The Countess Of Grantham Puts Isobel Crawley In Her Place | Downton Abbey

[@LucyLovettLestrange]

Cora is super good at not losing her temper. She’s so calm cool and collected

[@monmothma3358]

Yeah I feel like Cora was the creator Julian Fellowes' ideal of true class. The manners is one thing - she asserts herself in an exquisitely polite way, never raising her voice. She also has excellent style & looks, but that's not enough either. These things would make her superficially classy, however, Cora is also a good and compassionate person. So she is true class and the perfect Lady.

[@deborahpinkey1264]

So proud of Cora for standing up for herself as the mistress of Downtown Abbey. I like Isabel, but she was wrong to try to take over Downton Abbey. Cora came into her own as the "manager" of the Downton Abbey convalescent home. Her leadership ability was thereafter recognized.

[@LittleBitofHopeToo2518]

Yes, imagine wanting to help people when the rich people just wanted to keep their riches while those around them are poor. This looks so bad that they had to use the scene feeding veterans to repair how cruel and selfish these rich people are.

[@Robert08010]

I'm so glad she went on to play a role with the hospital after the war. I'm glad she didn't just go back to knitting.

[@deborahpinkey1264]

@@LittleBitofHopeToo2518 Cora was looking out for the best interests of the Downton Abbey household servants without sacrificing the needs of the convalescing soldiers. Isabel was only caring about the soldiers, to the detriment of the household servants. If the rich people just wanted to keep their riches in this case, they NEVER would have allowed their estate to be used as a convalescent home! At that time in history, "service" was still the main means of employment for the lower classes. The middle class was still a small faction of society. In addition to those who served the estates as household servants, there were also those who worked the estates and who worked the farms in tenancy with the landowners. If you've followed this story at all, you know that Robert, the Earl, had nearly run the estate into bankruptcy because he wasn't willing to charge fairly for the tenancies or use the land to its' best benefits, etc.

[@greekre]

can she tell edith to shut her cake hole

[@the8thchurch461]

I love Downtown Abbey but even I am disgusted as to how they treat the less fortunate while they live the real fairy tale. When I saw poor Mr. Bates' room when Mr. Barrow took him up to see it, my heart broke. The state of it, in the same house where the Crawleys lives in splendor. They should have spent money decorating the servants rooms as well and make them just as gorgeous to inspire them to better themselves. Life eh?

[@kathieprater2431]

When Isobel said "I could accuse you of being unprofessional, but youvenever had a profession" and "You may thing you have the right to ordain the universe" She was being deliberately rude and insulting to Cora. Shame on Isobel. Cora allowed her own house to be used and her entire families lives to be uprooted and crowded wit convalescing service men.

[@krissp8712]

1:55 - I still think Cora's "Now just a minute" was perhaps the best possible response to give to that barb!

[@remiremsar5946]

Maam, there was a war going on. The most bloody was in human history to that time.

[@carolineandrews7231]

Cora looking her gloriously beautiful self here. She was quietly and elegantly assertive. But Isobel is amazing also. and her heart in the right place. Good they sort it out and are able to contribute so well using their individual strengths,

[@l.a.3479]

I admire Cora in this scene for dealing with Isobel without losing her temper.

[@leeannblevins3605]

Love Penelope, my former real life housemate in London in 70s. Her compassion in prompt to get the facility running did paralle my experience living in a household that had been a hospital supporting vets during the War... Love to Penny and all. Lee Ann B LEVINS in California❤

[@sohamdutt1644]

Dame Penelope Wilton was your housemate?

[@brt5273]

It's a good example of good people occassionally falling to a flaw and getting emotionally carried away. It's to everyone's credit that even though they went through this conflict, they were able to rise above it and put it behind them.

[@sjferguson]

I love how Cora took charge in her own home. Isobel absolutely was out of line and should have deferred to Lady Grantham out of respect if nothing else.

[@Robert08010]

She thought her medical training gave her natural authority.

