I've watched this series five times now, and frankly, this episode has always been my favorite. It isn't necessarily the happiest one, but perhaps it's because it is the most hopeful.
Mary has always been a very cold, spoiled, immature, and self-centered person. However, she has her high points, as demonstrated by how she treats Anna, Carson, and Tom. By the end of this episode, we know that Mary won't ever really change, but there is hope that she may strive to be a better person, especially in how she treats Edith.
Bertie wants to marry Edith, but Edith is reluctant to tell him the truth about Marigold. For once, Rosamund is actually correct in that Edith's fear is only setting things up for disaster. Unfortunately, Mary takes great delight in pulling the pin to Bertie at the breakfast table. Mary has done some terrible things, but this blatant betrayal is easily the worst. Even Tom can't hold back as he unleashes his disappointment and anger, but wisely telling her the truth about herself. She's an unhappy person. And unhappy people love to make others as miserable as they are. That is why she's a coward and a bully.
Oh, and we're not done yet as Granny comes back from her trip to unload on Mary as well. She's not quite as severe as Tom, but she's just as eloquent and truthful. Maybe because Granny and Mary have always been so much alike that Granny sees much of herself in Mary.
Tom is my favorite character in the show because he's got a foot in both worlds. And while it took him a while to get himself situated, he has the uncanny viewpoint of both worlds as well, something nobody else has. He has an appreciation for those who have wealth and use it to help others, as well as an appreciation for those who serve, and the trust and loyalty that comes with it. The scene when he unloads on Mary is priceless because, despite his anger, it's done out of genuine love. While he didn't start out as a selfless character, he easily became the most selfless character of the series.
And finally, we have Mr. Barrow whose own misery and unhappiness have finally caught up with him. We recall how much delight he took in making others miserable around him, and despite some efforts to change, he finds himself all alone. In many ways, he and Mary aren't so different. Mr. Barrow is simply more honest about his cruelty. And so, Mr. Barrow finally hits rock bottom, which is actually a blessing in disguise. Why? Because there's no other direction to go but up. I think most people can't fully appreciate the challenges of being a gay man in this time period.
Unhappiness is a cancer. It plagues and poisons the mind and heart because it causes the person to live in a delusive world where all happiness seems out of reach and impossible to attain. Of course, it's all a lie, but happiness can only ever be found in one place: within oneself. And until it is found, it is impossible to be truly happy with someone else.
However, by the end of this episode, we remain hopeful. Hopeful that Mary can appreciate her life and perhaps strive to be a better person. Hopeful that Edith may find her own piece of happiness, and hopeful that Mr. Barrow can finally learn to find some degree of peace.
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