<p>A reminder abiut the original broadcast schedule of the series as I think it does bear on the rhythm of the show. In the UK, this past episode was the season finale and aired in early November. As the finale, the show seems to burst with story lines and ends on a cliffhanger. Then almost two months later, the next (extended length) episode aired on December 25, hence ‘the Christmas special.’ The Christmas specials usually jump ahead in time. I think this next one is set in the following summer. In these days of boxed sets when we can binge view, maybe one could argue that seeing episodes back to back makes no difference, but the big gap between the past episode and the coming one is part of the experience of viewing in the home country …and just imagine what a downer it was on Christmas Day when Matthew was killed off. </p>
<p>Maybe Bates had an old prison buddy knock him off?</p>
<p>I thought of that, but Bates didn’t really seem to have any buddies in prison. Then I thought maybe he had something on someone and got them to kill RMcR in exchange for Bates’ silence, but how could he trust someone like that not to rat him out? I think Oregon’s idea makes sense.</p>
<p>I haven’t read all the posts since the last episode (just watched it this afternoon and am on my way out tonight), so forgive me if anyone has suggested this regarding Green’s murder. Someone like him, likely had many victims, some of who probably would have gone at great lengths to finish him off. So I’m not buying it’s Bates, but it may take a while for them to reveal exactly who it was. </p>
<p>teriwtt, that’s exactly what I was thinking - Anna was not possibly Green’s first victim. Mrs. Hughes knows other Head Housekeepers in the estates that Gillingham is likely to have visited, and could have “made inquiries” to find other victims. Bates is not the only one with motive. </p>
<p>And he would also run the risk of meeting Anna and Mary on the train to or from London; he doesn’t know their exact schedule. It would be very dangerous for him to have traveled to London on such short notice.</p>
<p>As for Mary, not likely. She could hardly have hidden her aristocratic carriage; everything about her screams “Lady”. She has no idea how to blend into a crowd.</p>
<p>If I were Anna, at that time and in her circumstances, and my H killed a man who brutally raped me, I would certainly not think ill of him for that. I would prefer that he control himself so that we could continue to live together, and I would be horrified if I thought he might not get away with it and be jailed or executed.</p>
<p>IRL I would hope that I would go to the police immediately and get the ■■■■■■■ jailed, but things were different then.</p>
<p>Good point re Anna not being the first victim. London is probably crawling with people who have a major grudge against Green.</p>
<p>So, is the next episode 2 hours?
And, yes, it will be the following summer when that awful mother of Cora arrives for the coming out of Rose. We should learn about what happened in Edith’s rest in Switzerland, I imagine it will be likely Mary will have “a” suitor, etc. Smuk, will I be happy at the end?</p>
<p>^^Wow, the American grandmother is coming over all the way from America to attend the coming out of a distant great-niece once removed or whatever she is? Does Mrs. Levinson even know Rose? </p>
<p>She didn’t come over for far bigger events - granddaughter Edith’s jilted-at-the-alter wedding for example.</p>
<p>It’ll be fun to see Shirley McLaine… but overall this season has been a snooze. Disappointed. </p>
<p>She probably wanted to get out of the country to escape her son’s scandal.</p>
<p>Anna is gobsmacked because she did it and she realizes that Bates will be suspect because he took the day off for a jaunt and what if he can’t produce an alibi??? Hence, her concern with “what” he did in York.</p>
<p>Booklady, I noticed the use of “parenting” and how out of place it sounded. I don’t like those type slip ups either. The beauty of this type of production is attention to period detail.</p>
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<p>Mr. Bates seems far too street smart to resort to that. Especially considering how it seems everyone around him is terrible about keeping secrets. And fellow prisoners may be more inclined to spill the beans when most weren’t favorably disposed to him back when he was there. </p>
<p>Gloworm, I couldn’t possibly say! I think Julian Fellowes learned his lesson though from the hue and cry following that very unfestive Christmas special he inflicted on the nation in 2012…</p>
<p>Looking forward to all but Shirley.</p>
<p>I’m not a fan of Shirley Maclaine much at all. Not looking forward to her being in the episode at all. Maybe that means she is well-cast in the role, since the family isn’t looking forward to seeing her either.</p>
<p>Since it’s two hours long, does it start an hour earlier, or does it end an hour later?? (I need to plan my Sunday night.)</p>
<p>I remember being excited the first time Shirley was going to appear on Downton, then being so disappointing. her character on it is so dull. Love Maggie Smith and her character. I was feeling really down in the dumps Sunday (combo of some health and some family issues) and her depressing and perfectly delivered “life is just a series of problems…” made me burst out laughing.</p>
<p>I find Shirley’s character rude and undignified and therefore very annoying.</p>
<p>“Rude and undignified” means that the character is a success. That’s pretty much how many upper class Brits probably viewed Americans, especially parvenus like the Levinsons. </p>
<p>I think Shirley is supposed to be an American a la Molly Brown, or at least the Molly Brown that was depicted in the ‘Unsinkable Molly Brown,’ a characture and not really all that close to the real Margaret Brown. Brash, new money, ill-mannered, not really ‘getting’ the English ways (although Cora is supposed to know and practice all things Brittish).</p>