“Downton” was a bit dark this week. Is happiness really that hard to find for these mansion-dwellers? Apparently so.  Lord Grantham, the grump-in-chief, is being forced to consider selling off part of Downton’s property to developers. He isn’t thrilled at the prospect. He considers himself the keeper of a sacred tradition and doesn’t want to be the Grantham responsible for turning the estate over to the rabble. Tom and Mary try to convince him that the estate can use the money, but he’s not moved.  Lady Edith’s struggles continue to mount. There’s news from Munich that the Brownshirt thugs are on trial and Edith may be close to finding out what happened to Michael Grigson. She’d almost rather not know. And motherhood, such as it is for her, may be pushing her over the edge. This week we find her stalking the daughter she has handed over to the tenant farmers for safekeeping. This plan doesn’t seem to be working well for any of the parties involved. I’d feel sorry for Edith but she does a fine enough job of feeling sorry for herself.  “Edith darling, why so glum?” her clueless mother asks her.  “I’m not glum, am I?” Edith responds in her glum-glummiest voice.  No, Edith, you’re not glum at all. And Hillary’s not running for president.  In other grim plot developments, Mr. Barrow returns from visiting his ill father. Only, his father never was ill. Baxter seems to have figured out that Barrow is the one who is sick. But what’s wrong with him? She hears him call out in anguish and when she opens the door she spots a syringe on a table. Is he a drug addict? Not likely. It’s all a bit unclear, but by show’s end it seems the “illness” Barrow is trying to cure himself of is his attraction to men.  Meanwhile, Mrs. Patmore (and thank you to all the commenters who explained last week that heads of kitchens and house staff were referred to as Mrs. even if they were unmarried) is distraught that her nephew Archie will not be recognized on any war memorial because he was shot for cowardice. She sees this as a great injustice and is particularly perturbed with Mr. Carson for showing so little compassion.  The issue is brought to Lord Grantham who has noticed Mrs. Patmore’s despair. Grantham tells Mrs. Patmore that he agrees that her nephew should be recognized but that he can’t change the ruling. Mrs. Patmore takes some comfort from Grantham’s words and takes a shot at Mr. C. “It helps to see how decent folk can see how Archie was a victim even if Mr. Carson can’t,” she says.  Goodness, this show could use some levity. Enter Mr. Molesley, top-notch whiner and work-shirker. Molesley is starting to feel put-upon because he’s being asked to serve as valet for visitors, clean all the silver, set the table, polish the boots and basically do the work that used to be the job of several servants. All they do is ask more, more and more of him. He huffs and puffs and puts on his best pouty face. (He looks a bit like me when I was “asked” to write these “Downton” recaps.)  The Dowager Countess and Mrs. Crawley make a visit to the Russian refugees so that the DC can see her favorite Russian ex-prince. They may have had a fling years ago, but now she wants to see if she can help him locate his princess who he hasn’t seen since they were all forced to leave Russia. Frankly, I don’t think the prince seems too concerned about his princess. He still has eyes for the Dowager Countess. She has the money.  The showstopping scene this week had to be Lord Merton’s visit with Isobel Crawley. First we see Merton knocking nervously at the door. Then we see Mrs. Crawley, looking a little Miss Marple-y as she peers suspiciously over her rose bushes. Something is up! It doesn’t take long to find out what.  Lord Merton has a question he wants to ask her. A big one.  “I state freely and proudly Isobel that I’ve fallen in love with you and I want to spend what remains of my life in your company,” he says. Now that’s how you propose, guys. (I’m pretty sure I used the more traditional “Howzabout we make this legal?”)  “I believe I could make you happy,” Merton continues. “At any rate, I believe I would like the chance to try.”  Merton is really good at this proposal thing. Mrs. Crawley doesn’t say yes right away which is sort of stunning. But she is considering it. And of course the Dowager Countess tries to discourage her. For her, the idea of Mrs. Crawley as an equal is a kick in the teeth.  