Life and death weighed in deeply in last week’s episode 4 of Downton Abbey. The birth of Lady Sybil’s daughter and her shocking death overshadowed any of the other plot developments. As the two doctors in attendance stood at her bedside with her family and watched helpless (as did we) as she was overcome with toxemia from eclampsia, I felt that writer Julian Fellowes was using every emotion to rip out our hearts. Sybil was such a kind, sweet soul—a rare commodity at Downton and the world—that her death is doubly hard for all to bear. Here is a link to a lovely tribute video of Lady Sybil created by Masterpiece PBS. Downstairs, the new staff is posturing for position and romance while Miss O’Brien plants the seeds of destruction for her former partner in crime valet Mr. Barrow. Lady’s maid Anna and her husband, former valet Mr. Bates, discover a previously overlooked fact that may overturn his murder conviction of his wife and set him free from jail.
Recap of episode 5 (spoilers ahead)
Lady Sybil has been laid to rest and Downton Abbey will never be the same. The family’s grief and mourning is very acute, especially by her husband Tom Branson whose future there seems uncertain. The baby must be christened and Tom is determined to have her baptized in his own faith. This appalls Lord Grantham who feels her life will be doomed as a “left footer.” Catholicism vs. Anglicism is discussed at dinner upstairs and down and there is a definite division of beliefs. The growing rift between Lord and Lady Grantham over local Dr. Clarkson’s advice to save Sybil vs. the London specialist Dr. Tapsell moves the Dowager Countess to step in and convince Dr. Clarkson to tell her son and daughter-in-law that Lady Sybil was destined to die even with the surgery he recommended. This realization mends the fence and they are reconciled in their grief.
Mrs. Crawley wants to throw a luncheon for the ladies of Downton to ease their suffering and asks her housekeeper Ethel to prepare a simple meal. Ethel is determined that she can cook finer fare than cold ham and a salad and convinces the cook at Downton Mrs. Patmore to coach her. The more elaborate meal surprises Mrs. Crawley and delights her guests until Lord Grantham crashes the party furious that the ladies are endangering the reputation of Downton by associating with a woman who bore a bastard and was previously a prostitute. He insists that they leave immediately, but they refuse. Assistant cook Daisy is still keen on Alfred who is keen on Ivy who is keen on James. Everyone is in love with the wrong person as Mrs. Patmore’s keen eyes so clearly perceive. Mr. Bates’ lawyer interviews his dead wife’s neighbor Mrs. Bartlett and it is not surprise that she has changed her story, most likely tipped off and bribed by that irksome prison guard hounding Bates. Well two can play at this game so Bates threatens his cellmate which turns the tide so the witness can recant and Bates is sprung. It is the only good news at Downton in months.
Favorite Moments:
“Did you hear about Tom’s announcement at breakfast? He wants the child to be a left footer.” – Lord Grantham
It was interesting to see all of the household’s reaction to the Catholic vs. Anglican issue. It helped us remember what era this drama is placed in and how important your choice of faith was.
“My dearest boy. There is no test on earth greater than the one you have been put to. I do not speak much of the heart since it is seldom helpful to do so, but I know well enough the pain when it is broken.” – Violet, Dowager Countess Grantham
A nice mother and son moment from the whisperer of Downton herself.
“You know the trouble with you lot, you’re all in love with the wrong people.” – Mrs. Patmore
Too true – as I mentioned before, Daisy is keen on Alfred who is keen on Ivy who is keen on James. There is another who is also in love with the wrong person too. When will the shoe drop?
“The Dowager Duchess of Norfolk is a dear friend and she is more Catholic than the Pope.” – Violet, Dowager Countess Grantham
Lady Violet is referring to Gwendolen Fitzalan-Howard, 12th Lady Herries of Terregles, The Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. She was a Roman Catholic aristocrat whose family was the model for the Marchmain family in Evelyn Waugh’s novel Brideshead Revisited.
