While US viewers were glued to their TV’s last night watching the 2nd episode of season 2 of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Classic PBS, season 1 was awarded a Golden Globe for best miniseries or motion picture made for television beating out the BBC America’s The Hour and three HBO films: Mildred Pierce, Too Big to Fail and Cinema Verite. I was live tweeting the new episode as co-moderator of the weekly Downton Twitter Party with: @pbs, @masterpiecepbs, @VanityFair and @tomandlorenzo when the news broke. To the many fans of the hit series set in England during Edwardian and WWI times, the recognition and award meant that we might see a season four. Period drama has resurfaced after threats of extinction. Ha!
Season 2 continues to intrigue. (spoilers ahead) Last week in episode 1, we were thrown into the trenches of 1916 France as Great Britain battles the Hun during WWI, heir Matthew Crawley introduces his fiancé Lavinia Swire to his family, housemaid Anna Smith and valet John Bates were separated by the arrival of his estranged wife Vera, former footman Thomas Barrow purposely injures himself on the front for a ticket home, and cook Mrs. Patmore presses scullery maid Daisy into a romance with newly enlisted footman William. This week the scenes are set entirely in England at Downton and London in 1917. Here is a brief synopsis from PBS:
As a convalescent home for wounded officers, Downton Abbey offers respite from the front. But Cora and Isobel, locked in a power struggle over running the home, wage domestic war, and Thomas in his new rank as acting-Sergeant is not one to broker peace.
Mary rejects Rosamund’s dubious advice while Daisy reluctantly accepts Mrs. Patmore’s — in both cases, new bonds are irreversibly forged. Meanwhile, Anna dares to hope when she spies a familiar figure in the village.
When Matthew accompanies a visiting General to Downton, a dinner party brings much of the war’s painful demands into sharp relief, claiming one victim and very nearly several others. Branson’s ambitions are revealed and William’s aspirations are fulfilled. And Edith, finally, catches someone’s eye.
The quality of the production continues to shine. Even though we are deep into the war with cutbacks and rationing in place, we do see new frocks on many of the ladies, and the gentlemen all in striking red regimental uniforms. Lady Mary’s stunning black beaded evening gown reflects up to date fashions of a sheath dress that had been embellished and a string on jet beads.
The plot is quite complicated with many threads woven in, keeping us guessing and surprised. Here are a few on my favorite moments:
Perfect hair all the time?
As the household staff assemble for a meal, I am struck by lady’s maid O’Brien’s hair. It is as stiff and unforgiving as her personality. But wait. O’Brien seems to be exploring her compassionate side as the episode unfolds.
Looking over his shoulder?
What’s up with O’Brien promoting the former footman Thomas all the time? I sense something deeper here. Maternal roots?
Detectives afoot!
Much of this episode involved snooping for facts about Matthew’s fiance Lavinia Swire in the hopes that some scandal will be unearthed to put off him off so Lady Mary can marry him. Granny (Dowager Countess) and Mary discuss Aunt Rosamond witnessing a heated discussion of Lavinia with Sir Richard Carlisle in the shrubberies at Downton.
Favorite quip!
Mary seems defensive of Lavinia. Countess Violet’s comment was the perfect comeback. “I don’t know many people who would threaten me behind the laurels.”
New fangled contraptions!
Progress comes to Downton. Lady Mary has a modern electric curling iron!
Gold digger in the making!
As the wounded soldiers arrive to be cared for at Downton, cheeky housemaid Ethel already has her eye on one of the officers.
Dog in the doghouse?
As Cousin Isobel Crawley and Lord and Lady Grantham’s debate which rooms at Downton will be left for private use by the family. Not even the dog is safe from Mrs. Crawley’s rule.
Newspaper?
If 19th-century Dowager Countess Violet can ask “What is a weekend?” then this 21st-century viewer can ask “What is a newspaper?”
Favorite touching scene:
Housemaid Anna and former valet Mr. Bates are reunited after Lady Mary uses Sir Richards resources to discover that he is tending bar in a local town.
Favorite underdog shines
Lady Edith sheds her “Jan Brady” image and earns the recognition she deserves for helping the patients. Go Team Edith!
Sense of impending doom
Matthew’s fiance Lavinia Swire is as delicate as a candle in the wind.
Chip off the ole block
Aunt Rosamond is rivaling her mother the Dowager Countess Violet in the manipulation department. “Classic Rosamund. She is never more rightous when she is in the wrong.”
Gulp…
Matthew Crawley says his goodbye’s to his fiance Lavinia while Mary watches and cringes.
Do you need to catch up or relive the first two episodes of Downton Abbey? You can watch them online on the PBS Video website through March 7, 2012.
Episode 3 of the second season airs next Sunday, January 22 at 9:00pm ET on Masterpiece Classic PBS. I will be live Tweeting the entire season, so please join us.
© 2007 – 2012 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose
Laurel Ann (Austenprose)
Virginia Claire
Christina B.
RegencyRomantic
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
shelleydewees
Br. Paul Byrd, OP
Aia A. Hussein
Lucy Warriner
ahhh, yes. Thanks for the recap. Great moments. With all the plot twists ‘twisting’ there were few heart-wrenching scenes–two I’d say. And you got them both.
