"You will inherit the estate. Of course, you can throw it away when you have it..."

[thisbluespirit]

As I said yesterday, another day, another awesome TV female character:


Day Twelve: Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton)


"What they expect, Matthew, is that we won't know how to behave, so if you don't mind, I would rather not confirm their expectations."

Isobel comes from a medical and middle-class family - and certainly didn't expect to find herself as the mother of the heir-apparent to an earl, but she accepts the change with much grace and pragmatism, and immediately sets about helping out at the cottage hospital - rather too literally for anybody else's liking, but she won't let that get in the way of saving lives - and absolutely wonderfully, immediately challenging the supremacy of Violet, the Dowager Countess (who happens to be played by Maggie Smith). Naturally, if you can come off best in a battle of wills with a character player by Maggie Smith you must be awesome, and Isobel (and, of course, Penelope Wilton), is, very much so.

Isobel (meeting the Dowager): "What shall we call each other?"
Violet: "Well, we can always start with Mrs Crawley and Lady Grantham..."

Sadly, she has no fanvids, and I can't even find any clips of her vs Maggie Smith. However, I did at least manage to find a fanmade trailer that actually includes her:

Also, careful searching produced the first part of Episode Two, which is very accessible, as it introduces Isobel and Matthew Crawley for the first time. (If you're taking a look to see what the show is about in many ways it's one the better clips to try. Also, from this point on, battle is joined between Isobel and Violet, a story-thread which was a joy throughout S1.)

"You will be an Earl. You will inherit the estate. Of course, you can throw it away when you have it - that's up to you..."


(Plus, the almost-as-awesome Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) encountering a swivel chair for the first time Just because I had to. "Why does every day involve a fight with an American?" :lol:)



30 days of Awesome TV Female Characters:
Day One: Soolin (B7)
Day Two: Dayna Mellanby (B7)
Day Three: Michelle of the Resistance (Allo Allo)
Day Four: Beatrice Eliott (House of Eliott)
Day Five: Captain Kathryn Janeway (ST:V)
Day Six: Maddy Magellan (Jonathan Creek)
Day Seven: Lady Mary Crawley (Downton Abbey)
Day Eight: Ros Myers (Spooks)
Day Nine: Servalan (B7)
Day Ten: Anna Thornton-Wilson (Hotel Babylon)
Day Eleven: Winifred Burkle (Angel)

Comments

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Penny Wilton and Maggie Smith are an absolute joy in Downton Abbey - I kept falling about laughing whenever they crossed swords. (The butler's rash on his hands was esp amusing!)

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, I know! They were both brilliant all the way through. :-D (I grin widely just thinking about it again.)

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Me too! :D :D

[thisbluespirit]

:-D