but this season has shown that even she has her limits.
Ah, the London group has arrived at Rosamund's and she excitedly greets them, adding that she knows they all have things to do, but she thought they could all have dinner together? Matthew and Edith are all too happy to accept, but it sounds like Rose is going to make another suggestion; expectedly yet happily, Rosamund pays her no mind and tells everyone that "a good family gossip will be my payment in kind." Any wonder I love this woman? Everyone scatters from the foyer, leaving Rose alone, who heads into an adjoining room, picks up the phone, and then whispers a Knightsbridge number to the operator. Well, at least whoever she's calling has a pound or two to his name.
Ethel finds Isobel and says she doesn't think any of the replies compare favorably to her current situation. She goes on, though, that there was one interesting one from a "Mrs. Watson," but the problem is that she lives near Cheadle, which just so happens to where the Bryants and young Charlie reside. Isobel notes that that would probably defeat the purpose of starting over, but does lament the coincidence, while Ethel, looking sad, apologizes if her staying on makes trouble between her and the Dowager Countess, but Isobel is basically like, that's the one bright spot in all this?
By Couch Baron
Across the room, Lord Grantham is aghast that Branson won't participate in the game, but Branson tells him he's literally never played in his life and Cora admonishes her husband to stop bullying him. Meanwhile, downstairs, O'Brien steps it up a notch, telling Jimmy James she hears Carson's letting Thomas off, so he should threaten to go to the police unless Carson gives Thomas a bad reference. Oh, O'Brien. You achieved your goal of getting rid of Thomas; there's no need to render him unemployable. Not only that, but a couple people take notice of this conversation -- Mrs. Patmore, who confines her reaction to telling Jimmy James to get the food he's carrying upstairs, and Bates, who looks a little more thoughtful.
Upstairs, Isobel remarks that she'd be afraid she wouldn't understand a word an eighteen-year-old said, but the Dowager Countess says her husband was a great traveler and, as such, there were many times she didn't understand a word he was saying either. "The thing is to keep smiling and never look as if you disapprove." That'd be ripe for a "that's what she said" if she hadn't already said it.
Farther upstairs -- and I'm not quite sure why he had to see them at the same time -- but both Thomas and Bates are in with Lord Grantham, who's dressed for bed. He tells Bates he'll see him the day before saying that he hopes Thomas knows he wishes him all the best. Thomas thanks him, but after Lord Grantham withdraws, we see that he's taken the civility in the room with him, as when Bates asks what Thomas will do, Thomas asks what it is to him and Bates coldly says he's right. "It's nothing to me." No fist-bump, then?
Matthew's excitedly babbling about his plans, so obviously having his boyfriend working with him has lightened his mood tremendously and he goes on about the cricket match being indicative that they can still keep the old traditions or whatever nonsense, and then he tries for some celebratory sex but gets shut down, as Mary claims that London tired her out. Matthew looks disappointed, but not everyone gets aroused by Downton's financial solvency to the degree he does.
Jimmy James comes in to see Carson and tells him he wants to be sure Carson will give Thomas a bad reference, glibly adding that he can't "let a man like that go to work in innocent people's houses." Carson, taken aback, says he intends to write Thomas the recommendation he thinks he deserves, but Jimmy James brings up the idea of reporting Thomas to the police, despite his contention that people's thinking is more liberal these days. It's hard to say whether Carson is more offended at the thought of being called a liberal or the potential for yet another scandal to rock Downton, but he tries to prevail on Jimmy James to let Thomas go quietly. Jimmy James, however, tells Carson he won't turn a blind eye to sin and O'Brien certainly picked the agent of Thomas' destruction well, did she not? When he's gone, Carson looks not only stunned but, very atypically, helpless.
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At dinner, Rosamund wonders if they shouldn't have waited, but Matthew is like, "Uh, no," while Edith takes the blame for letting Rose out of her sight. After a bit of talk about their days (and Rosamund seems very excited about Edith's new job), everyone notices the butler acting funny and after he beckons someone into the room, a portly man in uniform enters, whom the butler explains was the driver who picked Rose up from outside. He reluctantly says that Rose left her scarf in the back of the cab, but the butler, who has been far too long on this earth to put up with people dithering, tells him to get on with telling them why he's been sent up to the dining room, so the driver offers that he knows where Rose is and her maid downstairs encouraged him to tell Rosamund. Rosamund says she was quite right to do so, so he tells the room that she first went to Warwick Square, to pick up a..."friend," at which place he sat outside for the better part of two hours. Edith and Matthew shift uncomfortably at all the things an eighteen-year-old with loose morals and high energy could get up to in that time, while Rosamund stays stone-faced: "How very expensive." Hee. After that, he took them to a club, "The Blue Dragon" on Greek Street, and Rosamund asks what kind of club that is. The driver stammers out, "Well... you know," to which Rosamund archly replies, "That's the point. I don't." You'll excuse me while I make some popcorn before watching what Rosamund does to this callow flapper.
Well, it turns out The Blue Dragon is a jazz club rather than anything more notorious, but Rose is indeed there, dancing and giggling and carrying on with the man from Warwick Square when her three captors enter the club. Matthew remarks that it's like the outer circle from Dante's Inferno and Rosamund is like, "The outer circle?" I mean, it actually does look pretty fun, but I can understand why they're all in no mood. They catch sight of Rose, and Rosamund supposes her dance partner -- who by the way is considerably older -- is "the friend she spent two hours with in Warwick Square." So Rosamund was doing the math, too. When the band wraps up the song they're on, Rose and "friend" sit back at their table and make out, but Rosamund leads the way over and when Rose sees the group come to fetch her, she practically jumps out of her skin, while Rosamund provides a welcome contrast by being entirely composed as she introduces herself as a cousin of Rose's mother to the "friend." Matthew gives Rosamund a proper introduction and Rose recovers enough to tell them her "friend" is "Terence Margadale," who invites them all to sit. As she complies, Rosamund smoothly asks where Mrs. Margadale is and Terence gets halfway through his explanation of her being in the country before realizing how deeply he's stepped in it, and Rose tries to babble how Terence used to work for her father so he's more of a family friend, but Matthew grabs Rose and leads her to the dance floor. He may sometimes be a clod, but I do respect his ability to decide when he's had enough bullshit for one day.