Rose’s father, Shrimpie, arrives for a visit. Where do you even start with a name like Shrimpie? He and Rose’s mother are getting divorced. Everyone likes Shrimpie more. But without Rose’s mother, he’ll be broke. That fact provided the best line of the night. “Shrimpie hasn’t got a bean,” said Lord Grantham. I hope that becomes a popular expression.  The other notable visitor to Downton is the art historian/Cora seducer, Mr. Bricker. This man has no shame.  “I think everything about Downton is beautiful,” he tells Cora. “Including its mistress.”  “You mustn’t say such things,” she replies with a smile.  “I’ll have to. Or I’ll burst,” he says.  Thank goodness Lord Grantham walks in before any bursting occurs.  How have I gone this far without talking about Mary? She’s off to London for a fashion show and, oh yes, to tell Gillingham she doesn’t want to marry him. While in London, Mary sees Charles Blake at the fashion show. Because, what else would he be doing? Of course he’s at a fashion show.  Blake is with Mabel Lane Fox, who was engaged to Gillingham before Mary borrowed Gillingham away. It’s all a bit awkward. Charles and Mary go out to dinner and she tells him about her plan to jettison Gillingham. Blake says he has a good way to soften the blow, but I have no idea what he means. I don’t think Mary does, either. I welcome all guesses/conjectures in the comments.  When Mary meets Gillingham the next day to break the news, it doesn’t go well. Gillingham feels used. He’s not a cheap one night stand!  “Am I bad lover? Is that it?” he asks Mary.”Don’t be silly,” Mary replies. But what she means to say is “Duhhh!”  Gillingham rejects Mary’s rejection. We’ll work through this, he tells her. Yeah, that sounds like a good foundation for beginning a marriage.  (Random aside No. 1: Isis the dog seems to be getting more screen time this year. They must be setting her up to be run over by Edith in a future episode.)  Anna, who has traveled with Mary to London, is spotted by undercover police dropping off Mary’s letter for Gillingham and then continuing on to Picadilly where she goes to the scene of Mr. Green’s death. The police are suspicious.  Back at Downton, dinner plans are being made. Mrs. Crawley wants Miss Bunting invited to the dinner on Tom’s behalf even though Lord Grantham loathes Miss Bunting. Oooh, I have an idea Violet, why not just invite a barrel of gunpowder and hand out matches to everyone? Lady Cora insists that Miss Bunting come to the dinner as well. What could go wrong?  Miss Bunting arrives at the dinner and Tom tells her to be nice. She lectures him. The dinner table fireworks don’t take long to set off.  Bunting accuses Lord Grantham of not even knowing Daisy’s name. This ticks Robert off. Daisy and Mrs. Patmore are brought to the table to discuss the lessons that Miss Bunting has given Daisy. Daisy offers an eloquent testimonial and Lord Grantham graciously acknowledges that Miss Bunting’s teaching has been helpful.  And then Miss Bunting pulls the tablecloth off the table, throws dishes and plates and punches Grantham in the nose. Metaphorically, of course.  “There is only one thing I would like!” he yells. “And I would like passionately. And that is to see you leave this house and never come back!”  Oh, Bunting. You could have at least waited until after dessert to spit in Grantham’s eye.  Tom has a real choice to make. Should he stay at magnificent Downton where his every whim is taken care of or should he head off with a woman who could get into an argument with a parking meter? Tough call.  The police are back at Downton. They noticed Anna at Gillingham’s and then going on to Picadilly to the spot where Green died. The cops wonder whether Anna has a grudge. Does she have an alibi? Was she at Downton on the day of Green’s death? I hope we don’t have to wait all season to find out who’s responsible for the murder.  At show’s end, Lord Grantham has come to terms that some of the property should be developed. But he doesn’t want it done on the cheap. We won’t destroy what people love about this place, he tells Mary and Tom. Thank goodness.  That’s all for this week! Molesley and I are going out for our break. See you next Sunday.
Lord Merton lets his feelings for Mrs. Crawley be known, and Gillingham won't take no for an answer