Bates gets acquitted in the crimbo special.

The Bates/Anna marriage "I now pronounce you husband and wife"? Did Fellowes just lift the text from the current ceremony? Wasn't it "man and wife" in those days?

Oh how I cringed when they showed Bates and Anna in bed together - "you've had your way with me now Mrs Bates."

Anyone else want to slap Matthew across the back of the head in that last scene? How can the man be so bloody noble??

I'm going to miss it so much - as barmy as it was.

Allen Leech (Branson) has made a habit of shacking up with women above his station in his career: See his turns as Agrippa in Rome and Francis Dereham in The Tudors.

Did Isis make it? I don't remember seeing her.

Police powers were clearly broader in 1919 compared to today. "Yes that's correct officer, the chauffeur is attempting to marry my daughter. He must be arrested."

Lavinia = Star Trek red shirt.

I'm no expert in these matters, but what size should Ethel's baby be now? Toddler size? This timeline is more confusing than The Terminator. I just don't know anymore.

Are Mr Q and I the only watchers who love Ginger Lavinia?
Was anyone else thinking of "who ate the salmon mousse" in Meaning of Life during that 'dropping like flies' dinner?
And is there ANYONE who wanted to see Mr & Mrs B's wedding night up close and personal? *shudder*

Tonight it was cheesy with extra cheese, but I am sorry to see it end. The interaciton between Jane the Healthy Maid & his Lordship was excruciating, as was Matthew's vampire look in the final scenes.Cousin Violet was brilliant though, and Branson & Sybil's lurve, while ridiculous, was very sweet. I'm worn out with the Mary & Matthew rolercoaster now, and dittor for Bates & Anna. I hope series 3 is greatly improved but I'll watch it anyway. Sunday nights won't be the same now.

Yes, I'm not sure why Matthew suddenly started looking like an extra from Interview with the Vampire...

In between laughing and wanting to throw up this was a brilliant finale!

Violet, as ever, stole the show with her one liners. Sadly, she wasn't given her commentary over the debacle later in the show.

Best moment? Matthew contemplatively putting on a gramaphone song when Lady Mary elegantly descends the staircase. She notes she doesn't know the song to which Matthew's response is 'I think it was in a show that flopped... "Zip Goes A Million" or something like that...'.

Prescient or what?!

so am i the only one who infinitely prefers Pissy Vampire Matthew to Milquetoast Happy Matthew? I can actually muster some interest in the tingling of this Matthew.

Line of the night:
Richard: I hear you don't have a chauffeur. Maybe I could drive.
Mary: Preferably over the chauffeur.

HA! Mary, you'll bury us all. except for Cousin Violet.

This series hasn't left me very convinced by Dr Clarkson's skills at diagnosis.

1) Misinterprets 'bruising' for 'severed spinal cord resulting in permanent lower body paralysis and loss of sexual function'.

2) Cheerfully predicts Spanish 'Flu as being "nothing to worry about" and just to "give it a few days" and all will be well (never mind that it was doing the rounds in the previous episode and everyone was very concerned).

Then once Matthew is walking again, the Countess is haemorrhaging and Lavinia has died a sweaty death he happens to mention that he always had doubts about the spine thing, and that Spanish 'Flu is notoriously changeable and implies that he knew all this all along!

I think Dan Stevens deserves some sort of award for making the most inconsistent character manage to seem semi-normal and not at all like a raving psychopath. I mean, two weeks ago he was a bitter cripple, last week he was heroically walking again and in this episode he managed to seem genuinely in love with first Lavinia, then Mary, then Lavinia again, over the course of 24 hours. And that's not even including the first series' hates Downton/loves Downton, hates Lady Mary/loves Lady Mary/resents Lady Mary flip-flops. God knows how cousin Matthew ever decides what to eat at an informal buffet dinner!

Penelope Wilton's face during Ginger Lavinia's death scene caused hysterics on my sofa... What expression was she even aiming for?

If Jane-the-healthy-maid-with-war dead-husband _yeah right_ can work as a maid at Downton with a child why can't Edith work there? There's plenty of people who could look after the child who should be about 3-4 years old by now? Edith could do something useful?

What happened to the kids of servants any how??

You're right about Rob James-Collier. Thomas went from practically licking Carson's shoes to get his job back to smug bastard whose plan came together and he played it very well.

MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE HIM A PROPER STORYLINE NEXT SERIES LORD FELLOWES.

I'm in a bit of a rage over the episode. Not so far as to entertain thoughts of donning a V for Vendetta mask and getting the bombs ready for the next time the House of Lords are in session, but y'know.

Poor Edith. Was she even in this episode?

