DOWNTON ABBEY S3E5 (review)

By Christopher Cerasi

The shockwaves of Lady Sybil’s death are still being felt at Downton Abbey, both upstairs and down, and in last night’s episode they colored almost all of the decisions made by our beloved characters.

But for this post we’ll focus on the upstairs inhabitants; next week is all about those below stairs.

Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) and her genuine and deep goodness have left a permanent mark on Downton, and it is most keenly felt in the heartache of her mother, Cora (the sublime Elizabeth McGovern). 

Cora is still a river of ache and hurt and anger, all of it directed – and not unjustly – at her husband, Robert (Hugh Bonneville).  Lord Grantham has been a stubborn, ignorant, prudish, staggeringly old-fashioned (even for 1920), and somewhat irritating presence of late, and the rift between him and his wife is heartbreaking to watch.

It was Lady Grantham whose compassion, foresight, caution, and levelheadedness have prevailed and been the heart of Downton Abbey this season.

Indeed, the women of Downton almost always emerge stronger than their male counterparts, at least upstairs.

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