This episode made me wonder when the word "bitch" came into the vocabulary. Bc clearly Mary is a bitch but I was expecting a more old-timey word for it out of Edith.
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I had to go look this up because I was curious too, and it actually seems like it was a time-appropriate word choice.
According to Wikipedia, "The next resurgence of the word bitch as an insult to women occurred during the 1920s. The term bitch became more popular in common language during this era. Between 1915 and 1930, the use of "bitch" in newspapers and literature more than doubled." Also, "The word "bitch" during the twenties meant "malicious or consciously attempting to harm," "difficult, annoying, or interfering," and "sexually brazen or overly vulgar."
After a night's sleep, I'm still really pissed at Mary's cruel and childish behavior. She was snobby and jealous and knew full well what she was doing when she walked into that breakfast room. I'm glad Tom yelled at her, and I'm glad Edith told her off. It's been like 15 years since the Pamuk incident; that's no excuse anymore.
I think Edith has really come into her own here. Yes, she should have told him about Marigold already but I think she would have and she showed a lot of maturity with the speech about how they're the only ones who will remember Sybil etc.
Post by farfalla2011 on Feb 23, 2016 10:01:52 GMT -5
I'm so sad this show is coming to a close although I also see how it can't really go on much longer anyway because of the changing times.
I totally saw Mary pulling that stunt pretty much right after Edith received the proposal and delayed answering. Watching the short preview clip it plays afterwards, I have faith that Mary will be making it right somehow. I predict that Mary has talked to Bertie so him and Edith end up getting married.
Mary is just like so many of us, she was still hurting from losing Matthew and has since tried to keep herself together because that's what people expect of her. I don't think she every truly let herself deal with her feelings about Matthew dying and her ability to move on without feeling like she's betraying him which is why she was lashing out. Things got real between her and Henry without trying very hard which surprised her and scared her. Her talk with Matthew really made me tear up and I think more than anything else that talk is what she needed. Combined with the short interaction with his mother I think resolved things for her in her head.
I love that Granny came back just to talk to Mary and still avoided everyone else.
While I'm sad about Barrow, I'm glad he's still with the show.
And Carson, I used to like him, but he's turned into a total ass this season and I don't like it.
Post by CallingAllAngels on Feb 23, 2016 12:28:45 GMT -5
Yeah, I know Mary is still hurting over losing Matthew, but for me that just makes some of her treatment of Edith worse. You would have thought she would be at least somewhat sympathetic toward Edith when Gregson disappeared, and then when she discovered Marigold is their child. I think she was pissed at being left out of the secret and angry with herself for not figuring it out earlier.
We didn't see anything of Mr. Mason this episode. Will he still come wooing Mrs. Patmore?
I really loved the Spratt/Cassandra thing. I can definitely see him as an advice columnist.
It was weird to have Violet around so little, but somehow the episode still worked. Probably because there was so much else getting on.
Poor Thomas could have been his own story line. I hope he is able to find some happiness.
I got a kick out of the snarky recap comparing Mr. Molesley to Bernie Sanders.
I still want to know if Lady Rose is coming back. I suppose Christmas could be the time?
I think Lady Rose was in the preview for the finale?
My H, who doesn't really watch with me, but has seen bits and pieces, asked about Mr. Mason. Of all the characters, he cared about whether or not Mr. Mason and Mrs. Patmore were getting together lol.
I'm so sad this show is coming to a close although I also see how it can't really go on much longer anyway because of the changing times.
I totally saw Mary pulling that stunt pretty much right after Edith received the proposal and delayed answering. Watching the short preview clip it plays afterwards, I have faith that Mary will be making it right somehow. I predict that Mary has talked to Bertie so him and Edith end up getting married.
Mary is just like so many of us, she was still hurting from losing Matthew and has since tried to keep herself together because that's what people expect of her. I don't think she every truly let herself deal with her feelings about Matthew dying and her ability to move on without feeling like she's betraying him which is why she was lashing out. Things got real between her and Henry without trying very hard which surprised her and scared her. Her talk with Matthew really made me tear up and I think more than anything else that talk is what she needed. Combined with the short interaction with his mother I think resolved things for her in her head.
I love that Granny came back just to talk to Mary and still avoided everyone else.
While I'm sad about Barrow, I'm glad he's still with the show.
And Carson, I used to like him, but he's turned into a total ass this season and I don't like it.
I was out of town so just now got to watch it, but the obnoxious comments on CEP about Mary "teehee just you wait" made me expect this. The bolded above is exactly why I don't hate Mary after this episode. I'm sure a big part of her motivation really was jealousy/spite about Edith's happiness & possible advancement, but she was also clearly very stressed by Henry being shoved at her when she didn't expect him. Her breakdown in front of the Dowager further showed how conflicted she was about him. It certainly doesn't forgive what she did, it was awful and intentional, but if she hadn't been so overwrought by her own situation she *might* not have done it (ok this show would have done it no matter what...). Edith's forgiveness convo was impressive.
