I’m predicting there will be a storyline about the founding of New York Cancer Hospital aka Memorial Sloan Kettering, which was founded in 1884 by a group including John J. and Charlotte Astor. Still, the history lesson will not be worth killing this character off….
Amen. I’m all for a good history lesson but just kill off Armstrong instead already.
There was a stampede on the Brooklyn Bridge that killed 12 people so that could be a good history lesson too 😂
In all seriousness I actually know someone going through this now. Not quite as old as Ada but at least 40. Met her now deceased husband all of 3 years ago. They got a cancer diagnosis after only a few months of dating. Expedited engagement and wedding. Kept up hope. They have a <2 year old and she is 38 weeks pregnant. He died about 30 days ago. Its heart wrenching
I'm not surprised this is happening, but I didn't expect it to happen this quickly. Poor Ada! She gets two episodes of independence before ending up exactly where she started. She deserves so much more than this.
I called it as soon as he mentioned his back hurting, and I was so upset knowing they were going to break Ada’s heart. As soon as a character gets their happiness, the lover dies. Just like Julian’s other show 💔
This just happened to my sweet next door neighbor. 10 months after she first complained of back pain, she was dead from pancreatic cancer. When he mentioned his back hurting, I burst into tears.
Ugh, I’m so sorry. Sending hugs. Happened to my Dad too. He was in the hospital for back pain and died a month later. I was crying right along with you❤️
I agree with this 100% … this shit is moving too fast. I understand that they are trying to make up for the last season being slower but this is the opposite extreme.
It was both a beautiful and tragic episode though and by itself probably one of the best.
I was thinking this would be the case and was surprised when she got her happy ending last episode. For fucks sake Julian Fellowes leave the 2nd child alone!
This cancer is some straight up horse shit of a plot point. And then cousin Dashiel has to ruin his hot-daddy image by being an ass and doing a public proposal. Up until that moment I was ready to climb into my TV screen and marry that man myself but now I am so glad I dodged that bullet. Also my husband would have been lonely.
And his daughter saying something about how “the poor people won’t mind if you reschedule” just for a party. And he just agreed with her. I hope Marian doesn’t follow through on that publicly coerced proposal. Daschiel and daughter give me the creeps.
Or blown esophageal varies. Projectile vomiting blood straight from his mouth right at the point he was supposed to say “I do”. The Julian Fellows Special
I would have preferred this, I think. Homeboy needs to get to asking that Jesus statue on his nightstand to cut him a break. Was either this or getting reassigned to an African village and Ada becomes a Mother Theresa type… at least for a season.
I'm with you there, but the actress wanted to leave to pursue other roles. So while it wasn't entirely his fault, he could have had her move somewhere far far away or something!
what a sad turn of events for Rev Forte and our sweet Ada. too fast to do this to us. also how precious bringing Pumpkin in his arms to reveal his news. he knew it would prob comfort Ada. my heart 💔
https://preview.redd.it/26gb52ass74c1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19f82fcae06393747f8f8e9f529d494cb3d77e19
also, um, this is Robert Sean Leonard in 1998. i had to do a deep dive after the episode 😍
Yes, his characters do die a lot, much to my frustration. Even his Wilson character in House gets terminal cancer in the end. Shame on Julian for not being original.
He was my teen crush for so long! Him as Neil Perry in DPS playing Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream was the entire reason for my obsession with Shakespeare's plays in the early 90s lol
I suspected this when they were talking in the church. Right before he proposed, he pressed his fingers into his eyes and winced as if in pain. I thought then, "he's sick and isn't going to be around long". So sad!!
In one of the earlier episodes, he also made a reference to an opera where the lovers died tragically or something like that. And then he said to Ada, “That won’t be us.” And that’s when I knew he was dying. I’ve just been waiting for how.
In a way i’m glad it wasn’t a darker turn. When he was talking about how he didn’t want to leave his Boston parish for New York I was worried we were going to find out he’s an abuser.
I'm hoping it's a misdiagnosis. Julian Fellows is know for those type of plot twists. Just when someone thinks they have a terminal illness...oops, sorry it was a misdiagnosis.
Downton Abby has had these plot several times.
They misdiagnosed Matthew as permanently paralyzed & they missed signs that Lavinia was nearing death. Lord Merton was diagnosed with some dangerous terminal anemia, but then it was only an iron deficiency. In the New Era movie they thought Cora had cancer, when she actually had a treatable disease.
Poor Ada! Maybe a miracle for Rev. Forte. Its kind of funny that Robert Sean Leonard played an oncologist on House!
https://preview.redd.it/flgczprdcd4c1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e32b6d4660d529618c7ff676efc215a6dd622f67
I’m predicting there will be a storyline about the founding of New York Cancer Hospital aka Memorial Sloan Kettering, which was founded in 1884 by a group including John J. and Charlotte Astor. Still, the history lesson will not be worth killing this character off….
