Warning – here be spoilers.

The episode begins with Anna struggling with her horrific experience with Gillingham’s valet by freezing out Bates. I have no idea how women deal with situations like that, and I cannot imagine what it would be like trying to deal with a rape. This storyline is a surprise to me, although it probably shouldn’t be based on past seasons. I hate the premise involved in keeping the rape from Mr. Bates. I do not like that they are headed in the direction of making him a suspect in yet another possible death, as if the only redeeming character of the man is that Anna loves him. The writers keep trying to paint Bates as some kind of unstable psychopath, who would not take much more provocation than jealousy to murder a man. If that is the case, shouldn’t we all encourage Anna to move on and find someone else?

In relation to the endless soap opera that is the love life of Lady Mary, Evelyn Napier returns! You know, the guy indirectly involved in her major scandal in season 1? (Look it up) She seems to enjoy seeing him, and he is not a bad choice if and when she actually decides to get over Matthew. Of course, if she had made a slightly different choice in his favor earlier in the series, so many things would have been different for her. On the other hand, his boss, Charles Blake, is another interesting candidate for the hand of Lady Mary. He will end up proving himself not what she expects, and a pleasant surprise. I’m still going to keep Lord Gillingham as the leader in the clubhouse. Rule #1 in TV – engagements only mean something if the marriages actually happen. Even money says that Gillingham won’t go through with it. I don’t have any prior knowledge of this, only a strong suspicion. It’s the same feeling I have about Molly Hooper’s engagement in that other epic British series (Sherlock). We all know that something is going to happen between Sherlock and Molly. We just don’t know when exactly it will happen. But that’s a prediction for another day and a different post…

Thomas should leave the ladies’ maids alone. First O’Brien, now Baxter – I hate the way he tries to use them for information/ gossip, and he does not treat them with any respect. At least with O’Brien, it was equal evil matching up with each other. That was a pair worth watching. This bullying needs to stop, and Baxter deserves better. I hope she finds someone who will give her the courage to tell Thomas where to go when he starts his nonsense.
Moseley needs to get over himself. I don’t know the state of the British economy in those days, but we have all had to take jobs we are overqualified to do. Suck it up, man, and act grateful for the opportunity. No boss wants to hire somebody who acts like it’s a favor to the employer to accept the job. That said, Carson has sticks where they shouldn’t be, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea for him someday to learn some valuable lessons about tolerance and humility.

The whole Isobel / Countess / Peg saga – yawn. Who cares.
The whole Alfred / Ivy / Daisy triangle is a bit tired at this point. Instead of prolonging this agony for the viewers, why can’t we find Daisy a legit guy who’s not a co-worker?

To be continued…