“You are always flabbergasted by the unconventional…not everyone chooses their religion to satisfy Debrett’s.” – Lady Grantham
Lady Grantham is referring to Debrett’s Perrage & Baronetage, a book that is a genealogical reference to the British aristocracy. Austen fans will remember that in Persuasion, Sir Walter Elliot “for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage.” He was a puffed up snob. Lady Grantham’s mention of this is a rub to her husband’s snobbish beliefs reminding him of her American roots and values. Well said Lady Grantham.
“So there’s a country boy inside the revolutionary?” – Matthew Crawley
“Not much of one.” – Tom Branson
“You must hate it here.” – Matthew Crawley
“No. I don’t hate it, but I don’t belong here either.” – Tom Branson
Both Matthew and Tom are outsiders at Downton who have married into the family. This bromance between the two son-in-law’s is developing nicely though it is a bit harder for them to accept the revolutionary Fenian former chauffeur than a middle class former attorney as family.
“I expected her to deny everything once she realized that her testimony would release me.” – Mr. Bates
Mr. Bates’ last chance at freedom does not look promising. Depending on the honesty of his dead wife’s neighbor Mrs. Bartlett who hates him is a long shot.
“Of course, if Mrs. Patmore wants to spend her time frolicking with prostitutes.” – Mr. Carson
“Do I look like a frolicker? – Mrs. Patmore
Caught in the act of visiting Ethel at Crawley House by the disapproving Mr. Carson, Mrs. Patmore back peddles quickly and offers the perfect comeback! Ha!
“It seems such a pity to miss a good pudding.” – Violet, Dowager Countess Grantham
Huzzah! Prostitutes and pudding prevail at Downton! A very tense scene with Lord Grantham crashing the party at Crawley House is softened again by a bon mot by the Dowager Countess. So perfect.
“A fool and his money are soon parted, and I have been parted from my money so I suppose I am a fool.” – Lord Grantham
Again, Lady Mary is discussing money matters with her father. This time she is running defense for her husband Matthew and brother-in-law Tom. She mentions she is always on her father’s team, but this time he is wrong about disapproving of the Catholic christening of baby Sybil, and Matthew’s concerns about the mismanagement of the Downton estate. Both Lord Grantham and Mr. Carson are traditionalists hanging on the past. Is there a message here that Fellowes is foreshadowing?
My Review
Nourishing our bodies and souls are key themes in episode 5 tonight. Food and religion. Two popular topics often debated but never agreed upon.
We see food preparation and its importance in stature through housekeeper Ethel’s desire to improve herself and impress her employer and the ladies at Downton when she makes a fine meal for luncheon and surprises them all. She takes a risk and is rewarded until Lord Grantham imposes his unyielding traditional values while attempting to banish his family from the house because of Ethel’s tainted past. I love the reaction by the Dowager Countess when he uses the “B” word to shame Ethel and Mrs. Crawley for inviting the ladies to lunch. Priceless!
Food is also an important plot axis in Mr. Bates’ fate too. The newly discovered fact of poisoned pie that his wife baked for herself that her neighbor Mrs. Bartlett mentions might set him free. And, Daisy the assistant cook who thinks she will spend her whole life in the preparation of food may have another option when her father-in-law offers her his tenancy at the farm including equipment and money. She would be an heiress of sorts – not on the scale of the Downton ladies – but still quite a step up from kitchen duties and a life in service. Now, let’s Segway to another dinner at Downton where the topic of religion is so prominent. The local vicar’s opinions of Catholicism vs. Anglicism is not only startling to today’s ears but to some family members in 1920 too. It was a great way for screenwriter Fellowes to show us how religion, values, character, and food are so important to all and how things have not changed as much as they should have in one hundred years.
