Downton Abbey

marijen

I must have missed the heartburn comment, but can watch again at PBS.org. This season will be all about coming into "modern" times. Isobel says what she thinks and gets to the point. She's very practical. Mrs. Hughes looked fine in her embroidered coat. It's so fun to watch, hate it when it's over

DivineMrsM

Yes, the heartburn comment was very casually said as Robert was walking up the stairs and nothing more was made of it.

marijen

That does sound like a heart attack clue

exbrnxgrl

And let's not forget Tom and little Sibbie showing up. It was so cute when all of the cousins hugged each other.That made me so happy!

luvmygoats

I caught that comment too Mrs.D. I wonder if it means the "old" guard handing off to the "new" guard esp. with Tom returning and Mary coming into her own. What do you for see for conflict with Mary and Tom? I like Edith's new guy.

marijen

Tom was not away for very long

exbrnxgrl

No, he wasn't, but I like how he understood that he had to go away to realize where home really was. BTW, a read somewhere that Julian Fellows said that all the endings will not be happy ones, justlike in real life.

DivineMrsM

Uh-oh, I hadn't heard that about Fellows.

Some people want Mary & Tom to end up together and it's as reasonable as any other guess. I also like Edith's new guy. I'm not sure I understand what's going on with the Dowager's two servants or why they even have a story line? Also wondering what the deal is with Tom and why they showed him going to that odd man's huge mansion seeking a job. Oh, okay, I just read a recap which says its supposed to show how the nobility and pageantry of this era is fading.

I am hoping at least Anna & Mr. Bates get a baby (or two) and Daisy improves her lot in life. Something about that farm that's going up for sale...it seems like Daisy is getting her hopes up too much so we'll see how that pans out. I totally love Mrs. Patmore.

And possibly more foreshadowing, when Cora gifts the coat to Mrs. Hughes, and Mrs. Hughes says she can't imagine she'd have reason to wear it again but you never know... maybe she'll wear it to another wedding for someone else? Mr. Moseley and Baxter maybe?

exbrnxgrl

Mary and Tom getting together? Hmmm, not sure if that's good or almost a bit incestuous. I do hope Edith finds happiness and the Bates' have a child. However, I also hope that Anna understands that Mr. Bates will love her regardless and not base her worth on her ability to have a child. I think Daisy believes that her father in law will be given the tenancy (not ownership of estate land) of the farm vacated by the Drew family (Marigolds's former foster parents). Thomas is looking for employment as he believes Downton will be letting people go. The dilapidated house he visits is indeed a metaphor for the decline of the aristocratic way of life, and it's owner represents all those who cling to a way of life which will never return. Quite delicious to speculate on all of this, even better to watch.

marijen

That was the troublemaker servant that went to the mansion for a job. There is a Tom and a Thomas? I don't pay enough attention to their names after all these years - my bad.

exbrnxgrl

Yes, Tom is the Grantham's son in law. Thomas is the troubled, in the closet servant

magdalene51

We had company last evening so I didn't get to watch then, but sat down and watched this morning. As always, delightful. Watched on my laptop with earbuds so I know my family wonders why I get to chuckling. I know it's not a comedy, but some of the lines and situations are quite humorous, aren't they? The Dowager has the best zingers, and the best delivery. But then, it's Maggie Smith, isn't it? Don't know of anyone else who could do justice to the character.

DivineMrsM

Agreed about the dowager, magdalene!

Yes, sorry about the Tom/Thomas mix up, to me they're one and the same as that is the name of my dh! Thanks for clearing that up, exbrnxgrl Btw, I wouldn't consider a union between Mary & Tom as incestuos.

exbrnxgrl

Miss M,

I don't know... don't you think they have a kind of brother/sister relationship

AmyQ

I think propriety (especially then) would prohibit a relationship between Mary & Tom. How long has it been since Cybill died? Seems only a couple of years. Even though Thomas has been such a scoundrel, I really do hope he finds happiness be it in a job or just life and security in general. And Daisy...man I want to put a sock in her mouth - she cannot keep her yap shut and I fear she's setting her father-in-law up for disappointment.

I know Cora was stressed and not feeling well, but I had a hard time buying her tirade against Mrs Hughes, Mrs Patmore and Mrs. Bates when they were trying on her clothes. It was so unlike her.

Cannot wait for next week but with each passing episode it only brings us closer to the finale. I will miss Downton Abbey.

Amy

marijen

Maybe Cora has a medical secret

DivineMrsM

Even for the time, I don't see anything scandalous if Mary and Tom would become a couple as both their spouses are deceased. Maybe some in their situation would have a brother sister type relationship, and maybe these two do, but for some, it could easily turn romantic. Gosh, all these great characters. We are so gonna miss them

rainnyc

Just watched it: we livestream. I have trouble thinking that Mary and Tom could get together. They really seem like brother and sister at this point. And she's still an aristocrat to her bones, and he's still someone who probably will feel more comfortable in the long run with someone who's an outsider. But it was so nice to see him back! Even if he did upstage the newlyweds. Poor Mrs. Hughes!

I would also like very much to know where the bride and groom will be spending the night. Is there a cottage already set up for them? Would Lord and Lady Grantham spring for a night in the Royal York hotel?

That was fun watching Edith and Bertie put the magazine to bed. I did find myself wondering if he's a bit of a doormat, though. Maybe too passive for the new, executive Edith?

