Also, what was that little gesture he did that was supposed to make us think that maybe he was Patrick? All he did was touch his mouth for a second. Hardly seems that distinctive.

I also strenuously object to the idea that soap operas are inherently bad or inferior to "serious" dramas. Most of Shakespeare is pretty much a soap opera. And I love Breaking Bad, but no one can tell me that show isn't completely over-the-top and often very melodramatic. (Hello, that plane crash?)

Exactly what @avclub-683444cff671e08778d2c9b4d181608c:disqus said. The point isn't that the plot itself is soapy, it's the execution. The show has always been over-the-top, but it's far less believable this season—and also, somehow, less fun.

Glad you enjoyed it, @avclub-080acdcce72c06873a773c4311c2e464:disqus You've been invaluable. We'll have to see what comes next in the reality series, if anything. I'd still love to cover Real World LA & SF, but I might just be writing for myself…

You know, I had the same thought watching this. The prize is really $500,000, which is still a lot more than I make in several years, much less one, but it's not as much money as they make it seem. I wonder if they'll ever up it to 5 or 10—maybe a one-time thing. Now that would be interesting.

Haha, "rent-a-natives."

Yeah, I thought of that too. It was awesome.

In the reunion, they reveal some polling data (which Bryant Gumbel hilariously touts as "scientific research") and something like 45% of people were rooting for Rudy, followed closely by Kelly. I think Susan was in last.

YES. Make the little bastard earn his pay!

Oooh, where did you read this? Fellowes is going all Waugh on us.

Major Bryant is so evil. His most evil line was "It's time I was making tracks." So seemingly polite, yet so cruel.

I know, it's so heartbreaking. And the saddest part is he probably died a virgin, unless Captain Crawley hooked him up with some Parisian floozies.

Yeah, but wouldn't internal injuries have killed him in a matter of hours? I realize I'm being pedantic and it doesn't *really* matter, but it just seemed needlessly implausible to me.

Yes, but the last episode took place in early 1918. This episode is in August or so of the same year, so perhaps 7 months later. The baby would be a newborn, not the hulking monster she was holding.

Oops, thanks. It's been a while.

You make a good point about excitement over disinterest. I just thought the way they were talking about the "snub" was really ridiculous, like somehow a nomination was owed to her.

Damn you, @avclub-df80f70f60b1c678f8c91696f4a54f5f:disqus ! [shakes fist at sky]

Oh, I forgot to mention this. I do love a good Housewives send-up. That song was a rip-off of this gem: http://www.youtube.com/watc…

Oh duh. I missed a very obvious fake sitcom wedding: 30 Rock. Nerds!

Colonial House was genius. As were Manor House and Frontier House. (Yes, I watched them all.)