Downton Abbey Series 3, Episode 6

The women of Downton are rising.

Disbelief and anger at Sybil’s (perhaps needless) death soured the traditional reserve of the Crawley family. Cora is holding Robert accountable, and he is losing the will to resist her perspective. The others, while still visibly shocked, appear to be making an effort to appear stoic for Tom’s sake.

Grief, as suggested by the Dowager Countess, is tiring indeed, and Fellowes respects the solemnity of the occasion. Crucially, however, he does not let it drag on the episode’s momentum. The footmen are still lobbying for Ivy’s favour; Daisy remains bitter. Mrs Hughes’ liberalism continues to enchant us, and Ethel’s characterisation develops beyond the mechanics of a plot line. The fallen woman rises: she demonstrates wit and personal pride in her persuasion of the hard-boiled Mrs Patmore, and she is sensitive to the situation of the Crawley ‘girls’. The effort she puts into making her pudding is proof of her affection; our appetites are whet for her redemption, and her guests’ appetites are whet for her baking.

The portrayal of Carson and Lord Grantham leans increasingly towards their ‘old guard’ irrelevance. United by fury at any exposure to scandal, they are blinded by dearly held ‘standards’ of behaviour. Robert refuses to consider that his ‘inexperienced’ heir may have a clearer idea of Downton’s (mis)management. Both men attempt to stamp out discussion of religion, their authority betrayed by a somewhat secular appreciation of its importance. Thomas’ and Jimmy’s ‘long words’ – ‘transubstantiation’ and ‘orthodox’ – hint at an intellectualism not necessarily expected from their class. Instead, it is their youth, ambition and avidity that gets them promoted. Their bitterness makes them veil their knowledge in irony, the only way they can undermine the authority of the older Moseley.

The women of Downton, seemingly in honour of Sybil’s nursed passion for suffrage, stand up to the male tradition. Lord Grantham’s ‘performance’ reveals the power of the female gender united. Daisy is presented with the real opportunity to be an independent woman as the future manager of her father-in-law’s farm. In the trailer for the next episode, we see Edith dare to go public with her views in The Sketch; she even reveals an interest in learning to cook and becoming more self-reliant. The Dowager Countess’ handling of Cora and Robert’s conflict reasserts her relevance in the family’s concerns; Maggie Smith matches her character’s usual black humour with an effective sensitivity.

The ultimate respite from mourning comes with Bates’ deliverance. No longer will we be subjected to tiresome prison scenes and the inconclusive, bitter motives of Craig and Mrs Bartlett—somehow, their interferences were never given much of a rationale. Anna is ecstatic, of course. How a world-weary, prison-hardened Bates will settle back into the life at Downton we can only wait and see.

On a more cheerful note this is great, if it’s not already spammed your Facebook feed:

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