On the dance floor, Matthew offers his terms -- he'll get Rosamund and Edith to keep their mouths shut if she'll come back with them and have nothing more to do with Margadale until she's out of their charge. Rose starts to babble about how Margadale is unhappy and his wife is a beast and whatever, but Matthew sensibly points out that "married men who wish to seduce young women always have horrid wives." Rose, silly thing that she is, thinks Margadale wants to marry her as soon as he can secure a divorce, but Matthew refuses to indulge this further and asks if she's going to accept his conditions, "or do I throw you to Lady Rosamund?" Throw her, Matthew, throw her! She asks why he's helping her, to which he dryly replies that he's on the side of the downtrodden. With that, he leads her back to the table to collect his people and when Warwick starts to ask if they'll stay for a drink, Rosamund turns back and gives him a stare that could freeze fire in an instant. Rose, before you go to bed, thank Heaven above for Matthew.
The day at Downton, the Dowager Countess is already lamenting the tedium of parenting a child, prompting Isobel to say that she figured Robert and Rosamund's youth consisted of being "surrounded by nannies and governesses being starched and ironed to spend an hour with you after tea." The Dowager Countess replies that it was an hour every day, and you have to admire her capacity for turning every defeat into a victory. It's got to be one of the things that's kept her going all these years. Isobel nods that she sees. "How tiring." HA!
Downstairs, Carson has been catching Bates up on the financial ups and downs he missed when Jimmy James enters and asks Carson for a word. Bates moves to go, but Carson beckons him to remain, so Jimmy James closes the door and asks why Thomas is still there. Bates, his opinion of Jimmy James dropping by the second, tells him Thomas made a mistake and Jimmy James is still in one piece, so "why do you have to be such a big girl's blouse about it?" I mean, nobody asked him, but the man was just in prison. Jimmy James looks stung by this unexpected attack, but tells Carson he won't change his mind before exiting, at which point Bates asks if Carson doesn't know who's put Jimmy James up to this. From the way Carson's eyes bug out, it looks like he hadn't considered the possibility, although now that he is, I bet he'll come up with the answer on his own.
In the servants' area, Jimmy James complains how "gobby" Bates is and adds to Alfred that he was sticking up for Thomas. I'm kind of disappointed that we don't see O'Brien's reaction shot to that news, given that she's sitting right by them. Ivy asks if this is about Carson not giving Thomas a reference and adds that she doesn't think it's right, whereupon Jimmy James takes her head off and seriously, Jimmy James, you're not helping your case by publicly snarling at your number one fan, not to mention you really have no authority to tell people what they can and can't think. When he's gone, Ivy asks what happened there, but O'Brien advises her to stay out of it, whereupon Ivy looks back in Alfred's direction like he's seeming a whole lot better by comparison.
By Couch Baron
Thomas is outside sobbing when Mrs. Hughes finds him and tells him it can't be as bad as all that -- with his training, he could apply to be a butler. Thomas realizes she doesn't know everything, then, so she asks if he'll tell her. Obviously wanting to take her up on it, he tells her he's afraid if he does, he'll shock and disgust her and Mrs. Hughes smiles: "I think I have to hear it now." She kindly takes his arm and leads him inside and while I expect some changes to his character after this is all over, I don't have to like Thomas to think Mrs. Hughes showing him some human decency speaks rather well of her.
Isobel finally tells Ethel of the Dowager Countess' opinion that Ethel's history at Downton has left her lonely. Ethel brightly says it's kind of the Dowager Countess to concern herself and you can practically feel Isobel clench as she goes on that it isn't just that -- she's worried about the gossip as well, so she placed an ad for her. She hands over the responses as she concludes that Ethel could go to a new position with references from both her and Mrs. Hughes, and as such she could forget about her earlier life. Ethel looks like she doesn't know how to react, which is understandable. I mean, she hasn't even read the letters yet. What if the Dowager Countess' ad said she'd work as a chimney sweep?
Having been summoned, Edith comes into Mary's bedroom and after complaining that her maid isn't working out and that she misses Anna, she asks what's up. Mary asks by what train Edith will be returning from London and when Edith names a time of 3 PM on Thursday, Mary asks her to make sure Matthew doesn't catch an earlier one. Edith, with her usual impatience when dealing with one of Mary's schemes, doesn't see how she can promise that, but eventually gives in, though not without complaining that everything with her sister is so complicated. In Mary's defense, she did warn you that Sybil dying wasn't going to make you two get along any better.
Lord Grantham tries to worm information on Matthew's plan out of Branson and when Branson keeps mum, Lord Grantham complains to Cora that Matthew has "some ghastly scheme" for the estate about which he's being kept in the dark. Meanwhile, downstairs, over a drink, Mrs. Hughes is telling Carson he can't allow Jimmy James to blackmail him and when Carson apologizes for her having had to hear about it, Mrs. Hughes is like, do you think Thomas is the first man "of that sort" I've come across? Carson's eyes go wider than I've ever seen them at the thought of Mrs. Hughes having hagged it up, and Mrs. Hughes continues to shock and awe by suggesting that Jimmy James might have led Thomas on. I'm not saying I agree, but I did note earlier that Jimmy James certainly had no problem getting emotional support from Thomas even though he clearly knew what he was all about. Mrs. Hughes kind of is of the same mindset, saying that she's not saying it was deliberate, but Jimmy James is "a vain and silly flirt," and it would have been easy for Thomas to misread the situation. The hits are coming so fast that it's taking all Carson's restraint not to start chugging spirits straight out of the decanter, but Mrs. Hughes goes on that she's not going to sit by and let Jimmy James ruin a man's livelihood. "Not a man who was wounded in the service of king and country!" I mean, I'm with Mrs. Hughes a hundred percent, but it's unfortunate she chose that particular incident as evidence of Thomas' character. Carson points out that they may have no choice, as "these practices with which you're apparently so familiar" (hee) are against the law and if they defy Jimmy James, the result could be that Thomas gets sent to prison. Unfortunately, Mrs. Hughes has no pithy reply for that reality...
