Top Five Lines from Downton Abbey, S6:E4
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What’s in a name?
I think that should have been the title of this week’s
episode of Downton Abbey.
Did you catch the theme? Name. Reputation. Honor. It was all
there.
Interestingly, most of the epiphanies came from Downstairs.
Not too surprising, I guess—the Upstairs folks continue to live in their dream
worlds, whatever those worlds happen to be.
But the Downstairs folks. They are the ones who get it. The
world is moving on. Reputation will get you places. Your name matters.
Take Mrs. . . . C-c-c-c-Carson, for example. Nobody can
quite get their tongue around that name (thanks to Violet for that visual), so
in the end Mr. Carson proposes that they all just keep calling her Mrs. Hughes.
Mrs. Hughes just smiles and says nothing.
Her name is intact.
And Daisy. The idealistic girl was willing to risk her
reputation to get what she thought was “fair” for Mr. Mason (did you not love
it when Mrs. Patmore referred to her as Karl Marx?!), and somehow, in the end,
she looked like a hero.
Mr. Mason even tells her that it’s her good name that
rescues him in the end.
So glad she didn’t actually have a chance to speak up when
she tried to accost Lady Grantham in the hallway.
I’d call that a bullet dodged.
And finally, there’s Molesley. The sweetest man Downstairs.
The one whose reputation is golden. The one who knows the importance of honor.
And the one who can quote Edmund Burke. (Points to anyone
who remembers what he said.)
If I were Miss Baxter I’d thrown down my dishtowel and fall
into his arms of rescue. He’s just waiting for that, isn’t he?
And so are we.
Anyway, my reputation will be mud if I don’t “get on” as
they say Downstairs. So here we go with my Top Five.
There were so many good lines in this episode. I’m not sure
how I’ll choose the best.
1. Let’s start with Violet, shall we? She had a couple of
good zingers that made me laugh, so I have to include them.
First, over tea with her friend, Lady Shackleton, Violet
presses her to take her side in the dreaded hospital debate. (Honestly, I don’t
know where this story line is going. It’s baffled me from the beginning.)
Anyway, Lady S. asks Violet, “How can I present myself as an
expert when I don’t know the facts?”
To which Violet responds,
“Well it’s never stopped me!”
Later, as Violet and Isobel argue about the hospital for the
umpteenth time over dinner, Edith tries to come to the rescue. “I suppose
Cousin Isobel is entitled to put up an argument.”
To which Violet storms back:
“Well of course she
is, but she’s not entitled to win it!”
I think Violet is running out of ammunition.
2. Let’s talk about the situation with Gwen for a minute.
Again, it’s about the name.
Cora didn’t remember her. At all. Name forgotten.
Rosamund is enamored with the reputation of Mr. Harding,
Gwen’s husband, giving Gwen an “in” with the Downton crowd. Reputation by
association (or, in this case, marriage).
And then there’s Thomas (we’ll talk about his reputation in
a moment) who exposes Gwen, thinking this will disparage her name, but his plan
backfires. Remember? He brings up her former employment in the house in an
attempt to embarrass Gwen, but Gwen is rescued by her own grace and charm.
And Sybil.
Gwen notes how Sybil helped her get her first job with the
telephone company, which led to her meeting her husband. It’s a bit of a long
story, but as everyone sits listening, they smile as they think of the best
among them who was taken too soon.
Gwen tells the family,
“I’ll never forget
her. Her kindness saved my life.”
It makes you wonder what would have happened to the family
had Sybil lived.
3. Back up a minute to when the family was meeting Mr. and
Mrs. Harding for the first time. Sorry, things are out of order today, but this
one was too funny to pass up.
They are talking about education for women, the women’s
college that they are all involved with now, and Isobel is preening over
women’s issues the way she does.
Yea, women!
They ask to hear Gwen’s story, and she tells them that she
didn’t have any higher education.
To which Mary replied,
“Who
did? All we were taught was French, prejudice, and dance steps.”
So clever, Mary! Just think of how charming you’d be if you
actually HAD had an education.
4. Mary had some wonderful quips in this episode. As well as
some jabs.
I’m not sure which category this quote falls into, but I
loved it so I have to include it.
First, you’ll remember handsome Henry Talbot, Lady
Shackleton’s nephew. He’s mysterious. He’s from London, the son of a
Parliamentarian. He’s oh-so-handsome. And he’s a racecar driver!
He offers her his card when they meet at Downton, and he
tells her he hopes they can meet for lunch . . . or something . . . when she’s
next in London.
Mary’s practically foaming at the mouth, but she’s playing
it cool.
Flirting is her strong suit.
The two beautiful people do meet up for dinner in London (nevermind
the fact that Anna is having a serious medical crisis—Mary’s going to have
fun!) in a posh restaurant favored by car lovers. I smell a fling if there ever
was one.
Mary glances coyly at the menu and says,
“I hope this means you’re boiling up to make
a pass before we’re done.”
Talbot replies, “Probably.
But will you accept?”
Mary, with a slight raise of an eyebrow says,
“No. But I shall enjoy the process
enormously.”
I think Henry Talbot actually blushed!!
I know I blushed earlier in the episode when Violet was
talking to Robert about Mary and said,
“Mary
needs more than a handsome smile . . . and a hand on the gearstick.”
Honestly, Granny!
5. I hate only having to choose five lines because this week
there were so many good ones. But alas, I must choose.
And this, I think, was my favorite of the entire episode.
Daisy and Mrs. Patmore are sitting in the kitchen together,
gossiping as usual. Daisy says, “I wonder what Mrs. Hughes is up to.”
Mrs. Patmore, resting her chin in her hand, sighs.
“Ah, she knows the mystery of life by now .
. . unlike me.”
Poor Mrs. Patmore. Don’t you just want to see her find her
one true love?
*sigh*
And with that I’ll leave you to go out and make a name for
yourself.
*****
For the record, Edmund Burke once famously said, “All that’s needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
A good reminder to all of us.
*****
