Andrew: Another way this season is playing like season 1 is in its finding reasons for Anna and Bates to be unhappy. Once again, we find these two deeply in love, but kept from true bliss by secrets and a sense of vague menace coming from Mr. Bates. For the most part, this episode’s handling of the plotline worked for me: Bates’s browbeating of Mrs. Hughes, though uncomfortable, seemed in keeping with his character, and a plausible enough way for the truth to come out. And when he told Anna that she had nothing to be ashamed of, that she wasn’t “ruined,” that if anything he loved her more, that was a beautiful moment. The one thing that doesn’t work for me is the show’s insistence that Bates is a dangerous man with a shady past. Oh, I believe that he’d want to get vengeance on the guy who did it—and I’d love to see him throttle Green, the rapist—but I’ve never fully bought Bates as a genuinely dangerous man. It feels like a contrivance to keep the conflict ratcheted up, but maybe I’m off-base here. What do you think?

Catherine: Bates confronting Anna with what happened was a great part of the show. His weeping in the hallway, how he denied Anna’s filthiness, and how he said she was “higher and holier” to him through the suffering she’s endured, this is a true love story being continuously woven for the pair. He’s a man who’s suffered, he knows what suffering is about and he can show Anna the compassion and understanding she so desperately needs. I didn’t fully understand why Mrs. Hughes lied. She’s our “honesty is the best policy” advocate and why not tell him who the rapist was? This is Bates. He’s going to find out so why hold the evil day off? That part didn’t work with me and with what we know about Mrs. Hughes. She’s not a woman to shirk a difficult truth. Her refusal to tell felt like an obvious plot device. Did that part work for you? or not? As for Bates’ being genuinely dangerous…I don’t buy it either. If anyone has a shady past it’s Edith”s boyfriend, Gregson with his dubious and delightful card shark days behind him. Bates may be a bit of a curmodgeon but that isn’t a dangerous thing in any sense of the word. I did laugh my head off at the end of the episode however. Bates is telling Hughes how he will find the perpetrator and reek vengeance. I don’t know if you noticed but there was Hitchcock-style music pulsing away in the background. I wouldn’t put it beyond Bates to knife Green while he was bathing in a motel shower.

Andrew: I agree—the end of the episode was unintentionally hilarious! Bates has suffered, and he has an odd sense of honor and duty. But to cast him as a sort of horror movie villain as he limps away down a darkened hall? Absurd! I also agree about Mrs. Hughes hiding the true identity of the rapist. Seems like nothing more than a way to stretch this conflict over a few more episodes to me. But Anna and Bates aren’t the only servants with big plot lines in this episode. Between Alfred’s chef exam and Ivy’s seemingly cooling on Jimmy, the belowstairs love triangle has been continuing to simmer. Meanwhile, Baxter seems nice on the outside, but appears to have made some sort of devil’s bargain to be Thomas’s informant in exchange for a job.

Catherine: What I want to know—is Alfred Really O’Brien’s nephew? Really? Beyond a solid work ethic, these two have nothing in common. His honest attempt to win a place at the cooking school was a sweet spot. I was genuinely nervous for him. Baxter is fun mystery. Here’s hoping whatever Thomas is holding over her is big and juicy. It’ll have to be a believable and stupendous reveal to follow up on O’Brien’s first class conniving. Besides looking forward to a great reveal, I’m looking forward to more on Edith. It’s Edith I’ve found lacking. She wears great clothes, has a nice boyfriend and is now confident enough to head over to London without showing any signs of anxiety that she may be pregnant. That was a huge one I wasn’t expecting, by the way. What I really want from Edith is to see her working and I want to see the woman that Gregson is mad about. Wasn’t she working for his newspaper? Doesn’t she have a column? We see Mary working so lets see Edith writing and working—not just romancing.

Andrew: Agreed—more Edith! Her involvement with the London media makes her one of the most interesting members of the family, even if they can’t see it that way. But the relationship I’m really cheering for is Dr. Clarkson and Isobel. Am I the only one who thinks these two should get together? #Clarksobel forever! What do you think—am I way off base here? Is there genuine romantic potential there, or are Clarkson and Isobel just platonic buds united by their passion for charity work?

Catherine: Oh, you’re definitely seeing it. They may sigh and act put out with each other but there’s chemistry there. Every time I see them together I wonder why the romance hasn’t happened yet. I may be reading too much into it but when Clarkson told Isobel, “If you’re assumed you’re unloved, nothing I say will make any difference,” then I thought I knew why it hadn’t happened. Maybe its Isobel who has to believe and make the first step! Lots to look forward in the next episode.

Andrew: Good catch! Here’s hoping Isobel finds her way to love sometime soon! One thing’s for sure—if she does, we’ll be talking about it. See you next week!