How long before Mary learns about Marigold, and what havoc will be wrecked when she does?

Loved watching Violet, Cora, Dr. Clarkson, and Isabel duking it out. They were all having a great time. Ditto Spratt and Denker.

Robert: maybe the ulcer coming back?

Anyway, I enjoyed this one best of the three so far. What will happen next?

marijen

Maybe Mary will change her ways after learning how she's neglected her sister

Jaytee

Oh dear....I went back to my room to watch last night because dh and son were watching football. Been having some sleeping difficulties so I have been taking melatonin in the evening. I started watching and even though I was aware that it was on ....I didn't know what was going on because I have no memory of the wedding! Will have to rewatch on the Pbs website. I never fall asleep that quickly!

I sure do hope that Mr. Fellows writes some happiness for the Bates and for Edith. Please for the love of God and for all of us middle children out here, let Edith find success, love and happiness. I cringed so many times in past seasons at the way she has been treated by Mary.

octogirl

ok, maybe it is my mood, but this one was almost too positive for me: all of this happy stuff makes me nervous about what is likely to follow. I took Lord Grantham's heartburn as a foreshadowing for a heart attack also. Then there was the scene where Cora gets up early to go visit the hospital people, etc., and the scene (shot from bed level, not from above, as if for emphasis) shows him lying in bed like, well, a corpse. I mean, what was the point? Ok, it's me. Forget I said that. or not.

I think Daisy believes that Mary manipulated getting the Drew family to leave in order to free up the tenancy for her FIL? (But she won't listen when Mary tries to protest that isn't the case...)

I was wondering if Tom and Mary would start to disagree over how to run the estate and whether there would be friction as to whether Mary should continue as agent now that he is back...I suppose that disagreement could lead to a realization that they belong together, but personally, I don't see it. No chemistry there for me.

Hoping for honeymoon scenes post wedding, that would be fun.

I did enjoy this one also, even teared up at the wedding, just for a moment.

Octogirl

magdalene51

I have to agree with Rain about Mary & Tom. But I think not so much the brother/sister relationship as Mary's aristocratic sensibilities. She will never marry below a Lord. Even Gillingham wasn't good enough for her. I don't think the agent's position will be an issue as Tom himself said he wanted something to do that was not part of the estate.

I do like Bertie, though, and the way he pitched in and helped Edith. No one's looked at her like that since Michael disappeared, and she is really coming into her own. I really didn't see him as passive, after all, he was the one who made the decision to help her, she never asked.

And about Mary and Edith. Now that Papa knows about Mary's dalliance with Gillingham, she has no moral leverage over Edith. When Edith spent the night with Michael, she was anticipating a short separation followed by a wedding. Mary was just having a trial run. I sometimes wonder if Mary is actually capable of love. I know, I know, when Matthew was alive, they had a good marriage, but how deep was her love? And I see her fondness for little George, but nothing of the maternal passion of Edith, and even Marge, for Marigold. She's happy for Nanny to take care of him, where I honestly believe Edith would love nothing more than being a full time mum.

And I think Carson and Elsie are just the cutest couple ever, at least since the Bates.

I think I've almost talked DH into watching the show from the beginning on Amazon Prime, which lets me enjoy from the beginning. *Sigh*

hbcheryl

I have a friend who has a box that gets British tv so I've already seen the series, all I am going to say is that I certainly hope that PBS shows the Christmas episode, don't think they've ever done it before but they really need to do this one as it ties everything up.

exbrnxgrl

Hi Cheryl,

The PBS station in the Bsy Area, KQED, showed the Christmas special several weeks ago prior to the start of season 6. It got everyone really excited for season 6 to begin

rainnyc

All of the Christmas specials have been shown on PBS and are on Amazon Prime. The last one will be broadcast on PBS at the very end.

It occurred to me overnight that Tom's return could also free Mary up to leave the estate if she remarries. Not that there's anyone around at the moment, but that surely will change.

Winner of episode 3: Cora. She got to yell at everyone, and she also made a splendid apology to Elsie and got her oldest grandchild back. (Did anyone notice their hug at the very end?)

I thought the foreshadowing around Robert's health was somewhat heavy-handed. Ditto whatever is going on with Thomas Barrow.

Can't wait for episode 4!

DivineMrsM

I so love Cora. I like that she so easily puts Lady Mary in her place. It makes sense that Mary would have aristocratic leanings in selecting another husband. A hand-off of sorts of the estate to Tom does sound like a good possibility. Maybe Tom and Daisy will get together?

We may get blindsided, too, when it comes to thinking perhaps Robert is going to have a heart attack and die. I was a huge Mad Men fan, and as the series wrapped up, the incredible twist in the story line that the main character of Betty Draper had terminal lung cancer came out of the blue, shocking everyone, no one saw that happening. So as we look at Robert waiting for something to happen, it may be that another main character ends up dead instead. Ya never know.

Love hearing everyone's views.

marijen

bump

It's on

marijen

Robert can't drink port anymore.

exbrnxgrl

Anna clutched her belly. Please don't let her miscarry!!!

NewDay123

Damn, I didn't read that Julian Fellows said it wouldn't be all happy endings. Grrr.

I would've liked all of them to have happy endings, not like real life. Hahaha, who needs real life, really?

Love the set and costumes on this show!