I was a bit taken aback by Lord Grantham tonight. He has never been one of those cool, calm, stiff upper lip Englishmen types that the nation is so famous for, but geesh, his temper really blew in all directions: mad at Tom, mad at Lady Mary, mad at Matthew, mad at Isobel etc. The only family member who didn’t get their ears boxed was Lady Edith who is usually the whipping boy in the family! I presume it was amplified by the grief of the loss of his daughter Lady Sybil. It was interesting to see Lady Grantham deal with her own grief in the totally opposite way by being controlled and quiet – dolling out her anger in small bursts focused on one person, her husband.
The death of Lady Sybil was a deep blow to the series and I was concerned about how they could move past it. She was such a sweet character and so admired. Only the good die young.
Downton Abbey Twitter Party
Join me as I co-moderate the live Downton Abbey Twitter parties every Sunday through February 17, 2013 at 9:00pm eastern and again during the Pacific coast time slot. Just use hashtag #DowntonPBS and add @pbs, @masterpiecepbs, @austenprose, @televisionary, @tomandlorenzo and @vulture to your favorite Twitter aggregator such as Tweetdeck, Tweetgrid, etc. It’s great fun, and totally free.
Episode 6 of season 3 of Downton Abbey airs next Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 9:00pm ET & PT (check your local listings).
Further reading:
- Read my review of Downton Abbey S3E4
- Upstairs at Downton Abbey – A Cast Preview
- Downstairs at Downton Abbey – A Cast Preview
- Visit Downton Abbey at Masterpiece Classic online
- Visit our Downton Abbey archives
Images courtesy © Carnival Film & Television Limited 2012 for MASTERPIECE
["The growing rift between Lord and Lady Grantham over local Dr. Clarkson’s advice to save Sybil vs. the London specialist Dr. Tapsell moves the Dowager Countess to step in and convince Dr. Clarkson to tell her son and daughter-in-law that Lady Sybil was destined to die even with the surgery he recommended. This realization mends the fence and they are reconciled in their grief."]
Frankly, I thought it was cowardly of Fellowes to nip this potential conflict between the Earl and Countess before it could be fully explored in future episodes. Very cowardly.
When the Dowager and her son have the conversation about “our people are not unhappily married” and suggests that Cora could visit that woman in America, I thought for a moment that Fellowes was planting the seed for a spinoff. Lady Grantham could visit her mother in Newport and take Edith to find her a new beau. I agree. I think a big opportunity was lost in cutting this riff off so quickly.
I’ll dwell on what I consider some positives: Matthew declaring his love for Mary as they lay close to each other in their bed. (finally, a little romance)
Bates risking all to physically threaten his jail tormenter and thereby springing his release. Poor Ethel getting some support from some of the most unlikely people. I also hope and wish for Edith to play a more prominent role in her family and to be a positive and unifying influence.
Poor Lord Grantham and Carson! The world is changing much too rapidly before them. It shows in Carson who is irritated by just about everyone around him, even his closest people. Same for Lord Grantham. He is losing his traditional clout and authority as centuries-old societal mores crumble around his family and staff.
My wife and I even considered suspending our watching Downton Abbey following the death of beloved Sybil. We both need some comic relief and happiness to balance out the unrelenting sadness of previous episodes.
To quote Lady Mary to Sybil on Mary’s wedding day “Thank you for always being so sweet.” Yes, the sweetest and most forward thinking of the Crawley sisters has died and will be greatly missed. I especially remember the scene where Cora watched her beloved youngest daughter taking a cooking lesson from Mrs. Patmore.
Julian Fellowes is showing how older men like Lord Grantham and Carson had trouble adjusting to changes in their world after the Great War. The women both upstairs and downstairs seem to be making a better adjustment. Even Violet, the Dowager Duchess is more open minded than her son.
I was pleased Screen Actors Guild gave the best cast in a drama award to Downton Abbey. The story may veer out of control at times but that cast is rock solid.
Perhaps not many of you watch The Mentalist, but the new footman James looks so much like a junior version of Simon Baker who stars in that series as Patrick Jane.
