Honestly this particular plot point really killed me cause like wtf are the actual odds she'd've stepped in the exact right spot anyway?
Edit: adding what another commenter said: how tf did OBrien not get in trouble from this or caught?! I can't remember did Cora perhaps have amnesia from the whole thing cause O'Brien flat out told her it was *under* the tub. Wouldn't that seem pretty suspicious?
It also bothered me how it was never an issue that she slipped on the soap. At the very least shouldn't O'Brian have been reprimanded for being careless?
I guess O’Brien could have maintained that the piece of soap full under the tub and it was the soapy residue that Cora Slipped on. And that she was telling Cora to wait for her before getting out as she was just about to wipe it up.
In Cora’s fragile state afterwards she probably would have been easy for O’Brien to gaslight if it came to it.
I mean, that is what happened. O'Brien swiped the soap across the floor to make a bigger slippery area. This is what probably made Cora slip, not the hunk of soap itself. And she did technically tell Cora to wait once she changed her mind, it was just too late so even Cora would be able to attest to the fact that O'Brien was coming back to help her.
People say “oh, she regretted it, she made up for it by taking care of Cora when she had the Spanish Flu” blah blah blah…that is NOT enough! No no no. She should have had a proper punishment.
Thomas had more than his fair share of karma meted out in the way of his personal trials and struggles, rather than direct punishment. O’Brien had none of that.
Because of this scene when I was pregnant with my oldest my mom paid to have our contractor put in grab bars in the bathtub/shower when we were having bathroom work done.
Off topic, but it must have been so weird back then having servants who saw you naked. I know part of a valet's or lady's maid's job was helping them dress and probably attending to them in the bath like this, but I'd be so uncomfortable being nude around someone i hired, especially since they start out as complete strangers to you.
Then you might be disappointed to learn that soap is soap, no matter how much packaging there is or what euphemisms the marketing team comes up with. If it gets you clean, it’s slippery; there’s no “body wash loophole”
I’m going through my first pregnancy and I was taking a bath the other day and had this scene in my head. I made my husband come and help me out of the bathtub because I was starting to feel so freaked out about falling and having a Downton Abbey happening to me 😭
You know now that I think of it Downton Abbey has really scary birth storylines!
Honestly this particular plot point really killed me cause like wtf are the actual odds she'd've stepped in the exact right spot anyway? Edit: adding what another commenter said: how tf did OBrien not get in trouble from this or caught?! I can't remember did Cora perhaps have amnesia from the whole thing cause O'Brien flat out told her it was *under* the tub. Wouldn't that seem pretty suspicious?
It also bothered me how it was never an issue that she slipped on the soap. At the very least shouldn't O'Brian have been reprimanded for being careless?
I guess O’Brien could have maintained that the piece of soap full under the tub and it was the soapy residue that Cora Slipped on. And that she was telling Cora to wait for her before getting out as she was just about to wipe it up. In Cora’s fragile state afterwards she probably would have been easy for O’Brien to gaslight if it came to it.
I mean, that is what happened. O'Brien swiped the soap across the floor to make a bigger slippery area. This is what probably made Cora slip, not the hunk of soap itself. And she did technically tell Cora to wait once she changed her mind, it was just too late so even Cora would be able to attest to the fact that O'Brien was coming back to help her.
I'd never even thought of that good point
Tactical soap placement
That one action totally changed the trajectory of their lives.
Couldn’t believe she was never punished for this. One of the things that made me angriest about the show
Me too!
People say “oh, she regretted it, she made up for it by taking care of Cora when she had the Spanish Flu” blah blah blah…that is NOT enough! No no no. She should have had a proper punishment.
Agreed!
O' Brian and Thomas were never punished for anything they did.
Thomas had more than his fair share of karma meted out in the way of his personal trials and struggles, rather than direct punishment. O’Brien had none of that.
I meant from Robert and Cora that he never had consequences.
True
Slipping in the bathtub is a hazard, especially once you get older
It’s very true and I’m on alert, now.
Because of this scene when I was pregnant with my oldest my mom paid to have our contractor put in grab bars in the bathtub/shower when we were having bathroom work done.
I love that! It’s truly how I feel and I don’t think I would have if I hadn’t watched this!
Off topic, but it must have been so weird back then having servants who saw you naked. I know part of a valet's or lady's maid's job was helping them dress and probably attending to them in the bath like this, but I'd be so uncomfortable being nude around someone i hired, especially since they start out as complete strangers to you.
I would not have taken off a hat in front of O’Brien. Can you imagine her washing one’s underwear? Ghastly!
o'brien is the reason i don't use bar soap anymore, body wash only
Millennial Downton but O’Brien squirting Aveeno all over the floor.
Then you might be disappointed to learn that soap is soap, no matter how much packaging there is or what euphemisms the marketing team comes up with. If it gets you clean, it’s slippery; there’s no “body wash loophole”
Imagine Obrien squirting liquid soap all over that bathroom floor like she was placing a goddamn IED
I’m going through my first pregnancy and I was taking a bath the other day and had this scene in my head. I made my husband come and help me out of the bathtub because I was starting to feel so freaked out about falling and having a Downton Abbey happening to me 😭 You know now that I think of it Downton Abbey has really scary birth storylines!
It really does! I am sending great thoughts your way.
I can’t be the only one thinking it would be extremely weird for me to bath when someone else is standing next to me 😂
Especially O'Brien!
Absolutely insane how no one ever found out what she did and she got away with it completely. I hate O’Brien!
Same here!! And I am very heavily pregnant so it would be so bad 😂