Okay, let’s talk about THAT scene.

Did anything else even happen this episode? Because that is all I can remember. Mary and Henry blah blah blah, Yay Edith, Daisy whatever.

But that scene!

We were all expecting something to happen to the Earl, but I was not expecting it to be that…explosive! I was vegging out in bed, watching the episode, when I literally jumped up for sheer surprise. I actually shouted at the TV, “NOOOOO!”

This week’s blog post title is courtesy of me, because I swear at the back of my mind I was thinking exactly that while all this was going down. “That pristine white tablecloth! What are they going to do about it?”

Although I have to say, Lady Violet unleashed another classic Downtonism after Denker insulted Dr. Clarkson on the street: “If I withdrew my friendship from everyone who had spoken ill of me, my address book would be empty!”

I never realized how much I cared for Robert, and how devastated I would be if he died, until that scene. I’ve been waiting for the blow since they started giving us those hints of his stomach pain, but I did not know until then that I don’t want him to die! After the initial shock, I was biting my nails to see what would happen to him. I have not seen this week’s episode yet, and I know the previews showed him recovering at home, but if this is one of those false hope things, I swear Fellowes is going on my list (currently occupied solely by Moffat).

I don’t even have the strength to talk about anything else this episode, because seriously. I got nuthin’. I’ll wait until the next installment, I’ll probably be recovered enough by then.