I'm really sad for Thomas. I thought it was nice that Donk/Cora/Rosamund went to Mrs. Patmore's B&B, but that side story distracted from the seriousness of his situation. I still don't really feel like anyone besides Mary and Baxter actually cared about Thomas himself.
Well honestly, Thomas has been pretty mean to just about everyone else. Baxter sees him differently because she knew him as a kid and I think she sees that life has kicked him in the teeth and she still sees glimmers of the kid she knew in him.
But I think everyone else is over trying and then getting burned by mean Thomas. Even Anna is nice to him, but only in a disengaged benign sort of way. He's even messed with the upstairs folk:
He recommended Baxter even though he knew her past and then tried to blackmail her and Cora knows it. He told the family on Tom showing Ms. Bunting the upstairs hallway and even twisted it to imply that something had "happened". I can't think of any others right now but basically yeah, everyone's got a little sour feeling for him so I can't really blame them for being detached.
eta: and Donk knows that the Bunting thing was twisted because upstairs Tom made a point of clearing the air even though it made Donk squirm. Trying to think if he's done anything to Edith.
Tom also was extremely rude and called out Gwen as having previously been "in service" at Downton.
He and Mary do have things in common. They say and do things to push people away.
Well honestly, Thomas has been pretty mean to just about everyone else. Baxter sees him differently because she knew him as a kid and I think she sees that life has kicked him in the teeth and she still sees glimmers of the kid she knew in him.
But I think everyone else is over trying and then getting burned by mean Thomas. Even Anna is nice to him, but only in a disengaged benign sort of way. He's even messed with the upstairs folk:
He recommended Baxter even though he knew her past and then tried to blackmail her and Cora knows it. He told the family on Tom showing Ms. Bunting the upstairs hallway and even twisted it to imply that something had "happened". I can't think of any others right now but basically yeah, everyone's got a little sour feeling for him so I can't really blame them for being detached.
eta: and Donk knows that the Bunting thing was twisted because upstairs Tom made a point of clearing the air even though it made Donk squirm. Trying to think if he's done anything to Edith.
Thomas has been super mean, and I understand people wanting to keep their distance. I am still sad that he felt so lost as to try to kill himself, and I am also angry that homophobia was so rampant that he couldn't be who he was. I think the complexity surrounding him makes him one of the best written characters overall.
Post by farfalla2011 on Feb 26, 2016 14:54:38 GMT -5
I'm impatient and don't want to wait for another week to watch the finale, so I pulled up simply june so I could send the link home and watch it this weekend. I saw a spoiler about one of the things that happens! I wanted it to all be a surprise. DANG IT. It's what I get for being impatient I guess.
1) Spratt as the advice columnist gave this episode some much-needed hilarity 2) Mary was a total bitch, and we all saw this coming from a million miles away, yes!? She was a total ass-hat and if she wanted to fix things with her sister, she would have wrote to Bertie and told him that Edith would have never married him without telling her & that she (Mary) knew exactly what she was doing at breakfast. I knew as soon as Robert left that Edith was totally screwed. 3) I liked Mr. M finally getting to teach! He had to go all Michelle P in "Dangerous Minds" (minus the leather jacket) to get those little kids to give him some respect. 4) Poor Barrow 5) The house of ill repute!!!! That was hilarious, too. Poor Mrs. Patmore - she got hers in the end, though when she got that lovely picture with the family - best.
I can't believe there's only 1 episode left.
God damn Mary. She really pissed me off. I would have thrown an egg at her stupid wedding dress. Have fun with Gabe from the office. :/
5) The house of ill repute!!!! That was hilarious, too. Poor Mrs. Patmore - she got hers in the end, though when she got that lovely picture with the family - best.
I loved when donk gave her a gentle shove forward so she would be front and center in the picture as the owner and they were just her backdrop. Show's how much he's grown even though he has some massive lapses from time to time (like wanting the Carson's wedding "done right" in the servants hall).
I think his heart is in the right place now, even if he flubs it from time to time.
Post by farfalla2011 on Mar 3, 2016 10:55:30 GMT -5
I can't wait for everyone to watch the final on Sunday! I broke down and watched it online last week since I'll be out of town and would miss it plus I'm impatient. I'm so sad it's over!! I may have to start back over from the beginning and watch it all over again. It's definitely been one of my favorite shows ever.
Headed over to our neighbors for a viewing party right now! I am making a spreadsheet for us to fill out before the show - we all have to log our character predictions hee hee. Dying!
I'm so excited to see how it ends and also really upset it's ending! Me too! Also, 11 is really really late for me on a Sunday night, but I want to stay up and watch it tonight, but need to take a muscle relaxer for my neck and can't wait till 11 to take it, so I'm trying to decide what to do. . .