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The car makes a stop at the Dowager Countess' and inside, Edith wearily tells Rose that she's clearly read too many novels about "young women admired for their feistiness." Heh. Rose clearly doesn't look like she's learned a thing, but does ask Edith if she thinks everyone will keep quiet, especially Rosamund, who hated being made to keep the secret. But among the myriad things Rose doesn't know is to check carefully for eavesdroppers, as we see that the Dowager Countess is on the stairs listening in as Edith says that "Granny" will be furious if she catches wind of it. Well, she looks pretty furious already, so we have to give Edith props for the prediction.
Molesley is acting the cricket buffoon to the tepid amusement of Jimmy James and Mrs. Patmore, but the latter notices the look on Alfred's face and asks what's up. He says he's uneasy about the business with Thomas, but although she dismisses him, Daisy and Ivy ask what Thomas is going to do and Mrs. Patmore speculates that he might do well in America. Daisy wonders if that's necessary, whereupon Jimmy James, having joined them without invitation, tells her to keep her nose out of it and you'd think he'd figure out that his nasty treatment of women isn't helping him on any level. When he's gone, Ivy asks why no one will tell them what's going on and Mrs. Patmore tells her it's because they wouldn't understand, which -- given Daisy's protracted crush on Thomas back in the day -- seems fair for her to say...
...but, as it happens, someone who's a bit more seasoned in these matters is Lord Grantham, as Bates -- surely due to his outside-the-house bond with his master -- has told him the whole story. Lord Grantham wonders why Carson didn't come to him, since he's the one being undermined, but Bates reasonably points out that it's a difficult subject for him to discuss. Lord Grantham concedes that, but adds that they all knew about Thomas and I had no idea Lord Grantham was so blasé about having a gay valet. It does add to my long-held belief that true blue-bloods never care which sex is fucking which. Lord Grantham then delivers what's surely my favorite line of his to date: "If I shouted blue murder every time someone tried to kiss me at Eton, I'd have gone hoarse in a month." Like I needed more prequels to wish for. Lord Grantham sniffs at how tiresome Jimmy James is being, but Bates replies that O'Brien is leading him by the nose and the feud between O'Brien and Thomas is news to Lord Grantham. Come to think of it, it is odd given the obvious sniping between them this season, but I'll let pass. I'm sure the show is very relieved.
Rose sits down with the Dowager Countess and we didn't see it, but I wonder if the words "won't you come into my parlor" prefaced that act. For, you see, the Dowager Countess tells Rose that instead of going back to dusty, horrible London, they're going to have Duneagle (Rose's family's Scottish estate, I presume) opened early and she's to go there to stay with her aunt Agatha. Rose repeats, "Alone in Scotland with Aunt Agatha" like it's her fifth time saying "Candyman" to the mirror and freaks as she wonders who told on her. The Dowager Countess silkily says she has no idea what Rose is on about and hilariously, Rose apologizes, which I hope the Dowager Countess gets on the phone to Rosamund about posthaste. The Dowager Countess tells her that she can stay for the cricket match, but then her maid will personally accompany her to Scotland and Rose at least figures out that she's beaten. Might as well get used to it if you intend to have a further relationship with the Dowager Countess.
Speaking of looking beaten, in his room, Thomas quietly notes that prison has changed Bates, as there was a time when nothing was too bad for Thomas from Bates' point of view. Bates concedes the point before asking if Thomas is aware that O'Brien is behind all this and Thomas acknowledges that he at least knew someone was. Bates asks if it doesn't bother him, adding that he'll never work again, but Thomas is beyond the ability to fight and his voice stays quiet as he says he has a cousin in Bombay he might go see. Bates asks if there isn't something he can leverage against O'Brien, but Thomas is resigned to his fate, lacking the energy this battle would take. Bates, however, offers to fight it for him if Thomas will only supply him with a weapon. "What can I say that will make her change her mind?" And it's no surprise after all the time they spent as co-conspirators, but the push-in on Thomas' revelatory expression suggests that there is something after all.
Matthew has apparently told Lord Grantham about his plan and Lord Grantham is characteristically barking at him and Branson as a result. Mary and Cora are present as Lord Grantham wonders if they could buy some time by investing Matthew's money. "I hear of schemes every day that will double whatever's put into them. There's a chap in America -- Charles Ponzi!" HA! I mean, it's super-cheap, but you can hardly blame the show for taking what's right in front of it. This conversation is giving Matthew a headache and as I mentioned earlier, when he decides he's had enough bullshit, he lets everyone know it and here he stands and yells that the last time Lord Grantham took an interest in investing, the loss of Cora's fortune was the result. Cora, however, won't let Matthew talk to her husband that way, saying that he's entitled to some respect. Mary tries to mediate by telling them that Matthew didn't mean to be rude. Lord Grantham sniffs that he's doing a good job of seeming otherwise, but Branson and Mary both pipe up in support of Matthew's plan and when Cora asks if the most important thing for both them and the farmers isn't to maintain Downton's existence, Lord Grantham can only ask if she's against him, too. I mean, when all else fails, why not try a little emotional blackmail, but it doesn't seem to me to be super-likely to work on a mother who's recently endured what Cora's been through and she stands and soberly tells her husband that it sounds to her like his plan is to carry on as if nothing's changed, which will only result in the loss of Matthew's money as well as hers. "So yes, I believe Matthew is right." So we can add one more person to the "beaten" category in this episode, but Lord Grantham is an aristocrat and as such needs to save face, so he tells them he'll be taking a back seat in the running of the place from now on and exits. I'm not sure "you can't fire me, I sort of quit" is the greatest parting sentiment, but I suppose he didn't have a lot to work with here. Lord Grantham stomps past Edith, who's on the phone with the Daily Telegraph asking for information about her editor. Seems like a bit of an intrusion, but then again, she is a journalist now.
By Couch Baron
Bates and Anna are painting the cottage, which certainly looks less like something out of Oliver Twist in the daylight. Apparently Bates has been expressing misgivings about the Thomas situation and Anna wonders why he's even bothering. "Good riddance." And when Saint Anna -- who even recently bonded with Thomas over Sybil -- is willing to cut him loose, it says a lot about what a nasty piece of work he's been in the past. Bates still can't get their last conversation out of his head, though, and resolves to ask Mrs. Hughes what's going on before absently spattering paint on himself, which doesn't seem incredibly surprising.
