I was in need of comfort a couple of weeks ago, so I binged Downton Abbey.
And despite its complicated relationship with all the -isms, it was comforting.
However, I have some thoughts.
- Edith is stupid and whiny. I just can’t with her. I try to sympathize; I really do, but her constant unhappiness is usually her own damn fault. We’re supposed to contrast her to her “selfish” sister, Mary, but Edith is far more selfish. She should have considered that she would have been hurting her whole family when she ratted Mary out. She shouldn’t kiss married farmers. She shouldn’t take a baby away FROM TWO DIFFERENT MOTHERS WHO LOVE HER. She shouldn’t ruin the Drewes’ marriage or make that family have to leave the land they’ve been on “since Waterloo.” And after doing all of that, she shouldn’t have still been complaining at the end because she doesn’t get to do whatever the fuck she wants. None of us do, dear.
2. Marigold is too big. In way too many scenes, she looks older than her cousins.
3. I can’t tell George and Tony apart. I was frustrated when I first watched this, but I thought I would do better the second time through. Nope. When Mary talks to one of them, I have to hope that she’ll say his name or that someone will bring up pigs.
4. The most disturbing image in the show is Rose’s clavicle. How can any of these men want to kiss her when her skeleton is trying to leap out of her body?
5. The show does well in exploring both overt sexism and emotional labor expectations. As I often explain to my students, shows made now but set in the past represent our values. We are to love Carson (he reminds me so much of my (grand)Daddy), but we are to side with the women and the lower class characters who want more equality of opportunity. There are many overt examples, but on this rewatch, I was drawn to all the moments in which the show focused on protecting men’s feelings, on coddling them, on keeping things from them because they couldn’t deal with them.
A lot of this is seen with Carson, in fact. His wife can’t tell him he’s being a sexist asshole when he demands a second shift from her at home. She and Mrs. Patmore have to trick him into seeing how difficult that shift is instead.
Just like they have to strategize about how to break the news to him that Mrs. Patmore won’t be taking his financial advice. Mrs. Hughes sums it up perfectly: “I wish men worried about our feelings a quarter as much as we worry about theirs.”
My reluctance to marry, to live with someone, to even date right now, is largely predicated on this bullshit male behavior, since every man I’ve lived with has expected me to be a maid of all work while working more than full time, while also being the household therapist, personal assistant, fluffer, etc.
6. As much as I might fantasize about being Violet Crawley when I’m older, I’m going to be Martha Levinson. She isn’t pretentious, she turns down unsuitable suitors, and she enjoys a good meal, unapologetically.
7. Whatever happened to Michael Gregson’s wife? The whole point of him going to Germany was to be able to divorce her. He says several times that his wife, away in an asylum, doesn’t recognize him. Even if we take him at his word, I want to know what happened to her once he died. He left everything to Edith. So who’s paying for the asylum? Who’s making sure this woman is safe?
Edith, of course, never considers her for a second. Because, as noted above, she’s a selfish cunt.
8. Mary should have killed Mr. Green. It would have been so simple. Wait for him to come to Downton. Beat him, stab him, or shoot him. Explain to the police that he tried to rape an upper class woman. The end.
