Episode 6 of Downton Abbey 3 turned out to be a battle between staying glued to the TV set and going to the John. I wasn’t expecting a two hour episode and neither was my bladder. I need to get one of those pause gadgets if this continues.
As for the show, the good news is that Bates strolled out of the “big house” complete with his derby and cane (I don’t know how he got along without the cane while incarcerated). The bad news is that he went back to work in the nut house called Downton Abbey. So what happened to Mr. Barrow?
Mr. Barrow conveniently cleared the way for Bates to get his old job back. He tried to seduce James the footman which didn’t go well with Carson the butler. Carson fired his ass. Bates however convinced the Earl that Mr. Barrows is not responsible for his sexual orientation and deserves a second chance (a second chance at what was never made clear). What to do with Thomas (only butlers and valets are referred to by their last names)? A decision worthy of the United Nations is made. Thomas will be an under-butler. I suppose this means that he will be constantly under Carson’s scrutiny.
Having become an enlightened aristocrat, the Earl tried his hand at advancing a liberal style of management for the Downton Abbey estate. In no uncertain terms he is over ruled by his rich son-in-law Matthew. This whole business of managing the Downton Abbey estate has me more confused than it has the Earl. Amidst all the wrangling, the estate manager quit and Tom the Mick, the other son-in-law, gets the manager’s job.
As for the widower Tom the Mick, aka Tom Branson, he is slowly but surely being weaned from his Irish revolutionary roots into the boots of a British aristocrat. Hope I’m wrong but he now “dresses” for dinner. So far he is able to dress himself. If ever a valet starts dressing him, that will be the end of this son of the IRA.
The writers of this show are unkind to Lady Edith. She in my opinion is the smartest of the Earl's daughters. In this episode she ventures into the field of journalism defying all entreaties that a woman’s place is in the home. Rather than building on her journalistic talents, the writers are setting her up for another romantic fiasco.
The highlight of the evening was the Downton Abbey vs. the Villagers Cricket game. To my surprise the Abbey team featured the servants as well as the aristocracy (I don’t know who dressed who but they all looked like Cricket players). The Abbey team won and the Earl affectionately embraced his two son-in-laws. As he did so, I raced to the bathroom.
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