Downton Abbey Recap: Season 6, Episode 8

• We learn about the man sneaking in Mrs. Patmore’s bushes. Her hostel has been branded house of ill repute bc a doctor stayed at her place with a mistress. Nearly everyone is getting a good crack out of it. Eventually the Granthams go for tea there and pose for the local paparazzi (??) to give some good press.
• I’m so confused by Merton’s son inviting Isobel to the wedding, or rather the daughter in law to be (Annabel?). It seems to be a long winded ploy to get her and Merton back together but it seems so unnecessarily complicated.
• Tom has been is bro hanging with his bff Henry and says he’s missing Mary a lot. He’s still straight-up begging Mary to do this. I think at this point he’s just tired of dealing with her when he knows having a man would cheer her up and make her more pleasant. Her self aggrandizing sabotages her own happiness and makes her even more terrible to others than usual, and he’s over it - but also is a good person so he’s trying to push her in the right direction.
• Edith is torn between going into her marriage with a lie and telling the truth and being ashamed. In quite a plot twist we learn Bertie’s cousin (the Marquis of another local family legacy fancy house) died and it seems he has inherited: he now higher up, richer, and more famous than all of them.
• Mary is FURIOUS. The thought of Edith “Lording” over all of them is unbearable. Her wheels immediately start turning to how she can blow this for her.
• If I haven't already made this clear, I really like Bertie and Edith as a couple. He’s a nice, honest sort of man. He’s very emotional in his grief, and the responsibility of a new position; he wants her to be his helper. He also warns everyone that his mother is intense. Poor Edith starts sweating at the prospect of an intense future MIL.
• Mosley is an assistant teacher now. He struggles some with getting their attention but he has a way with them and gets better at the end.
• Daisy passed all her exams. She’s chuffed.
• IT'S HENRY MAH MAN. He charmingly grins as he zips up the drive. He drops in because, well, he just wanted to. Henry checks in with Bertie in a conversation that goes something like this: "Hey dude, how’s it going, Edith going to marry you?” “Yep. Pretty soon I think.” “I’m jelly.” “Heh. Sorry. I got the nicer sister.”
• Mary flips out on Tom, of course, Henry being the man he is is going absolutely nowhere despite her pleadings. “I’m going to make this as hard and horrible as I can.” Chemistry flying here, but she continues to fight it. “Aren’t you better than this? It’s rather small to marry a man for a lack of money,” He hollers up the stairs at her as she flees. This is suddenly feeling very Rhett Butler Gone With the Wind-equse, what with the sparks flying, stairs, and fights.
• The next morning, Mary comes down to see Henry off and then throws a fit as she learns he’s gone. Tom and Lord G exchange knowing looks that killed me. They’re quite used to petulant  Mary.
• She continues in evil robot mode; literally can’t stop spewing pure nastiness every time her mouth opens. In her one of her pinnacle stone-cold-bitch moments she tells Bertie Edith’s secret. If I were Edith I literally would have jumped up and slapped her face. We were chanting FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT at the screen.
  
  
• Bertie: “You should have told me the whole story from the beginning. You haven’t been fair to me.” He’s right. I mean, realistically in this time period he probably would have went running from such a scandalous woman. In this case, he’s hurt by her lack of honesty more than the truth itself. It’s obvious he is sorry to cause her pain, but he ends it and walks away in a truly heartbreaking moment. I daresay it’s not the real end.
  
  
• Thus began a rapid-fire slew of slapdown moments as Mary begins to unravel: 1) The queen of the narcissists blames Henry for the reason she’s ruining everyone’s lives. Tom shouts her down and calls her out and thank goodness someone in her life can put her in her stupid little place. 2) Edith exchanges some choice (and apt words) with her:  I wanted her to actually slap her face, but her words were whiplash enough: “You’re the same old Mary, who wants her cake and hate me, too." 3) Violet came back from her trip to tell her she should marry Henry (remember when she said only Tom could have her contact info? He literally reached out to her on her vacation so she could come here and make this happen). We finally get the real reason Mary’s running from him: she can’t handle losing another husband to a car crash, and she won’t have him giving up his career for her. We get this gem of a quote: “Can’t you get me some duke to marry instead? Surely there’s one around to spare [lol].” Violet tells her that love is important and she needs to be a freaking grown up and clean up her messes.
  