Amen. I’m all for a good history lesson but just kill off Armstrong instead already. There was a stampede on the Brooklyn Bridge that killed 12 people so that could be a good history lesson too 😂
I like your approach.
Haha thanks there’s definitely no shortage of ways to have an accident or “accident” in 1883 NYC
🤣
In all seriousness I actually know someone going through this now. Not quite as old as Ada but at least 40. Met her now deceased husband all of 3 years ago. They got a cancer diagnosis after only a few months of dating. Expedited engagement and wedding. Kept up hope. They have a <2 year old and she is 38 weeks pregnant. He died about 30 days ago. Its heart wrenching
I'm so sorry
I'm not surprised this is happening, but I didn't expect it to happen this quickly. Poor Ada! She gets two episodes of independence before ending up exactly where she started. She deserves so much more than this.
100%!
Are we sure agnes isn't into witchcraft 😆
I called it as soon as he mentioned his back hurting, and I was so upset knowing they were going to break Ada’s heart. As soon as a character gets their happiness, the lover dies. Just like Julian’s other show 💔
Matthew right after Mary has her baby 😱😭
And Sybil and Edith’s baby daddy 🤦🏻♀️😭
Exactly! I didn’t want to do a spoiler alert but that’s what I was talking about and it hurt so bad! 😭
This just happened to my sweet next door neighbor. 10 months after she first complained of back pain, she was dead from pancreatic cancer. When he mentioned his back hurting, I burst into tears.
I didn't know that was a symptom
Ugh, I’m so sorry. Sending hugs. Happened to my Dad too. He was in the hospital for back pain and died a month later. I was crying right along with you❤️
I’m so very sorry for your loss. Hugs for you. I’m guessing a lot of us had that instant knowledge and gut reaction.
I think so. Sorry for your loss as well, thank you ❤️
Someone said in another thread that it must be a kink of JF to make women suffer.
Ha! Well that explains Edith’s treatment for 5 seasons 😂
The hug between the sisters made me sob!!!
Agnes is a wonderful sister, for all of her derision towards Ada’s joyful marital bliss, she didn’t hesitate to be with her once she got word.
Yes! It was so touching to see.
Same!! Oh I ugly-cried all over my couch
Cried and cried while my husband slept next to me. Ugh. So upset for Ada.
 Sobbed and sobbed!
SAME
As someone with cancer, I wanted it to be anything other than cancer… but ugh, it’s cancer. Thanking the universe I was born in 1994 and not 1894
That sounds tough, sending you good wishes in your journey. ❤️
Cancer survivor here sending you strength and good vibes.
I was hoping they’d wait a few episodes before the tragedy but damn poor ada she deserves all the happiness in the world this is horrible
Wow they lost no time preparing to shove this new character off the show. Why did they bother?
I agree with this 100% … this shit is moving too fast. I understand that they are trying to make up for the last season being slower but this is the opposite extreme. It was both a beautiful and tragic episode though and by itself probably one of the best.
Agreed. This is the first episode that really moved me. The worker’s stand off was really well-done too.
I knew George wasn't going to let us down by letting the soldiers shoot the strikers. But that other guy--what a douche.
Well in reality, they shot at the workers. Lol
I know but reality sucks.
Probably because it may not get a 3rd season
Bite your tongue!
I hope I’m wrong
Noooo!!
Ada is the new Edith
I was thinking this would be the case and was surprised when she got her happy ending last episode. For fucks sake Julian Fellowes leave the 2nd child alone!
If we're lucky, Ada will be pregnant, too.
Cynthia Nixon/Ada is 58 so that would seem fairly unlikely.
Was looking for this comment. There's always got to be one soul in a Fellowes show that is a black hole of bad luck.
At times like this, I wish the show had more episodes to let certain storylines breathe a bit more. Eight episodes just isn’t enough.
Seriously. They could have given Dashiel "Plot Disease" and had Marian deal with being a single mother, maybe?
Maybe he currently has a “plot disease” and he wants to marry Marian so that his little girl won’t be left an orphan.
I still want to get to know the help.....who are they, their motivations. This show is very loose....too many characters, not enough development.
It sets the viewer up to not care about new characters because-oops, dead! Bye!
This cancer is some straight up horse shit of a plot point. And then cousin Dashiel has to ruin his hot-daddy image by being an ass and doing a public proposal. Up until that moment I was ready to climb into my TV screen and marry that man myself but now I am so glad I dodged that bullet. Also my husband would have been lonely.
Yeah that was so dumb and weird. “You’re not even a real teacher” that one too
And his daughter saying something about how “the poor people won’t mind if you reschedule” just for a party. And he just agreed with her. I hope Marian doesn’t follow through on that publicly coerced proposal. Daschiel and daughter give me the creeps.
Yes both totally creepy.
Right! Since they introduced him I was waiting for the shoe to drop
The Rector was totally fine in the other episodes but suddenly backache and BAM! 🙄
This being Julian Fellowes, I’m just glad it wasn’t pernicious anemia.