[@CATAGUILAR]

Even though her son would be the new Earl ?

[@sjferguson]

@@CATAGUILAR yup. At this point in the series, Cora is still the Countess of Grantham. Still her house, still her rules.

[@kunkkufani]

I love Mrs Crawley but during this time when Downton was used during the war for the injured, she got power hungry and lost the view of what mattered.

[@LittleBitofHopeToo2518]

What a load of BS. Isabel is trying to help people. The spoiled rich just want to control more riches. The only power hungry people are the "lords".

[@deborahpinkey1264]

Yes, she let her "power" go straight to her head and even tried to usurp Cora's role as the mistress of Downton.

[@clarkclarke]

What mattered???? Wasn't the overall goal to assist in the convalescing.... Who wants to eat at 11 and work all day and eat after dinner ??? If it's your choice .. yes .. But maybe you all like people coming into your homes and taking over .... Ooookkkkkk then

[@Robert08010]

I don't know if I would say that. What she wanted DID matter and it may have even been a good idea, but yeah she got a little power rush and wanted to expand it. And didn't realize how that would impact others around her.

[@rebeccaburke9009]

Poor Mrs. Crawley. Such a joy.

[@Squaddy1963]

I really wish things had turned out differently for Ethel

[@Robert08010]

Can you imagine if she was the one who showed up for lunch with her husband - only to be outed by Thomas.

[@360minerstone4]

This is why I have mixed feelings about Isobel in general, but especially this during this season. She is an advocate for change, and does help when it is needed most, like when she pushed Dr. Clarkson to administer the adrenaline to the farmer, which ended up saving his life, early on in S1. However, in this instance, and in others this season, she oversteps her boundaries. While it is nice for the Crawleys to offer Downton as a place to heal to the wounded, it is first and foremost their home. Cora has the final word and was allowing Isobel to help. However, Isobel began to let it get to her head, and began to think that she was a greater authority due to her medical background. She treated Cora disrespectfully because of it. If she stepped back and realized that her plans were unfair to the servants, I think she would've been more understanding.

[@marleneorein9484]

I find Isobel a typical pedant. She should go to France where creatures like her get along. The French are the greatest pedants of all Europe!

[@jimmikulsky4810]

I stand with Cora. She's the boss!

[@PeterPiper747]

Because she inherited a fortune from her wealthy parents…

[@l.a.3479]

She handled Isabel well without losing her temper.

[@Robert08010]

It IS her house!

[@kevincassidy7385]

I thought Cora was wrong in this situation. She made no effort to collaborate. I would have written a horror story in France that either killed or maimed Isobel. Then kill Robert off and Matthew as heir could kick her stupid butt out in the cold. This was one storyline where Isobel was predictably herself but Cora came off as shrill imo

[@boredlawyer3382]

@@Robert08010 Which was given over to the government for use in the war. So she was not free to do what she liked.

[@laerwen]

It's unfortunate that they had such an acrimonious disagreement but the situation really was not a good fit for Isobel. It was Cora's household and Isobel's desire to do nursing for the men in need -- Downton was not the venue, as a convalescent home. I think Isobel's approach here was rather unfair and accusatory when she could have taken a much cooler look at the situation. It's understandable that she took things personally, especially because she wanted to feel useful and make a difference.

[@Marcus_1001]

I'm not the biggest fan of Cora and I usually adore Isobel, but in this instance I am firmly on Cora's side. Isobel was being utterly insufferable.

[@stephensmith4025]

Why on earth are you not a big fan of Cora? She’s literally done NOTHING unacceptable for the entirety of the series.

[@patriciajrs46]

Countess Cora was fullu right and to make he house run smoothly and well, anything thar impedes must be changed. I was happy for this scene.