• Thomas sliced himself in the tub. Baxter, Andy and Mrs. Hughes rush to action. It’s a pretty big deal, but this episode was so action packed this was barely dwelt upon. Mary and George come to visit him later, and they bond over closing people out and being meanies but having good hearts underneath. At the episode’s end, Carson and Lord G agree Thomas should stay on because he has a heart and whatnot.
• In one of the random, brief plotline moments we find out that Violet’s weird butler Spratt has been secretly writing a lady’s column for Edith’s paper.
• Mary goes to visit Matthew’s grave to tell him she’ll always love him the most. Gosh I miss Matthew. I had very real tears welling up. Isobel gives her blessing. Poor poor Isobel. No son and no man and no family besides her crazy in laws. Feelings abound.
• Hot diggity dog. Mary sent for Henry. They said a bunch of words that were so sweet and sexy I lost track of most of them, but it was an epic moment when she finally gives in and he’s over the moon: “"I don’t know how you remain so calm. I'm hot. I'm cold. My heart is pounding... And it's all because of you. Thank God for you.” [I love this man. <333] Unable to wait a minute longer, he proposes a wedding a few days away and the happy event takes place.
• Tom is bursting at the seems his wishes have come to fruition and he’s got another brother in law at long last, which all he’s ever wanted apparently.
• The final scene before the wedding, Edith comes home, and wearily forgives her wicked sister for the millionth time, for old (and future) times’ sake: “I assumed you would be fairly sorry, unless you are actually insane.”

PHEW my keyboard is hot from my fingers flying. I am a flurry of emotion and words. Parting thoughts, and then we’ll be waiting for TWO WEEKS for the finale on March 6th:

For a comparatively calm season, this was a whiz-bang episode packed with multiple storylines and a wealth of good lines, some of the best the show’s ever seen. The main focus of it all was obviously Mary. We question all the time: why do we keep rooting for Mary? She really is a very ugly on the inside person. She’s only selfless when it’s convenient for her, she’s only sorry when the worst damage has irreparably been done. I think it comes down to two things: 1) the rollercoaster writing that has made her character develop a long way and 2) the skill of Michelle Dockery’s acting. She weaves from Mary being one of the worst human in the world to kind and, well human. Because the thing is, Mary is all the nasty things Edith accused her of. But somehow, there’s a good person buried in there somewhere, and that’s what we as viewers find interesting and want to see more of. As she herself has said before, Matthew made her good. He made her the best possible version of herself, and we’ve seen for several seasons now, she really is lost without him. She’s slipped back into her cunning wicked ways, and she will never be the same person she was when he was her man. Will Henry be able to “tame” her? No, but he probably will be able to fight her down in her worst moments in the future. If nothing else, he clearly won’t be steamrolled. And he will be a good father and master of the estate someday. He’s no Matthew, who was certainly the great love of Mary’s life, but then again the same love never happens twice.

Loose ends to be tied in the finale: Will there be a reconciliation for Edith and Bertie? Will Anna carry her pregnancy to full term and finally she and Bates can be happy? Are Ms. Patmore and Mr. Mason going to hook up? What does Branson’s future look like? What will Daisy’s future be - a schoolteacher? A suffragette? A farmer’s wife? I’m really so sad she’s been so left out this season, I hope she gets a really satisfying ending. Is Isobel going to stick with her widow life, or give Merton one final change? Basically a massive coupling up is what I’m anticipating. It’s quite cheesy but it’s what they’ve set up for. And please, give Maggie Smith some epic final lines. I’m not ready for this show to be over. TWO WEEKS. PBS. 9/8c.