Yes he does look like Simon Barker. I could not think who he reminded me of– thank you for making that connection!
I don’t think it was cowardly of Fellowes to move away from Cora’s anger and grief. Once a character becomes intrenched in bitterness, it’s no fun for anyone because bitterness is a particular sort of blindness that, in my experience, isn’t gradually moved out of. Cora had quickly reached the point at which, IMO, Lord Grantham could be against sacrificing cats on the dining room table and Cora would have been all for it. I think this was the move of a writer who has a lot more story to tell.
Just an observation- Robert cried like a baby when he thought he was about to lose Downton and then not even one tear for his daughter while dying or after her death. I’m disappointed. I don’t feel as though he loves anyone, his wife, his daughters, his heir; has he no feeling for anyone or anything other than his title and estate?!
Did you see the earl and his wife sobbing in each other’s arms at the end of last night’s episode? I think his guilt and grief were so unbelievably crushing that he was unable to let go and express his feelings until his mother prevailed on the doctor to say what he did.
That could very well be. I do know that he loved his daughter very much, I was just hoping for a little more emotion from him at the time of her death.
I thought this was the best episode of the season so far. Though it was heartbreaking to lose Sybil, I liked seeing how each member of the family, upstairs and down, dealt with their grief. Even Thomas forgot to be snide and scheming. I would have thought O’Brien would have had more compassion for Her Ladyship though. I didn’t like the Earl and Carson losing their tempers at the stupidest things, but I did like the way it demonstrated change and the inability to cope with the new world. (Carson’s eyebrows are priceless. Do they have a Twitter account?) I could do without the as the servants turn love triangle but it’s nice to know Daisy has more options than being in service her whole life. It would be hard work to run a farm but she’d be her own boss. I’d take it if I were her. Poor Ethel. I don’t entirely feel sorry for her but I think giving up her child was enough punishment and she shouldn’t have to suffer any more. At least the ladies are going to bat for her. This episode was also one of the best acted episodes of all three seasons. I thought the actors did a superb job portraying a grieving family adjusting to change.
I thought the episode was really good. (I couldn’t care less about football, so it was no struggle to miss the Super Bowl.) I’m so excited when it’s time to watch, but I know the season is ending soon and it makes me sad. Last night’s episode flew by. I love that the women of Downton are standing up for Tom and his decisions about baby Sybil. I was surprised that Matthew would suggest that Tom leave the baby at Downton while he moved to Liverpool for work. It might seem logical to Matthew, but the man just lost his wife and the only person who was truly on his side. I hope they don’t part Tom and baby Sybil in future episodes. One of the funniest moments for me and my sister was when Ethel was begging Mrs. Patmore for help and asked if mrs. Patmore thought she was going to corrupt her. Hilarious. I’m glad Daisy is being offered an out from a life in service. It may not be what she imagined for her future, but it would allow her more freedom than she currently has. I hope she takes the offer. Can’t wait for next week’s epsiode!
I think Matthew was just expressing a desire to help. But I do agree, Tom and the sweet new baby should not be seperated and I hope, as you do, they don’t plan to do so in the future. I would like to see Tom stick around rather than move to Liverpool.
Hi Grace, nice to see you here again. I appreciate your comments. I did not watch the super bowl either, but was tweeting during the east coast airing when the twitter account @MissOBriensBangs tweeted that she caused the blackout.Hilarious!
There were many funny moments like the one your described with Mrs. Patmore and Ethel during this episode. I particularly liked Mrs. Patmore’s comment about not being a frolicker and Ivy’s comeback about a cat staring at a King. it was a nice break from the grief felt by all for Lady Sybil.
The women ruled in this episode. Loved it!!
Great epi. But I still wish someone would kill off Bates. Ugh– so tiresome. (I’ll duck now from the onslaught of tomatoes sure to come at me.)
I liked the Bates and Anna love story, but the murder rap has been too tiresome. Now that he is sprung from the hoosegow, maybe we will get back to the romance?