Why didn't Anna say after the consummation of their marriage

"What's your first name Mr Bates?"

No, no not Edith I meant Ethel, Ethel-who-is a -drudge-with-bastard-child-

Oh, Mr Fellowes. We finally get Little Matthew working alright, Ginger Lavinia even suggests that she'll step aside so there can be more sexy time for Mary and Matthew, and then what? You kill Ginger Lavinia, leaving us all feeling incredibly guilty for calling her Ginger Lavinia, and Matthew as some kind of one-man, three-day play about how to become a whining pansy.

Matthew - man up, the Emo-effect is tedious in the extreme. You made Sir Richard look decent in that last scene. Yeah. I know.

Ginger Lavinia - sad times. Going back to London, or possibly eloping with Edith, would have been better for you, and less extreme than the most changeable flu of all time.

Robert - your scenes with Jane were painful in the extreme. And while Awesome Cora was ill? Carson would not approve, and neither do I, you cad.

Poor Edith, still the only daughter with no love interest. But perhaps things will get better for her in series three. Will she embrace bohemian ways and discover Sapphic passions?

I see Grace Dent is on Have I got a bit more news for you and managed to mention Downton Abbey which Ian Hislop watches too - bless-

I have to admit, the prospect of Bates having a thoroughly miserable time whilst on trial for murder is delicious.

Bloody Bates.

so am i the only one who infinitely prefers Pissy Vampire Matthew to Milquetoast Happy Matthew?

No, you're definitely not the only one. "An impotent cripple smelling of sick" shouldn't be any character's most swoonsome line, and yet somehow...

It's ok to snog the maid, even if you feel guilty, but it isn't ok the snog the chauffeur. I'm learning such a lot about etiquette.

Oh and on the subject of Ginger Lavinia. why was she buried at Downton and not Among Her Own People? And where were her Own People at the funeral? I know daddy has a weak chest but surely...

Overall, I really enjoyed his episode - definitely helped by the fact that it just covered a few days rather than the usual single episode stretcedh over 2 or 3 months (or longer - I assume men at the front didn't really get home every couple of months a la Captain Crawley this series).

Episode 8 Laugh out loud moment :
Anna - "Can you keep a secret?"
Lady Mary - <silence>
Anna - "Oh. Of course you can".

Not often Anna gets to trump the Dowager Countess in the comedy moments, but it was nice of the script writers to let her do it this once; the least they could do after she's had to wear servants clothes for 2 series, next to the Crawley sisters glammed up effort!.

Loved the dance scene. After being firmly in the M&M camp, I had started to sway in my loyalty... and over the last couple of episodes had actually decided Matthew was becoming a bit wet and Richard was probably better suited to Mary after all. Matthew announcing their marriage last episode by saying Lavinia had been looking after him was a bit unfair given Mary's efforts before Sir Richard brought Lavinia back. Still, he got back on track whilst taking Lady Mary for a whirl (even if the kiss was a bit crap. Come on, after all the pair of you have been through, surely a bit of passion wouldn't have gone amiss?!).

... but then that whole bloody noble speech at the graveside. Aaaghh! Guess I'll have to wait until Series 3 for daschund/mousey thing to do it's stuff and bring them together. Maybe Sir Richard will be caught up in a telegram-tapping scandal enabling Mary to leave him (...or to jump to his defence when an interloper tries to hit him with a custartd pie; in the world of the Downton script, anything is possible ...)

And nice to see reference to Sybil's suffragette pantaloons again. There's been a sad lack of pantaloon flaunting this series.

Definately innuendo bingo time when the gramophone went on. It didnt hold my interest like the whole series really, noise in the background for most of the time.

I assumed her weak-chested father was the man standing next to Matthew; presumably he didn't get a line because the budget/running time wouldn't stretch to it?

And would we expect the disgraced-politician uncle to turn up to anything? Maybe Julian Fellowes just forgot about him, otherwise surely a fist-fight between him and the newspaper man would have been on the cards...

Right. Well.

1. Poor Ginger Lavinia. Not only was she Ginger and called Lavinia, but she died after what has to be the most remarkably rapid onset of influenza. Clearly no one had some Lemsip or even chicken soup handy. The bastards.

2. Mr & Mrs Bates in bed. Thank the small merciful petal-like fingers of Jesus that we were spared the sight of them in the throes of passion. Thank God indeed.

3. Rather pissed that Cora made it. I was hoping that we would be spared another series of her "Meaningful Yet Wistful Looks". Shame to see that dress with the fishing net survived yet another outing. Note to wardrobe: you're entering the 1920s. Prepare to dazzle.