Downton Abbey Recap: Season Six, Episode 7

• The arch of this episode is that Henry invited the whole family to town for his big race. Mary’s pouting about having to go. Anna and Mary have the deepest (and cynical) conversations sometimes, especially about Mary’s beaus. “They do say opposites attract.” “Yes, but do they live happily ever after?” She's looking very modern and hip:
  
  
  
  
• They make the trip, and Henry thanks Tom for wingmanning it up and getting everyone there. Tom basically said it was his pleasure; he’s all about this bromance already.
• Edith invited her lady editor at the newspaper to the race and introduced her to Tom. She laments the life of a lady feminist in chit chat and he immediately shares his whole life story as the camera cuts away. I’m quite pleased that he’s not going to live alone forever!
• Henry says it means very much to him Mary is there, but she’s freaking out about the race. He goes from sweet and mushy then switches track to pushy and sassy in a split second. This is a man that can keep Mary on her toes.
  
  
  
• The dramatic race ensues (Mary has a panic attack) and there’s a crash. In a sweet moment of sisterly solidarity, Edith rushes through the crowds, holding Mary’s arm, to find out who is hurt. Henry’s best friend Charlie has perished, and he’s (and everyone in general are) devastated.  
• Back in the country, it’s the day of Daisy and Moseley's exams. A few of the servants have a picnic lunch, and in an awkward moment, it comes out that Andy can’t read. Thomas feels bad and tries to diffuse the situation, but he isn’t much help. Daisy encourages Andy and the ever helpful local school teacher offers to teach him how to read. I think this is the first time I noticed Andy is actually really cute.
• Moseley passed his exams and is now officially educated, apparently. The world is his oyster and he declares he’s moving on. But what about Baxter??
• Confirming that he's being "sacked," Thomas swears to Carson he’s looking for a job. Later in the episode, emo Thomas sits alone while everyone else chats.
• Mrs. Patmore has her first clients at the B&B place she started. As she leaves her first day, some random reporter was lurking in her greenery?? Wth?? Why is noone online talking about this? So out of the blue.
• Mrs. Hughes fake hurt her hand, forcing her new (aghast) husband, Carson, to cook. She’s orders him about and he makes dinner in a very humorous scene. It's good to have him put in his place.
• Henry’s having a midlife crisis. He proposes to Mary over the phone. “[Charlie's] death has made me realize we don’t have a minute to waste, you and I.” “No. Today made me realize we’re not meant to be together. Give me up. I wish you nothing but good.”
• Tom lurks in the background of this conversation. He grabs her as she sobs, telling her that she’s just upset because she was reminded of Matthew’s death, telling her she’ll regret saying no to Henry. “Being hurt is part of being alive. But that’s no reason to give up on the man who is right for you.” DANGBLASTIT Tom you’re breaking my heart with your sage advice and tears. Emotional moment for all three of them. (As we saw from the sneak peek, Henry isn’t going to give up on her.)
• Edith snuggled up on Bertie is presh. And highly modern feeling. He proposes, saying he’s mad about her. Edith, incredulously: “I don’t think I’m the sort of girl a man could go mad for!” YAAASSS. THIS IS WHY WE SHOWED UP FOR THIS SEASON. PPL IN LOVE. She’s thrilled, but says she has to think about it. Girl, you crazy. It’s probably just about Marigold and her secrets.
• Violet is going away on a trip to Europe because the hospital feud with Cora. She’s straight up sneaking away while the family is away. This feels weird and ominous to me. She said to only give Tom her contact info. At the end of the episode we find out her parting gift is a PUPPY. Lord G simply lost his chill:
  
  
  

Next week, Henry fights for Mary and Edith is anxious about telling Bertie her past. Only a couple episodes left! See you next week. Sundays on PBS at 9!

