“She thinks when you put a toy down it will still be sitting there when you want to play with it again.” (Robert)
In its fifth week, Downton Abbey either starts working on wrapping things up or on opening them up even further. Whereas, on a character level, certain characters have reached a new stage in their development towards wholesomeness, others are evolving towards the dark side. And what’s been hinted for a while has now become abundantly clear: Mary and Edith are both grade-A bitches.
“It doesn’t make a difference if you’re right or wrong. You just have to make a decision.” (Jimmy)
This week’s episode proved it’s easier to criticize than to be in charge. Every character who tried to control their destiny found themselves hindered by others. It’s the week of the little man on Boardwalk Empire.
“If she’s got a boyfriend, I’m a giraffe.” (O’Brian)
Now who doesn’t like the fair? I sure as hell don’t – today fairs are synonym for teenage kids drinking breezers and barfing on the bumper carts. But back when life was different, fairs were different, too. They filled some of the abbey’s inhabitants with childlike glee and showed us a further instance of how (and why) the old upstairs-downstairs system is falling apart.
“Now I’ve just got to figure out how to get home.” (Peter)
This must’ve been the most subtle plot twist ever. It took until about thirty minutes after the episode finished for me to get it. This is it. It’s the solution to the problem everyone’s been whining about. Yes, the six past episodes felt strange and un-fringelike. That’s because, hey hey, they’re set in another dimension. Way to sneak that one in there, guys.
“Yeah, I understand. You want Schlampen.” (Eddie)
For an episode called “The Age of Reason”, it certainly focused a lot on irrational guilt. It was like a confession, which makes sense after last week’s episode, which was sin all around. Almost every major character either opened up or was punished because they were hiding out. This is the set-up to the second half of the season. I can’t believe it.
“I’m not being ridiculous. No Englishman would *dream* of dying in someone else’s house – especially somebody they didn’t even know.” (Violet)
Well that was surely strange. Who would have ever thought people would die in a British costume drama? And that after causing that much intrigue? Downton Abbey is turning into quite the curious little thing.
“What’s an observer?” (Astrid)
So Peter’s back. Now obviously, you can’t have him immediately be part of the group again. Things just can’t be the way they were – after all, Olivia is a top-secret FBI agent and Peter… well, he’s a nobody found in a lake. If I were Olivia, I’d do one thing to this strange guy who seems to know the darkest secrets of the agency as well as the colour of my underwear: lock him up. But then how do you solve that impasse? Simple: you make sure Peter has something they need.
“Would you fight for me?” (Richard)
I think it was when Jimmy got hit in the face with a cane I sensed this would not be a regular episode. And true enough: what started as a sneaky suspicion slowly grew into full-grown shock as the episode went on. Suddenly, we were treated with slap in the face after slap in the face. I think there’s no better time than now to utter the legendary term shock and awe.
“Michael, you are not quite the ladies man I had pictured. Hopefully, we will remedy that when we are in the spa spreading body chocolate on each other.” (Tobias)
Arrested Development is nothing but a comedy legend. Always pushing the envelope, this absurd show about a wealthy family who lost everything (and their one son who had to keep them all together) was canceled halfway into its third season. Just when it was at its peak. Oh FOX.
“I didn’t spend my life getting groped by a bunch of drunks to wind up in a goddamn poor house.” (Gillian)
What an unexpected episode. Like a fait divers, we got treated to a season changer in the form of a stroke. What happens in a world like Boardwalk Empire’s when the king falls?* The pawns start rearranging themselves. Everyone starts looking at the queen. Which is exactly what this episode does.