As episode four of season two of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Classic unfolded last night, the emotions of the household passed into the dark side of the moon. Three members return to Downton, all bringing heartache.
Sacrifices are felt both upstairs and downstairs from the devastating war. While shocking news brings sadness and concern to loved ones at home, those not so loved employ blackmail and deceit to play out their power games and revenge. However, when the going gets tough, who better than to be in your corner than the Dowager Countess Violet? Granny on the warpath, fighting for her family and staff, is an implacable force.
The final scene of this emotional episode will leave a lump in your throat. Even the theme music played over the final credits sounds like a requiem mass. Here is a brief recap of the episode from PBS.
Recap of Episode 4 (spoilers)
Amiens, 1918: Devastating news from the front rocks the very foundations of Downton Abbey, and it is up to the Dowager Countess to buck bureaucratic protocol and bring Downton’s men home. In an unwelcome return, Vera Bates threatens to make public the scandalous story of Lady Mary’s ill-fated indiscretion. Desperate to contain the story, Mary appeals to the savvy opportunist Sir Richard Carlisle.
Mary is not the only woman to consider hard sacrifice. Some will make it against their will, some will be denied a chance, and some will refuse. Daisy may buckle from its pressure, while Lavinia desperately wishes for such a burden. Sybil must push back. And Cora, preoccupied with the running of the home, cannot see that a sacrifice may already have been made.
Favorite Moments:
“They’re going to chuck everything they’ve got at us.” Matthew Crawley
Matthew. When this episode opened at the front with a scene of rats the size of small dogs, I knew we were in for some startling visuals. Being the cynic that I am, I can usually find humor in just about anything, but I have to confess upfront that there is nothing to laugh about men living in deplorable conditions and dying in the trenches in France. When you and William prepare for battle I felt an overwhelming sense of doom. With my lace hanky at the ready, I bravely continued. My instincts were right. Not good.
“I say. Is this an instrument of communication or torture?” Dowager Countess Violet
Dowager Countess of Grantham. Thanks for the one true laugh of the entire episode. You vs. technology. Anyone who has ever tried to learn a new computer program, cell phone or any other electronic device today was laughing out loud with you. But, the burning question of the night? Who the heck is your niece Shrimpy who you were conversing with on the telephone? What kind of name is that? One is reminded of fictional characters named Bunny, Slugo and Turnip, but Shrimpy seems so funny coming from the lips of the esteemed Dowager Countess. (Will we meet Shrimpy next season?)
“Probable spinal damage.” Lady Mary
Matthew. Your return after being injured on the front is a shocker to all of your family and the downstairs staff. You do not take the news of your probable life-long limitations very well, and we can’t blame you. Your reaction to push away all who love you is pretty typical. This turn of events would bring many a man to his knees. We commend you for your dignity, but please don’t make anymore rash decisions.
“Who would of thought it? The cold and careful Lady Mary Crawley. Well, we know better now.” Sir Richard Carlisle
Lady Mary. You have told us that your fiancé is from a tough world. Well, he just pulled you into it. Do you really want to marry that Rupert Murdock wannabe from hell? Whatever the outcome of the scandal from your night of sin might bring, it would only last a few years. Ditch the jerk. Go to America and find a randy Yank and be happy, please. Last season was all about you being tormented by the entail. This season it is the fallout from being pamuked. (addition of verb to the Downton lexicon courtesy of @OBriensBangs)
Definition of pamuked:
pamuked /pä(m)üked /
“Good God almighty. The engagement is announced between Lady Mary Josephine Crawley, eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Grantham and Sir Richard Carlisle, son of Mr. and the late Mrs. Mark Carlisle of Morningside, Edinburgh.” Lord Grantham
Edith! I loved your reaction during the surprising news of the announcement in the London newspaper of Mary engagement in this scene. Your expressions are priceless. I wanted to know what your were thinking. Are you happy because Mary is finally going to be married and move out of Downton? Or, are you inwardly beaming because Mary looks like a fool in front of your parents for not having any control over her fiancé? Or, are you thinking now your parents are so distracted by Mary’s problems that you might get a chance to drive that tractor again?