Jane the Virgin: #TeamMichael vs #TeamRafael

Jane the Virgin is on it’s second season on the CW network on Monday nights at 9/8c. I freaking love this show. I’ve been all in since the pilot. The essential plotline is this: A young, Catholic woman named Jane discovers that she was accidentally artificially inseminated, and it throws her entire life into chaos. If that sounds ridiculous, it is, but that is what makes this show so great. It doesn’t take itself too seriously (it’s quite hilarious) but also manages to strike a grounded tone, with emphasis on faith, family, and positive relationships. The writing on this show is some of the finest on TV right now, and I hope it continues for many seasons more. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the latest episodes on Huluplus and the CW’s website the day after airing. Season one is also streaming currently on Netflix, which is really nice.

This post is for people who have seen the majority of the show. Jane has been in a whirlwind of back and forth between the two men in her life for over a year. She loves them both very much in entirely different ways. She is currently single and ready to mingle. We’ve been told there is a wedding to come this season, but I’m not convinced it’s a real one. After all, Jane has fantasies all the time. Time will tell. This is my intricate take on #TeamMichael vs #TeamRafael. I’ve gone back and forth time and again myself, but there is always on side that I sway back to. You’ll just have to wait and see.

MICHAEL:

Is a cop who met Jane when he came to shut down her noisy 21st birthday party. They shared a magical kiss and the rest was history (for a couple of years anyway). Michael proposed the day Jane found out she had been accidently inseminated, and major panic ensued.

Now, granted, his response was entirely rational for real life, but this is a comedy-drama. CON: Although he was ready to marry Jane and probably wanted a family eventually (Jane herself had a very long term plan), he was not ready for a baby and being a dad. I think this is significant, and works against him, if only in the sense of circumstances. Time and again as the show went on, his selfish/misguided motives and actions put Mateo in danger. He will never have the mindset that Jane or Rafael does of putting the kid first, and this will always count against him in my mind and I have to think Jane’s too.

PRO: He knows Jane super duper well. He is constantly encouraging her passions and dreams, and always knows what she needs to feel better.

CON: Keeps a lot of secrets for selfish reasons, like the whole Petra Zazo thing, because he was hoping it would wreck Rafael and Jane’s relationship.

PRO: Super helpful with his job. He saved Abeula from deportation and has come to the rescue many times for Jane and Rafael.

CONS: Puts his career and personal motives above other’s safety and even the law. His off-track investigation of Sin Rostro and dealings with Nadine are what put Mateo in danger in the first place. He’s constantly in trouble at his work and sneaking and lying around. Are his reasons justification enough?

PRO: Is very cute (those dreamy blue eyes, amirite?) and their kisses feel familiar and right to Jane. Generally respectful of her boundaries and morals. Is very tight with her estranged father.

CON: Was willing to have sex with Jane when she decided she wanted to, without giving her time to make sure she was sure, or really regretting that it could have happened afterwards the moment passed untouched.

BIGGEST PRO/CONS for the future: His temper is his ultimate downfall. He’s very irrational and quick tempered. He takes things out on Jane, on Rafael, on his job, etc. He loses his cool a lot, and that’s not an opinion as a behavior when you have a kid. Their most recent split came from his causing Mateo to be injured. He was super sorry, but there isn’t a lot he can do to make up for it. I don’t see a lot of improvement of trying to change in that respect specifically. At this point, he’s trying to be respectful of what Jane wants and stay separated, so we haven’t seen them together or talking deeply in a while.

