Downton Abbey - Recap: A Lack of Compassion, An Excess of Tears

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But this has been a fairly subdued series for Downton Abbey, and change has been a long time in coming. It's finally here though, and the results of change brushing up against the inertia of these characters made for a genuinely compelling episode from start to finish. Even for a story that basically amounts to a subplot, I found the death of Isis to be the most engaging tale of the week. My emotional connection with this wasn't even entirely related to my love of dogs: it was the response Isis' imminent demise had on the Crawleys. Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) is downright devastated to learn that Isis has cancer ("I hate that word!" she says, in a moment of stunned pain), yet even she doesn't take it as hard as Robert (Hugh Bonneville), who wants to hold on to the pooch for as long as he possibly can, even while recognizing that she's in a great deal of pain and could have been put down by the veterinarian at any time. Whether or not Isis' death has to do with the unfortunate real world headlines or not, the truth of the matter is that the dog had to die at some point. And sooner, rather than later, considering she was already rivaling Revenge's Sam for TV's Most Inexplicably Long-Lived Pooch. But no matter the reason, Robert is a man who's set in his ways. He likes things just so. The concept of not having Isis around is entirely foreign to him, and unfathomable. His grief is every bit as much about the violation of the order of things as it is about the loss of a companion, if only because those are two sides of the same coin. You can't lose a longtime companion like that without having to accept that the loss is irrevocable, and that things will change in your life as a result. Maybe it won't be a world-altering calamity for Robert, but even going for walks are unlikely to ever be the same. Nor will the opening credits, for us.

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But the episode also has far bigger stories to settle on than the mortality of a dog: Cora finally discovers the truth about Edith (Laura Carmichael). This creates a rift in the family, as Cora is understandably livid -- less because of Edith's actions, and more because of the lies Rosamund (Samantha Bond) and the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) had to tell to keep it a secret from her. Cora even goes as far as to tell Violet, outright, that she'll never trust her again, and it's a sentiment Violet is more than capable of understanding ("It's the most honest thing she's ever said to me," Violet reflects). And yet, Cora's anger is overshadowed by her desire to get to know her third grandchild. This leads to a scheme so straightforward, it makes me wonder why we even had to go through this whole story with the Drewes in the first place. Long story short: Cora suggests telling everyone that Marigold is the orphaned daughter of one of the Drewes' friends, and that the Drewes were no longer capable of providing for her. This will allow the Crawleys to foster the child at Downton Abbey without drawing too much attention. Hell, it'll make them look downright humanitarian...well, as long as Marigold doesn't actually grow up looking like Edith.

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Honestly, this is a storyline that would be ridiculous if it weren't so blessedly active: after a season's worth of inert stories, it's a rush to get a plot in which Edith is hiding her daughter from Mary (Michelle Dockery) at a train station simply to keep her from learning the truth and lording it over her. And there's a lot of drama in the question of how Robert is going to take the news that he has another grandchild, even though we don't get that big moment this week. It's a plot that offers up a lot of potential for future intrigue, and that's more than good enough for me. Although I could REALLY do without Mary being so keenly insufferable, with regards to Edith. Not only does she wonder why anyone would care that she had gone missing, she also gives Violet attitude when she misreads the reasons why her grandmother is upset about Isobel's engagement to Lord Merton (Douglas Reith). "My dear. A lack of compassion can be as vulgar as an excess of tears," Violet tells Mary, and it's one of the most satisfying moments of the episode. Seriously, I just can't stand Mary right now, between her flippant dismissal of Edith's troubles, to her attempts to rid herself of Gillingham (Tom Cullen) almost being foiled by her ego. If you don't want him, let him be with someone else! For crying out loud, it's like she can't let Tony go unless he admits he's settling for Mabel. Even Charles Blake (Julian Ovenden) is annoyed at how Mary keeps pulling Gillingham back, just as they're closing in on finally getting him together with Mabel, once and for all. Ultimately, I'm surprised things end as well as they do, with Gillingham accepting that things are done with Mary (after he spies her sharing a staged kiss with Blake outside a movie theater) and wishing her luck in the future. No, really. I was surprised by the clean break. I had every expectation that Mary might have jerked Tony around forever, if Blake hadn't been around to keep her on track.

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The other stories this week were fairly middling, although I do admit I was intrigued by all the marriage drama. After Isobel announces her engagement to Lord Merton, Lord Merton's sons arrive for a special dinner, at which they proceed to treat Isobel horribly. The eldest, Larry, disrespects Isobel and the Crawleys at every turn, accusing them of letting just anyone into the family, and predicting that his father's marriage will end in failure. Robert is furious, but not nearly as mad as Branson (Allen Leech), who sticks up for his family and demands Larry leave. It's a powerful moment that reiterates just how much affection Branson has for these people, even though he's considering moving to Boston with Lil' Sybil. Larry's outburst has another effect, however, as Isobel is now reconsidering her decision to wed Lord Merton. And suddenly, I find myself strangely invested in seeing the two of them happily together, even though it would devastate Violet, who tearfully admits she's had Isobel as a companion for so long that she isn't sure what she'll do without her. It's all poignant stuff, and it contrasts favorably with the similarly momentous occasion of Rose (Lily James) getting engaged to Atticus. The relationship has been moving at lightning speed, but it mostly works because the two seem so vibrantly passionate about one another, but in a way that's sort of innocent. Rose has had her share of scandalous couplings, so to see her as such a fresh-faced innocent, looking to finally settle down and remove herself from the recklessness of her earlier youth, is an interesting change. I'm guessing the Christmas episode will be host to a fairly big wedding, which would make this two years in a row that Rose gets to wear a lavish white gown on the holiday special. Not that I'm complaining. Lily James can make those outfits work.

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With all that said, I'm far less interested in the downstairs happenings this week, whether it's Bates (Brendan Coyle) having a feud with Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) over the comments she made to the police, or Daisy (Sophie McShera) visiting Mr. Mason and learning the value of education. It's nice that these stories are here, to keep them fresh in our minds for later on down the line, when the show will have enough screen time to properly flesh them out (perhaps in the supersized Christmas special?), but for now, it made the episode feel rather lackadaisical. But it's a minor complaint in what is essentially the best episode of this year so far. Hopefully, next week's finale can measure up. Downton Abbey may not be a series of week-to-week happenings, but they tend to do their big, event-based episodes very well. So count me excited.

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