4. Even more pissed off that Mary didn't die, the ungrateful shallow ice maiden that she is. If there's one person on this show who deserves to be struck down with something resembling (but not quite) the bubonic plague (or even a dose of explosive fatal shits), it's her.

5. As I've said elsewhere - I'm counting down until Mr Carson and Thomas end up making with the beast with two backs. Who's with me?!

Speaking of Sybil and the suffragettes: why haven't we heard anything whatsoever from her about the Qualification of Women Act 1918?

Perhaps her diary has been full - she could only manage to pop by her dearly beloved's garage every six months after all.

Mind you, given that we discovered she was 21 in 1919, that makes her 1913 campaign to win the vote seem a little premature.

Why does Ethel's baby have a bigger head than she has - and yet is still in nappies as he must surely be approaching school age, and how does she feel about Oliver Reed being her son's grandfather?

She's afraid his answer will be 'Master'.

It made me laugh when I saw have I Got News For You - who'd have thought Ian Hislop would be a DA fan? Next thing you know, Jeremy Paxman will be announcing it's his secret sunday night passion on Newsnight and Jeremy Clarkson will be letting his love of it it slip out on Top Gear.

Definately innuendo bingo time when the gramophone went on.

Totally. That was priceless.

What's this about O'Brien and the soap? I don't remember a soap incident.

Thank goodness that's over. Was right about Lavinia as the flu victim, then. Yes, very strange almost goggling look from Penelope Wilton during L's deathbed scene, as if she was witnessing an attack of the zombies or something? Lavinia didn't even turn blue at the end, either...(all very sanitised...)
Funny erotic brinkmanship being played out with the Earl and that housemaid with the piercing eyes. The mere mention of Ripon Grammar seemed to work like an aphrodisiac etc...I guess he's must be very middle class beneath all that aristo tweed...does Violet know? Of course he gave into Branson and Sibyl, no surprises there.
Yes, could have done without a glimpse of Bates' and Anna's intimate wedding night, ahem. Did Lady Mary put them up in the Pamuk Suite I wonder? Tsk, Downton is becoming like a hippy commune...soon they'll be hosting pop concerts on the croquet lawn etc. Poor Edith didn't have much to do, not even a 'flu sniffle...
Lots of bon mots for Violet, they came thick and fast in this episode...Did she make a joke about the Hapsburgs? (Must watch again...) And O'Brien nearly owning up to the soap incident! Terrible rubbish really...Best bit was Daisy as WW I's most ungracious/reluctant/stroppy war widow finally shedding a tear over William's grave...

Phew Carson made it! Was seriously worried Thomas had spiked his hot milk! I'd do an inventory of the silver though! Poor Lavinia was rather touching. Hurrah for Sybil + Branson, Lord Goody Two Shoes is such a hypocritical arse even if he did stop short of seducing Jane. Good for Ethel standing up to that bully.
Overall a pretty good finale so 9 out of 10!

"What's this about O'Brien and the soap?" Oh bless you, @sb69!

Who wants to explain? Form an orderly queue, please.

And while we're at it, what's with this Turkish gentleman?

@hellcat, I couldn't agree more. Especially about Cousin Violet. I expect to see, if I cared enough, aye there's the rub, Dame Maggie all togged out and listening to the wireless and laughing at ITMA and Mrs Dale's Diary. Maybe that's for the Christmas Special.

How does Cousin Violet know what Middle Class is? How often does she even meet any middle class person? Her dialogue always sounds as if Alan Bennett wrote it. [Uncredited and double the fee?]

I'm beginning to notice that Downstairs at Downton they are far more U than the mob Upstairs.

Only, I'm a bit confused, while I don't give a rat's about who poisoned hideous Vera, didn't Thomas poison Mr Pamuk? He did hand Mr Pamuk a class of something just before Mr Pamuk pounced on Mary in the ante-room.

Lavinia's finest hour? It seemed longer than my first term at school. And her demise was the worst kept secret in television deaths since Eddie Britt's exit from Desperate Housewives, which is what Downton is turning into now: Desperate Aristocrats meet Blackadder. Series Three? I hope those who like that sort of thing enjoy it, but I bit adieu to Downton last night, as did, I suspect, a vast number of other people. It is hard to get involved in story lines, if you can call them that, when the people involved are so unsympathetic. Downton has no style. It's really just Coronation Street in grander settings and sometimes posher voices.

Am I first in the queue?

@sb69 ... a bar of soap is the reason Matthew is still heir of Downton (assuming the non-reappearance of heavily bandaged Canadians). An absence of soap would have meant his return to life as a Mancunion solicitor.

