Downton Abbey: Season 6/ Episode 6 – Overview/ Recap (with Spoilers)

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Overview

We see a lot of people, from both upstairs and downstairs, ready for the future, but only if it goes their way. Making it so anyone who dares fathom or imagine something to the contrary are in for a harsh word.

Characters & Story (with Commentary)

Topic 1: Edith, Mary, Mr. Barrow and Andrew

With Edith in bliss comes Mary’s scrutiny; however, even with questions about Marigold’s importance in Edith’s life, and questioning of how she could ever find a man like Mr. Bertie Pelham interesting, Mary finds Mr. Talbot swaying her thoughts away from the life of her sister. For with a kiss comes the question of whether they could become something more, but with Mary not too keen to fall for a racer, due to her ex-husband dying due to a car crash, there remains an uphill battle for her heart.

As for Andrew and Mr. Barrow, well with them being more friendly, and Andrew visiting Mr. Barrow’s room late at night, so comes the fear that Mr. Barrow is taking advantage of the boy. Something which Mr. Barrow isn’t fond of being perceived capable of, but with it seeming everyone is trying to kindly push him out of the house, what more could you expect? Though, lest we forget, he did make his bed with all his cruelty to the downstairs staff, and a handful of foolish moments which embarrassed those upstairs.

Topic 2: Daisy, Ms. Patmore, Ms. Baxter and Mr. Moseley

Though there is great joy in the house as both Daisy and Mr. Moseley seem to be progressing with the idea of being accomplished in school, there comes the issues with their jealousy. For Daisy it deals with Ms. Patmore and Mr. Mason even by an inch becoming closer, and for Mr. Moseley it deals with Ms. Baxter receiving a letter from her convict ex, about visiting him, and her not destroying it.

Topic 3: The Dowager & Lady Crawley

It seems the dust had settled when it was revealed that the local hospital was being taken over, but with there being a recommended change in Cora becoming president, and Dowager Violet losing her position altogether, it seemed all we saw was the battle before the war. One which, strangely enough became more about hurt feelings than a shouting match, but even with Dowager Violet and Cousin Isobel going back and forth for years, arguably nothing this big, or insulting, has ever happened between them. Leading to the question of how will the Dowager act in the long term? For we know she doesn’t take any defeat, nor insult, without a comeback planned. Even if it is just in snippy comments.

Highlights

There were really only two moments worth highlighting this episode. The first being the obvious, the Dowager’s reaction to knowing Cora willingly took her position as president of the hospital, and the other moment being one with less dramatics. Said moment, to me, was when a random boy found himself in Lord Grantham’s room and had a conversation with him. Not one as boring as the rest, during a very strange open house of Downton Abbey to raise money for the hospital, but still rather simple. All that was talked about was how strange it is to live in a grandeur home, and I think that was perhaps one of the first real times the idea of how weird it is to live in big house really was addressed on the show. To the point the idea spilled over onto another conversation in which it seems Edith, despite loving her childhood home, may likely move to London to take in the coziness of something a bit smaller.

Low Points

As probably noted in many of an overview, Downton Abbey is a very ho-hum melodrama. Due to that, as much as it could be worth noting that Lord Merton’s future daughter in law comes around, how good Mr. Barrow seems with children, and a handful of other things, there seems no point. Not because the information given may not build to something, like Ms. Patmore’s house nearly being ready, but the way the topic is conveyed is almost in passing to the point it is noted as if there isn’t much reason to care. It is like the general conversation of “Hi, how are you?” and the reply is “good.” There is nothing exciting, nor any reason to dig deeper. Everything is what it is and that is what makes things both boring yet acceptable. For it really makes it so when Lord Grantham vomits blood, or when things happen to Anna, Ms. Baxter, or others, it is like the servants bell ringing telling you it is time to come out of complacency.