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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:27 pm
- Spoiler:
I agree that Lady Edith should go to America - she might have a lot more fun, and better prospects, in America!! And her American grandmother might value her more than her immediate family.
I do think, though, that with the debacle of her wedding, the writers have sunk to the level of soap opera. I remember reading, years ago, that if an engagement was broken, the lady had to be the one to break it, "because no gentleman would offer such an affront to a lady." Presumably a gentleman breaking an engagement cast doubts on the lady's virtue, and no "true gentleman" would be so offensive. Although Sir Anthony wasn't casting doubts on Lady Edith's virtue when he stopped the wedding, it seemed out of character for so kind a man, and for a gentleman of that era, to wait until he and Edith are at the altar, and then say he can't go through with the marriage.
I just couldn't see him humiliating her in that way.
And the deathbed letter from Lavinia to her father also seemed like soap opera. Now Matthew can accept the money and magically save the day (sigh). I think it would have been better drama if the family actually worked to save the estate and make it pay it's way - or let it go.
I also thought the new house looked pretty fine! Imagine living in such a style that it would seem "cramped," to quote Mary.
I made the mistake of reading some reviews of season 3 on Amazon, with definite spoilers!
Did anyone see the show just before this week's episode, about the American heiresses marrying the British aristocrats? I only caught the last half-hour, but it was interesting!
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:34 pm
The big Lady Sybil spoiler seemed to be posted everywhere, so I do know what's coming there. However, I haven't seen any others.
About Lady Edith's future ... I would not be surprised if Edith were to be the sister who comes out "on top," in the long run. Perhaps she will be the sister who eventually has a son to inherit Downton! I'm betting that, in the end, she will do something great. Perhaps she will be the one to help prove Bates is innocent and spring him from prison.
I still think Bates's life is in danger in prison, and I still believe Sir Richard had something to do with Vera's death, even if he didn't personally kill her. (I'm not convinced that he didn't, mind you. We know he was ruthless with Mary, and he had something on Lady Lavinia, as well. He was seen threatening Vera with regard to the info on Bates, so ... we know that was a possibility, even if the police do not know.)
- Spoiler:
- I was surprised by what happened with Lady Edith. Initially, I did not like Edith's character. Of course, early on, I didn't much like Lady Mary's stuck-up, mercenary treatment of Matthew, either. I was surprised when her character began to take a more "human" turn. I feel her opinions on Matthew's inheritance are more in keeping with the "early Mary" we initially met. I agree that making the estate pay is the smarter option.
Lady Edith, after a bad first season, seemed to embody what I've come to expect (through my reading and study of English literature and history) of the "great lady" of a great mansion house. When I think back through novels and history I've studied, it does seem that the "great ladies" of great homes were competent nurses household managers and often acted as such to the poor and the tenants on their land. We saw that Lady Edith wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty doing many different chores that needed doing, including nursing. Ditto Sybil.
Lady Mary seems to take after her granny in the snobbery department. While Matthew has mellowed Mary considerably, she still has that inner core of upper class snobbery that I doubt will ever vanish entirely. I still believe life is going to come crashing down on Matthew and Lady Mary. I don't for a minute believe his ordeal in the war was his big moment of suffering.
About Lady Edith's future ... I would not be surprised if Edith were to be the sister who comes out "on top," in the long run. Perhaps she will be the sister who eventually has a son to inherit Downton! I'm betting that, in the end, she will do something great. Perhaps she will be the one to help prove Bates is innocent and spring him from prison.
I still think Bates's life is in danger in prison, and I still believe Sir Richard had something to do with Vera's death, even if he didn't personally kill her. (I'm not convinced that he didn't, mind you. We know he was ruthless with Mary, and he had something on Lady Lavinia, as well. He was seen threatening Vera with regard to the info on Bates, so ... we know that was a possibility, even if the police do not know.)
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Mrs. Sirius Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:27 am
Love it, love it. Ed Speleers who played Eragon is the new, what footman? Well he is a cutie. What a fall from Dragonslayer to servant! Glad Edith is finding her voice.
The financial thing is really interesting with Lord Grantham and Lady Mary one side Matthew on the other.
The financial thing is really interesting with Lord Grantham and Lady Mary one side Matthew on the other.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:36 pm
Downton was interesting last night.