Relationship history worth noting: The fact of the matter is, Jane has been broken up with and broken up with both the boys at this point. She told them both to move on. Michael was able to do so, twice now. Where it stands, he really doesn’t seem to want to have anything to do with her. Now obviously it’s because she told him to, but the fact, is he is capable of pushing on with his life. He’s realistic, which I can respect. But Jane is a hopeless romantic, and so am I. Which brings me to:

RAFAEL:

Jane had a big time crush on grown up playboy Rafael back in high school, and they shared a kiss when she was very young, but he never contacted her after that. He grew up, moved away, got married, got cancer, changed a bunch, became estranged from his wife, had his sperm accidentally injected into Jane, got a divorce, and fell in love with and works to learn all about his baby mama (Jane).

PROS: Really wanted and continues to want a family. He’s very financially capable of taking care of a family, and works hard (though sometimes too hard) to gain more.

CON: His family is crazy (to say the least) and he has a lot of baggage from that, although really at this point Jane has a heaping helping of that herself, what with Rogelio coming into her life only as an adult and all. Sometimes it means very real danger coming into their lives.

PRO: A super great dad who is 100% committed and involved in the whole process, although it took him a little work to get there, he’s fully embraced it now.

CON: He does lie and hide things here and there (like ratting out Michael and lying to Jane about it), however, I do argue that he has more at stake, which is what he’s constantly trying to tell Jane. I’m not excusing his behavior because in general, it is selfish. However, compared with Michael, while he’s also doing it for himself yes, it’s more because of his son: because he loves Jane and he truly wants nothing more than and is invested in them being a normal, happy family.

[I have to say at this point they’ve pretty much both done a fair-to-equal amount of lying to Jane. I guess in my mind the main questions are who was more justified, and who’s done a better job of expressing regret and changing to make up for mistakes.]

PRO: He’s playing catchup when it comes to learning about Jane (which is something she holds against him on multiple occasions) but he does work hard at this, especially to be supportive of her as a mom pursuing her career.

CON: He completely devastated Jane when he broke up with her. He only did it because he thought he was protecting her from his inner turmoil (which he did need to take time to step back and deal with), but it had major consequences nonetheless. She’s wary of getting hurt by him again, which is why she’s kept him in the friend zone since Mateo was born.

PRO: He’s a hottie with a body (no really, have you seen him shirtless) and they have an undeniable chemistry.

PRO related to above: a huge part of the reason he realized he needed to break up with her (he was almost in tears) was that he probably would have gone all the way with her in the pool that night, and he was scared that he would have made that mistake. He recognized that that’s not something he should ever do because it means so much to Jane. [sidenote, the Rafael the virgin hashtag from a few episodes back made me LOL).

BIGGEST PRO/CONS for the future: Rafael is much more even tempered than Michael. His anger is more likely to come out through sulking, hiding and drinking than in fits of rage. This is a very attractive quality to Jane, and slightly less dangerous. He’s worked really hard to change: the difference between who he was at the beginning and who he is now is very evident. He’s buying a perfect white picket fenced house to live in, essentially for their future. I think his biggest cons are always going to be his family and Petra. I feel bad for Petra but I am NOT okay with the closeness they are at. Tbh, I don’t like the twins storyline at all. The complexity that this brings to his life is trouble. Jane (understandably) gets tired of dealing with it all. It’s kind of strange to think that Rafael just has kids he’s the dad of left and right, but it’s part of the beauty/comedy of this show.

Relationship history worth noting: the fact that he is the father of her child is always going to be his biggest draw. Circling back to the hopeless romantic thing, Rafael really can’t let Jane go. Mateo is rounding on something like 5 or 6 months old, and they’ve been broken up since mid-to-late pregnancy, but he’s not over her at all. He tried dating someone else and just couldn’t do it. He’s trying really hard to be patient and win her back. And that is why I always come back to him. Their lives are entwined together with so much insanity, but it’s a tangled web that Michael is always on the outside of. For those reasons, I am solidly #TeamRafael. Did I convince anyone to join?? Welcome to this side of the ship, it’s a beautiful place to be.

Parting thought: can it really be that Jane could end up with someone other than these two? I saw the grad school professor (Jonathan?) thing coming from the first day we met him.