[@elizabethroberts6215]

……along with Lord Grantham’s telling her ‘to pack everything up’, & that Isis can wander into any room she wants, this knock back to Isobel was monumental, & done implicitly. She called Isobel’s bluff excellently……… Isobel is what I’d call a ‘busybody’, she also has narcissistic traits’ of thinking she’s the bees-knees’ of all she does. Pleased she went to France……

[@mygrammieis]

Cora is a excellent character 💯🤲

[@jimmyallenjunior6139]

One time Isobel needed a comeuppance

[@tiagocosmos]

Cora was completely in the right.

[@abhilashmishra3601]

Isobel was DIABOLICAL in Season 2

[@frname7665]

Diabolical is the least accurate word you could possibly choose.

[@Robert08010]

I agree. She was unintentionally heavy handed, not diabolical. @@frname7665

[@galogarces9182]

@@Robert08010 She was far too intense, and acted like a bully with Cora in her own house.

[@airslug1]

Isobel was grossly over stepping her bounds and was right to be put into her place by Lady Grantham.

[@ensignj3242]

Perhaps. But the intent of her heart was to do good. Lady Grantham could have been kinder however, Isoble may have needed bluntness to get the message.

[@Ashman124]

I hate the fact that Bransons love story was so short lived

[@monmothma3358]

Yes, and kind of rushed. Too many characters that needed their due, I guess.

[@andrewjones-productions]

Without a doubt, Cora was right to respond the way she did and certainly, Isobel was desperately trying to rule a roost she had no real right to do so. However, what I believe we are seeing here are two compassionate, intelligent women finding that they can contribute and provide value in their own right and that the irregular circumstance of a gruesome, horrific world war provided women like them and many others to break out of the societal customary shackles and find themselves. If my recollection is correct, Isobel does reveal somewhere in the series or one ot the films that she would have liked to have become a doctor but that it was improper for a woman to do so. That would of course been in the late 19th century when Isobel was of the young ambitious age. Even though Cora was an American and likely accustomed to more rights than her UK counterparts, the US too was not all that advanced in the acceptance of women professionals either. Isobel let her unfulfilled ambitions get the better of her wisdom and I can empathise with that. However, what she failed to realise was that Cora too was likely experiencing much the same, but in a different way. Nevertheless, both demonstrated themselves to be exceptionally capable as did many women and the circumstance of war and the lack of literal manpower (=male workforce), helped to cement the long overdue emancipation of women. Yet, it took many more decades before we actually started to drop the word 'manpower' from our lexicons and use 'workforce', 'personnel' or more recently, 'human resources' instead.

[@sandybeach123]

2:00 - 2:55 That was a delicious scene.

[@krummhorn2824]

Cora’s approach was passive aggressive. She should have met previously with Isobel and worked out the arrangements.

[@ChrisCosat]

You really believe that old battle axe would willingly listen to Cora? 😂😂😂

[@krummhorn2824]

@@ChrisCosat 🤣

[@bunnyslippers191]

She tried and so did the doctor. The compromise was Isobel should be in charge of the medical side and Cora in charge of the running of the house. Isobel ignored that compromise and tried to run *everything* because, tbh, there really wasn't much to do on the medical side other than a bit of physical therapy and trying to make sure the convalescents did their therapy, but didn't try too much too soon. The majority of the care was good food, clean sheets, gentle exercise, and preventing boredom, all of which was under Cora's area of control.

[@Ariana-wv4pf]

Why is Isobel trying to take over Downtown Abbey, her son hasn't inherited it yet, still she acts like she's the mistress of the house. Lol

[@selina9091]

What season is this and what episode?

[@3piper]

My dad taught something I never forgot NEVER BLUFF

[@juksat]

This was such a funny scene

[@bernadette573]

Yes! I enjoy both actresses. I did think the scene was written to show just how insipid Cora was, though, because she's lived with her husband's illegitimate son under her nose all this time and with two of her husband's former lovers as "staff", yet the person she feels most challenged by and whom she insults is, of all people, Mrs. Crawley, a known do-gooder. A couple times in the series where something bad happens to Cora (slipping on the bar of soap, for example) it's usually by someone offended by her obliviousness and lack of communication skills on full elitist display in this scene.

