I had quite a hard time thinking of what to write about this week’s episode because it seemed like nothing much happened. Not that it was a bad episode, because it wasn’t. It was just quiet, like catching up with family and hearing their stories. But that’s Downton for me anyway – as reassuring as a cup of hot chocolate on a rainy day.

The Dowager wants to recruit Dr. Carson in her scheme of keeping Isobel from getting engaged to Merty. I must have missed this in the beginning of the series, because I’m not entirely sure what Violet’s motivations are. Does she really care about Isobel and think that Merton is not right for her, or does she just not want Isobel to become a full-blown Lady? Side note: were the two ladies working on a jigsaw puzzle there? If so, how perfectly quaint!

The investigations on Green’s death are still dragging on, and if the finale involves another Bates and prison scenario, it will just be repetitive. I think they’re suspecting Anna, which is beyond sad, because will there be no end to the woes of Mr. and Mrs. Bates? After what she went through last year, it’s beyond cruel to add this to her plate.

Rose meets a nice guy and brings him to her Russian tea. After last week’s heartfelt conversation with her father about only marrying for love, it seems that this is where this whole storyline is headed. Also, her new friend Mr. Aldridge is easy on the eyes. Like a Russian Superman.

I should be jumping for joy that Little Miss Liberal (aka Miss Bunting) seems to have left for good. But I don’t want to get my hopes up because Fellowes might still take away this precious gift. She may be gone, but then something might happen that would involve Branson leaving, which is almost as bad. They don’t really need Bunting to show his character’s inner conflict, because when they were together it was never about Branson anyway. With Bunting gone, I hope they focus just on him and how he’s working through his struggles. Maybe this whole thing with the Bunting will teach him to just stand up and be his own man finally, so the Liberal never has to come back.

Bricker, that naughty man, invites himself to Cora’s bedroom because the Earl is away for the night. Buuut, he comes home earlier than expected and catches the Bricker. The Earl lets him have it, finally! So Bricker leaves the Abbey the next morning, though I doubt we’ve seen the last of him. At a party the Granthams are hosting the next evening, Cora is trying so hard to engage Robert in conversation, but he is not having any of it. There’s a poignant moment at the party where the camera focuses on Mary and Violet’s reactions when they notice that the Earl is pointedly ignoring Cora. I hope this means that we’re going to get more into their relationship, because it would be a nice change of pace from the usual focus on the young people. But – it would only be nice if it will have a happy ending, because I love those two. The poor Earl just doesn’t know how to handle anything remotely different from his planned and regimented life, and Cora just needs to be appreciated!

All I want to do is keep rooting for Edith. Team Marigold (that is, Aunt Rosamund, Violet and Edith) are hatching up some sort of plan for Edith’s baby because Mrs. Farmer is losing it. Did the farmers officially adopt Marigold? She is aware that the child is not hers, right? I wonder if I just missed it, but what exactly is her understanding of the nature of this arrangement?

I feel like we’re cresting a hill with this last episode, and the last few ones will be one hell of a ride. Is it too much to hope for a happy ending for Edith this time?