My favorite scene might well be the servants rushing to Lang’s room in their nightwear.
I’m enjoying how our allegiances and affections are toyed with here. I got a bad feeling from Bates, I cheered for Edith and OBrien. Thankfully we can still love to hate Thomas!
Once again, I was surprised when the ending came. Of course we only got on episode last night rather than two. I look forward to everyone’s thoughts this week. thanks Laurel! (I stayed off twitter last night but caught your comments later – super!) Matthew’s piercing blue eyes used as a weapon at the front lines?
Deadly!
Thank you so much for a thorough review. The photographs are such a treat. I even appreciate the spoilers. I sorry to say that Thomas Barrow turned me off of the show so much that I never watched the last episode from last season until last evening. Thanks to your post I shall know what to expect from him and enjoy the rest. Especially the sets and costuming!
I had my British son-in-law open up a “teaser” on NetFlix to show my wife a few minutes of the very first season one opener. She was totally impressed. We have not had access to the first season of Downton Abbey but I have now ordered all of season one in chronological order for both of us to savor. Better late than never. We can hardly wait…..
I can’t decide whether I think Lady Edith is a character of pleasing complexity or a character too erratically drawn. For her to violate that farmer’s marriage, and to insist on the importance of her messed-up dress when one of the servants appears to be dying, is pretty damning. But then she suddenly becomes an angel of mercy to the soldiers.
Maybe that’s how life is.
Shelley, I have to agree about Edith. LOL. She appears to be very inconsistent in her actions. Maybe old habits die hard, and later after the dress damage scene, we see her being so kind and helpful to the officers. Is our Edith evolving out of Jan Brady territory? ;-)
That was his wife!! I thought it was his mom! Thanks for pointing out the dress scene, I had forgotten about that. I suppose it makes her more “real.” Both definitely lower my affection for her character.
LOVE every scene with Mary. But why o why is Matthew Crawley’s mother continually putting herself forward. She is starting to annoy me. Cant wait til next installment!
I am still not sold on the innocence of Lavinia!
Ditto!
Downton Abbey Sunday night is to 50 : Wonderful World of Disney Sunday night was to age 10!
Wow Laurel, where did you get those beautiful stills?
I made them myself from the CD. Remember Jeffrey. All Janeites are skilled in many areas to be deemed truly accomplished. ;-)
Yeah for Lady Edith! I know she’s done a few bad things but she’s not truly bad at heart,in my opinion. Love just about everything DC Violet says(my favorite quote is from when Lady Mary remarks that Aunt Rosamond and Violet’s having Lavinia to tea sounds like they’re going to “gobble her up” and Violet’s reply: “Oh,only if we could”) and hopefully Anna and Bates will get the happy ending they deserve.
My apologies to anyone trying to post comments on this thread. Something is definitely wrong with WordPress, because it is sending then all into spam. Even mine! I have notified them about the problem, but no word yet. Hopefully fixed soon. Thanks for your understanding. LA
I’m so glad that they were recognized with a golden globe and hope there will be many more seasons! I think that both Mary & Edith are very conflicted characters. They stick to their old values of upper class and yet sometimes they come off their high horses and do something to surprise you. I personally find Sybil to be more authentic. And I am cheering for Matthew and Lavinia. I think Lavinia seems to be a genuine girl and Matthew deserves someone who doesn’t place conditions on loving him or let anything get in the way of love. Mary is just not right for him; first she wants him, then she doesn’t b/c he isn’t going to be the heir, and then when he is the heir she wants him back. Ugh. I just want to smack her.
[...] my recap & reviews of episode 1 and episode 2 of Downton Abbey Season [...]
I was very pleased that Downton Abbey won the Golden Globe, but I will put in a good word for The Hour, not quite in the same class as DA in my opinion, but very enjoyable — I saw it on BBCAmerica. Meanwhile back at DA, I thought Vera Bates looked strangely familiar and then remembered her as Queen Catherine of Aragon on The Tudors, a series I can’t really recommend, but she was one of the best in that cast. I am enjoying the second season of DA — I think we are getting deeper into the characters — we are seeing how the war is changing everyone and I think Isobel Crawley and Lady Edith are two who are struggling to find their places. Iain Glenn makes an interesting addition as Sir Richard Carlisle — neither upstairs nor downstairs but a self-made man.
Virginia, I enjoyed The Hour also. Sir Richard is a self-made man. It appears that both Matthew and Mary chose complete opposites in character for their next romances. Rebound times two.
I would root for Matthew and Lavinia, as well. But it seems clear to me that Lavinia is basically the “rebound girl” for Matthew. And I think it’s unfair that she has been put into this situation by him.
Lavinia the rebound girl? Might be. I find that it is interesting that she appears to be the complete opposite in character from Mary. Why is Matthew attracted to that? He is mad a Mary, so he finds the first sweet, kind and compassionate women he can and asks her to marry him? I have seen this happen in real life, so you might be right.
[...] Read my recap & review of Episode 2 of Downton Abbey [...]
[...] Read my recap & review of Episode 2 of Downton Abbey [...]
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[...] Read my recap & review of Episode 2 of Downton Abbey [...]
[...] Read my recap & review of Episode 2 of Downton Abbey [...]
[...] Read my recap & review of Episode 2 of Downton Abbey [...]