My Review:
I think we are at the point in the narrative where things look very grim for many before the story arch. Not to worry. Screenwriter Julian Fellowes has taken us to the dark side for a reason. He knows what he is about.
Even though this episode was filled with sadness and loss, the plot is moving in an interesting direction. There are so many open ends to tie up. What is Vera Bates going to do next to ruin her husband’s happy life with Anna? Will Mary really marry that heartless Rupert Murdock wannabe who holds her secrets over her like blackmail? Can Lavinia say no to her inner child and find the strength to return to Matthew? What will Matthew’s new different life be like in a wheelchair? And poor Edith and Sybil. Is romance even possible for them now with so many good men dead in the war, and the one that wants one of them a socialist? Stay tuned.
Please join us next Sunday for episode 5 of Downton Abby and live tweet with me as co-moderator of the PBS Twitter Party during the episode on February 5, 2012 at 9:00pm ET and PT. Just use hashtag #DowntonPBS at Twitter or on your favorite Twitter aggregator like Tweetdeck or Tweetgrid.
Episode 5 of the second season airs next Sunday, Februrary 5th at 9:00pm ET on Masterpiece Classic PBS. I will be live Tweeting the entire season, so please join us.
Images courtesy © Carnival Film & Television Limited 2011 for MASTERPIECE
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Once again, Laurel Ann, you’ve given a wonderful review. I hated to see last night’s episode end. I too am loving Granny Violet. Ah, such great lines. I will miss William; he had such a sweet, expectant expression – quite a contrast with frail, sweet Daisy who always looks quite lost. What a fabulous series this is. So many poetic moments.
Ahhh. Monday morning. It’s tough enough without me staying up to watch DA twice, but really, who can resist? Twice helps me catch what I missed in nuances!
I felt bad for Daisy but I was pushing her, right along with Mrs. Patmore (and another push from Mrs. Hughes). Oh but it was worth it to look so beautiful Daisy!
I have this strange feeling about a certain new maid and a certain Lord of the Manor House. just sayin’
I still want Branson to stop being selfish; still finding O’Brien (Sarah O’Brien that is) growing more fascinating for me, but the highlight of the night for me was the pure Wicked Witch appearance of Vera. Oooooh, she’s chilling. I’m sorry Team OB (OBrien and Thomas) you’re just not bad enough anymore. The only one capable of tangling with her is Sir Richard who should be our most hated hero next week.
Bates must have found her fascinating in some early part of his life when he was messing with his dark side of the force.
I always watch the episodes twice too! Lord Grantham had a slight twinkle in his eye while talking to the widow maid. Is she even really a widow? Vera’s a witch. Why is she so spiteful?
I’m really starting to feel a bit disturbed by the class portrayals in this series. The aristocrats (aside from the bored Lord Grantham) are portrayed in a very positive way. The working class characters are either one-dimensional, stupid, vicious, helpless or in need of aristocratic benevolence. The middle-class are simply portrayed as useless or in the case of Violet Crawley, pushy. What’s going on here? I don’t recall Fellowes being so . . . pro-aristocratic to the detriment of the middle and working class in “GOSFORD PARK”.
Yes, drush, after doing a fine job writing Season 1, I think Lord Fellowes is getting entangled in some subplots and character development that are not well-thought-out or are unsubtle. Bates is becoming a somewhat masochistic sap on the pretext that he is atoning for prior fondness for drink — sketchily modeled perhaps on one of Dostoyevsky’s “holy fools”? In any case, I think Fellowes is manipulating him into being downgraded toward a somewhat less than 2-dimensional character. The actor is doing the best he can with what Fellowes has given him. I enjoyed the way Lady Violet tore into the vicar, reminding him that, despite his lofty moral scruples about the marriage of William and Daisy, he’s only hired help dependent on her family for his church, his living quarters, and even the flowers decorating the church. The death of William was very poignant!
