Cora keeps ducking out of family obligations for meetings at the hospital, and Robert doesn't bally well like it. But when Lady Rose (visiting from New York and "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies") takes him to secretly watch her running one of those meetings, Robert swells with pride at her accomplishment. It's odd to use Rose for this, as she's one of the few who have not been subjected to this never-ending hospital plotline. Later on, Violet tells Cora that she has fully accepted that fact that it's now Cora's hospital and Cora's village to take of. It's one of many torches passed. Then Dr. Clarkson brings the news that Merton was misdiagnosed, his illness is treatable and he will live many more years. I get that a series finale can mean happy endings for everyone, but I can't help feel that the episode would have been better off using some of the time spent on this story in other places that got short shrift. Is Lord Merton really the person we want to spend so much of this last episode with? Age eventually catches up to everyone, and now it's Carson's turn. He develops a tremor in his hands which renders him unable to pour wine without spilling it everywhere. Carson tries to hide it for as long as he can, but it quickly becomes clear that it's a major problem. He confesses that it's a hereditary condition that ended the careers of both his father and grandfather, and that there's no cure. The only thing to do is offer his resignation and offer to train the next butler. Robert and Mary are horrified at the idea of life without Carson - Mary is particularly upset - and they float the idea of having Carson stay on to "supervise" the new butler. But Carson doesn't believe anybody would take the job under those conditions. Denker tells Violet the truth about Spratt's side job as an advice columnist, trying to get him fired. But Violet dissolves into laughter, and later tells Spratt that she will consult him in all matters about fashion from now on. Spratt tells Denker she forgot the most important thing about the Dowager Countess - she never likes to be predictable.
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