Golly gumdrops, that was an exciting episode!!
Have to admit I got teary-eyed near the end when Edith explained why she came back to attend Mary’s wedding. I have a complex relationship with my sister, and just loved Edith’s comment about how she and Mary need to make the effort to communicate since they will eventually be the only ones with memories of their family and their lives together…Although I’m not sure I could have forgiven witch-Mary for what she did!
Am I the only one who thinks that chemistry between Mary and Henry was sorely lacking? The whole time she was dithering I never had the feeling that you are supposed to have in a romantic conedy/ drama that the two are MEANT to be together despite whatever the present obstacles are, and no matter how insurmountable they may seem. Until they got back together, I actually believed she didn’t really love him at all, despite the views of everyone around them. Very unsatisfying as far as fictional romances go.
I was teary-eyed too… sad to see this end. Its such a FANTASTIC show! What will replace it???
Bertie will have a lot of time to think on the way to and from Tangier - even if he’s flying. I bet Mr. Fellows will wrap this up happily for Edith. (But I wish she had told Bertie how much pressure she was under to give up her baby, etc. I don’t think he had a good grasp of her difficulties.)
Does anyone remember whether any eyebrows were ever raised over the fact that Edith inherited the magazine and the London house from whats-his-name? She wasn’t ever officially engaged to him, was she? You’d think Bertie would have been able to figure out that, at the very least, she and whats-his-name had been very, very close. The fact that some married man left a fortune to a young unmarried woman seems just as scandalous as the fact that they slept together, imo.
Wow… just wow - several times tonight I was in tears. Definitely have to watch that episode again - so much wisdom. That being said, I keep reflecting back on the interview with Julian Fellowes and how he said it doesn’t end well for everyone. Except for Edith, whose relationship with Bertie was doomed anyway because she refused to tell him about Marigold, it looks as if most (but certainly not all) story lines are going to end well. Even Thomas survived the suicide attempt and they had master George and Mary come see him, and his job has been saved for now. Now we need to see if they have some resolution to Daisy/Andrew, Baxter/Moseley, Mrs. Patmore/Mr. Mason, Branson/editor flirtations/attractions.
I, too, have a very complex relationship with a much older brother who had a massive MI almost three weeks ago and has been on life support since. I have serious doubts about whether that relationship will ever be put in repair and I’m OK with that. So I was talking to one of my cousins earlier this week (updating her about my brother) - she and I are the youngest 2 out of 3 first cousins on my mom’s side of the family, with most of them being much older like my brother. We hadn’t really maintained consistent communication over the years - our lives were just very different and geography didn’t help. But she retired a year ago and has no children and I realized that she and I (and her brother who IS the youngest of all those cousins and has no children) could very well be the last ones who survive of our generation, watching our older siblings and cousins go before us, so we vowed from now on to reconnect more often and make more attempts at being part of each other’s lives. We never had a falling out like Mary and Edith, but for many years, we just didn’t see each other or reach out to one another. Those words that Edith said to Mary in that final scene really spoke to me and my relationship with my cousin.
Teriwtt, wishing the best for your brother and peace for you and your sibs/cousins.
Why did Cora laugh so loud about Mrs. Patmore’s story? Did’nt her family have a lot to be laughed at?
My DVR cut off before the end. What happened after the wedding?
I have always like Mary, but I think Edith was right when she called her a *****.
And I do have a soft spot for Mr Barrows and was thankful Miss Baxter was able to be there in time.
I really loved what Edith had to say to Mary when she came back for the wedding. I think Mary has been shocked by Edith’s growth and it has made her quite jealous. I agree with @doschicos - Edith nailed it when she said Mary would be nicer for a bit because she was happy and I loved that she had no expectations that it would last for good. I think she was working her way up to telling Bertie about Marigold, but Mary had to spread misery and just beat her to it. I hope Bertie realizes that Edith putting him off was due to the burden of her secret.
@Barbalot, after the wedding there was a little chit chat between Violet, Robert, & Cora about Edith & her surprises. Kind of a speculation about whether Bertie would return. Then they cut away to Edith happily watching the children play in the cemetery after the wedding. I lost it when they panned in to show they were playing around Sybil’s grave.
According to my DVR schedule, this episode replays next weekend and they announced a new Manners of Downton special for next weekend as well. I guess PBS didn’t want to compete with the Oscars next Sunday and that’s why they are putting us off until March 6th for the finale.
They are?? Damn.
Why is Sybil’s grave above ground? Or is that just an enormous casket-shaped headstone?
I am also wondering why scandal has never broken over Edith inheriting everything from a married man. I’m not even sure it is legal… Gregson’s wife is in a sanitorium somewhere and should legally inherit everything, or at least in a trust for her care. Stretching it a little bit that he somehow got all the paperwork in place before he left to get a divorce.
I was disappointed that they are giving Mary a happy ending. I wanted her to end up alone and think of her powerless once her son comes of age. She is so mean to Edith.
I did love what Edith said about sharing the memories.
I am a little embarrassed to admit how upset I was over the Mary/Edith thing. It just seemed beyond the pale to ruin that for her. I am not someone who needs/wants everything wrapped up all perfectly, so it’s not like it had to be a happy ending, but it was just so so mean and then within minutes Mary is off to get married, la la la. Clearly I have issues lol…
I’m with you, CAMidwestMom! Mary was horrid! I couldn’t believe after all her growth, she would revert back to her old, nasty self. I know my jaw hit the floor. But I admired Edith for her resilience, and the grace she had to come to Mary before the wedding. “You look nice, by the way,” and “we’ll be all that’s left”, etc. And I thoroughly enjoyed Mary getting chewed out by various family members. Long overdue! I didn’t care about her wedding one bit. I still hope Edith’s romance works out and she gets to outrank Mary. Just desserts!
I have no practical idea why Sybil’s grave would be above ground, but I think from a set design perspective it worked as the children played there. They have really tugged at our heart strings with all the reminders of Sybil this season.
" I am hoping her mr. gregson shows up in the last episode"
How long has Gregson been gone? 5 years? 6 years? If he shows up now he’s going to have a lot of 'splaining to do.