Isis. 
I have a senior dog too, and she had an especially tough day today.
I love how the Lord and Lady both love the dog and she requests that he keep the dog in their bed between them. Yet they only visit their grandchildren formally once or twice a day. Haha
I don’t know. I think sleeping with a dog in the bed is much less annoying than sleeping with a little kid; they kick far too much.
^ My husband said the same when we were watching this evening. And that they shared more concern about Isis than Edith!
Frankly, at this point I have more concern about Isis than Edith. She is still behaving like an idiot.
Isis :’(
three cheers for Cora
I dont know if “Queen of the Quip” showed before tonight. What a hoot! http://video.pbs.org/video/2365362270/
So much happened in last night’s episode and all you guys can talk about is the damn dog??!
Rose is going to marry Atticus. His father is not happy at all.This cannot go well.
Marigold is going to stay at Downton, while Tom takes Sybbie to America. This means that Marigold and George will grow up together. This cannot go well.
Mary is now smitten with Charles Blakely but he is going off to Poland for a long time – maybe a year. This cannot go well.
I loved seeing Edith in “work clothes” at the offices of the publishing company! She looked so competent and comfortable!
How lovely that Daisy and Mr. Farmer (what’s his name??) get on so well. Something big is brewing for Daisy; I wonder what it will be. Maybe she’ll become a political firecracker. Hey, maybe it’ll be Tom and Daisy who wind up together!! (I don’t really think that.)
And the dinner scene with Lord Merton’s children!! Oh my goodness, who raised those “boys” to be so incredibly rude and self-centered?! The wedding between Isobel and Lord Merton is not going to take place now, and Isobel will be so sad. Lord Merton should have taken those “boys” to the woodshed. That was some dinner!!
Touching that Violet acknowledged to Mary that she was sad to be losing Isobel as a companion. Well, maybe that won’t happen after all.
What’s up with Poland? Is he trying to leave the show as well? Will he disappear to give Mary a taste of her own medicine?
I think that Violet will somehow intervene and encourage Isobel to marry Lord Merton, rising above her own self-interests.
Poor Isis!
I assume that both of Lord Mertons sons still live at home. Isobel should run! Think of how meals will go every single day. And when Lord Merton passes o can’t imagine that she would be treated anything but terribly.
Violet’s confession to Mary that she’s sad to lose Isobel as a companion was so touching to me. We’ve said it a million times, but Maggie Smith is SOO good.
I loved the dinner scene – Lord Merton’s sons were such believable villains! Lord Merton should exercise the nuclear option and disinherit his sons. The eldest would still get the title but Merton could separate the title and estate if he wanted. He could leave the estate to Isobel, and then it would go to George. Unless she donated it to some charity project first. That would show those snotty sons!
Love Atticus!
And Edith looked beautiful in her blue hat and coat. The costume designers should be nicer to her all the time.
Violet can always feed Isobel some snappy comebacks to the horrid son.
Mary will figure out Marigold is Edith’s kid.
I don’t really think Blake is going to Poland–I think he’s working on the “absence makes the heart grow fonder” angle to move Mary. He’s doing a great job of manipulation.
“Mary will figure out Marigold is Edith’s kid.”
This.
I really enjoyed the episode - except for the Mr. Green storyline. I am hoping last night will be the last we will ever hear about it.
Well, since Anna saw the baby switch on the train with Mr. Drewe, it is only a matter of time before this loose end unravels.
I agree.
My 13-year-old had a big scare a few months ago. Almost pulled the plug but it was a herniated disk, not cancer for which he has rehabbed well–although not to his previous level of functioning. Didn’t let him watch last night’s episode.
Is the door still open for the doctor and Isobel?
In the preview for next week’s episode there’s Robert looking at Marigold and saying she reminds him of someone–or words to that effect.
Interesting how many people are named after flowers: Marigold, Daisy, Rose, Violet, and Ivy (ok, a plant).
Barrow is now underbutler, but it’s kind of unclear exactly what his duties are.
Will Mosely and Baxter hook up, or is he trying to move in on Daisy? Comically inept and clueless.
I hope Spratt isn’t leaving. After the Dowager, he has the best face reactions on the show.
I was disappointed in last night’s episode. For one thing, the dog-in-the-bedroom scene was rather unbelievable for that time period. Viewing animals as family is a more recent evolution, and I agree they seemed more emotionally invested in Isis than in Edith’s predicament. Secondly, an unmarried Edith wanting to adopt a child is so outrageous a plan, that it seems to me both Mary and Robert should have responded more harshly. Even Violet should have pretended to be disapproving. And no one questioned why the previously strong and protective mother Mrs. Drewe, who told Edith to get lost many times, would suddenly decide to give up her child? Third, would anyone of that epoch really have behaved as rudely in public as Merton’s sons did? I’m not sure, but to me their comments would have been more believable had they been said in privately to their father in Isobel’s hearing. Also, too many characters have gone soft lately. Violet is one, though she was quite charming in her affection for Isobel. But Thomas is less villainous now, Baxter and Mosely have been made more appealing, Carson is less gruff and bossy, Mrs. Patmore has lost her edge as the huffy, officious cook, Bates is just annoying rather than malevolent in his touchy up-tightness, and Mary opts to sneak around a low class movie theater to kiss a man who isn’t her beau, rather than cuttingly telling off Gillingham or ridiculing his sexual prowess, as only she could have Speaking of Gillingham, the same man who for honor’s sake supposedly can’t bring himself to “let Mary go,” is fine with taking Mabel out on a date?
I’m finding the whole Mary/Tony/Mabel/Charles business silly. Also, though Mary is prettier than Edith, I don’t understand why Edith isn’t being pursued by anyone “eligible.” I guess we’re supposed to go along with the assumption that she’s the ugly spinster type. She’s really quite sweet.