Downton Abbey - Episode Seven - Be Afraid, Green...

Ooh, that's what I've been waiting for - the look Bates gave Green, right at the end of last night's show. It even made me shudder. Fantastic. Please let the vile valet get his come-uppance in next week's final programme. Green really dropped himself in it, when he mentioned that the performance by opera singer Dame Nellie Melba was too much for him and he'd had to go down to the servants' quarters. As for Mrs Hughes confronting him about the attack - bravo! He should, indeed, "Keep to the shadows".

Mary was less of a cold fish this week, and looked a decade younger when she had the mud-fight with Mr Blake. It's nice to see her take on the reponsibilities of the running the estate. Plus I warmed to her when she supported Anna by making sure Bates didn't accompany the Earl to the States.  And now there are so many men after the beautiful Lady Mary Crawley... I have a feeling no-nonsense Blake will end up at the top of her list.

I also warmed to one of my least favourite characters, this week, Edith, as she changed her mind at the last minute about terminating her pregnancy. Instead of doing the practical thing, she's put her feelings for Gregson first. Her love-life has run far from smoothly. Let's hope there is some happiness for this middle sister in Series Five.

Of course, the best bit about last night was finding that - for the moment anyway - Maggie Smith is to stick with the show. How hilarious the Dowager Countess was, reluctantly showing her gratitude to 'nurse' Mrs Crawley. Thanks goodness this witty lady didn't catch pneumonia.

All in all another excellent episode. I can forgive the flaws, for example Mary telling Blake they could leave the front door open at night, as there wouldn't be burglars. "This is England" she said. Hmm. Surely she hadn't already forgotten the brutal attack on Anna - as far as she knew, perpetrated by a stranger! I can't wait for the final show next week - one reason being that Sunday 10th is also the launch day of my debut novel, Doubting Abbey! So if you feel morose at leaving the Grantham household, why not dip into my book and enter the world of the aristocratic Croxleys?!

Downton Abbey - Episode 5 - Thankfully No Soap

Thank you, thank you, Julian Fellowes, for not taking Downton Abbey down the path of becoming a soap. He hasn't eked out the storyline of Bates discovering what really happened to Anna - nor has she become pregnant by vile Green, a well-worn  theme (will husband find out the baby isn't is?) in TV serials. What a relief it was, last night, when Mrs Hughes finally told Bates of the attack. His reaction was moving, as was Anna's when she realized her husband didn't see her as 'spoiled'. Excellent acting. We can rest easy now that one of our favourite couples is back together.

There were shades of dark and light last night - much of the latter provided by Mrs Patmore's reluctance to move with the times. The new sewing machine made her feel dizzy and she was highly suspicious of the new-fangled idea of a fridge, instead of an ice-box. Strong characterisation is one of Fellowes' strengths -  I always enjoy Mary's cutting remarks towards her sister Edith and Carson's unsympathetic attitude towards poor Molesley never fails to make me chuckle. 

So, no sooner is Lord Gillingham officially engaged, another love interest for Mary, Mr Napier, turns up. And something is going on with Michael Gregson... Will affairs of the heart ever run easily for the Crawley sisters? As usual, plenty of questions were left open for next week's episode. What is the agenda of Napier's boss, Charles Blake, did John Pegg the gardener really steal the paper knife and what exactly is the relationship between Barrow and devious Mrs Baxter?

Of course, some questions are bigger than others, but Fellowes has the knack of making us care about them all. Like I said earlier, strong characterisation is the key, with the different Downton personalities staying true to their intrinsic nature and not being twisted simply to fit in with plot.

The outfits, once again, were fabulous and Maggie Smith's cutting comments now feel as familiar as a favourite bar of chocolate. Roll on next week - but not too quickly as we are now past the half-way mark and I'm not ready to face Sunday nights without this sumptous trip back in time.