["Branson. Now I really dislike you. Using the assassination of the Romanovs (even though you say you are sorry about it) as an example that sacrifices needs to be made to make things better as an analogy to Sybil that she must make the sacrifice of giving up her aristocratic life to marry you is just low, low, low."]
Think of it this way. Would the Romanovs, who had a lot of blood on their hands, have cared one way or the other over the likes of Tom Branson?
Whatever the sins of Nicholas II may have been, there was no reason to assassinate his wife, or their children, all of whom were innocent young people who had the misfortune of being born into the Russian Imperial Family. What crime did these four young people, aged between 22 (the oldest daughter, Olga) and 14 (the youngest child and only son, the hemophiliac Alexis) commit against the Russians, that they should be shot to death so mercilessly, and without even a proper trial? None of them were involved in the Russian Tsarist government, none of them made any controversial decisions, and certainly none of them directly caused any harm or persecution against anyone. Anyone who has read Pulitzer-Prize winner Robert Massie’s book “Nicholas and Alexandra” will see that Nicholas II and his family were certainly not the butchers they were made out to be. I believe, drush, that you may need to brush up on your history. I’m sorry, but I have to agree with Laurel Ann, it was just wrong for Branson to use the murder of the Romanovs as an analogy to convince Sybil to marry him.
I have been thinking of a way to rationalize Branson’s analogy, and I’ve finally come up with it. It’s not an analogy at all – he’s still talking about the Romanovs and – get this for wishful thinking–trying to convince himself that their murder was the right thing. It’s this pathetic bravado that almost convinces Sybil to—well, to briefly give us the impression that she was about to kiss him (watch closely). Voila! – bullying Branson is gone – idealistic starry-eyed Branson is back!
I really dislike Branson as well. I don’t feel like they ever really developed a love story between him and Sybil, and he just comes off as a bully in their relationship. I couldn’t understand why she would want to kiss him!
One of my favorite lines was the one stollen from Rett Butler in “Gone with the Wind”. Does anyone know which one it was?
It’s Lavinia saying she never had a handkerchief when she needed it. Rhett Butler makes the same observation about Scarlett. That’s from the movie; I’m not sure it’s in the book/
Best and worst episode ever! Granny for the comic relief win! Your recap managed to be amusing despite the sadness of the episode.
Does fate ever issue us “mulligans” (i.e., second chances) for our mistakes in life? Mary–foolishly heeding Aunt Rosamund’s advice–rejected Matthew’s earlier proposal of marriage when it became apparent that he would not become the heir to Downton. Now, Matthew has returned from the war a broken man in all respects. With nothing to gain, who is ministering to him, mentally and physically? Mary’s love of Matthew has grown by leaps and bounds since her fateful lack of judgment. Even Matthew’s uber-protective mother, Isobel, acknowledges Mary’s touching devotion to her son. What if Matthew’s wounds heal beyond Dr. Clarkson’s initial prognosis? “Probable spinal damage.” Hmmm . . . Is there still room in Mr. Fellowes’ script for a reversal of fortune for both Matthew and Mary? Is there anyone else out there, save this incurable romantic, who harbors the same hope?
I too hope for a fairy tale ending! At the very least Mary and Matthew should get married, go off to a spa in Italy or somewhere for Matthew’s health and come home a few years later with an heir. Whether or not that heir is legitimate can be known only by Mary, Matthew and of course Julian Fellows!
I am very hopeful that Matthew will heal beyond expectations!!!
Dear Readers: I am still experiencing problems with WordPress not posting comments immediately. Please do not let it put you off the conversation if your comment does not appear instantly. They will be retrieved out of the spam folder and posted within 24 hours. I apologize profusely. I have been working to get this fixed with them for over 2 weeks and will continue to try to get is resolved.
Fascinating article about Season 4 from UK Daily Mail. No spoilers for Season 3:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2094014/Shirley-MacLaine-join-Downton-Abbey-Lady-Granthams-mother.html
I went to your link and could find no mention of a season 4. It did, however, give us some things to ponder about the upcoming season 3.
