User Reviews

Lady Mary finds out that Mr. Green is the attacker of Anna Bates. She helps Anna by convincing Lord Gillingham to fire his valet, without telling why. Well, at the end, Mr. Green was killed by an accident on the street. That's justice served. But I'm sure Bates has nothing to do with it.

Aunt Rosamund plans to go to Switzerland with Lady Edith in a pretense to learn French, but in truth they will hide Edith's pregnancy and give up the baby for adoption. It's a very complicated situation, and also very sad to give up your child to some strangers. If it was Sybil, she wouldn't have cared.

Then there's Daisy, whose great affection and love for Alfred we can see. Too bad Alfred can't return the love back. I really love Daisy and Mrs. Patmore, who serves as her mother when Daisy had none.

Things continue to roll. For one thing, we find that Anna's rapist has met his death, run over by a large vehicle on a street in London. But it brings some suspicions. Anna is sure that Bates is behind it and lapses into another emotional valley. Mary continues to be pursued by handsome men, not sure what she should do. Edith is big news as she and Aunt Rosamund head to Switzerland so she can give birth and then do what she will with the newborn. Thomas continues to threaten Baxter and Branson meets a formidable young woman.

It's interesting to note that when the agitation between Mary and Edith begins to grow, Mary's voice lowers to a very serious monotone. There's no reason for them to be fighting as season four moves towards its conclusion, but they haven't been seen alone together at all since the first episode. Mary finds out about Anna's rape and about Rose seeing Jack while Rosamund plans a trip for her and Edith which would mean her giving up the baby. It's nice to see Rosamund finally lightening up a bit, although she's still got a ways to go to even reach her mother's level of humanity.

Meanwhile, Sarah Bunting, the young woman Tom, makes another appearance, and with Lord Gillingham present, Mr. Green is there as well, and the tension in the servant's dining area is murderous. The Rose and Jack story prepares to wrap up, and while Mary claims to be seemingly accepting of it as she expresses concern, that uppity nose in the air attitude that seemed washed off by pig slop is obviously back. But when she meets with Jack privately, she expresses a side of her that she only reveals on special occasions.

The best scene comes as a confrontation between Violet, Rosamund and Edith where the lack of words gives Violet the truth without even hearing it. The still desireable Isabel finally gets the chance for romantic happiness by the return of Lord Merton (a guest in season three) who will remain recurring through the remainder of the series. Their private walk shows great promise. As for the conclusion, it's another violent twist for a despicable character that will result in a surprising twist later on, and while it could be easy to say, "Here we go again!", the story couldn't go any other way.

Until I finished the episode, I didn't realize it was the season finale. At the same time we wrapped up so many stories, and placed the seedlings for new ones, perhaps it was just my ignorance. Still, it is strange for a show to not feel like it has a finale type stamp on it, but then again there is the Christmas special.

The Romance

Going into the episode though, I felt there was a lot of focus on possible romances for many of the characters. Mary for example now has two men fighting for her affections. Mr. Blake who has that Matthew appeal since he can be a challenge to her, and then Mr. Gillingham who perhaps would lay on the road and die for the woman if she asked. But, being that Mary has still a feign attachment to Matthew, she can't give either man what they wish for, though they both seem to have no will to give up. However, due to circumstances, it seems Mr. Jack Ross has given up on Rose. It seems the idea of a interracial love affair isn't something he wishes for Rose. For, though he cares for her, there seems to be a fear she is doing this to prove a point and while love is surely there, Ross' life will be threatened at every turn and he doesn't wish to leave her with his blood stains, and the stain of her being with a colored man.

That sad story aside, quite a few others seem to be handling their situations well. Daisy and Alfred make peace, and as for the sort of Mother and Son duo of Ms. Crawley and Tom, seemingly they have real suitors. In this episode, Mary's godfather Lord Merton comes to visit, and they hit it off well, to the point I would even say the Dowager may have had the most subtle hint of jealousy perhaps. As for Tom, the woman he met as the political rally, Sarah, he sees again and like with Mary, you can see a bit of his former spouse in his suitor, but while Ms. Crawley is being pursued outright, as of now perhaps Tom and Sarah may just be friends. Still, I must admit I hope for more.

Lastly, it seems Mr. Moseley and Ms. Baxter may have a growing thing. You see, Mr. Moseley, in the most awkward of ways, has been pursuing Ms. Baxter and through him we learn she is a woman who hasn't had much luck in life. No details are vivid, but she says just enough to make Moseley feel lucky about his homely life growing up in a village, well-loved and well-known. At first though, it seemed he was just trying to save her from being ostracized like Thomas, but as things went on you can see something between the two. Whether it will evolve though we will have to wait and see.

Downton's Secrets

But, as there is quite a bit a love, and loss of love, there are also of course secrets. Edith's secret, naturally, comes out since between Roseland and Edith being unable to keep her mouth shut, the Dowager finds out. What made this an odd storyline though is how terrible it was handled. Admittedly, I find Edith to be so sad, most of the time, I barely pay her mind, but in this episode she, and Roseland by extension, seemed to be so oddly written as if they had to be so obvious that something was going down in order for the Dowager to be suspicious. Either way, like with the Jack Ross incident, we witness what the times are. Edith wants to use the farmer that was saved by Lord Grantham, Mr. Drew, as a possible father, but this is striked against by all. Now, I can't say I'm sure if she means father of the child, or to raise him, but either way I was quite lost.

Perhaps the biggest thing though is Mr. Green is dead. How: he was hit by a car; Why: well there lies the issue. Naturally we suspect Mr. Bates, especially since he was out on his own, but there isn't any proof, plus Bates would have had many witnesses so he would have long been arrested. Still though, a man lies dead without judge or jury. Either way though, I certainly won't miss him.

Overall

Quality, sort of, end to a good season. It reminds you that less is certainly more and that leaving us wanting is better than throwing us more and more episodes to the point where when we hit 24 it feels like a relief. Plus, though it maybe a year before the next season, there still is the Christmas special. Let's just hope no one dies this time.