Oh, here's Rose, looking like... well, what I'd imagine Gypsy Rose Lee dressed like, in a wraparound shawl that could be lost at a moment's notice and a tiara across her forehead instead of her hair. She's definitely embodying the Roaring Twenties as she hails a cab and looks around to make sure she wasn't spotted...
...while back at Downton, it's dusk, and Bates has just heard the whole story from Mrs. Hughes. Given all the gossip that gets passed around below stairs, I wonder how accurate the story is when it's third-hand like this, but even trying to imagine the ways it could be corrupted is paralyzing. Bates wonders how anyone such as Carson could be shocked about Thomas, but Mrs. Hughes sighs that the point that the knowledge is now official and as such Carson can't avoid the subject. Referring to their dilemma with Jimmy James, Bates says he wouldn't wish prison on any man and chuckles at how fate has decreed he have sympathy for Thomas. I know how he feels!
At dinner, Rosamund wonders if they shouldn't have waited, but Matthew is like, "Uh, no," while Edith takes the blame for letting Rose out of her sight. After a bit of talk about their days (and Rosamund seems very excited about Edith's new job), everyone notices the butler acting funny and after he beckons someone into the room, a portly man in uniform enters, whom the butler explains was the driver who picked Rose up from outside. He reluctantly says that Rose left her scarf in the back of the cab, but the butler, who has been far too long on this earth to put up with people dithering, tells him to get on with telling them why he's been sent up to the dining room, so the driver offers that he knows where Rose is and her maid downstairs encouraged him to tell Rosamund. Rosamund says she was quite right to do so, so he tells the room that she first went to Warwick Square, to pick up a..."friend," at which place he sat outside for the better part of two hours. Edith and Matthew shift uncomfortably at all the things an eighteen-year-old with loose morals and high energy could get up to in that time, while Rosamund stays stone-faced: "How very expensive." Hee. After that, he took them to a club, "The Blue Dragon" on Greek Street, and Rosamund asks what kind of club that is. The driver stammers out, "Well... you know," to which Rosamund archly replies, "That's the point. I don't." You'll excuse me while I make some popcorn before watching what Rosamund does to this callow flapper.
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Upstairs, Edith seems upset as she tells the group she has to go back to London, but she clearly doesn't want to discuss the matter further, so Matthew asks about the cricket team and Lord Grantham curtly says they're still two short. Perhaps in an effort to smooth things over with his father-in-law, Matthew lightly leans on Branson to play, but Cora tells him not to twist Branson's arm, only to turn around and slightly soggily say how much she's going to miss him and baby Sybil when they move to the cottage. Edith points out that Cora's doing the same thing she just warned Matthew off of, but Cora thinks children are happier among family...
...but that's all we hear on the matter, as Lord Grantham is getting out of his clothes as he says he's glad everything's settled with Thomas, but now that he thinks about it, he should have Carson insist that Thomas stay on both for cricket purposes and as a means for Carson to reassert his authority over Jimmy James. That latter reason doesn't really hold up under scrutiny and Bates isn't thrilled at this turn as he asks if Thomas couldn't just stay until after the match, but Lord Grantham thinks that would be unkind. Bates manages not to mutter about how stupid cricket ruins everything...
...while, on that subject, Molesley is making a fool of himself yet again, and then Alfred pulls Jimmy James away from the spectacle to ask if he's really conceded in the case against Thomas. Jimmy James tells him it was dragging on, and at least this way they'll be rid of him, but Alfred doesn't look pleased. Of course, if he goes to his aunt, she'll have to back Jimmy James' play, but he looks like he's getting ideas of his own, which can't be a good thing for anyone.
At breakfast, it's only the three usual men, which means Edith must already have departed for London. Matthew rises and says he's going to check out some buildings on one of the farms and invites Lord Grantham to come with him, but Lord Grantham barely looks up from the paper as he says in his best "I'm not angry, just disappointed" tone that he's sure Matthew can manage without him. With a defeated look at Branson, Matthew leaves, whereupon Branson tells Lord Grantham that Matthew may put a brave face on, but he cries himself to sleep every night in Branson's arms because he wants Lord Grantham with him on the plan more than anything. Lord Grantham grunts that he doesn't have a mind for what Matthew wants to do and when Branson translates that as Lord Grantham not being a tradesman, Lord Grantham replies, "Your words, not mine." Heh. Branson commands Lord Grantham's attention, however, when he says that the way he sees it, everyone who joins the Crawley family by birth or marriage has to put his or her individual gifts at the family's disposal. He, Branson, is a hard worker and knows the land to some degree, Matthew knows business and the law and Lord Grantham understands the responsibilities they have to the people in the area. He concludes that if they all play to their strengths, Downton will have a real chance and Lord Grantham concedes that Branson is making a better case for Matthew's vision than Matthew has himself recently. Branson asks if that means he'll give them his backing and Lord Grantham tells him he'll think about it -- if Branson will play cricket for the house. "You said it yourself - we all have to do what we can do." Branson at least takes being hoist with his own petard with good humor and even Carson looks as amused as he ever permits himself to be.
Ah, here are Isobel and Ethel turning up to the Dowager Countess' house, but when they're shown in, they see she's not alone -- Mrs. Bryant is there with her. The Dowager Countess explains that she wanted to hear from the horse's mouth what the Bryants' reaction to Ethel working in their vicinity would be, and Mrs. Bryant -- who's much more assertive without her awful husband there to undermine her -- says that as it happens, the prospect of keeping a mother from her son has made her very uncomfortable and while she wouldn't want to reveal Ethel's identity to Charlie until he's much older, if at all... but Ethel excitedly chimes in that she already figured they could tell Charlie she was his old nanny in the Bryants' employ. Isobel wonders about Mr. Bryant, but Mrs. Bryant assures her she can handle him before telling Ethel she should write to Mrs. Watson that very day and get it settled. Ethel obviously feels untempered joy at the idea of reuniting with her son and although Isobel looks a bit worried and cautions her that it won't be easy, Ethel can't stop smiling. And I really can't believe how affecting they made this storyline!
