Downton Abbey
Season 2 episode 3
It’s invasion day at Downton. The troops are ascending and
any hopes of things remaining the same have been abandoned. And we’re only
three episodes in!
Yes, three episodes in and the world is shrinking all around
the Granthams as number of wounded, on account of the war, expands. But if
anyone thought they were escaping a heated battlefield into the tranquil
surroundings of Downton, they have clearly never been in the middle of a cat
fight before.
They may not be any gunfire (yet, give it time) or any air
raids, but a series of battle lines have been scrawled all over Downton. There is never any question that this
undertaking is needed, the magnitude of injured soldiers is overwhelming, the
question that is brought up over the course of the episode is who will be in
charge of the operation and how much change are the original Downton Abbey
residents able to cope with.
First change: Power my dears, it is up for grabs and the
game is a foot. In one corner we have Cora Crawley, married mother of three,
Countess of Downton and all round snappy dresser and in the other is Isobel Crawley,
single mother of one, tireless medical practitioner and spokesperson for the downtrodden.
Isobel, should be the logical choice right, then why do I spend the entire
episode wishing she would simmer down and stop annoying everyone (including me
and my mum.) After years of soul searching and questioning I came up with a
conclusion - she is not a very gracious guest. In terms of Downton Abbey, this
is not only Cora and Robert and Carson’s home, and as a viewer it’s ours too.
This is the place we always come back to and where the characters we first
cared about live. We don’t want someone coming in no matter what their
intentions and bossing them around.
In history meeting Television, Highclere Castle, where Downton
Abbey is filmed and the home of the real life Earl and Countess of Carnarvon,
was also used during the First World War having been converted to a hospital and
was used again during the Second World War becoming home to over 100 children evacuated
from London during the blitz bombing raids that devastated England (that’s
season 5 or 6 right there.)
While her motives may be pure, despite not started out rich
there is a definite snobbery on Mrs Isabella Crawely’s part. She is looking
down on Downton occupants because they may not have the medical or social
background she has, which doesn’t sit right with me. Now before someone starts a
#OccupyDownton twitter campaign, I understand what they character is trying to do;
I just don’t like her attitude. They are
trying to help and it is their home. If someone came into my space and started
trying to tell me what to do I’d get defensive (and that’s the excuse teenagers
will be using for years.) This all makes me team Downton on this manner (plus
this side has Maggie Smith, I wouldn’t even think about crossing it.)
The changes are not only for the upper house but the Downton
cooking and cleaning crew as well, who are not sure what chain of command they
will need to follow. Luckily O’Brien and Thomas are there to look out for
everyone’s best interests.
Doctor Clarkson (David Robb) was brilliant, it is incredible
skill to keep a level head and just keep going amongst craziness, and in
choosing both Cora and Isobel to be in charge is a priceless move. It makes
sense and it’s going to be hysterical.
Second Change: World War I was also a time of changing
ideologies. People were questioning their Governments and their current way of
thinking. One of those people just happened to be our own Mr. Branson, the
rebel struggling with his clue. Since his arrival he has talked about openly
about uprising and change, so it makes sense that he would going this route. He
just can’t seem to be able to protest. The war office doesn’t want him and they
just won’t let him pour goop over a higher-ups head like he wants. His reaction
to the ongoing Russian Revolution and what actually ends up happening to the
Tsar’s family (I won’t spoil it) will be interesting, as to whether it will
affect his social ideals.
The difference between William and Branson are also shown
during the dinner scenes. The old school soldier, ready to go fight for his
country and the new social ideas, the political soldier, fighting his country
to get his point against the war heard. On a side note no matter what your
views on the situation I’m glad he didn’t dump that concoction in the dining
room. There is no way that was ever going to come out of the carpet; I don’t
think Carson’s heart could have taken it.
Between outing the fate of Mrs Patmore’s nephew and breaking
down in the driveway, Mr Lang was not doing ok. He really should have been one
of the soldiers being cared for not serving them. This follows on with last
week that no matter how much he is hurting he won’t stop working while
nobody quite knows how to take care of him. Mr Carson’s conversation with him
at the end was well done and well acted on both parts. It was gracious, but you
could see how painful it was and how much shame over it both men felt having to
do it.
Third change: A purpose really does suit Edith. I love that
Edith after a romantic history tragic enough to fill a few novels; she has
found her place as the unsung hero of Downton Abbey. Giving the soldiers what
they need, rather than organising around them. Three cheers for Edith.
The Fourth change: Mary and Matthew, the sequel seems to be
chugging on. Violet and Rosamund are adamant to destroy Lavinia with whatever
secret relationship with Richard Carlisle. In a surprising but what felt like
an earnt change when Mary finds out it is a scandal just not the kind she
thought, she chooses to take the high ground and not ruin Matthew’s
relationship. There might be hope for Miss Mary yet.
Final change (?) If you ever needed more proof that the next
logical step for Downton Abbey was a Zombie apocalypse well here you go:
Violet- “I’m going up to London to stay will Rosamund for a
day or too, I think we’ll have Lavinia for tea”
Mary- “You sound as if you are going to gobble her up”
Violet- “If only we could”
Other news from around the ping pong table:
- Quote of the evening Mary: “We can’t leave all the moral
high ground to Sybil. She might get lonely there.”
- Poor, poor William and Daisy. One half of the couple is over
the moon while the other is having someone except the proposal for them. None
of this is going to turn out very well.
-The touches of the era are always wonderful. The inclusion
of the curling iron tonight was another one.
-William and Matthew are going out into the field together-
If I didn’t think it was going to end in some sort of tragedy after the way
Robert said it and the promo for next week it would make a wonderful spin-off
sitcom
- Robert’s exclamation to at the fact that Thomas would be in
charge of Downton was a good call back. I had forgotten that he had wanted to
fire him for being well, Thomas.
-Edith and the Soldier -no good will come from this either.
- Bates is back!! I can’t imagine working a pub either and
despite horrible situation he is still optimistic and honourable enough that he
won’t let Anna compromise her own self to be with him. What a gentleman!
-I like that the dog’s name is Isis. It’s is a nice bit of
call back to the actual houses Egyptian history. (The 5th Earl of
Carnarvon along
with Howard Carter, discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, and Highclere
Castle is still home to an Egyptian exhibit.)
-
That’s it for this episode. The only logical next step would
be episode four don’t you agree.
Before then it’s time
to batten down the hatches and hide the silverware kiddies, I think a cold war
unlike anything they’ll see for another thirty years is brewing.
Until next time are
you Team Cora or Team Isobel and do you too hope they threw away the container
Branson made his masterpiece in, there’s no saving that right?
If you do feel the need to start a #OccupyDownton campaign
please follow me at @Hanniebee852
and let me know how it goes.
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