Yes. Sorry, it was Season 3. Blame the typist….me ! I blame the keyboard. The information has now been confirmed in other media.
Yes, I saw that Shirley MacLaine was joining the cast next season. Not sure how I feel about that. I’ve never been a huge fan of her, but I’ll give her a chance before I decide.
You always do a great review, Laurel Ann! You are so right on all points. I find Branson’s guilt trip and political vibrato irritating. How interesting that one day he can say ‘no they wont kill the Romanovs because they’re too high minded’ and then the next he can justify the killings as ‘sacrifices need to be made.’ I sense someone who can take anything and twist it to his advantage. And I feel like Sybil is too naive in other ways to put him in his place. Maybe she’ll surprise me though.
I really hope Sir RIchard and Mary dont marry. That would be terrible. She’d be signing herself up for a life of threats and ultimatums. Come on, Matthew! I cant believe Lavinia gave up so quickly. And Mrs. Bates…Oy….How has she not been strangled?
Cant wait til next week!~
This is turning out to be just as good as I was hoping it would be. But knowing that there is a 3rd series coming causes me to think that there are going to be a lot of plot lines hanging until series 3 comes out, which for those of us on this side of the pond means another year of waiting. The wait is worth it but sometimes feels like torture.
I agree about Branson. I was pretty disappointed in his reaction about the Romanovs’ murder. I really thought that would have been an eye-opening moment for him about the political group he associates with. If all are equal (his naive ideal) then why does one person have the right to murder another? Plus, he is so passionate…I just can’t see him saying “oh well” in effect to something like that. And using it to push his advance on Lady Sybil is just low.
["I agree about Branson. I was pretty disappointed in his reaction about the Romanovs’ murder. I really thought that would have been an eye-opening moment for him about the political group he associates with."]
Branson is a Socialist, not a Communist. And why would the Romanovs’ death change his political views? Considering that the elite were responsible for the war and the violence in Ireland (something that is personal for Branson), I cannot see him changing his mind, due to the deaths of members of the Russian Royal Family.
Well, I probably should not make a comment on the similarities between socialism and communism here, but it’s obvious that Branson at least feels the similarities strong enough to offer the Bolsheviks his sympathy and support. But that’s just how I saw it. I love how different people can see the same story so differently. That always makes it fun to talk about afterwards!
This was not a well written episode. One, I hated the changes Fellowes made to Branson’s character. His political beliefs have either been ridiculed in a previous episode and now, he has made Branson very unpopular with fans by his attitude toward the Romanovs. Mind you, I was never a fan of the Romanovs, due to their own actions. But look at how Branson is now detested by fans. Why did Fellowes to do this?
Why have William die at Downton Abbey? I found this plotline very illogical. If William had been injured that bad, chances are he would have died at a hospital in France. And Matthew’s condition would have been diagnosed by an Army doctor in France, not by Dr. Clarkson at Downton Abbey. The plotlines surrounding William and Matthew struck me as completely contrived.
The worst moment? Both Daisy and Mary had moments of foreboding before both William and Matthew were wounded in battle. Talk about a bad cliche.
How much further will the quality of “DOWNTON ABBEY” sink?
Thank you, Laurel Ann, for another all-encompassing review!
Regarding the delayed diagnoses of both William and Matthew; I did not find it implausible that Matthew’s true condition was still unclear when he finally arrived at Downton Abbey. Because of the very fact that a spinal injury was suspected, the medics and nurses handling him would have been very reluctant to move/examine him more than was absolutely necessary. William, no doubt, had been exposed to mustard gas and that, we know, caused a long, lingering path to death. Certainly, nobody in the household would have had any experience with that type of sickness and so none of them could reconcile his apparent, unblemished appearance with the death sentence he had been given.
As for Branson, his political ideology seemed to take the place of family for him; in fact, sometimes we see the jealousy he feels over Lady Sybil’s love and loyalty towards her parents and sister Mary.
