It’s a busy day at work today, folks, and I don’t have time for an elaborate introduction / cross-post. Though I will say two things: 1) every line out of Maggie Smith’s mouth continues to be pure gold and 2) if Bates the valet and Anna the housemaid fail to have some sexytimes — or at least implied sexytimes — by the end of the series, there will be serious dedespondency in our household. You can read our third live-blog of “Downton Abbey” over at …fly over me, evil angel… and catch up with installments one and two there as well. Spoilers after the jump. You have been warned.

Lady Mary prepares to be unwise in her flirtations.

9.23: [as Bates and Anna giggle] M: Kiss. Each. Other. Please, honey! Make him drop the cane! I’m sorry; I need some smexy times! A: Yeah, he needs to grab her ass… M: There’s a table right behind you!

9.24: [Harriet shows up] H: Go, Harriet! M: Oh, I like you!

9.25: [as Maggie shows up] M: Oh, Maggie — I don’t like you now! M: [as wife defends procedure] Oh, good for you! A: She [Maggie Smith] is so good at that “What? People are contradicting me?”-look.

9.26: [as procedure continues] M: Whoa — that so ain’t right! H&A: Hush!

Halfway through the show! Guesses all ’round…

A: So the little redhaired girl is going to go off to be a secretary.

M: Bates and whatsherface need to come to some kind of agreement. Understanding.

A: Yeah.

H: Thomas needs…a shagging or a comeuppance…

M: Thomas is going to blackmail his way out of that house.

A: He’s going to use that information to get himself leverage somewhere, somehow.

M: I do think it will backfire.

A: Yeah, he’s going to try. I don’t know what O’Brien wants…but she’s going to be there with him.

M: Her motivation, other than being spiteful, is…

A: If she was acting as if the family was under threat…but she hates everyone!

M: I think she just wants to see people ruined.

A: It’s a very malicious sort of…youngest daughter needs to find some sort of voice.

M: She’s gettin’ close. Middle daughter — all middle daughter is going to end up a little shafted in this story.

A: Which is sad. But yeah. I want to see Maggie Smith and Harriet Jones…

H: Go at it. Oh, god, yes.

M: …preferably in that little cottage parlor. Epic.

[General agreement and headnodding]

Head on over to Hanna’s blog for the full post.

Hanna and I, along with our friend Minerva, watched the first episode of Masterpiece Theater’s “Downton Abbey” last night and live-blogged it for a post that Hanna put up this morning over at …fly over me, evil angel….

Obviously Spoiler Warning: Downton Abbey, Episode One. Return after you’ve seen it if you don’t want any plot points to be given away.

Because who doesn’t want to see Maggie Smith play Dowager Lady Crawley?

9.20: [Dowager Lady and Lady plotting to save money and estate] M: Granny is manipulative and awesome. A: Yeah, it would be a little frightening to be on her side — but it would be frightening to be on the side that wasn’t her!

9.21: [Daisy mooning over sulky footman] M: Daisy is going to end up in the family way… A: And not quite understand how it happened. H: Does she only have one dress? M: Yeah. She’s so going to end up pregnant.

9.22: [lawyer and Lord discussing new heir] Oh god, not Manchester! A: The midlands! “There are worse professions.” “…..Yes.” M: Oh — snap!

. . .

9.57: [Duke: “You might tell that footman I’ve gone up.”] H: Well, you’re not the game there, honey! M: God, how did women survive this time? H: Vibrators. A: I don’t know if vibrators would solve their financial problems…

9.58: [Thomas kneels in front of Duke] Moment of stunned silence. A: This is like slash that gives you the ‘no feeling.’ M: …this is still a little hot. This is like Upstairs, Downstairs with a gay twist! H: They’re…quite sweet? M: Oh — not sweet. H: Nope, not sweet. [as threats pass between footman, Duke] M: Oh, wait — I feel some angry sex coming on…maybe not…maybe…awwww…no slashiness. A: Well, he was being a bit of a bastard. H: Yeah…Maurice without the nice ending. M: Wow… [as footman tries to master his emotions.] H: Yeah…kind of touching.

Read the rest over at …fly over me, evil angel… and watch for the second installment next Monday.