["I don’t think it was cowardly of Fellowes to move away from Cora’s anger and grief. Once a character becomes intrenched in bitterness, it’s no fun for anyone because bitterness is a particular sort of blindness that, in my experience, isn’t gradually moved out of. Cora had quickly reached the point at which, IMO, Lord Grantham could be against sacrificing cats on the dining room table and Cora would have been all for it. I think this was the move of a writer who has a lot more story to tell."]
Any good writer worth his or her salt could have written an effective storyline regarding Cora and Robert’s grief. But Fellowes refused to do so. Why? I don’t know. Perhaps he couldn’t deal with the idea of Cora’s continuing contempt toward Robert. I’m sorry, but I disagree with you. Fellowes was a true coward for refusing to continue this storyline, as far as I’m concerned. Nor am I thrilled with his handling of Thomas’ storyline. After his experiences with Mr. Pamuk, one would think Thomas was a little more discreet about his homosexuality, considering he could be jailed for his sexual preference. Instead, Fellowes had him behave like a sexual predator.
God! This series has not been the same since Season 1.
[" Now that he is sprung from the hoosegow, maybe we will get back to the romance?"]
My prediction? Their romance is going to be a big fat nothing with the pair mooning at each other every time they’re on the screen together.
Overall, I really liked this episode. I’m thoroughly enjoying this whole Daisy/Alfred/Ivy/Jimmy/Thomas “love triangle” and am curious to see how it resolves and what O’Brien has planned. I’m so relieved Bates is finally out of jail; it will be interesting to see how things develop downstairs at Downton now that he’s back. The only thing that annoyed me in this episode was how Lord Grantham acted like a jerk. Matthew and Mary (who were my favorites in Season 1 and 2) have certainly become less interesting and I think a lot of the servants’ plot lines are more intriguing at this point. Anyone else rooting for a Carson/Mrs. Hughes romance? :) :) :)
I am! When she had her medical crisis watching his reactions and the end result has him singing like a songbird
Oh yes! That was fabulous :)
I agree with Jeffrey that the bedroom scene with Matthew and Mary was something most of us have waited two and a half seasons to see.
My wife voiced the thought, when she saw Mary holding the baby, that maybe Mary and Matthew will end up (temporarily) with little Sybil. Anyone else consider this a possibility?
Presto! Just what I’ve been thinking…..all of the snippets alluding to Mary & Mathew’s possible infertility – the final scene with Tom looking onto the couple holding & clearly adoring his child – yes, it is definitely the set-up of things to come. And let’s face it, that will leave Tom free to head off into the sunset (or Liverpool)……because without Lady Sybil at his side, he is rather a bore or is that boor?
Mary and Matthew would love little Sybil, and give her everything she needs. It would add some peace to the troubled storyline.
Episode 6: Lord Grantham grows a mustache & goes to luncheon with Mr. Bryant where they play a guessing game – Who Bore a Bastard Child.
How did the dowager countess convince the doctor to lie? That was the piece that bothered me most, in interest of the medical truth and standing up to medical arrogance, I hate that he had to sacrifice his beliefs.
She is the benefactress of his hospital!
In the end though I don’t think he lied, she asked him to do some research and give them the results of what he found out. In doing some more research on the subject he did discover that it was very unlikely a c-section would have saved her life. So I don’t think it was a lie, just the results of further research on the matter.
The way he hesitated and glanced at the dowager made me think he was not believing it totally
I just took that as him acknowledging that she was right in urging him to do more research into past cases. But could be wrong.
Matthew may think that while Tom is trying to get settled, it would be hard for him to care for a newborn baby. I don’t think he intends a permanent separation. I’ll be surprised if Mary and Matthew end up raising baby Sybil however. And I’m not convinced Matthew has an infertility problem. As for naming the baby Sybil, I think it’s a lovely memorial to her darling mother. It’s just what I would have done.
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