tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post476665348371040071..comments2024-03-28T17:08:01.559-04:00Comments on Doux Reviews: Downton Abbey: Season Three, Episode FiveBillie Douxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-87065158034479320962017-11-05T06:27:42.649-05:002017-11-05T06:27:42.649-05:00Great review. “My beauty, my baby” is one of the m...Great review. “My beauty, my baby” is one of the most heart wrenching lines in all 6 series. I’m a mother of daughters, Elizabeth McGovern is a mother of daughters. That scene really hits home. Rockbirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18061984198800183728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-6816472183407980952013-01-30T00:12:04.866-05:002013-01-30T00:12:04.866-05:00Dustin said...
When a main character is in jeopar...Dustin said... <br />When a main character is in jeopardy on a TV show, my wife and I always like to joke "Oh no, I'm so worried that they'll kill someone who is in the opening credits," so with that in mind, as Sybil's pregnancy drama was unfolding I was only half paying attention and expecting everything to turn out all right in the end. Then the ton of bricks hit me as I realized that they were killing her off and I started to tear up and cry. <br />It was also quite interesting to watch the doctors just stand there unable to do anything, unlike in a hospital today. <br />Sybil, William, Lavinia - seems like all of the really nice characters are being killed off Whedon style. Daisy better keep being nasty to the new kitchen girl, it may be her only hope to survive next season. ;-)<br />Dustinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-34262535258047275062013-01-29T17:32:36.184-05:002013-01-29T17:32:36.184-05:00I sobbed my way through the last few minutes of th...I sobbed my way through the last few minutes of this episode, which is never a reaction I expect from <i>Downton Abbey</i>, so that was a pleasant (wet) surprise.<br /><br />I may be the only person who doesn't hate the Bates storyline. I like Bates, and I think Vera's actions (if she did orchestrate this all) are in keeping with her manipulative character. She's the kind of person who is never content--she'd gotten his money, what else could she take? His life, either by forcing him to hang for murder or by forcing him to live in prison.<br /><br />Having said that, I hope Bates gets out soon, because I much prefer a happy Bates/Anna story than a sad one. <br /><br />I didn't find Matthew's actions too awful until I read your timeline, Chris. He's had all the months of Sybil's pregnancy to speak to the solicitor, and he chooses that terrible morning? That is tacky. Josie Kafkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17892717530356699008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-74449794064515522462013-01-29T17:25:55.035-05:002013-01-29T17:25:55.035-05:00I loved this episode even though it hurt so much t...I loved this episode even though it hurt so much to see Sybil die. I found it to be realistic in portraying class tensions has been mentioned and in portraying gender issues. This was probably a common occurrence for women who died in child birth at the time. I wonder how many of them and their mothers were victims of being silenced by male doctors, husbands, and/or fathers. The reactions of everyone to her death were also amazing!<br /><br />I feel for Cora more than anyone except possibly Branson and the baby. As a mother, I can't even imagine what kind of relationship would be left between my husband and me if his actions resulted in the death of my daughter in this way.<br /><br />I was very surprised by the death simply because I never thought this show could be so Whedonesque. It impressed me that they decided to go there.<br /><br />Yes, the whole Bates storyline is awful. I get tense when it is on the screen. Please make it stop!Suzannenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-68379789616921786522013-01-28T19:41:02.628-05:002013-01-28T19:41:02.628-05:00Edith: “Oh Mary. Do you think we might get along a...Edith: “Oh Mary. Do you think we might get along a little better in the future?”<br />Mary: “I doubt it. <br /><br />I've decided that Mary is a young Violet. She can always be expected to say exactly what she really thinks and is often unkind (although in a very articulate way).<br /><br />This ep more than made up for last week's "oh no they're out of ideas" waste of an hour.Scott Rigganhttp://www.scottriggan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-2411921614779090602013-01-28T19:31:28.438-05:002013-01-28T19:31:28.438-05:00I agree about Matthew, Sunbunny. I meant to mentio...I agree about Matthew, Sunbunny. I meant to mention that. Talking about business the morning after Sybil died was disgusting.<br /><br />And yes, killing Sybil was very Whedonesque! Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-48168860848519381532013-01-28T19:10:16.868-05:002013-01-28T19:10:16.868-05:00Like everyone else, Thomas's grief was the one...Like everyone else, Thomas's grief was the one that got me. It honestly makes me wonder how long Fellowes had been planning to kill Sybil. Out of everyone in the house, Sybil was the one who had the most interactions with the downstairs staff. Thomas worked with her, Mrs. Padmore taught her to cook, not to mention she married the chauffeur! Has he been plotting this for years in a Whedonesque way?<br /><br />Elisabeth McGovern's performance this episode was wonderful. I'm not her biggest fan, but she was amazing saying goodbye to Sybil.<br /><br />ChrisB--I have a different view on the Mary/Matthew/Murray thing. I think Mary was more upset not because they weren't involving Robert, but because Sybil had JUST died. It seemed really inappropriate to me (and I certainly don't have the Crawleys' sense of propriety).sunbunnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08553429350476841139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-86938700266474044642013-01-28T18:51:13.989-05:002013-01-28T18:51:13.989-05:00I will say this...couldn't Isobel have thought...I will say this...couldn't Isobel have thought to hire Ethel BEFORE she gave up her son? <br /><br />Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-18937828211244964162013-01-28T18:47:39.926-05:002013-01-28T18:47:39.926-05:00No. Not Sybil. I was not prepared for this.