- Spoiler:
- I couldn't believe Lady Mary's response to Matthew's findings. I'd think that she--as the one who was so vehement about not letting Downton go--would be interested in what could be done to save it and make it self-sustaining. Yet she kind of pooh-poohed what he said! It seems to me that if Downton continues as it has, then they will be facing the same problem again in a few years. Who will bail her out then?
It looks as if Alfred could hold the key to taking Thomas down. hehe I can't stand that worm anyway! It also looks as if the new footman is going to be a big disappointment to the housemaids, doesn't it?
Branson ... he just keeps digging and digging, doesn't he? It sounds as if he is bent on going back to Ireland, despite the fact that he will be arrested the moment he sets foot on shore. I can't help feeling he won't be with us long, either because he is tossed into jail, killed in some revolutionary violence, or executed for a crime. I should think he would have more value for his wife and child and more consideration for her feelings at this time. I think he has pretty well burned any bridges he might have made with the family.
I felt sorry for poor Ethel last night. Her child's grandmother seems like a genuinely good and compassionate soul, but the grandfather is just plain mean. Since he will denigrate Ethel at any opportunity, I can only hope Granny takes every opportunity to say positive things about her as the child grows up. I confess, the shocked reaction of so many of the household staff to Ethel's descent into prostitution to put food on the table and a roof over her child surprised me ... until I remembered the times. Given that her actions today wouldn't raise much of a ruckus unless drugs were involved, it shows how desensitized we, as a society, have become to anything smacking of a "moral code."
Bates ... I hope he gets out soon. If he doesn't, I fear he will die in prison at the hand of that creep with whom he shares a cell. After all, the guy isn't going to be out of there forever.
Good old Edith ... I hope her new fame brings her some happiness.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:50 pm
- Spoiler:
I'm really puzzled by the writers' development of Branson. If he is so anti-aristocracy, then why did he take a job as chauffeur to an earl in the first place? Given his current attitudes, wouldn't he have seen his wages as being like "blood money?" His pay coming off the backs of the poor and downtrodden? Maybe the change in his opinions/beliefs took place off-camera, as it were, but it doesn't tie in very will with his character in the first season, especially as he married the earl's daughter. And in Season 1, he was very concerned to get Sibyl out of the political melee where she was injured. Given how he behaves now, you'd think he'd be a part of the gang starting the fight, and he doesn't seem too concerned with what happens to Sibyl.
I'm also surprised at Lady Mary & Lord Grantham, regarding the running of the estate. They seem to want to hold on to the estate so badly - but do they care about the actual estate, or their position and title? If Lord Grantham feels it's his "life's work" (season one), then why isn't he doing a better job? Granted - after the loss of young men to WW1, there could be fewer young workers and depressed economic conditions, but Lord Grantham doesn't seem to be aware of what's going on.
I hope Lady Edith finds a career for herself. Actually, given her farm and tractor work during the war, maybe she should take over the management of the estate!
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Mrs. Sirius Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:30 pm
oops, let's try that again.
Lady Arabella wrote:
- Spoiler:
I'm really puzzled by the writers' development of Branson. If he is so anti-aristocracy, then why did he take a job as chauffeur to an earl in the first place? ......
I'm also surprised at Lady Mary & Lord Grantham, regarding the running of the estate. They seem to want to hold on to the estate so badly - but do they care about the actual estate, or their position and title? If Lord Grantham feels it's his "life's work" (season one), then why isn't he doing a better job? Granted - after the loss of young men to WW1, there could be fewer young workers and depressed economic conditions, but Lord Grantham doesn't seem to be aware of what's going on.
I think Lady Mary and Lord Grantham's behavior show how those estates
ended up as they did. These people had very little idea of how the world
really worked. For centuries they "just had everything" they didn't
need to sit down and balance the books. It was all on a silver platter.
In the first two episodes listening to Lady Mary trying to find the
money to keep going, it occurred to me that the grand manors were
replaced in society by corporations, just without the personal touch.
She said they had a responsibility to the servants they employed in the
house, in the village to keep them employed. They behemoth homes were
replaced by behemoth companies. They companies though owe their loyalty
to the shareholders.
As for Branson, the Irish felt the British
were an occupying foreign force in Ireland. When he was working in
England, he was away from his own country, so it may have been easier to
work for them.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Tue Jan 22, 2013 4:32 pm
Mrs. Sirius, that is a very interesting observation! A modern corporation, especially when it's the major employer in a small town, is very similar. And the CEO's typically live in a manner very different from the main body of workers, and have no idea how the rest of the world lives.
