Downton Abbey Season 3 Episode 8

Carson out of uniform, oh my!

Everyone is getting ready for the big cricket match between the village and the house. Robert tries to bully Branson into playing, even though he has no idea how.  Lord Grantham also wants Thomas to play on his team, but he doesn’t know what’s going on downstairs….

After a homily from the very ‘judgey’ Carson on the revolting aspects of a homosexual lifestyle, Carson suggests Tom resigns. O’Brien encourages Jimmy to report the incident lest people think he’s not truly disgusted, i.e. gay. Jimmy goes to see Carson to ensure he’ll get a bad reference or he’ll report Tom to the police. Carson wants to avoid scandal. Tom is devastated to leave with no reference after 10 years of employment. Tom spills his guts to Mrs. Hughes and she puts her usual bug in Carson’s ear. We start to feel sorry for Tom as it’s clear he regrets his ways. Even Bates feels bad and realizes scheming O’Brien is at the bottom of the whole mess and invites O’Brien to tea. He blackmails her with the words “Her ladyship’s soap”, gleaned from Thomas. O’Brien has a word with Jimmy and he revokes the charges, but Alfred goes to the police anyway. It all gets sorted at the cricket match. Thomas may be staying on at Downton…

Is redemption on its way?

Mary talks ‘women’s stuff’ with Cora. Matthew tries to get passionate, but Mary claims London has tired her out. Matthew is frustrated, eager to make babies one assumes. Mary keeps taking mysterious trips to London. Matthew also secretly visits a doctor on the issue of his fertility. Of course they run into each other at the same office! Over lunch, Mary reveals it was her issue and she’s resolved it through an undisclosed operation. She is too proper to talk about it. The happy couple resumes being madly in love.

Baby making, 101

The not so English Rose

Violet has been entrusted with the care of her 18 year old godchild, Rose. She arrives and has tea with a bickering Violet and Isobel. These days, Isobel makes a more interesting foil for Violet than Martha Levinson ever did. Rose has barely arrived in Yorkshire and wants to return to London with Edith as her chaperone. Matthew, Edith and Rose stay at Rosamund’s house. Rose runs off and they find her in a ‘jazz club’ with a married man. They convince Rose to behave in exchange for their secrecy. Violet overhears Rose and Edith and tricks them all into revealing Rose’s infidelity. She is sent off to Scotland with a stern aunt.

Cutting loose at the scandalous jazz club, how 20s!

Edith’s editor calls her pretty during their meeting in London and asks her out for dinner. She becomes suspicious of his flirting and makes a phone call to London to find out more about him. When Edith finds out the editor is married, she travels to London to resign, but finds out his wife has been in an asylum for many years. She decides to stay on at the newspaper with her latest suitor.

Hunting down Rose at the Jazz club, or as Matthew calls it, the first ring in Dantes Inferno

Nothing beats cricket for male bonding

Everyone’s scheming how to get Robert on board for the new plans at Downton Abbey. He seems to be against profit and all for tradition. Robert suggests they invest the fortune with a fellow called Ponzi. Robert is hopeless at investment! Robert feels he’s in the back seat with this whole new plan but Branson eloquently convinces him to get on board. Lots of bonding between Matthew, Robert and Branson when Branson agrees to play cricket for the house team. Branson also sees the wisdom of living in the main house with the rest of the family, for Sybil’s sake.

Bates and Anna move into their love nest and fix it up.

Ethel is overjoyed!

Isobel gives Ethel the letters from Violet’s ad for a new cook position. Isobel tells Ethel she can seek a new position and be ‘washed clean’ if she so desires. Ethel doesn’t find any of the ads suitable, except an inviting letter from Cheeting. The Dowager invites Ethel and Isobel over one and lo and behold, a surprise visitor awaits. It’s Charlie’s grandmother and she sent Ethel the letter. She will work as Charlie’s nanny in the grandparent’s house. Ethel is overjoyed.

Downton Abbey Season 3 Episode 8 Quotes

Carson (to Tom): “I cannot hide that I find your situation revolting, but whether or not you believe me, I am not entirely unsympathetic. You have been twisted by nature into something foul and even I can see that you did not ask for it.”

Isobel: “She hates London, so she’s coming to a great aunt in Yorkshire to have a good time? How original.”

A rare Dowager smile...

Violet: “My husband was a great traveller so I’ve spent many happy evenings without understanding a word. The thing is to keep smiling. And never look as though you disapprove.”

Carson: “Just a minute, I’ve never been called a liberal in my life and I don’t intend to start now. But I do not believe in scandal.”

Violet: “Cousin Isobel is very literal.”

Isobel: “Cousin Violet has never let a matter of convenience stand in the way of a principle.”
Violet: “As the kettle said to the pot.”

Bates (to Anna): “You being in this room is enough to make it nice.”

Isobel and Violet's sparring has become quite entertaining

Cora: “Poor Robert, the post war world is not being kind to him.”

Mrs. Hughes (to Carson): “Do you think Thomas is the first man of that sort I’ve ever come across?”

Mrs. Hughes: “I won’t sit by and let that young whipper snapper ruin a man for the rest of his life, not a man who was wounded in the service of king and country.”

Matthew: “This is like the outer circle from Dante’s Inferno”

Bates (to Jimmy): “He made a mistake. You’re in one piece. Why do you have to be such a big girl’s blouse about it?”

Edith: “Rose, you’ve obviously read too many novels about young women admired for their fiestiness.”

O'Brien gets blackmailed good and proper

Lord Grantham: “If I shouted blue murder every time someone tried to kiss me at Eton, I’d have gone hoarse in a month. What a tiresome fellow.”

Matthew: “Robert, the last time you took an interest in investment you ruined the family.”

O’Brien (to Bates): “Well, I am surprised to find you’re a fan of Mr. Oscar Wilde.”

Mary (to Matthew): “So we’ll be building a new kingdom while we make our little prince.”