Downton Abbey: The Four BIG Kisses (Slate)

Downton Abbey, Season 2
Decoding the four big kisses of this week’s episode.

From: June Thomas
Posted Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, at 11:15 PM ET


To: Seth Stevenson and Dan Kois

Boys,

My own household of servants is currently being called upon to prevent me from engaging the caps lock key for the next few paragraphs. Perhaps they’ll permit me one “OMFG!”

They sure shoehorned a lot of significant events of great import into two hours of television, eh? I can’t possibly discuss all that action, so let me focus on a few key kisses.

First, Mary and Matthew’s very cinematic smackeroo, which Lavinia apparently got a load of. I guess we now know that Lady Mary’s black widow power is so strong she can even kill the fiancées of the men she ensnares. Once Lavinia dies, Matthew feels guilty, telling Lady Mary, “I believe she died of a broken heart because of that kiss—and we were the ones who killed her.” No, Matthew, it was the Spanish flu. I think he should’ve paid more attention to Lavinia’s declaration that Mary would be better at, and get more enjoyment out of, being the wife of the future earl of Grantham. Do you two believe that this really is the end for Mary and Matthew?

Next, Lord Grantham and maid Jane’s furtive lip lock. Obviously those two have a profound connection and oodles in common. Oh, wait. Actually, Jane did rather well out of those few seconds in his lordship’s dressing room—sure, she’ll have to find a new job at a tough time (what with all those titled families giving up their homes), but Lord Grantham has set math whiz Freddie up for life. Why, if they ever make Downton Abbey: The Next Generation, I bet Freddie will be our entrée into the exciting world of Bletchley Park.

And then there was Anna and Bates’ nuptial nuzzling. Is it just me, or was Mr. and Mrs. Bates’ bedroom scene kind of gross? I suspect that Brendan Coyle, who plays Bates, annoyed the cameraman, because the way he was shot did him no favors. Or maybe my distaste came from knowing how well other denizens of those fancy upstairs rooms—Mr. Pamuk, William, Lavinia—did in the end.


To see the last kiss go to:  http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2012/downton_abbey_season_2/week_6/matthew_and_mary_anna_and_bates_downton_s_great_couples_.html