From an American mindset, with a corporation focusing on economic profit, or at least efficiency, it's hard to understand why the "CEO's" of an estate wouldn't make the estate profitable. But trying to think like a medieval person, the titles and estates were grants from the monarch to supporters - or acquired through marriage. In exchange, the nobility had to provide a certain number of knights in arms if the king went off to war. I suppose if one never had to pay for the land, or work to acquire it, the profitability of the estate isn't part of the equation. The nobility would think "ownership," not "stewardship," and they didn't acquire the land from the perspective of earning a living off of it.
From an American mindset, with a corporation focusing on economic profit, or at least efficiency, it's hard to understand why the "CEO's" of an estate wouldn't make the estate profitable. But trying to think like a medieval person, the titles and estates were grants from the monarch to supporters - or acquired through marriage. In exchange, the nobility had to provide a certain number of knights in arms if the king went off to war. I suppose if one never had to pay for the land, or work to acquire it, the profitability of the estate isn't part of the equation. The nobility would think "ownership," not "stewardship," and they didn't acquire the land from the perspective of earning a living off of it.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:10 pm
- Spoiler:
I agree. Her attitude toward marriage (more practical, less romantic) reminds me a little of Charlotte Lucas in P&P. Perhaps her common sense will allow her to help make some much needed changes in how Downton is run. As a daughter of the house, she might know better ways to make things happen than Matthew, who is accustomed to living with less.Lady Arabella wrote:... given her farm and tractor work during the war, maybe [Edith] should take over the management of the estate!
I don't think all Lords and Ladies are as uninformed about the running of their estates as the Granthams. Lady Mary actually reminds me a bit of Mary Crawford. (In fact, the Mary/Edmund relationship is much like the Lady Mary/Matthew one.) MC was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and she doesn't really care about the day to day running of estates. She wants what she wants when she wants it, and she doesn't want to think about how it arrives; she says as much in conversation with Fanny, Edmund, and her own sister. Sir Thomas Bertram, on the other hand, is deeply involved in the running of his estate (Mansfield Park), as are Darcy (Pemberley) and Mr. Knightley (Donwell Abbey). Those three are knowledgeable, hands-on masters of their estates. Lord Grantham seems not to have this particular bent, and Lady Mary ... well, as I say, she reminds me of Mary Crawford, and we know where her philosophies ultimately took her relationship with Edmund.
When an estate has a history, as Downton seems to have, surely it was once managed as well as Pemberley, Donwell, etc. This makes me wonder which generation let it get so out of hand. Was it the current one? Are they so wrapped up in what goes on in the house that they have no interest in the estate itself? Was the war to blame? Or was it solely those bad investments? I'm curious to know how long the estate has been in trouble.
Okay, more later ...
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Wed Jan 23, 2013 9:45 pm
- Spoiler:
Well, the estate was in trouble in Robert's father's time, since Robert needed Cora's money. But the writers have never given us much of an idea about the estate itself, apart from the house and the characters. Coming from a practical, farming background, I'm curious. Is the revenue mostly from rents? Was any land sold to the railroad in the 1800's? Are there sheep to generate income from wool? Any piratical ancestors who looted property from the Dissolution of the Monasteries? The name "Downton Abbey" implies the land or buildings once belonged to a religious order. Were there any Regency lords who gambled away a fortune? Someone must have had money at some point. But I am liking the idea of Lady Edith taking over - I wonder if the writers will take suggestions?
We also haven't been told much about the house itself - when construction began, how long it took, how easily was it modernized, for example when the electricity was put in. Maybe British writers think their audience already knows a lot about those things, or more probably, they think they audience is more concerned about the human characters. But the house/estate to me is also a character in the drama, because so much of the story revolves around holding on to the estate, and who the heir will be.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:38 am
- Spoiler:
- I wonder if they were slow to embrace electricity. Remember how timid Carson was about the addition of telephones, back in the first season (or was it early in the second)? I wondered, too, about the Abbey part of the name.
I went looking for some information on how/when the Grantham family acquired Downton and I found this article--Where Does Lord Grantham Get the Money to Support Downton Abbey?--which might be of interest. It still doesn't answer my query ... or even the title question! LOL But it does show that others are interested in knowing how the Abbey supports itself!
