Downton Abbey: Episode "Everybody Needs a Hug"

Also, "Hooray for Decent Men"

Credit: pbs.org/masterpiece

Hugs to Jack Ross, Tom, and Molesley.  Jack is a black jazz singer who is in love with Lady Rose.  Mary visits him to presumably talk him into breaking off their secret engagement, but he beats her to the punch.  He loves Rose too much to see her shunned by society.  Tom takes up for his new family when a new friend and possible love interest feigns contempt for his mother-in-law.  Go get 'em, Tom. Favorite line of the night: "I don't believe in types. I believe in people."  Oh, Tom.  You're growing, like a flower to the sunshine.  Hugs.  And Molesley, Mr. Eeyore.  He has a friend, Ms. Baxter, someone who doesn't think he's pathetic, and so, at last, he isn't.  He wings a hammer at the bazaar and hits the bell.  Now, I'm thinking Baxter rigged it, but he has someone who believes in him.  I think we all need to join hands and sing Climb Ev'ry Mountain.  Go on, I'll wait.  (A dream that will need all the love you can giiiiiiiiive...)

I'm so glad we could share that together.  Also, Daisy and Alfred.  Oh my word, give him a hug.  Her sweet father-in-law encourages her to end things well with Alfred because you don't have many loves in your life.  She brings back a treat basket for him, admits she did love him, but now they must move on.  He admits that he couldn't see her clearly and probably made a big mistake.  Oh, go for it, you crazy kids.  But it's probably good they both stretch their wings and grow, much like our flower bud, Tom.  I really hope Alfred is not written out of the show.  I'd love to see a romance blossom downstairs.  Also, Mrs. Patmore saying Daisy was like a daughter and she'd never been prouder.  I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect har-mo-ny.  Hugs.

Which brings me to our unlucky-in-love lovers, Anna and Bates.   So basically Bates killed Anna's attacker Green, though we never see Green die or what Bates did in York. Nor do we EVER see any bad news related (hello, Granny Dowager, I'm pregnant, right?) or the actual event in which everyone is most interested.

So Edith and Aunt Rosamund and the Dowager Countess, who is the only person it seems with any intuition about anything.  The old girl's a like dog on the hunt.  But you have to admire how she does so only to protect those she truly loves.  Where is Michael Gregson?  Will Edith give up her baby only for this man to mysteriously return?  Do we really believe no one finds it odd she'll be gone for 4 months to Switzerland to learn French besides Granny?

Really.  It's a lot to keep straight.

Better end with Mary and her trio of suitors.  My money's on Mr. Blake (fire and ice, not to mention last week's mud scene), but Gillingham is so sweet and dreamy.  Though their romance will probably be nipped in the bud due to the fact that Bates killed his valet and Mary asked Gillingham to fire the valet the previous day.  And ol' Evelyn Napier.  He's just kinda... there, while his hottie friends keep popping in to woo Mary, the most alluring widow, ever, apparently.

It's part inane, part moving, always clever, and not a little ridiculous.  Three Cheers for Downton Abbey.