They should have played that "Sinatra Group" skit with Hartman's Sinatra and Hooks playing Sinead O'Connor. Hilarious, and it would have saved time showing one skit with both of them.

Keeping in mind the values in place at the time (dragging Maureen O'Hara across the fields), this was a wonderful movie. The only John Wayne movie I've ever liked.

I agree about the memoriam montage. The reason they're included is because of the work they did on the show, and then they don't show their work? I was so looking forward to seeing more of Hartman and Hooks, and there was practically nothing. They could have scattered them throughout the show, that way you don't get…

So Kanye West gets a mention every other minute, the incredibly unfunny Californians goes on for 10 minutes, but they give less than a minute to Phil Hartman (the best overall talent the show ever had) and even less to Jan Hooks? No Phil Hartman impressions at all? Sinatra?

I considered that too. But maybe Samaritan would dismiss it as being the ramblings of one of the "crazies" out there who have probably been saying the same thing for years.

It's amazing that it took more than half a season to get the first filler episode of S4.

Yes, I think it's a possibility. I explained above in one of the replies to John Mora. Just a theory.

I'll give you Mrs Hughes for downstairs, but Isis is the smartest one upstairs, by far. And by sympathetic I mean the one you feel the most sympathetic toward.

Just a feeling. When Edith found out she was pregnant, she told Rosamund (something along the lines of) that she could never know what it was like to give up a child. Rosamund then got a strange look on her face. I figure there was some specific reason that exchange took place. She has also taken a lot of interest in…

Yes. Just goes to show the sense of entitlement they grew up with. It's too bad Edith didn't have the courage or self esteem to accept the child right from the beginning instead of putting the Drewes, and the Swiss couple, through this. Sybil was the only courageous, real, and self-sacrificing one of the bunch.

I thought it was horrible that they paid more attention to Mary, her haircut, and her picnic. Mary treated Edith horribly, and their parents didn't say a word. I didn't really think that they showed a whole lot of concern for the dog in comparison - the dog is dying, after all.

She wanted to keep the child, but was talked out of it by her aunt (who I think is her mother) and grandmother. Given the times this takes place in, it's understandable that she didn't. It would have been pretty much unthinkable at the time for her to keep her child. It actually shows some courage on her part to claim…

Someone else pointed out above that Isis didn't come on until the 2nd season, making her probably between 8-10 years old. They had a different dog, Pharoah, in the first season.

I stand corrected. Thanks. Completely forgot about that.

Nope. Same dog. She would be about 13 in Downton Abbey years.

That took place about 12-13 years ago on the show. At least Edith has grown and matured somewhat as time has gone on. Mary is actually going backwards - she has fewer redeeming qualities as time goes on.

Isis is the only one I care about at the moment. She's the smartest and most sympathetic one on the show. I know she's old, but couldn't one of the annoying characters leave instead (ahem, Mary)? Never kill off the dog.

Who knows whether or not Gregson will still show up one day. This is a soap opera, after all :)

Poor Isis. I'm guessing next week's episode will be a crier.

I dislike Mary more and more with every episode. Even though Edith taking her daughter away from the people who have been raising her was cruel, at least there was a point to it. Mary seems to be increasingly self-centered and cruel just for the enjoyment of it.