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:56 pm
Solitaire, that was an interesting article! And what struck me is how relevant it is to today's world - in the sense that products and food are being shipped at great distance, from areas of cheaper labor, and undermining the local economy. Even in California, a prime agricultural area, our markets are full produce from Chile! (Of course it's summer in Chile when it's winter here, but we also get a lot of produce from Mexico.)
(I didn't put this in a spoiler box, since it didn't pertain to the show)
(I didn't put this in a spoiler box, since it didn't pertain to the show)
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Right-side Upton Abbey
Lady Arabella Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:50 pm
Sesame Street's take on Downton Abbey. Too funny!
"On your head, mum."
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/downton-abbey-gets-sesame-street-treatment-video-200451437.html
"On your head, mum."
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/downton-abbey-gets-sesame-street-treatment-video-200451437.html
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Fri Feb 01, 2013 10:38 pm
I take it that's Maggie Smith's character ... Violet! 
Solitaire- Seventh Year
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Mon Feb 04, 2013 11:10 am
Wow! Last night was certainly packed with lots of goodies. Read at your own risk.
- Spoiler:
- I think I see what O'Brien is up to with Thomas and the new footman, Jimmy, who has already complained twice about Thomas's "familiar" manner and touching. I think O'Brien is setting up Thomas for a nasty (and probably public this time) fall. I don't like Thomas or O'Brien, either, but lying and cover-ups haven't served this family too well so far.
Speaking of lying ... Violet was pretty nervy asking the doctor to lie and say he was wrong about Sybil. I understand her motives, but the truth has a way of resurfacing at very inopportune moments, and if the truth ever comes out on this one, it will be interesting to see where Cora lays the blame.
I still think Edith needs to take a voyage (or maybe a Carnival cruise?) to America! Granny can set her up with a rich, handsome American husband--a DuPont, Carnegie, Astor, Vanderbilt, or Rockefeller. Ya think?
Good news for Bates, but I still have doubts ... not about his innocence but about what really happened. I can't shake the idea that Sir Richard (the newspaper tycoon and Mary's former fiance) is behind it.
I say bravo to "the girls" for standing up for Ethel. If it weren't for men, she wouldn't be where she is, and she hasn't been too well-treated by most of the men she has encountered in her recent lifetime.
Okay, time for school. Happy Monday, everyone!
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Mon Feb 04, 2013 3:08 pm
Did anyone see the special on Chatsworth, which was broadcast before Downton Abbey? I think someone must have been reading over our shoulder about how Downton Abbey pays for itself!!
- Spoiler:
I probably laughed at more individual lines in last night's episode, than in any previous episode, although this morning, I can't remember them.
I hope Daisy takes her father-in-law's offer and leaves Downton Abbey to run his farm.
And Solitaire, I agree with you about what O'Brien's up to - it's just a shame she has to involve the nice, new footman.
Good for "the girls" for standing up to Robert (I think they were more united against Robert and his cave-man, "you will do what I tell you to do" attitude, than supportive of Ethel).
Tom is being pretty dim if he thinks taking his daughter with him, with no job, and no good childcare, is in her best interests. He should stay at Downton and help manage the farm properties.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Wed Feb 06, 2013 2:16 am
- Spoiler:
- I agree about Tom ... Matthew is trying to help him by giving him something meaningful and necessary to do, so that he can make a decent life for himself and his daughter. It would allow him to stay close to Downton (whether he likes it or not, the Granthams are going to want to be in her life) and yet not feel he was taking handouts and being a "guest." He needs to use his brain.
You're probably right about Ethel ... but it was nice to see someone stand up for her. And then, when she took the flowers to Mrs. Patmore and Carson got all snippy and outraged at her, I was pleased to see Mrs. Hughes stand up to Carson, too ... even though I do like him.
It will be interesting to see what Daisy does. While I understand that her behavior toward Ivy is motivated by jealousy, the way she is acting toward Ivy seems worse than she herself was treated. She needs to develop some compassion ... she comes across as pretty nasty in those exchanges.
It will be nice to have Bates back home, won't it? Thomas once tried to frame him for theft (remember?), so it will be interesting to see the dynamic between those two when the fur begins to fly over what I suspect is going to happen between Thomas and Jimmy Fallon. Will Bates stick up for him if he is wrongly accused?? Should be interesting ...
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
shepherdess Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:31 am
- Spoiler:
- Downton Abbey must have originally had at least some of its income from farming, since there are farms there that have been neglected. And we know it's been in financial trouble for some time as they needed Cora's money to "save" the estate. I wonder if there were other methods of income that have also been neglected? And I wonder why the farms started being neglected in the first place? Why would one begin neglecting the source of one's income?