Carson is having a little confab with Mrs. Hughes, Bates and Anna, and wonders what role Thomas would fill were he to stay on. "My valet?" Mrs. Hughes suggests he be called under-butler, which would allow him to apply for a full butler position when he does leave, but Bates is understandably not thrilled that that would technically make Thomas his superior. Carson isn't too worried about competing titles, though, and Mrs. Hughes points out the bigger problem of getting Jimmy James to allow Thomas to stay, but Carson decrees that since Lord Grantham is the one who wants it, Lord Grantham can arrange it. And despite his lofty words to Cora earlier, apparently even Carson only cares so much about cricket.
Speaking of which, Matthew is thanking Branson for his help with Lord Grantham by giving him cricket lessons and Branson isn't the only one who thinks that's a poor reward. Branson at least doesn't get frustrated by how shitty his swings are, but does tell Matthew that he can teach him to ride and to shoot, "but I'll still be an Irish mick in my heart." Matthew: "So I should hope." Okay, I've been mostly kidding about the bromance, but COME ON. Branson finally connects bat with ball...
...while Edith is delivering more of a metaphorical smack, as she's just apparently told Gregson that she's quitting. You see, she's learned that he's married and since he's obviously been flirting with her, the situation is untenable. He asks for leave to explain, though, and tells her that his wife has been in asylum for years. Apparently, she's permanently insane, at least by this era's medical diagnosis, but the law doesn't allow for divorce in this particular situation, since she can be deemed neither the guilty nor the innocent party. You'd think a country that cast out Catholicism wouldn't be so preoccupied with guilt, but I'll take any example of how ridiculous marriage can be. Gregson goes on that he's now tied to a madwoman who doesn't even know him for life, and admits that it cheers him to read Edith's column and to see her. He expresses his hope that she'll consider staying on and we don't see her reply, but the righteous anger seems to have left the room, at least.
By Couch Baron
In the servants' area, Jimmy James complains how "gobby" Bates is and adds to Alfred that he was sticking up for Thomas. I'm kind of disappointed that we don't see O'Brien's reaction shot to that news, given that she's sitting right by them. Ivy asks if this is about Carson not giving Thomas a reference and adds that she doesn't think it's right, whereupon Jimmy James takes her head off and seriously, Jimmy James, you're not helping your case by publicly snarling at your number one fan, not to mention you really have no authority to tell people what they can and can't think. When he's gone, Ivy asks what happened there, but O'Brien advises her to stay out of it, whereupon Ivy looks back in Alfred's direction like he's seeming a whole lot better by comparison.
In the car on the way back from the house, Isobel tells the Dowager Countess that Ethel doesn't want to leave, but when the Dowager Countess asks if not one of the responses was right, Isobel is forced to tell her about the one that Ethel liked, although she does add that she suspects the proximity to Charlie was actually the most attractive thing about it. The Dowager Countess sympathetically says she can't blame her for that and if Isobel were paying attention she'd notice some actual caring poking through here, but either way, Isobel goes on that the Bryants would be bound to find out, which would only lead to more heartbreak for poor Ethel. At this, though, the Dowager Countess' expression changes from mournful to crafty...
...while someone who's the opposite of crafty is getting dressed in the office of -- wait for it -- Dr. Ryder, and I'm expecting a Musical Cue of Funny Coincidences soon. Speaking of which, after Ryder tells Matthew that he's pretty sure nothing's wrong with him, Matthew asks him if his wife has been to see him, but Ryder's like, no, which is what I would say even if the answer were yes. Matthew says he can't bear to think of her worrying, but Ryder -- who I'm liking more as this scene goes on -- tells him that odds are there will be a Crawley baby "yowling in its crib" before too long. They shake hands, and Matthew descends the stairs, only to see Mary at the reception desk giving her name as "Mrs. Levinson." Hee. Forget his feelings toward Catholics -- I wonder what Lord Grantham would say if he knew his daughter was passing herself off as Jewish here. She looks up the stairs and upon seeing Matthew, appears equal parts sheepish and amused...
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By Couch Baron
...and then we cut to a tea room, wherein Matthew asks Mary why she went to the doctor, as he knows perfectly well he's the problem. Mary, however, disabuses him of that notion -- she had an issue Down There that required a small operation, which she had done weeks earlier. She goes on that that's why she's been putting him off, but as of today she's fine and although she's to check in with the doctor in six months, he predicts she'll be pregnant before then. Well, especially now that Matthew has so much catching up to do. He's thrilled that now they can start a family and she seems to share his enthusiasm unequivocally. Awwww.
Mary has taken the opportunity to join the group at Rosamund's and Rose descends the stairs like she's walking the green mile, which, without Matthew's intervention, she probably would be, if the way Rosamund dresses her down is any indication. Rosamund concludes that she feels guilty not telling Rose' mother, but Matthew assures her that if Rose puts a toe out of line, he'll telephone "Lady Flintshire" personally. Not that I doubt him, but I'm giggling just at the thought of him starting that conversation.
The car makes a stop at the Dowager Countess' and inside, Edith wearily tells Rose that she's clearly read too many novels about "young women admired for their feistiness." Heh. Rose clearly doesn't look like she's learned a thing, but does ask Edith if she thinks everyone will keep quiet, especially Rosamund, who hated being made to keep the secret. But among the myriad things Rose doesn't know is to check carefully for eavesdroppers, as we see that the Dowager Countess is on the stairs listening in as Edith says that "Granny" will be furious if she catches wind of it. Well, she looks pretty furious already, so we have to give Edith props for the prediction.
Molesley is acting the cricket buffoon to the tepid amusement of Jimmy James and Mrs. Patmore, but the latter notices the look on Alfred's face and asks what's up. He says he's uneasy about the business with Thomas, but although she dismisses him, Daisy and Ivy ask what Thomas is going to do and Mrs. Patmore speculates that he might do well in America. Daisy wonders if that's necessary, whereupon Jimmy James, having joined them without invitation, tells her to keep her nose out of it and you'd think he'd figure out that his nasty treatment of women isn't helping him on any level. When he's gone, Ivy asks why no one will tell them what's going on and Mrs. Patmore tells her it's because they wouldn't understand, which -- given Daisy's protracted crush on Thomas back in the day -- seems fair for her to say...
