1. No matter what else is going on in your life, a woman’s wedding day should be about her. It’s not about you.
There were no shortage of people who needed to learn this lesson in this episode. Mary’s snobbery wasn’t what Mrs Hughes wanted (lots of people still like a hearty wedding meal!). Cora’s rudeness and impatience called for the telling-off her daughter gave her. Mr. Carson had to let go of always trying to please the family and let his bride have her way.
Although please note: Mrs. Hughes had realistic desires. I’m not sure I’d be on your side if yours aren’t.
2. Don’t upstage the bride!
I was SO glad to see Tom and Sybbie at the end of the episode. Downton wasn’t the same without them.
But did anyone else feel like Tom was stealing the Carsons’ thunder? Not cool, Tom.
3. Edith might not be alone forever. (Oh, and she can totally run a magazine.)
It was a bit refreshing to watch Edith hold her own around a guy, and have the guy not be a bumbling idiot. I don’t know that their romance is ever going to be the Matthew & Mary type, but I’m still glad she’s out in the world again.
The magazine bit, though? C’mon. I don’t care how much writing you’ve done in the past. Pinch-hitting a whole print run is not that easy.
4. Sometimes, it’s good to have your enemy in your debt.
Denker and Spratt are what I’d call mildly amusing minor characters. (Let’s be honest, unless they’re fodder for a Lady Violet one-liner, I’d like them to have less screen time…kind of like Nearly Headless Nick in Harry Potter or Olaf in Frozen.)
But I was inwardly cheering when she (momentarily, at least) overcame her feud with Spratt and helped him protect his nephew…who thinks that the Dowager House is a good place to hide(?).
5. A hundred years ago, people still argued over big government versus local control.
This hospital story line is boring me about as much as political bashing usually does, but it accounted for the best line of the episode (spoken by Violet, of course):
Robert: You can’t expect me to avoid talking to my own wife!
Violet: Why not? I know several couples who are perfectly happy and haven’t spoken in years.
(Note: These gifs have zero to do with that plot point. But they’re funny, and the hospital plot is not.)
So what did you think of episode 3? Which story line have you riveted? Which are boring you? What do you want to see happen in the final 6 episodes?