Matthew may have some good ideas for improving the finances of the estate, but I don't think he's going to get Robert or Mary to listen to his ideas as long as he keeps proclaiming that Downton has "been mismanaged". That's an insult to Robert and his management skills. Naturally they're going prickle at those words and be less inclined to listen to what he has to say. Perhaps he should have a talk with Edith and see if she can soften them enough to hear what he has to say. Then tackle one "mismanagement" issue at a time.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
shepherdess Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:31 pm
I feel funny making predictions when I know there are people who could read them and tell me right now if they're right or wrong. lol. But here are some of my thughts:
- Spoiler:
- When Bates and Anna were planning their wedding, they were talking about getting a place to live. (At least I think I remember that.
) Male and female servants live in seperate quarters in the house, and none of them are married. So I wonder if the Bates' will have to find a place to live, or if, with the changing of times and attitudes, they will be allowed to have a room in the house? If Bates lives in the house as well as being Robert's valet again, that's certainly going to make Thomas unhappy. Combine that with O'Brien's scheme for Thomas, and it's going to be interesting to see what happens.
I'm glad that Robert and Cora seem to have ended their differences, but I'm not sure how I feel about Violet convincing the doctor to lie to make it happen. I know her heart was in the right place and the results were a good thing. But it was dishonest and unethical. It put the doctor in an awkward position, and I don't know what might happen because of that.
Branson has a chip on his shoulder against the aristocracy and the British. He doesn't want anything to do with either if he can help it. I think that chip is going to make him take the baby somewhere and try to be a single dad to her. I also think that will prove to be much harder than he anticipates and at some point, he and/or the baby will come back to Downton. I saw the look that Mary and Matthew exchanged when Mary was holding Little Sybil. Was it more than just a mutual 'I can't wait til we have one of these'? Could the two of them end up raising Little Sybil?
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:14 pm
- Spoiler:
I wondered the same thing, especially with Matthew's concerns about his ability to father a child, as a result of his wounds.Shepherdess wrote:Could the two of them end up raising Little Sybil?
I also wondered about the Bates-Anna marriage and how that is going to work in the servants' quarters. Presumably the Granthams have no problem with it, as they helped them get married and allowed them a honeymoon night in one of the guest rooms.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Solitaire Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:13 pm
Okay, my thoughts on Sunday night's episode ...
- Spoiler:
- Will Mary and Matthew finally have a little one on the way sometime during the next episode? Probably.
I'm wondering if Bates will rue the day he tried to help Thomas. Thomas tried to undo him in the past, and O'Brien helped. I'm wondering whether she will attempt to get revenge on Bates now, for bringing up "Milady's soap" after so long. Do you think O'Brien will survive if it comes out that SHE was the one planting the idea in Thomas that Jimmy was hot for him? O'Brien seems kind of deadly, to me, because she changes her allegiances on a whim. Her nephew Alfred seems problematic, as well.
Poor Edith! I guess she is going to be Jane Eyre to her boss's Rochester. *sigh* I'm telling you, she needs to go to America and hang out with some big Texas cowboy oil millionaires! She needs some pizzaz in her life!
Bates and Anna ... will they have a baby, too? I wouldn't be surprised.
I thought Ethel's baby's grandma was classy ... I hope things work out for her. It must have been tough to live in a time when turning around one's life and making a clean start was nearly impossible. I hope she succeeds.
I was surprised to see Bransen make points with Robert. He finally used his head (rather than his temper) when he pointed out that everyone needed to contribute what he does best to save Downton, and it paid off.
Will Carson ever declare his love for Mrs. Hughes?
What do you think of the new girl, Rose? She seems like a real pill, to me. It looks as if Violet is going to be the only one in the family who can handle her. hehe Still, I'm wondering what they all think they can accomplish by taking her to Scotland. Who says she's going to stay put once they get her there? Oh, well ... I guess that's what makes things fun!
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:20 pm
Pre-Downton Abbey: I enjoyed the Chatsworth episode, although what the staff was thinking of, putting that wrinkled tablecoth on the table, is beyond me. Couldn't they launder it to remove the excess old starch, or is the fabric too delicate? (If it is too delicate, it's not much use . . .)
On to Downton Abbey . . . .
On to Downton Abbey . . . .