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By Couch Baron
...but, as it happens, someone who's a bit more seasoned in these matters is Lord Grantham, as Bates -- surely due to his outside-the-house bond with his master -- has told him the whole story. Lord Grantham wonders why Carson didn't come to him, since he's the one being undermined, but Bates reasonably points out that it's a difficult subject for him to discuss. Lord Grantham concedes that, but adds that they all knew about Thomas and I had no idea Lord Grantham was so blasé about having a gay valet. It does add to my long-held belief that true blue-bloods never care which sex is fucking which. Lord Grantham then delivers what's surely my favorite line of his to date: "If I shouted blue murder every time someone tried to kiss me at Eton, I'd have gone hoarse in a month." Like I needed more prequels to wish for. Lord Grantham sniffs at how tiresome Jimmy James is being, but Bates replies that O'Brien is leading him by the nose and the feud between O'Brien and Thomas is news to Lord Grantham. Come to think of it, it is odd given the obvious sniping between them this season, but I'll let pass. I'm sure the show is very relieved.
Rose sits down with the Dowager Countess and we didn't see it, but I wonder if the words "won't you come into my parlor" prefaced that act. For, you see, the Dowager Countess tells Rose that instead of going back to dusty, horrible London, they're going to have Duneagle (Rose's family's Scottish estate, I presume) opened early and she's to go there to stay with her aunt Agatha. Rose repeats, "Alone in Scotland with Aunt Agatha" like it's her fifth time saying "Candyman" to the mirror and freaks as she wonders who told on her. The Dowager Countess silkily says she has no idea what Rose is on about and hilariously, Rose apologizes, which I hope the Dowager Countess gets on the phone to Rosamund about posthaste. The Dowager Countess tells her that she can stay for the cricket match, but then her maid will personally accompany her to Scotland and Rose at least figures out that she's beaten. Might as well get used to it if you intend to have a further relationship with the Dowager Countess.
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By Couch Baron
Speaking of looking beaten, in his room, Thomas quietly notes that prison has changed Bates, as there was a time when nothing was too bad for Thomas from Bates' point of view. Bates concedes the point before asking if Thomas is aware that O'Brien is behind all this and Thomas acknowledges that he at least knew someone was. Bates asks if it doesn't bother him, adding that he'll never work again, but Thomas is beyond the ability to fight and his voice stays quiet as he says he has a cousin in Bombay he might go see. Bates asks if there isn't something he can leverage against O'Brien, but Thomas is resigned to his fate, lacking the energy this battle would take. Bates, however, offers to fight it for him if Thomas will only supply him with a weapon. "What can I say that will make her change her mind?" And it's no surprise after all the time they spent as co-conspirators, but the push-in on Thomas' revelatory expression suggests that there is something after all.
Matthew has apparently told Lord Grantham about his plan and Lord Grantham is characteristically barking at him and Branson as a result. Mary and Cora are present as Lord Grantham wonders if they could buy some time by investing Matthew's money. "I hear of schemes every day that will double whatever's put into them. There's a chap in America -- Charles Ponzi!" HA! I mean, it's super-cheap, but you can hardly blame the show for taking what's right in front of it. This conversation is giving Matthew a headache and as I mentioned earlier, when he decides he's had enough bullshit, he lets everyone know it and here he stands and yells that the last time Lord Grantham took an interest in investing, the loss of Cora's fortune was the result. Cora, however, won't let Matthew talk to her husband that way, saying that he's entitled to some respect. Mary tries to mediate by telling them that Matthew didn't mean to be rude. Lord Grantham sniffs that he's doing a good job of seeming otherwise, but Branson and Mary both pipe up in support of Matthew's plan and when Cora asks if the most important thing for both them and the farmers isn't to maintain Downton's existence, Lord Grantham can only ask if she's against him, too. I mean, when all else fails, why not try a little emotional blackmail, but it doesn't seem to me to be super-likely to work on a mother who's recently endured what Cora's been through and she stands and soberly tells her husband that it sounds to her like his plan is to carry on as if nothing's changed, which will only result in the loss of Matthew's money as well as hers. "So yes, I believe Matthew is right." So we can add one more person to the "beaten" category in this episode, but Lord Grantham is an aristocrat and as such needs to save face, so he tells them he'll be taking a back seat in the running of the place from now on and exits. I'm not sure "you can't fire me, I sort of quit" is the greatest parting sentiment, but I suppose he didn't have a lot to work with here. Lord Grantham stomps past Edith, who's on the phone with the Daily Telegraph asking for information about her editor. Seems like a bit of an intrusion, but then again, she is a journalist now.
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By Couch Baron
Outside, we see O'Brien leaving the big house, coat and hat on, and from the cut to Bates and Anna's cottage, we can guess that's where she's headed. Anna confirms as much, asking why O'Brien has to be their first visitor, but Bates thinks it's best to conduct this business in private. Anna wonders again why he's even doing it, as Thomas is hardly a friend, but Bates says he empathizes with the powerlessness Thomas must be feeling. Not that this is necessarily a motivation for Bates here, but he could also end up turning his greatest enemy into his staunchest ally. Anna smiles and asks if Bates has thought about standing for Parliament, but if he has, a solid test of his ability to broker a deal is knocking at the door. O'Brien is all smiles when she's shown in and is asked if she'd like tea, but she does say she's not sure if she's staying long enough, since she doesn't know precisely why she's there. Bates assures her that she'll have time, which causes her smile to fade a bit...
...while in other serious news, Isobel informs Ethel that she's had a letter from the Dowager Countess asking the two of them to call in the morning. Ethel wonders why her presence would possibly be needed, but Isobel tells her they'll find out soon enough. Well, Ethel will find it hard to sleep tonight, not that she's the only one...
...as Bates and O'Brien are getting into it, with O'Brien saying she's surprised to learn that Bates is "a fan of Mr. Oscar Wilde." Anna can't help but smirk at that one, but when Bates asks why O'Brien suddenly feels this way about Thomas and she replies that perhaps she's come to her senses, Anna's ready: "You mean you've found a way to be even nastier than usual." Glad to hear Anna can give it sugar-free when the situation warrants, not that this fazes O'Brien. Bates, however, tells O'Brien that she wants her to get Jimmy James to reverse his position on the reference, and he leans into her ear and whispers something that makes her blood freeze; the acting on this show is so uniformly good that I often forget to mention it, but Siobhan Finneran is terrific here as O'Brien is confronted with the specter of something she probably had only recently succeeded in forgetting about. All custom forgotten, she gets up and says she's going, but Bates tells her if she hasn't done as he asks by that evening, her secret will no longer be safe. She hurries out...