[@amethystanne4586]

Isabel’s cousin wrote to her asking for help with an missing persons’ office in northern France. It just struck me that my FIL’s mother grew up in northern France, met her future husband, and became a WWI war bride.

[@Robert08010]

...In her Crawley Place!

[@purpurina5663]

I've always thought the Napoleon hat they put her in was intentional... like she's an overinflated little corporal

[@l.a.3479]

🤣

[@Robert08010]

Now that's interesting. I never would have picked up on that.

[@MateusVIII]

I think it is a funny view, but to be fair her hat has nothing to do at all with a bicorn worn by Napoleon, I don't even think it looks like one honestly

[@盧璘壽로인수]

Napoleon isn't little get over it

[@Robert08010]

I though he was like 4 foot. @@盧璘壽로인수

[@christineabercrombie7316]

Which corner of the earth is that?

[@annab9994]

Cora wouldn’t allow anyone to treat herself the same way..

[@Fee212]

Bye-bye. Say hello to the Eiffel Tower for me.

[@RyanSauvageau-t8s]

🖤💟❤

[@charlanetrapani30]

Good Leave

[@HuyenNguyen-sd8dx]

Hah! Mrs. Crowley lol…who does she think she is????

[@hpavalferr7201]

💙👏🏻💯

[@deniseball7764]

Cora finding a spine in this episode - pity it was with fuelled with spite ..... maybe it was the mascara she was using for that episode .... OR maybe the actress told them beef up my character by ??? or I'm out so they had to quickly rewrite ..... either way nasty way for her to become more prominent

[@RoPiDe]

Thay whole tantrum by Isobel was so out of character... she was willing to fight for her causes, most of them totally fair, but not out of mere capriciousness...

[@rebeccaburke9009]

Mrs. Crawley. Yigh.

[@Vacartu]

Is that the guy who knocked up Ethel and later got killed? 😮

[@squares4u]

Yes 👀

[@SkepticalChris]

Not a flattering hat for Mrs Crawley

[@michaelwilkinson2928]

Lord Grantham was of an age whereby he could and should have served overseas, although that would have given him a much smaller part in the series.

[@judith_thordarson]

He tried to get back in service, but was turned down and given a token position.

[@Linda98671]

Isabel never offered her home. I love this part! I mean it! Ha..

[@Circa1628]

Don't know how many soldiers you could house in it though

[@Somytouch]

I harboring criminal miss mama geene

[@the_original_public_newsense]

That was a great moment. Well done. Wasn't a fan of Branson at all. Such a weakling and manipulator.

[@matthewgales3057]

Allan Leech doesn’t know you even exist.

[@the_original_public_newsense]

@@matthewgales3057 That's nice. But I was talking about the character, not the actor. Get a grip.

[@Robert08010]

Branson wasn't perfect but he was about a morally upright as an Irish Revolutionary could be.

[@matthewgales3057]

@@Robert08010 he was no more morally upright than the aristocracy of his day, he was just not afforded the discretion and pay-outs accessible to most members of the gentry due to his working class upbringing.

[@xylo5750]

Cora was in the wrong here... Isobel may have been power hungry, but she literally has DECADES of experience in this field. Cora rejecting her help was stupid.

[@LittleBitofHopeToo2518]

Exactly. I'm glad someone else said it too.

[@deborahpinkey1264]

Those soldiers were not receiving nursing or medical help. They were convalescing. As such, Isabel's "expertise" as a trained nurse was irrelevant. Changing bed linens, handing out mail, managing meal times and such like did not require the expertise of a medical professional. It was good of Cora to allow her home to be opened up as a convalescent facility for those who no longer needed hospital care, but who still needed time to recuperate. Isabel is the one who was wrong here and it was only right that Cora upbraided her for her arrogance in assuming SHE had the right to control the running of Cora's house!

[@l.a.3479]

Doesn't matter. It's Cora's house. She gets to call the shots.

