Wow, this episode was heart-wrenching. Absolutely heart-wrenching.
This episode focused mainly on Sybil's labor, but we'll get to that later.
First, to the other major plot points. Isobel hired Ethel to be her new servant and her old and trusted cook, Mrs. Bird decided to leave so she wouldn't be associated with that sort of people. However, Ethel is a terrible cook so it is doubtful (via Mrs. Hughes's dialogue) that she'll be there for long. Edith still has yet to make up her mind on writing a weekly column for a newspaper. Matthew is supportive while Robert is not, but that's fairly typical of him. The kitchen servants are not really any closer to getting along, as there is a weird love square going on there and Thomas is attempting to make some sort of move on Jimmy by touching his arm often. Jimmy isn't pleased. Anna talks to the lawyer, Murray, about the evidence that has been discovered, but others in the prison are out to get Bates, so things aren't looking good there.
However, things could not have gone worse for the Crawley family. As Sybil, she is nearing giving birth, and in a great deal of pain. (Were did this come from? She seemed to be doing fine last episode.) Robert also hired a specialist to look in on her while Cora opted for the local and favored Dr. Clarkson who has known the girls since they were little. Clarkson believes Sybil suffers from high blood pressure. The fancy doctor doesn't believe this and insists that everything is normal. After a nasty argument over what should be done, Sybil has the baby, a healthy little girl. I was happy because I had predicted that it was going to be a girl. But then everything went horribly wrong. In the middle of the night, Sybil began having a seizure while the family and doctors just stand around their helpless, begging her to breath. It was absolutely terrifying. She dies.
I was devastated, but what upset me even more was Granny (aka Violet aka Maggie Smith)'s reaction. She remains stoic but is beyond depressed. Nothing could have prepared her to bury her twenty-four year-old granddaughter. That was just the most upsetting part.
But the craziness wasn't even over. After Sybil's death, Edith and Mary both say that only Sybil believed that they were both kind people. Edith asks Mary if they can change, but Mary refuses, saying they can only love each other in the moment. Come on, guys, please try to get along for Sybil's sake and for your niece's.
Then because Murray was visiting the family, Matthew picks the worst time to bring up the ideas for the changes and Mary is furious at him for doing so as Robert was completely unable to visit with Murray. Though I'm not a Mary fan, I believe that Matthew was completely out of place here. He should have waited for another time to bring the issue up. Sybil's death shocked everyone. Even Thomas sobbed, but he knew her as a person as they worked together during the war.
Now, next week's episode will be interesting. Cora is furious at Robert and with good reason. He is somewhat to blame but who knows what would have happened. Then there is also the baby. Tom is not going to go down without a fight as he plans to baptize the baby a Catholic which will infuriate Robert.
Though this episode is easily the saddest of the whole series, it is also one of the best of the season with fantastic acting, yet it is one that I don't really want to see again because it is just so sad. Grade: A-
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