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By Couch Baron
...and has wasted no time, as she's telling Jimmy James that she thinks he's made his point and letting it go now would be the gentlemanly thing to do. Jimmy James is confused, but O'Brien, thinking fast and yet hardly hearing her own words, tells him that he resolved any doubts about his own sexuality with his initial response and now he can afford to be merciful. Speaking of running for office; no one can make both sides of a flip-flop sound as good as O'Brien. Jimmy James protests that he never wanted to push it this far in the first place and it sounds like he's going to take O'Brien to task, but once she assures him he'll come out looking the better for it, he's convinced. When Carson enters to tell him he's needed upstairs, he asks him for a word first. Carson has no reason to hope this is good news, but still beckons him to follow whereupon it takes everything O'Brien's made of not to break down completely.
Upstairs, Edith seems upset as she tells the group she has to go back to London, but she clearly doesn't want to discuss the matter further, so Matthew asks about the cricket team and Lord Grantham curtly says they're still two short. Perhaps in an effort to smooth things over with his father-in-law, Matthew lightly leans on Branson to play, but Cora tells him not to twist Branson's arm, only to turn around and slightly soggily say how much she's going to miss him and baby Sybil when they move to the cottage. Edith points out that Cora's doing the same thing she just warned Matthew off of, but Cora thinks children are happier among family...
...but that's all we hear on the matter, as Lord Grantham is getting out of his clothes as he says he's glad everything's settled with Thomas, but now that he thinks about it, he should have Carson insist that Thomas stay on both for cricket purposes and as a means for Carson to reassert his authority over Jimmy James. That latter reason doesn't really hold up under scrutiny and Bates isn't thrilled at this turn as he asks if Thomas couldn't just stay until after the match, but Lord Grantham thinks that would be unkind. Bates manages not to mutter about how stupid cricket ruins everything...
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By Couch Baron
...while, on that subject, Molesley is making a fool of himself yet again, and then Alfred pulls Jimmy James away from the spectacle to ask if he's really conceded in the case against Thomas. Jimmy James tells him it was dragging on, and at least this way they'll be rid of him, but Alfred doesn't look pleased. Of course, if he goes to his aunt, she'll have to back Jimmy James' play, but he looks like he's getting ideas of his own, which can't be a good thing for anyone.
At breakfast, it's only the three usual men, which means Edith must already have departed for London. Matthew rises and says he's going to check out some buildings on one of the farms and invites Lord Grantham to come with him, but Lord Grantham barely looks up from the paper as he says in his best "I'm not angry, just disappointed" tone that he's sure Matthew can manage without him. With a defeated look at Branson, Matthew leaves, whereupon Branson tells Lord Grantham that Matthew may put a brave face on, but he cries himself to sleep every night in Branson's arms because he wants Lord Grantham with him on the plan more than anything. Lord Grantham grunts that he doesn't have a mind for what Matthew wants to do and when Branson translates that as Lord Grantham not being a tradesman, Lord Grantham replies, "Your words, not mine." Heh. Branson commands Lord Grantham's attention, however, when he says that the way he sees it, everyone who joins the Crawley family by birth or marriage has to put his or her individual gifts at the family's disposal. He, Branson, is a hard worker and knows the land to some degree, Matthew knows business and the law and Lord Grantham understands the responsibilities they have to the people in the area. He concludes that if they all play to their strengths, Downton will have a real chance and Lord Grantham concedes that Branson is making a better case for Matthew's vision than Matthew has himself recently. Branson asks if that means he'll give them his backing and Lord Grantham tells him he'll think about it -- if Branson will play cricket for the house. "You said it yourself - we all have to do what we can do." Branson at least takes being hoist with his own petard with good humor and even Carson looks as amused as he ever permits himself to be.
Ah, here are Isobel and Ethel turning up to the Dowager Countess' house, but when they're shown in, they see she's not alone -- Mrs. Bryant is there with her. The Dowager Countess explains that she wanted to hear from the horse's mouth what the Bryants' reaction to Ethel working in their vicinity would be, and Mrs. Bryant -- who's much more assertive without her awful husband there to undermine her -- says that as it happens, the prospect of keeping a mother from her son has made her very uncomfortable and while she wouldn't want to reveal Ethel's identity to Charlie until he's much older, if at all... but Ethel excitedly chimes in that she already figured they could tell Charlie she was his old nanny in the Bryants' employ. Isobel wonders about Mr. Bryant, but Mrs. Bryant assures her she can handle him before telling Ethel she should write to Mrs. Watson that very day and get it settled. Ethel obviously feels untempered joy at the idea of reuniting with her son and although Isobel looks a bit worried and cautions her that it won't be easy, Ethel can't stop smiling. And I really can't believe how affecting they made this storyline!
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By Couch Baron
Carson is having a little confab with Mrs. Hughes, Bates and Anna, and wonders what role Thomas would fill were he to stay on. "My valet?" Mrs. Hughes suggests he be called under-butler, which would allow him to apply for a full butler position when he does leave, but Bates is understandably not thrilled that that would technically make Thomas his superior. Carson isn't too worried about competing titles, though, and Mrs. Hughes points out the bigger problem of getting Jimmy James to allow Thomas to stay, but Carson decrees that since Lord Grantham is the one who wants it, Lord Grantham can arrange it. And despite his lofty words to Cora earlier, apparently even Carson only cares so much about cricket.
Speaking of which, Matthew is thanking Branson for his help with Lord Grantham by giving him cricket lessons and Branson isn't the only one who thinks that's a poor reward. Branson at least doesn't get frustrated by how shitty his swings are, but does tell Matthew that he can teach him to ride and to shoot, "but I'll still be an Irish mick in my heart." Matthew: "So I should hope." Okay, I've been mostly kidding about the bromance, but COME ON. Branson finally connects bat with ball...
