First of all, the Bates continue to stay at arm's length because Mr. Bates can't seem to remove himself from the reality of Anna's ordeal. We have a clash continuing between Violet and Isobel. These ayre really funny moments as the two parry and thrust. Molesly wants a job and Carson makes him suffer. Edith gets distressing news as the love of her life disappears. Thomas has a hold over the new lady's made. A nasty investigator goes head to head with Mary. Of course, the big thing is Rose, bringing a jazz orchestra to Downton for Robert's birthday. Two performer are black and that is going to be something to be reckoned with. What a full episode with a series of question marks. I didn't even mention Alfred and Daisy.
5 Reviews
A Surprise, Indeed
jpismyname3 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Isobel Crawley and the Dowager Countess fight, yet again, in a battle of keeping a young gardener's job. The old countess thinks that the gardener is a thief, but Isobel proves that he is innocent. I really love the relationship of the two. They're really amusing. Isobel's such a fiery spirit, and the Dowager Countess is so witty.
Meanwhile, Anna and Bates' relationship are being tested because of the rape that had happened to her that no one, except him and Mrs. Hughes, knows about. Bates really wants to avenge his wife, who is fearful that her husband might commit a murder for revenge.
Alfred is finally accepted in the Ritz hotel, to the dismay of Daisy. I really feel sad for Daisy, her love for him seems really unconditional and he doesn't even seem to care because he prefers Ivy. Meanwhile, Jimmy seems to want to do "it" with Ivy, who is horrified and disappointed. Daisy blames Ivy for choosing Jimmy over Alfred.
And the surprise. A jazz band is playing for the surprise birthday dinner party of Robert. The servants, especially Carson, are shocked by the black man, who is the lead singer.
Lady Edith also worries because Michael Gregson is missing. Oh Edith, when can you be lucky?
Meanwhile, Anna and Bates' relationship are being tested because of the rape that had happened to her that no one, except him and Mrs. Hughes, knows about. Bates really wants to avenge his wife, who is fearful that her husband might commit a murder for revenge.
Alfred is finally accepted in the Ritz hotel, to the dismay of Daisy. I really feel sad for Daisy, her love for him seems really unconditional and he doesn't even seem to care because he prefers Ivy. Meanwhile, Jimmy seems to want to do "it" with Ivy, who is horrified and disappointed. Daisy blames Ivy for choosing Jimmy over Alfred.
And the surprise. A jazz band is playing for the surprise birthday dinner party of Robert. The servants, especially Carson, are shocked by the black man, who is the lead singer.
Lady Edith also worries because Michael Gregson is missing. Oh Edith, when can you be lucky?
Downton Abbey was just that sunny moment
moviesfilmsreviewsinc14 May 2022
Downton Abbey was just that sunny moment, a visitor from days past whose reappearance reminded us why we were so keen to wrap Downton's cosy duvet around ourselves in the first place. It was so stuffed with familiar old standards - the Crawleys being confronted by the twentieth century, Violet and Isobel butting heads, a scandal brewing at the Abbey, Carson trumping about toast and etiquette, Mary being snide to a house guest - that it brought back the froth, vim and glamour of the early antebellum episodes. For the first time in a long time, I was back under Downton's slightly suspect, you-know-you-shouldn't-really, chocolate éclair charm. Who couldn't be cheered by a frisky Mrs Patmore shivering over Rudoph Valentino and wanting to jig about, provoking a censorious Mr Carson to emit a jowl-shaking bass-note so resonant it must have emptied the Abbey's dovecotes? Or by Mr Molesley, a photocopy of a photocopy of an Alan Bennett character, entering Carson's man-cave and asking to plunge down the ladder of preferment? It's just that kind of fond, low-stakes silliness we first came to Downton for, and this episode had it, and much more, in good supply. The non-Carson portion of this week's gentle comedy came from Lady Violet and Isobel. It not being cricket of the Dowager Countess to lay into a grieving mother, we've had to endure a temporary ceasefire between the two of late, but thankfully hostilities have now resumed. Defending the honor of cap-clutching McGuffin, Pegg, Mrs Crawley set about solving the case of the missing paper knife. That the resolution - her finding said object down the back of a Chesterfield - lacked narrative tension shouldn't put ITV execs off using this plot thread as a backdoor pilot for an Isobel spin-off. Solving entirely tension-free crimes could be her USP. Sock missing from the dryer? Someone taken the last cookie from the barrel? Call Crawley; she'll sort it and give you a high-horse lecture on social justice to trunk.
A genuine pleasure in the episode was the nursery scene between three of Downton's widowed spouses. Tom, Isobel and Mary's declaration that they, having known giddying, all-encompassing love, were the lucky ones, was simple, warm and affecting. Mary may not be ready to be happy yet, but with a new enemy with whom to butt heads in Charles Blake, odds are on that she'll be in another clinch before long. Will she end up with the persistent family friend, the dishy viscount (due a return next week), or the "traitor" who's got her so riled? I've a feeling it'll be the pal she can't stand. I think I saw a rom-com once where that happened.
