Photo credit – pbs.org

(Spoiler Alert! You know the drill.) Well, the time has finally arrived for the US fans to sit down and enjoy another roller coaster season of Downton Abbey. There are many still recovering from the wounds of Matthew’s demise and Anna’s rape and although we may be tempted to swear off DA, here we are again ever hopeful that our favorite characters will find happiness and bracing ourselves for the drama (and traumas) to come.

The first episode picks up in 1924 and the changing times are reflected in the women’s changing wardrobes. (The guys pretty much look the same.) If the first episode is any indication of what is to come, the theme of this season may be sex and secrets, both upstairs and downstairs.

Odd Man Out

The show opens up with Edith “can-my-life-suck-any-more” Crawley secretly watching her baby girl, who has been left in the kind care of farmer Drewe and his wife. Although, we soon see that Edith is not keeping her presence secret. Later she is sitting at the kitchen table cooing over little Marigold. (Someone likes flowery names – Rose, Daisy, Marigold…) I understand that Edith longs to spend time with her daughter but does she really think no one will get suspicious about the fact that she visits the family regularly and fawns on “their” little daughter endlessly, to the discomfort of the rest of the family? Surely, her secret will come out soon. Drewe did guess her secret from the beginning but kept it to himself. However, now his wife thinks that Edith is coming around frequently because she has a crush on her husband.  This smells like disaster. Regardless, Drewe has a plan for Edith to “live the truth without telling the truth.”

Meanwhile, Robert “nobody-loves-me” Crawly is bemoaning his new nickname (Donk) and the Labour Government. He also expresses his displeasure that he was not only overlooked at the school, but he was not asked to be the chairman on a war memorial being set up. Instead, the villagers chose Carson. It was a blow, although he tried to handle it with grace. Luckily for him, Carson only agreed to head the committee if Robert was named the patron.

Tom “will-I-ever-fit-in” Branson still feels like the odd man out. He is such a likable character, I wish he would find the right women to capture his restless and still healing heart. Unfortunately the closest thing he has to a love interest is the annoying school marm Miss Bunting. Last season I was not a big fan but I tried to keep an open mind.  I understand that she has her own opinions and is opposed to the ways of Downton and that she is supposed to spark Tom’s political zeal of old, but when she was unexpectedly invited to a dinner at the Abbey, her brash rudeness was unparallelled. She manged to offend everyone she talked to and was unable to hold her tongue, or at least soften her tone, once. The only bright point was when Carson shut her down after she do rudely insulted her host. No, I do not like this one at all.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match!

Who would have thought that Isobel Crawley would be tangled up in a love triangle that has been much more fun than last season’s Ivy, Daisy, Alfred triangle. Last year we had hopes that Isobel and the Doctor would hit it off but instead Dicky “yes-my-name-is-ridiculous” Merton has been in hot pursuit of Isobel. Gal-pal and favorite Grandmama Violet didn’t seem to give it much mind until she realized that if Isobel married Lord Merton she would actually rise in rank above Violet. Violet takes matters in hand by playing her own version of match.com and tries to pair Lord Merton with Lady Shackleton. (Which made me want to go back and watch the old Sense and Sensibility). The last time we saw Lady Shackleton was during the disastrous luncheon that Spratt sabotaged in fear that Mosley would take his job. Ol’ Spratt the Brat was still spreading his charm as he hilariously displayed his wordless annoyance that he was required the indignity of treating the doctor as a human being on more than one occasion.

Speaking of our favorite odd man out, Mosley has been feeling his age, and a growing attraction to Baxter. In an attempt to recapture his youth, he dyed his hair with typical Mosley results. There were many comments about the situation but the best was from Robert who said, “Mosley, you look very Latin all of a sudden. Do you have any Latin blood?” LOL.

However, Mosley is also the hero in tonight’s episode by giving the best piece of advice to Baxter. Thomas “I’m-a-pain-in-the-arse-but-you-love-me-anyway” Barrow continued to harass Baxter into revealing any secrets she may have overheard, particularly one involving Mr. Bates and Lord Gillingham’s former steward. (Baxter knows that Bates took a journey that he’d deny taking.) Mr. Mosley rescued Baxter from Thomas’ interrogation a number of times but Thomas finally managed to trap Baxter and his threats brings her to tears. If she did not revel what she knew, then Thomas would tell her secret to Lady Cora that evening. Mosley encouraged Baxter to tell Cora her secret before Thomas did. In movies, this plot line usually has the confessor being thwarted from revealing the truth until it is too late. I feared the same would happen here, but alas, Baxter was able to speak to Cora and pour out her heart.