...while Edith is delivering more of a metaphorical smack, as she's just apparently told Gregson that she's quitting. You see, she's learned that he's married and since he's obviously been flirting with her, the situation is untenable. He asks for leave to explain, though, and tells her that his wife has been in asylum for years. Apparently, she's permanently insane, at least by this era's medical diagnosis, but the law doesn't allow for divorce in this particular situation, since she can be deemed neither the guilty nor the innocent party. You'd think a country that cast out Catholicism wouldn't be so preoccupied with guilt, but I'll take any example of how ridiculous marriage can be. Gregson goes on that he's now tied to a madwoman who doesn't even know him for life, and admits that it cheers him to read Edith's column and to see her. He expresses his hope that she'll consider staying on and we don't see her reply, but the righteous anger seems to have left the room, at least.
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By Couch Baron
It's cricket time, finally, and Lord Grantham tosses a coin against Dr. Clarkson, of all people. There's polite applause and Molesley acting like a cricket-playing chimp, and then the Dowager Countess tells Isobel she's glad everything's settled with Ethel and figures Isobel will be able to find another cook without too much trouble. Isobel of course still thinks the Dowager Countess only did this to eliminate the scandal: "If you had had to sell Charlie to the butcher to be chopped up as stew to achieve the same ends, you would have done so." The Dowager Countess: "Happily, it was not needed." This is more interesting than the cricket match, I'll wager.
Cricket, cricket, cricket. Matthew biffs his turn, but Thomas kicks some ass, earning him a handshake from Lord Grantham. Out of earshot of the spectators, Bates laments how his intervention has turned out and Anna asks him what it was Thomas told him to say to O'Brien. Bates says he doesn't understand it, but it was "Her Ladyship's soap." Oh. OHHH! I never knew O'Brien let that on to Thomas, but in my opinion it wouldn't have been impossible for him to connect the dots himself and it would only have added to the gut-punch if she truly thought that no one knew about it. Anna doesn't look like this means anything more to her than it does to Bates...
...while Molesley of course has no idea what he's doing, so the house misses a chance to add to its lead. Elsewhere, Rose heatedly asks Rosamund and Edith who blabbed and when she gets no response, says she's being sent to Scotland "with a monster for a jailer!" She rushes off and Edith and Rosamund look confused, but the Dowager Countess proudly sashays up and says she could hardly have expected any different if she were going to carry on with a married man as she did. Edith asks Rosamund how she could have told the Dowager Countess, but Rosamund counters that the Dowager Countess said Edith blabbed to her, so she just filled in the details. Rosamund asks her mother if she tricked her, but her mother breezily replies that she merely did what was necessary for the good of the family. Rosamund: "In other words, you tricked me." Hee. The Dowager Countess flits off...
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By Couch Baron
...while Lord Grantham and Carson buttonhole Jimmy James, with the former telling him what a good show he put up out there. Probably knowing that that's an exaggeration at best, Jimmy James looks wary, as well he might, since Lord Grantham's move is to thank him for letting Thomas stay on. Jimmy James is aghast, but Lord Grantham smoothly adds his congratulations on his appointment as first footman and it's Carson's turn to be appalled, but this does solve the problem, as Jimmy James appears mollified...
...but there's another issue to cover, as the police are just turning up, having been summoned by Alfred. They say as much to Lord Grantham and he and Carson exchange some side-eye before Lord Grantham -- instead of leaving them to find Alfred -- says he'll fetch him. The one inspector starts to protest, but Carson runs interference, and with the match going on the policemen don't make a further stink...
...which allows Lord Grantham to pull Alfred aside and ask him to "introduce a little kindness into the equation." Alfred says something stupid about evil, but Lord Grantham tells him Thomas doesn't choose to be the way he is and what harm was done that his life should be destroyed for it? He quotes the old maxim about sinners throwing stones, and even Alfred seems to have heard that one...
...while elsewhere, Dr. Clarkson tells Old Molesley he's sorry about his son and Mrs. Patmore adds that he talked a good game. Mr. Molesley: "He could always talk a good game of cricket! He just couldn't play it." Hee. Meanwhile, Lord Grantham brings Alfred over to the inspector and says it's as he thought -- Alfred witnessed some "roughhousing" between two employees and got the wrong idea. The inspector asks why Alfred didn't check his facts and when Alfred can't come up with a reply, Lord Grantham conspiratorially goes on, "I'm very much afraid to say he was a bit squiffy. Weren't you, Alfred?" HA! Lord Grantham is on fire this episode, let me tell you. Alfred says he'd had a bit of cider and Carson gets aghast again. Carson, when Alfred cottons on more quickly than you, it might be time to start making sure you get more sleep. Lord Grantham is all wink-wink-nudge-nudge to Carson, who finally gets it and the policemen leave, not in the best of moods.
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By Couch Baron
Branson approaches one of the tents and joins Matthew and Mary, the latter of whom is happily holding her niece. He takes in how much love his daughter is getting before going to sit with Cora, who tells him it's good of him to play. After a moment, he asks, if he and Sybil stayed at the house until Sybil was older, would that be okay? Cora beams that she'd be delighted and adds that it's what Sybil would want. Branson agrees and it's easily the happiest he's looked since his wife passed.
Cut to Matthew and Mary, presumably having been relieved by the nurse and as they walk, Matthew tells his wife that Lord Grantham has agreed to the plan and Mary's glad. "So we'll be building a new kingdom while we make our little prince." Just then, the call comes for the inning or whatever to start, and Matthew and Mary exchange some loving words and a kiss before he heads back...
...and as they walk out, Matthew confirms with Lord Grantham that he's on board. Carson then pitches to Dr. Clarkson, who hits one up in the air... which Branson catches one-handed for the win. I'm telling you, is there anything he can't do? He trots in and is congratulated by Matthew and Lord Grantham and we get a shot of the new Downton triumvirate before we go to credits. Join me week for the season finale... which will be about the same length as this episode. Sigh.
John Ramos is a writer and film producer living in Los Angeles. His new film, a documentary on online privacy and the sale of personal data called Terms And Conditions May Apply, recently premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in January. You can get news on it from the film's Twitter account. Also, you can email John at couchbaron@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/couchbaron, or check out his blog, "Pull Up A Chair," which he'd just love for you to stop by.
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