Episode #1.5

Any butler worth his salt would have sacked o'brien and barrow in the first episode ... the crappy creator and writer fellowes purposely creates problems to make his fairy tale flow ... this whole series is not well thought out and puts in props to make it more interesting except it doesn't

Daisy is flustered after witnessing the late night disposal of the dead Mr. Pamuk. O'Brien and Thomas continue to scheme and make sure Daisy tells Lady Edith the circumstances of Pamuk's death. The evil twosome also plot to frame Bates for the theft of a snuff box, but Anna and Bates outwit them at their own game. And thanks to a letter written by Thomas, gossip about Lady Mary's virtue reaches London. Lady Cora tells Mary she's damaged goods and best marry quickly. Old Anthony Strallin is invited to dinner as a prospective husband. Edith is actually interested in the old coot, sparking up a bitter sibling rivalry between the two sisters. Lady Sybil continues to encourage Gwen in her secretarial ambitions. Sybil applies for a job on Gwen's behalf and gets her an interview. They sneak off to the interview. The horse and buggy breaks down on the way back and they can't find a blacksmith. They both end up in the mud, but no one is the wiser when they return. The village is abuzz with the annual flower show. While talking to Molesley's father, Isobel discovers that Countess Violet wins the flower show every year and deems this unjust. In an unusually kind move, Countess Violet declares Molesley's father the winner, even though the judges have decreed on paper that Violet won yet again. Anna and Bates talk about love while making Edith's bed. He insinuates that he loves Anna. She comes right out and says she loves him on the trek to the flower show. Mrs Patmore makes a very salty raspberry meringue for dessert and nearly chokes Lord Strallin. Carson has a talk with Mrs. Patmore and she reveals her eyesight is going.

Edith writes a mysterious letter to the Turkish ambassador. Oh oh...

The continuing saga of O'Brian and Thomas gets stickier. They have to understand at this point that there are those who are suspicious at this point and their messing around is going to be under surveillance. Bates and Anna are starting their relationship, but there is a secret of some sort. Mrs. Patmore has problems. Daisy is utterly vacuous at this time and is a threat to Mary because of what she saw that night. Nicely structured.

Lady Mary and Lady Edith go against each other and compete, while Mrs. Crawley thinks the Dowager Countess makes herself win in a flower contest.

It's really fun to see and watch the Dowager Countess "fighting" with Matthew's mother. She provides laughter in this series. She is definitely my favorite character now.

I also feel bad for Lady Edith here.