The second episode of Downton Abbey’s new season finds Mr. Carson and Lord Grantham at odds over the site of the WWI memorial: the cricket pitch at Downton (Mr. Carson’s choice, though he is an avid enthusiast of the sport) or the centre of the village (Lord Grantham’s recommendation).
Mr. Carson does not defer to his Lordship. “I would rather be convinced than defeated, my Lord, and I am not yet convinced.” Bravo, Mr. Carson.
Jimmy’s departure leaves Mr. Barrow in a contemplative mood, without the energy to stir up trouble for anyone except Mr. Mosley. After a touching interchange with Anna, we even feel a wee bit sorry for Mr. Barrow. Well, almost.
The Dowager Countess continues with her campaign to manage Isobel’s love life, much to Isobel’s growing annoyance. “Mrs. Crawley is never happier than when she has the chance to use her guiding hand,” remarks the Dowager Countess to Lord Merton. The Dowager might want to look in the mirror on that one.
Meanwhile, Lady Mary is busy preparing for her vagabond “sketching” trip with her girlfriend. She’s packing a contraceptive device that a mortified Anna fetches for her from the village chemist and a passel of newfound doubts as to Lord Gillingham’s suitability, planted by Charles Blake when he visits Downton to wish her luck. She continues with her plan to take Lord Gillingham for a test drive, and we sense that all may not turn out as she hopes.
Mrs. Patmore engages Miss Bunting to tutor Daisy in mathematics. Might we suggest that everyone at the Abbey take lessons? Can no one do the maths to figure out that Marigold is the right age to have been born while Lady Edith was on her European tour? (Or to realise that young Daisy hasn’t aged a day between 1912 and 1924.)
Mr. Drew comes to the rescue with the ingenious plan that Lady Edith be Marigold’s Godmother – even taking Marigold to the Abbey to play with George and Sybil. Hopefully no one will notice that she looks exactly like her mother!
The emotional high point comes with the interchanges between Mr. Mosley and Miss Baxter. He’s clearly fallen for her, and he’s shown us compassion and courage where she’s concerned. We’ve seen an admirable side of him, but now we see him getting his heart truly broken. Even then, he rises above self-centered pity and takes a stand in noble territory.
Comic relief is provided by Lord Grantham’s aversion to allowing a wireless at the Abbey. Never an early adopter of technology, he finally relents so they can hear the King’s speech. Lord Grantham prophetically opines “I find the whole idea a kind of thief of life – that people should waste hours huddled around a wooden box listening to someone talking at them, burbling inanities.”
Rounding out the evening is a nice nod to the beloved (and now rather awkwardly named) Isis. Art historian Simon Bricker visits the Abbey to see one of its famous paintings, but shows much more interest in Cora. Could the Countess of Grantham finally be getting her first storyline since Season 1’s soap bar tragedy? We do hope so.
Lord Grantham addresses the issue obliquely by snapping at Cora as he gets into bed, “And tell your friend Bricker to stop flirting with Isis. There is nothing more ill bred than trying to steal the affections of someone else’s dog.” True enough!
Next week: “Goodness – Granny has a past!”
Aired at 9pm on Sunday 28 September 2014 on ITV.
> Order Season 5 on DVD on Amazon.
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