Well, that was the penultimate episode of Season 3. What did you think?

I think Maggie Smith has nearly all the good lines (my favorite one of the evening below), though I loved Carson’s protest that he has never been thought of as a liberal. 

Quite.

I’m also thrilled that the ridiculous Bates-in-prison story line has ended. It was like the Landry-as-murderer nonsense that marred Season 2 of Friday Night Lights. 

I cannot believe Bates saved Thomas. I mean, I can believe it as a melodramatic contrivance; the Thomas character is too necessary to see off. Still, Bates’s moment of pity for Gollum Thomas reminded me of the movie cliché in which the good guy has the bad guy dead to rights, but before firing the shot that kills him, allows him to make the speech that ends up with his escape.

Thomas and O’Brien are both evil queens. Too bad they can’t both be ruined.

That Cousin Rose is bad business. You keep your hands off of Matthew and Tom, you doxy!