- Spoiler:
- Solitaire wrote:
Poor Edith! I guess she is going to be Jane Eyre to her boss's Rochester. *sigh* I'm telling you, she needs to go to America and hang out with some big Texas cowboy oil millionaires! She needs some pizzaz in her life!
Yes, poor Edith! The writers really seem to have it in for her character. I can't see her entering into a bigamous relationship, and what would Robert say if he ever found out???? He'd probably explode! She definitely needs to visit her Levinson grandmother.
I was surprised that Robert, so judgmental of Edith, would be so understanding of Thomas, and make the comment "let him who is without sin cast the first stone." He was certainly casting plenty of stones at Edith. I hope O'Brien gets her comeuppance - I've never understood how Cora can't see through her.
Branson won points with me last night, and finally seemed more like the first-season chauffeur who borrowed history books from Lord Grantham and was a thoughtful person. Maybe Lady Sibyl influenced him, or living with the family has done so. I'm glad he's going to be the estate agent.
Speaking of the estate, the condition of Anna and Bates' cottage was horrifying! Did the family even look at it before giving it to the couple? If that is how the former estate agent let things deteriorate, it's a good thing he resigned. Violet's comment that Branson had more practical farming experience than Jarvis, so would make a better agent, was quite astute!
Rose is awful. Simply awful. I wonder what she will get up to next. I liked how Violet arranged to send her north to Scotland.
The cricket scene at the end was so poignant. I kept expecting The Very Bad Thing to happen in that scene, but it didn't. But it seemed as if everything was in equilibrium again, much like it was prior to the series start in 1912, kind of a New Golden Age.
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Wed Feb 13, 2013 5:48 pm
I was thinking about Bates and Vera . . .
- Spoiler:
I'm confused about the arsenic that poisoned Vera. Since it was found in the pastry, and Bates didn't put it there, was she supposed to have committed suicide after all? (Or is that a loose end that will never be explained?) I just can't see Vera, whom I found portrayed as a vindictive, agressive, amoral woman, calmly making pastry with arsenic in it, baking her pie, and eating her supper. Not even to frame Bates. It's almost too . . . . well, passive is the word that comes to mind. Maybe I can't imagine going through all of that and then waiting for the arsenic to take effect. Why not just swallow the arsenic outright? Now if someone had slipped into her kitchen while she was out and laced her flour with arsenic - that would make sense. Vera would make her pastry without suspecting anything. If the arsenic was mixed at the bottom of the flour bin, someone could have added the arsenic long before Vera used it.
But I've forgotten how, in Season 2, her murder presented in court. Was Bates supposed to have poisoned the already baked pie the day he visited Vera? Did the police test the separate ingredients for arsenic?
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Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Mrs. Sirius Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:11 pm
Lady Arabella wrote:I was thinking about Bates and Vera . . .
- Spoiler:
I'm confused about the arsenic that poisoned Vera. Since it was found in the pastry, and Bates didn't put it there, was she supposed to have committed suicide after all? (Or is that a loose end that will never be explained?)
But I've forgotten how, in Season 2, her murder presented in court. Was Bates supposed to have poisoned the already baked pie the day he visited Vera? Did the police test the separate ingredients for arsenic?
The is the $64K question. Some believe that it was Lord Whatis, Lady Mary's old flame that done her in.
As for Robert being judgement about Edith's relationship but amazing understanding about Thomas I think it's either:
- A. the double standard, man versus woman or
- B. I see that sub-plot as pretty relevant to the world today. I think it commentary about modern world. or
- C. I just thought upper class British culture does have a bit of a reputation for "that sort of thing" going on and people would just turn a blind eye and pretend it wasn't there.
Mrs. Sirius- Second Year
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Join date : 2011-02-19
Location : New England, USA
Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Verity Weasley Thu Feb 14, 2013 5:46 am
As for Robert's understanding about Thomas...
- Spoiler:
- I loved his line about Eton (which made me laugh out loud
) which would suggest that 'that sort of thing' was pretty common in the upper classes,but just wasn't talked about.
Verity Weasley- N.E.W.T.
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Age : 54
Location : Egypt
Re: Downton Abbey: Season 3
Lady Arabella Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:01 pm
Verity Weasley wrote:As for Robert's understanding about Thomas...
- Spoiler:
- Spoiler:
- I suppose so . . . Brideshead Revisited, and all that.
Lady Arabella- Prefect
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