Review: Downton Abbey: Season 4

Oy. After all the death and craziness of Season 3 (especially that finale…), the family is all off kilter now. It takes a bit to settle, and then of course we’re on for all the more trouble.

Highlights:

Rose brings a touch of chaos Sybil never could. I’m glad they didn’t clone her. Rose is fun.
Man, Anna and Bates just don’t get an easy life, do they…
Tom is in such a weird situation… I’m liking his role as a sort of inbetween, of both worlds and neither. Working with Mary too. I’m … curious where it goes next though.
Edith… has no manner of luck. Oh Edith.

It’s a good show. I’m looking forward to Season 5!

Episode #4.1

All that effort by Matthew to get the estate moving in the right direction… and now baby George owns 1/3 of it all.

Oh Mary. The darkness of her. It makes for rather a contrast to her earlier bite. And poor Mr. Carson. Hopefully she’ll take an interest in the house.

Also, the politics of a nanny in the house. Turns out they’re neither family nor staff. And on the wrong side of Thomas. Always a painful place to be…

On top of that, a surprise departure… I’ll not over sad to see Mrs. O’Brien go as well. Rose trying to help is fun. She’s going to be an interesting addition to the family I think. They could use a bit of chaos.

Episode #4.2

A letter from Matthew! Oh now that’s timing.

Bates, trying to the right thing. The both of them. It’s cute watching Anna helping out Rose, oh how that’s going to explode at some point.

Also… Edna. Oh that is a thing. I miss O’Brien…

Episode #4.3

Violet: Don’t call her “Your Grace.” Tom: I thought it was correct. Violet: For a servant or an official at a ceremony, but in a social situation call her “Duchess.” Tom: But why don’t I call you “Countess?” Violet: Certainly not! Tom: There’s no logic in it. Violet: If I were to ever search for logic I wouldn’t look for it among the English upper class.

Oh Tom. Violet is a delight.

Having so very many guests staying over is quite the thing…

Mary maybe moving on… it’s been six months and three episodes. Bit of whiplash there.

Mr. Bates jealousy is… kinda weird. Even if eventually more than justified. Oy.

Yay visiting singer!

Episode #4.4

Thomas Barrow: What’s the matter with everyone this merry morn? Mr. Carson: I always think there’s something rather foreign about high spirits at breakfast.

Oh Mr. Carson.

And then there’s Edna. Oy. I do expect we’re not supposed to like her. They did it well at that.

And then the Bates’. Oy. Another step after so much for the both of them. And I expect more before all is said and done. Oy oy.

And then another proposal. Here we go again?

Mr. Carson: The business of life is the acquisition of memories. In the end, that’s all there is.

Episode #4.5

Oh Anna. There aren’t really good options, I suppose. But, oh Anna. She wasn’t at all wrong about Mr. Bates’ violent tendencies… but a yay of sorts?

So… Did he kill his (first) wife?

Episode #4.6

Lady Grantham and Isobel are wonderful together.

Anna and Bates, as well. I hope one day they can heal.

And finally, Alfred and Daisy. I do wonder if we’ll see him again…

Just kidding. More controversy for the family! Been a while since we’d heard of Mary’s after all.

Episode #4.7

Lord Grantham goes to America! And pigs come to Downton.

Mary and the pigs was delightful.

Mary (in full Mary voice): I’m not going. They’re my pigs.

Poor Edith, but yay family.

Oh this show.

Episode #4.8

Edith might have plans! Oh Edith.

Rose might have plans! Oh Rose.

And then there’s Daisy. Oh she’s grown—and I’m not sure what to think about it. She’s good people though, in the end.

Also, Violet is delightful. She seems so aloof and clueless sometimes. And sometimes, sharp as a tack.

And finally… the sheer whiplash of the last ten minutes. Oh this slow sometimes.

The London Season

It’s quite a thing to realize that all the differences we’ve seen between the family at Downton Abbey and everyone else in the show… well there are apparently levels and levels above them too.