I can only assume you must have nipped to the kitchen to put the kettle on during one of the many ad breaks, and not made it back in time to see The Soap incident in Series 1. It's easily done. Buy the series on DVD and speed through until you find Cora in the bath.

Viv

Soap is an ingredient of questionable dramas. As you well know!

Turkish men are usually without moustaches and conveniently expire off screen and are therefore 'poor Mr' something or other. They may or may not be wicked but certainly cause ruffles in the smooth running of the aristocratic order of things.

Oh... and in case no-one has done it yet... Thanks for your brilliant blogs!

x

So much for Michele Dockery's longing for the manners of yesteryears. Within hours of their partners being confined to their sickbeds, the current and future Earl of Grantham were off snogging other women.

Nice trick in the trailer, showing the aged hand flopping down suggesting it was Cora who copped it. It was Cora's hand but it occurred after she recovered - I don't know why she flopped it then!

I've officially had enough of the Matthew/Mary thing. But at least Bates decided to do the decent thing and marry Anna - I was anticipating him being all stubborn again.

What happened to the kids of servants any how??

Well I know about this one...My mum sat and played in the kitchen while my grandma cooked and cleaned for her boss, and my dad was luckier - he got to sit in the 'parlour' and be spoilt and fed cream cakes by the hotel owner my nan did housework for.

Matthew morphed into John Alderton of 'Please Sir' tonight. Uncanny resemblance.

I feel sorry for Lady Sybil and her uppity chauffeur. Four years unrequited longing and now a whole season's break before any whiff of a wedding cake. Time-lines may not matter in Downtown but it'll be awkward if the real life couple fall with child before they film their virtuous nuptials. Reverse bustles may not pass for 20s fashion but I'm sure the Good Lord will think of something.

It's all too much. Too much. Still, Michelle Dockery is of Irish stock. If Lord Fellowes doesn't raise his fecking game in the next series I'll be forced to watch that too for the sake of her Lady Mary.

Mixed as ever, but I have liked the little subplot with Daisy as the reluctant war widow. And now she's got to play the part of grieving daughter-in-law too, bless her.

I would say this was one of the better episodes of the series. But it goes without saying that this series has been a bit all over the shop.

However, in hindsight we must acknowledge that the signs were there in series one for plotlines that bordered on the farcical.

Hopefully series 3 will be a little tighter and more polished than this middle series.

Looking forward to seeing some of 1920's Dublin next series, all going according to plan...

Hey, no hating on Bates and Anna! Anna is adorable, one of the best characters on Downton, and Bates is such a sweet man, handsome in his own way. (At least, I'd do him. But then, I'd also do Lord Grantham. And Matthew. And Thomas. In no particular order, or perhaps all at once is fine too.)

2. Mr & Mrs Bates in bed. Thank the small merciful petal-like fingers of Jesus that we were spared the sight of them in the throes of passion. Thank God indeed.

But... but... I was actually kind of turned on by his chubby pasty naked arm and shoulder....

Oi! There's nothing wrong with being pale! Natural beats a spray-tan anyday.

Anyway.

Well well. No surprises there, but then I er... did go and read all the spoilers beforehand, so I'm not in a great position to judge.

I think this was Violet's hour. Her cholera story was terrific, and the scheming to hitch Branson onto a noble family made me laugh out loud; maybe she'll get Shrimpy involved.

Otherwise, I'm a bit in love with O'Brien; she's such a great character. And I too liked Lavinia; she was far too good for Matthew, who I've always thought was a bit of a snide twat, but whose "developments" were really taking the piss this time. Robert and the maid? Get off! Ethel? I still don't care. I second (or third/fourth/fifth) the request re Thomas, and it'd be good to find out if he really did poison Mr Pamuk, but I don't suppose we will now. Never mind.

What fun. Thanks for the laughs, Viv, and everyone else who has commented over the past few weeks, this has been a real pleasure.

Dirty girl.

It seems that one of the symptoms of Spanish flu is that your feller snogs someone else.

Lavinia = Star Trek red shirt.

HA! Poor Ginger Expendable Lavinia. i predicted, along with My Fellow Commenters, that the poor dear would snuff it this episode. but then she actually broke up with Matthew. "Unexpectedly classy, show", i thought. but no. she had to
a) suffer from a bizarre relapse of this "savage, unpredictable disease" (translation: Dr. Carlson is a really shit doctor)
b) release Matthew (before witnesses!) in a manner guaranteed to twist the knife in the wound
c) and then die young, having lived not-so-fast and leaving a not-so-pretty corpse.

all so that
1) there's no way she can actually come back and marry Matthew (although, with this show, who knows)
2) Matthew could mope in churchyards and say to mary "Our Love Can Never Be."