My grandfather, who remembered the murder of the Romanovs, used to say that communism was simply socialism, enforced with the barrel of a gun! After all, U.S.S.R. stood for, “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics”.
The person who is not weathering the changes very well is Lord Grantham. His whole life has always revolved around his estate and now the building is being run as a convalescent hospital and his family have all taken on new rolls, he is not allowed back into the army proper, and his heir might die!
I love the way that we are allowed to know something of his fears because of his conversation with Bates in the pub. He is very honest about his feelings of helplessness and despair, in part, because he feels shame over the way he treated this brave, loyal man!
As I have done for the past several weeks, I so enjoy reading everyones comments and theories; some are ideas and theories that I just never thought of!
Thank you!
Socialism and communism are two different things to me. Although Branson is a socialism, it’s not surprising that he wouldn’t feel tea and sympathy for the Romanovs. Why would anyone expect someone of his ideology to? This is a man who had recently learned about the death of a relative in Ireland, at the hands of the authority or military, who were probably loyal to the British Royal Family. And the head of the British royals was first cousin to the Russian tsar.
The reaction to Branson reminded me of an article I had read about the series. Someone once complained that Julian Fellowes liked his working-class characters if they don’t screw with the “natural” class order. Branson’s socialist beliefs probably screwed the natural class order from his POV. No wonder Fellowes ridiculed Branson’s political beliefs in one episode and characterized the latter’s reaction to the Romanovs’ death in such a cold manner in this episode.
I now find myself wondering what catastrophe awaits Branson in Series 3.
I rather think that the writer of the series, Julian Fellows, has set out to show how each character will deal with the enormous changes that the twentieth century is bringing to them personally, to Downton Abbey, to England and the British Empire, and, in fact, to the world.
It seems likely that we will see Branson learn to come to terms with his political principles and his natural desire to be with the woman he loves and have a family.
Branson represents the working class who have become politically involved. He is an important ellement in the unfolding story; I do not believe that we will lose him!
Can I just say that I would not mind at all if Lady Edith put her new found driving skills to use and accidentally ran over the ex-MrsBates. And maybe Branson, too. EEEESH– really Sybil?? Lady Sybil really needs to be exposed to a more worldly set of men in her own sphere– it seems she’s been exposed to such a quiet country life and reminds me of teenage girls having their heads turned by upperclassmen in high school, only to discover at college or wherever they go to escape small town-life, an entirely different class of men. IMO, of course. And every episode I recognize something else nicked from “Gone With the Wind,” of which I like very much as I have made it into kind of a game to look for the next. Can’t wait til the next installment!
LOL “accidentally ran over the ex-Mrs. Bates.” *snort* Luv it Christina! Brilliant.
You are aware, I hope that Julian Fellowes’s next TV project is a retelling of the “Titanic” disaster ? We will see it here in the UK in the Spring and we have already seen some trailers. Among the cast is Marian Doyle Kennedy, in a different role. Maybe a nice lady this time. It looks v. good.
“Pamuked” I love it!!
This series just keeps getting better and better! I was very surprised that Lavinia wasn’t the one who wanted to terminate the engagement; I didn’t give her enough credit to hang in there when things are not looking so rosy. I still have to believe though, in the end, Mary and Matthew will get together. Eventually Matthew will recover.
I do hope that Vera gets her just deserts in the end. She is a real piece of work, on a different level from O’Brien.
Sybil cannot be that dumb to run away with Branson. Good grief! That would be awful! He has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
I was surprised at Edith’s vast character improvement. I hope she gets another tractor job; it seemed to suit her.
Thanks for your review, Laurel Ann; it was insightful and entertaining as usual!
Sadly it takes me about a week to watch each Downton episode. So here I am with a new episode coming out just watching William’s death. Lace hankies were out for me too. When I told my husband it was because William the footman died, he just gave me a strange look!
I like Branson. I think he and Sybil have a good chemistry together. I like how he tries to make Sybil see the social order in a different way.
I loved how the Countess was making things happen this episode!
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