What I’m Watching: Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey: Season 3, Episode 5 (B+)

This show has killed off characters before, most memorably Lavinia and William, but not since the show’s opening moments has a beloved member of the Crawley family been taken. It was especially tragic since Robert so stubbornly supported his doctor throughout the whole time that the family doctor was saying that Sybil needed to be treated lest her life be threatened. It’s something that Cora likely won’t forgive Robert for, and that’s going to make things at Downton extremely uncomfortable. Mary catching Matthew during his meeting was also an instance of truly bad timing, and now his active interest in using the money from Lavinia’s father to help Downton is going to be used against him. I have no idea what will become of Tom now that he is a widower and no longer closely tied to the Crawley estate. I had all but forgotten the fact that Thomas is gay, and it seems that his latest love interest does not share his feelings, and that’s something that O’Brien will likely use to her advantage to get Thomas in real trouble. Daisy needs to say something to Alfred before she really manages to alienate him by treating his new crush horribly, and it’s good to see Mrs. Patmore advising her in that manner. Never one to conform to high-class society, Isobel has made her latest revolutionary move, hiring Ethel to work at her house and causing serious social change to occur, utterly horrifying Carson and likely staining the good reputation of the greater Downton estate.