It wa...No. Not Sybil. I was not prepared for this.<br /><br />It was Cora who really got to me. The library scene was hard for me to watch, because I have been in a similar situation. Cora's desperation to be heard and to save her child was painful. I was screaming... "Why don't they ask SYBIL what she wants to do?" and "if nothing else, trust her MOTHER". Then, watching Cora say goodbye...and Mary and Edith..and Thomas...ug.<br /><br />Exceptional review, and I agree with everything you have said, but all I can think about is Sybil :(Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-30597483712749293232013-01-28T16:07:23.356-05:002013-01-28T16:07:23.356-05:00I can't say I was ever fond of the Sybil-Brans...I can't say I was ever fond of the Sybil-Branson story, because it was so unrealistic - in real life the family probably would never have accepted the middle-class Matthew, let alone a working-class chauffeur. But Sybil's death is done so well.<br /><br />Robert is getting more dislikeable by the day IMO, but he's right about one thing - the newspaper wouldn't have offered Edith the writing gig if she'd been the downstairs parlourmaid. Sorry, Edith! <br /><br />GavrielleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-2783973724692741002013-01-28T14:50:17.697-05:002013-01-28T14:50:17.697-05:00Like Billie and Juliette I really lost it when Tho...Like Billie and Juliette I really lost it when Thomas started crying as well! That single moment raised him immensly in my opinion and was almost enough to forgive two seasons of being an •#•#.<br /><br />I think this episode is one of the ones that affected me most of the entire series. To bring back Sybil from Ireland just for this?! And to live through everyone's pain! Poor Branson...<br /><br />And yeah, Robert was a pig-headed idiot here, way more than usual! :o(<br /><br />I was so relieved Sybill got to have a few minutes of happiness there with her daughter and husband! *sob*<br /><br />Great review Chris!CrazyCrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17512240982215608638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-32504139437808250672013-01-28T12:31:20.891-05:002013-01-28T12:31:20.891-05:00Billie, I started crying when Thomas did too. Up t...Billie, I started crying when Thomas did too. Up to that point I was busy observing Sybil's impending death (a friend who had a baby recently picked up on the pre-ecclampsia - I noticed the narrative devices that might as well have put her in a red shirt!). And actually relieved when it happened because it had been so obviously signposted! But heartless Thomas crying set me off. I loved that moment with Mary and Edith and Sybil's body too, that felt very real.<br /><br />I still think Bates dunnit. He's an evil genius.Juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-90808271067196483982013-01-28T11:25:27.385-05:002013-01-28T11:25:27.385-05:00This show, at its core, is about class structure, ...This show, at its core, is about class structure, and never was that more apparent to me than in this episode. Robert let his daughter die because he believed a doctor of higher rank was smarter and better educated than a doctor who was not. It's certainly true that Sybil could have died anyway, and I understand why Violet would choose to believe that, and would tell her son that. But I also completely understood why this was the one thing that pushed Cora over the edge and made her lash out at Robert.<br /><br />Because this show is also about the status of women. Cora, Sybil's mother, expressed her wishes repeatedly about which doctor's opinion she believed, and Robert just bulldozed over her as if her opinion didn't matter. Because to him, it didn't.<br /><br />I think I was okay until Thomas, of all people, was crying. And then I lost it.<br /><br />I feel bad for poor Jimmy, who has become a pawn in the O'Brien/Thomas war and doesn't even realize it. And I've completely lost interest in Bates' unjust imprisonment. I honestly think it might have been more interesting if Bates were guilty. Oh, well.<br /><br />Terrific review, Chris.Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.com