Looking forward to tonight’s episode on the CW! Thanks for reading!

Downton Abbey Recap: Season 6 Episode 6

• Downton is having an open house to raise money for the hospital and Sickly Lord G, Lady Violet, and Carson are all grumpy about it.
• After all the hospital work they’re losing anyway it seems? Something about it being absorbed. The point is they want Cora to be the new boss, which is gonna make Lady Grantham into forced retirement. She is angry beyond belief, refusing to speak or look at Cora by the end.
• Edith’s asking her man over, and when Mary snips at her, she responds with something to the effect of "oh like he's better than your lowly mechanic." Mary knows and worries about this so, point to Edith (oh snap). Bertie’s comes for his visit and they share a kiss and are generally very adorable together. He’s very cute and cares for the children. @tomandlorenzo on twitter aptly commented “Edith and Mary are both dating male versions of themselves.” It's sticky sweet perfection and I gotta admit I love it.

• Wait, are they trying to make Ms. Patmore and Mr. Mason a thing? I think they are. He brings her a special delivery of fresh farm veggies. She's certainly scoping him out.
• DAISY IS LITERALLY THE WORST TYPE OF BRAT. It’s getting to be insufferable. Still super disappointed by her character development in the last two seasons. Can no one attitude check her anymore? Mrs. Hughes encourages Andy to go to the farm and do pig things and become Daisy’s husband already.
• More of Carson sighing and criticizing Mrs. Hughes’s cooking and housekeeping. She’s pretty much already regretting marrying him, her voice getting octaves higher and he doesn’t notice. It’s not like it’s way out of character for him, it’s just kind of sad. Looking forward to a resolution of this.
• Anna could be having pregnancy problems and Bates and Mary insist she should go to the fancy doctor. Mary: oh good I can see my boyfriend. Go pack me up and do work, maid who is ill and hurting (gotta love the elitist attitude). Anna is all good after all: the pains are normal. It seems this was just a plot point so Mary could see her man.
• Mary giving Tom the side eye at the dinner party so she can have her alone time with Henry was amazing. Henry walks her home, and they share a kiss while hiding from a sudden rainstorm. He’s already talking about making her his wife. He realizes that, while he’s not her ideal husband, he is simply falling in love with her. Which Mary thinks is “rather...compelling.” ME TOO.
• Also, Mary is poking around at every turn trying to get people to confirm what she basically already knows--that Marigold is Edith’s daughter. I’m trying to think of what trouble she will try to stir up with the knowledge...making it public news would only hurt the family as a whole. My best guess is she will tell Bertie, but he’s such a gentleman, I can’t imagine it would sway his affections for Edith.
• Branson and Mary have lots of fun banter. “Who is this reasonable flexible Mary standing before me? Could it be love?” “Oh shut up.” Sidenote, Tom needs a girlfriend, or at least an interesting new project. Is he really going to be this charming loner for the rest of his life?
• Mosley still caring all about Daisy and her schooling. He says it’s because he missed the boat on education as a young lad. The local teacher wants him to help him out around the schoolhouse.
• Thomas: *speaks* Carson: how’s your job search going? (read: why are you still here?) Thomas was also running about with little George on his back - a very precious moment. Mary’s like, hey maybe we can hire him as a nanny for George!
• Both Carson and Ms. Patmore are suspicious of what Thomas is doing sneaking around with "young and impressionable"Andy (he's teaching him how to read on the DL). Carson doesn’t believe his defensive word, and Thomas cries. I really do not understand why he’s so stupid as to wondering why people hate him so much. Because you were constantly lying, cheating, sneaking, and backstabbing for 13 years (I checked timelines), you moron. Try for some remorse fella. Zero sympathy for me. You reap what you sow; I find this plot line very satisfying.

Coming up next week, Mary visiting Henry at the races and Thomas gets more serious about the job search.

Thanks for reading! Tune in next Sunday at 9/8c on PBS!