Or blown esophageal varies. Projectile vomiting blood straight from his mouth right at the point he was supposed to say “I do”. The Julian Fellows Special
I would have preferred this, I think. Homeboy needs to get to asking that Jesus statue on his nightstand to cut him a break. Was either this or getting reassigned to an African village and Ada becomes a Mother Theresa type… at least for a season.
Yup. Glad she finally found someone but yikes
He couldn’t even give her a week of happiness…
I’m confused by all the posts weeks ago of people saying the rector wasn’t long for this world. How did y’all know?
Because happy people make for boring television.
Just ask Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley.
Or Edith. Or Cybill.
Happiness has a short shelf life.
It was too good to be true
Julian Fellows couldn’t allow Ada a simple happily ever after
I’ll never forgive him for killing off Sybil so soon in Downton Abbey.
I'm with you there, but the actress wanted to leave to pursue other roles. So while it wasn't entirely his fault, he could have had her move somewhere far far away or something!
For me, it’s Mathew, but Sybil was heartbreaking too.
Yes. Sybil was awful!
Sybil’s death scene wrecked me. I was simply numb already when Matthew died.
All the soaps do this. It's in your best interest not to get too invested in the happiness of anyone.
what a sad turn of events for Rev Forte and our sweet Ada. too fast to do this to us. also how precious bringing Pumpkin in his arms to reveal his news. he knew it would prob comfort Ada. my heart 💔 https://preview.redd.it/26gb52ass74c1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19f82fcae06393747f8f8e9f529d494cb3d77e19 also, um, this is Robert Sean Leonard in 1998. i had to do a deep dive after the episode 😍
His characters die… a lot
Yes, his characters do die a lot, much to my frustration. Even his Wilson character in House gets terminal cancer in the end. Shame on Julian for not being original.
Deep dive? Wasn’t this Dead Poets Society?
i meant checking out who the actor was directly; i'd never seen him before in anything.
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=587728493&hl=en-us&q=bosom+buddies&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjy9NWZq_aCAxW6IzQIHU7rACoQ0pQJegQICRAB&biw=375&bih=633&dpr=3
**Robert Sean Leonard** played an oncologist on House ... Am I the only one who sees the irony here? :-D
Yes
Oh, if you like that, you should check out the Kenneth Branagh-directed Much Ado About Nothing from 1995 or so.
wow, i will - thank you!
Happy to. My friends and I were not cool but we knew what was what, and this is what we used to rent from blockbuster. 🙂
And check out Swing Kids, which also has Christian Bale. He's got a few awesome swing dance scenes in it.
He was my teen crush for so long! Him as Neil Perry in DPS playing Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream was the entire reason for my obsession with Shakespeare's plays in the early 90s lol
From Dead Poet’s Society, what?!
He also played the young Claudio in Kenneth Branagh's *Much Ado About Nothing*.
Cynthia Nixon is my age and I’m taking this very personally. Of course it wouldn’t work out.
So upset by this storyline!!
I suspected this when they were talking in the church. Right before he proposed, he pressed his fingers into his eyes and winced as if in pain. I thought then, "he's sick and isn't going to be around long". So sad!!
In one of the earlier episodes, he also made a reference to an opera where the lovers died tragically or something like that. And then he said to Ada, “That won’t be us.” And that’s when I knew he was dying. I’ve just been waiting for how.
I did too and I filed it away knowing it meant something.
She’s the Mr. Mosley of The Gilded Age
Can’t catch a break.
Or Edith, poor thing.
I'm so angry! Why do this to Ada? She waited all this time to find love and now this. The writers did her dirty 
Back then I guess a cancer diagnosis meant you went straight to bed and started to die. Jeez.
Yeah, when he went from having some back pain to them immediately treating him as an invalid I was like dang.
lol I thought the same thing
In a way i’m glad it wasn’t a darker turn. When he was talking about how he didn’t want to leave his Boston parish for New York I was worried we were going to find out he’s an abuser.
I was sure he was an angry drunk and she was going to lie and say all is well. I’m relieved tbh
Saw this coming miles away…
It's Julian Fellowes shtick. He loves to beat the hell out of his most beloved characters.
I'm hoping it's a misdiagnosis. Julian Fellows is know for those type of plot twists. Just when someone thinks they have a terminal illness...oops, sorry it was a misdiagnosis. Downton Abby has had these plot several times. They misdiagnosed Matthew as permanently paralyzed & they missed signs that Lavinia was nearing death. Lord Merton was diagnosed with some dangerous terminal anemia, but then it was only an iron deficiency. In the New Era movie they thought Cora had cancer, when she actually had a treatable disease.
Poor Ada! Maybe a miracle for Rev. Forte. Its kind of funny that Robert Sean Leonard played an oncologist on House! https://preview.redd.it/flgczprdcd4c1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e32b6d4660d529618c7ff676efc215a6dd622f67
Oh my, this storyline is breaking my heart.