[@thomasdalton1508]

​@@deborahpinkey1264Isobel wasn't a medical professional. Nurses didn't have any meaningful medical training at this time. Their job was more similar to a healthcare assistant/nursing assistant today than to a nurse today. Changing bedding and bringing patients food is exactly the kind of thing she did for a living. The first training colleges for nurses opened in around the 1880s and became more common in the 1890s, but formal training for nurses only became mandatory in 1919. Isobel probably just trained on the job and the training wouldn't have been medical in nature.

[@deborahpinkey1264]

@@thomasdalton1508 Pretty much the same with "doctor" training, but I bet we won't see you here disparaging them because many of them got their training as journeymen without any formal education in a "medical school!" And Isabel WAS a medical professional! She worked right alongside her doctor husband for years. She knew medicines and treatments for ailments beyond hot packs or compresses. She was even up on the latest medicines and treatments more-so than the local doctor. When she went to the doctor to complain about Cora, her complaint was about them as needing medical care. That's where the doctor had to set her straight as to the difference between the need for medical care and the need for convalescence. And tell that garbage you spewed about nurses of that time just mainly changing bedding and delivering food to Clara Barton and Florence Nightingale!

[@Yoda-on-Dagobah]

I detest 'Branson' in the earlier seasons for I strongly believe that the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland unifying the two islands under one system of Government and one Monarch was the way to go. He was pig-headed and stupid, always 'thinking' that he knew what was best for Syble, Ireland and 'Sybie' while never asking for what they thought or what other people may think was actually best for them, admittedly 'Sybie' was a baby at the time. He grows up in the later seasons and begins to appreciate the Crawley's and rather than constantly championing the fall of Russia to the USSR or an independant Ireland he truly starts to think about the people around him including Sybie. I still have my qualms about Tom though for I strongly believe that he should have fought for liberty against the tyrany of Germany and it's allies rather than getting himself swamped in self-pity and idiotic policies.

[@carolynlawrence7092]

❤

[@RakeeshJ4]

By the conventions of society at the time, Isobel was quite rude. But considering the enormous injustices those conventions nurtured to the benefit of the Crawleys at the expense of nearly everyone else, I’ll admit, I don’t get very irritated about Isobel’s ‘rudeness’.

[@craftforfun36]

I actually cannot abide her didn’t like her in this or Marigold Hotel

[@melaniekendall4903]

Elizabeth McGovern needs to learn how to act!!

[@qui_etes_vous]

This, proved, very used, in, helping me, Sort out, the, Business, of my, Family White Card, before, this, Coming, Monday's Eve, fact. -Brittney Lee Hill Collier, Tuesday, January, 23rd, 2024. 8:07 a.m.

[@deniseball7764]

Cora was vindictive in this episode - her character is to stay aloof, in the background and keep up with things - dealing with everything with decorum ... she failed, she rudely dismissed Isobel many times and the dug the knife in ..... poor writing that a supporting role be given a chance and that was it - seems her character was never seriously contemplated as anything early on .......

[@harryturner8701]

This is such a stupid show

[@jacq_sparrow]

Early season Tom is kind of insufferable.🥲

[@purpurina5663]

I agree. And I never liked his coupling with Sybil -there was not much of a love story there. He was insensitive and demanding towards her.

[@michellemckinney6894]

I never understood the attraction there at all. He had the charisma and future of a plant!

[@krishnavyas313]

​@@purpurina5663 he also cowardly left her behind in dangerous situation while she was pregnant. H

[@valeria-militiamessalina5672]

@@purpurina5663Well, Sybil died in the nick of time, had she lived their relationship would have crashed sooner or later, Sybl's death cemented his position.

[@callmeswivelhips8229]

It still bothers me that no effort was put into understanding how The Spanish Flu would have interacted or engaged with this set up whatsoever. The second wave of it went through the trenches of World War I. If the soldiers were being housed here, it would have been hit fairly hard. It was after the war that the influenza became so deadly, if I recall correctly. Such a missed opportunity!