A genuine pleasure in the episode was the nursery scene between three of Downton's widowed spouses. Tom, Isobel and Mary's declaration that they, having known giddying, all-encompassing love, were the lucky ones, was simple, warm and affecting. Mary may not be ready to be happy yet, but with a new enemy with whom to butt heads in Charles Blake, odds are on that she'll be in another clinch before long. Will she end up with the persistent family friend, the dishy viscount (due a return next week), or the "traitor" who's got her so riled? I've a feeling it'll be the pal she can't stand. I think I saw a rom-com once where that happened.
Dreaming of Ragtime.
mark.waltz23 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Fans of Elizabeth McGovern will be delighted by a reference to something from her early career that comes out appropriately at the climax of this memorable episode that gives me a smile because it relates to one of my favorite all-time movies. Like a reference to "Clash of the Titans" characters which shocked Lady Violet (Maggie Smith), this reference will be a delight to fans of the more familiar actors. Other servant issues are resolved by Carson basically being pushed to rehire Mosley when Alfred gets the telegram and departs for the cooking school in London.
So it's the return of Jack Ross (the handsome Gary Carr), a black singer who shows up to perform at Robert's birthday celebration, creating a stir both racially (for some of the snobbier characters) and romantically (for Rose), and even getting Thomas heated up as he silently looks on. Carson's usually stiff upper lip is bench out of joints when he sees Jack for the first time. Romance becomes the name of the game as the three widowed leads (Isabel, Mary and Tom) share their first memories of when they realized that they were in love, followed by the arrival of Sybie and George, reminding me of a key scene in "Steel Magnolias" where grieving family members decide that life must go on.
A romantic lunch for Bates and Anna has an amusing moment when the snobbish maitre d' denies having a reservation for them, rescued by Cora who happens to be dining there as well. There are still quiet issues involving what happened to Anna and the worst hasn't even begun yet. The situation with the gardener and the missing items in Violet's home results in a funny confrontation where Isabel learns a little bit about humility and the law of never presuming.
Baxter's spying more for Thomas, but a sudden snap by Cora shakes her up even though Thomas obviously has something on her. It's bad news for Edith involving Michael Gregson, and while this is the pre-Nazi era in Germany, there were signs that they were rising in power and violence. The build-up to the last quarter of the series shows the volcano nearing eruption and this marks one of the best episodes of the series.
So it's the return of Jack Ross (the handsome Gary Carr), a black singer who shows up to perform at Robert's birthday celebration, creating a stir both racially (for some of the snobbier characters) and romantically (for Rose), and even getting Thomas heated up as he silently looks on. Carson's usually stiff upper lip is bench out of joints when he sees Jack for the first time. Romance becomes the name of the game as the three widowed leads (Isabel, Mary and Tom) share their first memories of when they realized that they were in love, followed by the arrival of Sybie and George, reminding me of a key scene in "Steel Magnolias" where grieving family members decide that life must go on.
A romantic lunch for Bates and Anna has an amusing moment when the snobbish maitre d' denies having a reservation for them, rescued by Cora who happens to be dining there as well. There are still quiet issues involving what happened to Anna and the worst hasn't even begun yet. The situation with the gardener and the missing items in Violet's home results in a funny confrontation where Isabel learns a little bit about humility and the law of never presuming.
Baxter's spying more for Thomas, but a sudden snap by Cora shakes her up even though Thomas obviously has something on her. It's bad news for Edith involving Michael Gregson, and while this is the pre-Nazi era in Germany, there were signs that they were rising in power and violence. The build-up to the last quarter of the series shows the volcano nearing eruption and this marks one of the best episodes of the series.
Between Jack Ross' visit to Downton and the progression of mostly all story lines, quite a bit happens.
Amari-Sali29 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Once again we are treated to quite the quality episode. I think the best way to begin would be going with the longest story at the moment, which is the Bates family story post Anna's rape. As of now, they continue to struggle and seemingly it is because the chivalry of Mr. Bates keeps making Anna feel like a victim and this seemingly is making it so they can't move forward. What also doesn't help is Bates' rage simmers in his body and not knowing who is surely getting to him.
Besides that though, perhaps there is a need to present a similar case to Anna's which has Jimmy taking the role of Mr. Green, in a way. You see, as Alfred progresses and moves on to London, Ivy shows her admirations which leads Jimmy back to his jealous ways. But, the reason I bring up Mr. Green and compare him to Jimmy is because Jimmy seemingly is not like he seems. Though we have seen Jimmy be jealousy, and a tad frisky, it seems as of this episode he is sadly a man who follows a checklist which makes him think, once the list is fulfilled, girls should give him what he wants. In Ivy's case, he wants to do more than kiss, but do things Ivy thinks should be held off till marriage. But, though Ms. Patmore and Ms. Hughes give their sympathy, Daisy has none of it since even in the final days, she still feels for Alfred and with Ivy having second thoughts about not choosing Alfred, it is surprising Daisy didn't slap her once and walked away.
