What the heck is this?! OK: to be fair, this series has always had its soap-opera moments -- some dictated by plot, others by cast changes. But here it's squarely on the many lame aspects of the script itself. From the first scene, it feels off: plot-heavy dialog, change-of-pace locations, and far too many characters.
Almost everyone is not quite on their marks: Bates is suddenly adept at forgery, Branson loses his perspective because of an annoying town girl, and the story as a whole has an unfinished feeling. Edith is of course monotonously morose over her secret situation, which onply progresses in ways which were already discussed and dismissed in the previous episode. Oh, let's have a game-changing reveal for one of Mary's suitors -- why not. And isn't it funny if Carson's totally tone-deaf about what the other servants would want to do on a day off? No, you're right, it isn't -- not half as funny as Maclaine and Smith trading lame barbs.
Fortunately, it isn't all bad -- mostly in the beginning, somewhat less so as it progresses. The scene of Barrow serving Branson is great, and the American valet asking to speak with Carson "man to man" is gold. The pageantry of Rose's presentation was a wonderful spectacle which surpassed anything seen so far.
As always, the costumes are amazing, and Isis (the dog) does get some choice scenes. Stupid plot choices are unavoidable, and we can already see the potential soapy problems ripe for next season's picking. If so, I hope it's better than most of this, which was a distinct drop in writing quality from all that had gone before.
Almost everyone is not quite on their marks: Bates is suddenly adept at forgery, Branson loses his perspective because of an annoying town girl, and the story as a whole has an unfinished feeling. Edith is of course monotonously morose over her secret situation, which onply progresses in ways which were already discussed and dismissed in the previous episode. Oh, let's have a game-changing reveal for one of Mary's suitors -- why not. And isn't it funny if Carson's totally tone-deaf about what the other servants would want to do on a day off? No, you're right, it isn't -- not half as funny as Maclaine and Smith trading lame barbs.
Fortunately, it isn't all bad -- mostly in the beginning, somewhat less so as it progresses. The scene of Barrow serving Branson is great, and the American valet asking to speak with Carson "man to man" is gold. The pageantry of Rose's presentation was a wonderful spectacle which surpassed anything seen so far.
As always, the costumes are amazing, and Isis (the dog) does get some choice scenes. Stupid plot choices are unavoidable, and we can already see the potential soapy problems ripe for next season's picking. If so, I hope it's better than most of this, which was a distinct drop in writing quality from all that had gone before.