She revealed that Thomas is friends with her sister and years ago she was working in London as a lady’s maid for a Mrs. Benton. After six months there, she stole jewelry from her employer and tried to make it look like a burglary. She was found out but she didn’t have the jewelry anymore. As a result, Baxter spent three years in prison for the crime. Before Cora could respond to her revelation, Robert came in the room. Later, however, Cora further questioned Baxter and tried to get more details about the situation. Baxter was obviously hiding the real reason she stole the jewelry in the first place. I assume Baxter does not tell the whole story in order to protect someone or to not seem like she is rationalizing her crime. Either way, I am certain this is not the last we have heard about it. Lady Cora was shocked and disappointed but she did not dismiss Baxter right away. Instead she said she would think about it. Later that night when Thomas approached Cora, she turned the tables on him and reprimanded him for keeping the secret from her when he recommended Baxter for the job. She left him wondering what repercussions his scheming will have.

Playing with Fire

Jimmy “boy toy” Kent is back in bromance with Thomas and there was plenty of, as Carson puts it, smutty deliberations brewing downstairs. Jimmy was being pursued by his former employer Lady “I-put-the-C-in-Cougar”Anstruther (played perfectly by Carolyn Bingley of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice.) Jimmy tried to put her off but Lady A would have none of that. She pushed her way into the Crawley household and made up a suspicious lie about her car not working so she could spend the night at their home. Of course, it is a ruse in order to trap Jimmy. He, of course, takes the bait and with Thomas’ help slipped into her bedroom after hours. However, Jimmy was not the only one scandalously slipping into a lady’s bedroom.

Lady Mary continues to be courted but, to the dismay of #TeamBlake, Charles was nowhere to be seen! Instead, Gillingham is at the forefront and she admitted that she does love him in her “cold and unfeeling way.” Mary is still sorting out her feelings but she has moved away from wondering if she can love again after Matthew’s death and instead is concerned about whether or not her future husband will please her in bed. (“What could be more important?” she asks. Um, I can think of a few things that could be more important, but that is another post entirely! ) It may seem an odd transition but I suppose it is a reflection of the changing morals, particularly in the roaring 20’s. Her conversation with Anna about the merits of pre-marital sex left Anna saying, “I am afraid I am entirely too old fashioned for you, m’lady.” Good girl. 😉

This conversation laid down the groundwork for an after hours knock on Lady Mary’s bedroom door. Gillingham had his own proposition. He asked Lady Mary to go away with him for a week, a tete a tete that would result in them becoming lovers. This whole conversation seemed very odd. I could imagine it happening in a different situation with different people but it seemed out of character for Gillingham to suggest something that would put Lady’s Mary’s reputation at such risk. Times may be changing, but the consequences of such actions would still be keenly felt. However, drama must march on and I suspect that Mary will partake of the forbidden fruit. Let’s just hope they fair better than Mr. Pamuk.

Meanwhile, Edith was feeling the repercussions of her own dalliance as she mourns the presumed death of Gregson and the absence of little Marigold.  She threw Gregson’s book towards the fireplace and cried herself to sleep. Little did she know that the book caught fire. Luckily, Thomas was still in the hallway and was able to rescue Lady Edith from her bedroom. He tried to warn Jimmy next but Robert beat him to it and found Jimmy and Lady A in bed together.

The fire raged on but thankfully they managed to put it out (with indoor water hoses??) and rescued everyone in time. In the end, Jimmy was sacked and Thomas once again, saved his hide and comes out smelling like a rose with a very sharp thorn.

In the closing scene, Farmer Drewe who was leading the firemen, told Lady Edith he had a plan for her and Marigold. Unbeknownst to them, Mrs. Hughes was nearby and although it is unknown how much of the conversation she heard, from the look on her face, she heard enough to make her suspicious.

So what did you think?? Did you like the episode? Did it seem to jump too quickly from scene to scene at times? What predictions do you have for future episodes. (But, please,. give no real spoilers!)

Favorite Quotes

• Violet: There’s nothing simpler than avoiding people you don’t like. Avoiding one’s friends, that’s the real test.

• Mrs. Patmore: It would be a bit sad if she had no secrets at her age.

• Lady Shackelton: “Of course a single peer with a good estate won’t be lonely long, if he doesn’t want to be.”
• Violet: “You sound like Mrs. Bennett.”

• Baxter: “I will tell you the story one day. But I am loathe to forfeit your good opinion and I know I would.”
• Carson: “No you won’t. You don’t trust me yet but I am on your side.” (Aw, I love these two together.)

• Violet: “Principles are like prayers. Noble, of course, but awkward at a party.”

• Tom: “I am not a hater. I don’t hate anyone. Least of all you.”
• Robert: “Well, that is a more cheerful note to say good night.”

• Thomas: “Well. So Lady Mary is not so ladylike after all.”
• Jimmy: “Me next.”

• Mary: “Lady Edith chose to set fire to her room, but we’re all fine.”

Random Thoughts

— Was Bates deliberately pumping information from Lord Gillingham about his former steward? Are they going to rehash this story?

— Are Anna and Bates trying (unsuccessfully) to have a baby?

— Will Daisy seek tutoring help from Miss “Boudicca of the North Riders” Bunting?

— I really like Farmer Drewe (even if he is keeping a secret from his wife) and how he is tying to help Lady Edith but is he as good as he seems? I’d hate for him to have an ulterior motive or to later fall for Edith since he is a married man.

Okay, your turn! Share your thoughts in the comments!!

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