Downton Abbey: Episode Five Review

This week’s show featured the staples of a great Downton episode. The family talked about the future versus the past over dinner, and man sneaks into a lady’s bedroom, and the Dowager Countess noses around for more gossip information in a variety of places.

TAKE US FROM THE TOP:                                                  

Edith once again is wringing her hands and showing up where she’s not welcomed at the Drewe’s, instead of being the journalist she is supposed to be. Or at this point, I’d be more interested in watching her vie for Mr. Bricker’s attention and Mr. Bricker entertaining the possibility in order to get closer to Cora. Still well within the #pooredith franchise, but at least a change of pace!

Speaking of Mr. Bricker, he’s back and he’s as dead set on Cora as ever. Which is flattering until he shows his true creeptastic colors by entering her bedroom without her asking and refusing to leave when she does ask, leaving just enough time for Lord Grantham to get home and beat Mr. Bricker up.

BEST SCENE OF THE NIGHT:

Tom goes to say goodbye to Miss Bunting who took a better job at a different town and instead of asking her to stay, or deciding to go with her, he does the normal and practical thing of telling her he’s happy to have met her, kissing her squarely on the mouth, and walking the eff away. I really hope it’s the last we see of ol’ Motormouth Bunting.

BIG CLOSER:

The Dowager Countess and her daughter come up with a confusing and horrifying plan to rip Marigold from the Dewe’s hands and set her up at some school all because Edith can’t keep her hands to herself. Edith goes down into the servant’s quarters to make a call, presumably to make things worse for herself and everyone else involved and finally we can no longer say poor Edith.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS OF RANDOM MOMENTS IN THE EPISODE:

• Is Lady Rose purely kind or purely slow or a mix of both?
•  “I’m afraid you read somewhere that rudeness in old age is amusing.” Kudos to Julian Fellows for continuing to know how to land punch after punch of snipy, passive aggressive dialogue in the most hilarious ways.
• Make Mable Lane Fox a series regular! She’s been a scene-stealer in the few scenes she’s been given. “What shall we do with your food?” “Eat it, and I hope it chokes you.”
• “Your not leaving my house until you tell the truth. So should I have a bed made up for you or are you going to tell me now?” Nothing will stand in the way of the Dowager Countess and some old fashioned gossip.

I give this episode 3 out of 5 stars. We still seem nowhere near getting rid of the snoozefest of a storyline of will Mr. Bates go to jail and will the staff find out why he’s being questioned in the first place. We also are stuck with Edith being a stage 5 clinger who can’t be trusted to take hints or cues from the adults around her. The worst part is, Edith used to be painted so smart and forward thinking, and she should know that this selfishness ultimately will hurt Marigold in the long run more than anyone else if Edith goes through with her aunt and grandmothers plan of uprooting Marigold from her second placement. But the preview for next week shows Mary on a horse so I’ll try to focus on that instead.