What I’m Watching: Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey: Season 5, Episode 7 (B+)

It’s strange to think that the member of the extended Crawley-Grantham family with the least significant romantic or family development in this hour is Mary, though even she managed to get rid of one suitor thanks to another’s aggressive actions. Violet hit it on the head when she told Mary that a lack of compassion can be as unattractive as an excess of tears, and Mary truly is turning back into her bratty cruel old self. It’s endearing to see Cora learn the truth and move past being kept in the dark to encourage Edith to bring home the baby and officially adopt her so that she can be part of the family. Let’s hope that Anna has enough sense not to breathe a word of what she saw to Mary since that will just ruin everything. It’s lovely to see Rose and Atticus so happy together, and let’s just hope that nothing ruins that, especially since they seem to be have made it over the religious hurdle. It’s impressive to find someone who can elicit the same rage from both Tom and Robert, and it’s a shame that Isobel had to be his main victim given that she’s never had an improper or selfish thought in her life. Mosley and Baxter traveling with Daisy to William’s father’s home to encourage her to continue her studies was sweet, and it’s nice to see most of the help functioning pretty well to help each other and focus on their homeowning futures in these changing times.