But those aren't the only two bickering, as a story continuing from the last episode, Ms. Crawley and the Dowager butt heads over the boy Ms. Crawley helped get a gardening job. She continues to accuse the boy, as I begin to question the butler who made sure Moseley failed to impress the lady the Dowager had for lunch, and the two ladies butt heads like bulls. Luckily though, Ms. Crawley and her strangely end up even in the long run. Ms. Crawley finds the missing items and the Dowager shows she is fully capable of being wrong, during the rare occasion, and rehires the boy.
Leading to perhaps the most interesting thing about the episode, which is the presence of Jack Ross in Downton. Those who watch the show will know that Mr. Ross pretty much is one of the few, if not first, Black faces on this show, much less one of the few Black faces in anything dealing with the times when aristocracy was a norm. So imagine when he is amongst the staff and Mr. Carson speaks offensively, or when he is amongst the lords and ladies and people looked shocked, but try to be dignified enough not to speak above a whisper. I mean, it is quite interesting to see the different levels when it comes to his presence. Some seem willing to tolerate it, Rose seems to be one of the few to accept him, and then there are those who I'm sure are probably silently horrified. But it doesn't end there for, while downstairs and seemingly alone, we catch Rose and Mr. Ross making out. Well, Mary does, to a bit of shock, but it does make you wonder if they may actually explore their relationship, or if the times will keep them apart.
Overall, another quality episode which draws your attention with every scene. Even small things of note like Edith's pregnancy makes your eyes a bit wider and more keen for details. As of this moment though, the only one I feel a bit disappointed by is Thomas. The former villain of the show has fallen so far down, and even with Ms. Baxter he still wanders for scraps. However, Baxter feeds him some information this episode, though with hesitation, which may lead to him rising again from the ashes. Something I'm quite looking forward to.
Besides that though, perhaps there is a need to present a similar case to Anna's which has Jimmy taking the role of Mr. Green, in a way. You see, as Alfred progresses and moves on to London, Ivy shows her admirations which leads Jimmy back to his jealous ways. But, the reason I bring up Mr. Green and compare him to Jimmy is because Jimmy seemingly is not like he seems. Though we have seen Jimmy be jealousy, and a tad frisky, it seems as of this episode he is sadly a man who follows a checklist which makes him think, once the list is fulfilled, girls should give him what he wants. In Ivy's case, he wants to do more than kiss, but do things Ivy thinks should be held off till marriage. But, though Ms. Patmore and Ms. Hughes give their sympathy, Daisy has none of it since even in the final days, she still feels for Alfred and with Ivy having second thoughts about not choosing Alfred, it is surprising Daisy didn't slap her once and walked away.
But those aren't the only two bickering, as a story continuing from the last episode, Ms. Crawley and the Dowager butt heads over the boy Ms. Crawley helped get a gardening job. She continues to accuse the boy, as I begin to question the butler who made sure Moseley failed to impress the lady the Dowager had for lunch, and the two ladies butt heads like bulls. Luckily though, Ms. Crawley and her strangely end up even in the long run. Ms. Crawley finds the missing items and the Dowager shows she is fully capable of being wrong, during the rare occasion, and rehires the boy.
Leading to perhaps the most interesting thing about the episode, which is the presence of Jack Ross in Downton. Those who watch the show will know that Mr. Ross pretty much is one of the few, if not first, Black faces on this show, much less one of the few Black faces in anything dealing with the times when aristocracy was a norm. So imagine when he is amongst the staff and Mr. Carson speaks offensively, or when he is amongst the lords and ladies and people looked shocked, but try to be dignified enough not to speak above a whisper. I mean, it is quite interesting to see the different levels when it comes to his presence. Some seem willing to tolerate it, Rose seems to be one of the few to accept him, and then there are those who I'm sure are probably silently horrified. But it doesn't end there for, while downstairs and seemingly alone, we catch Rose and Mr. Ross making out. Well, Mary does, to a bit of shock, but it does make you wonder if they may actually explore their relationship, or if the times will keep them apart.
Overall, another quality episode which draws your attention with every scene. Even small things of note like Edith's pregnancy makes your eyes a bit wider and more keen for details. As of this moment though, the only one I feel a bit disappointed by is Thomas. The former villain of the show has fallen so far down, and even with Ms. Baxter he still wanders for scraps. However, Baxter feeds him some information this episode, though with hesitation, which may lead to him rising again from the ashes. Something I'm quite looking forward to.
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