Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Siobhan Finneran, Joanne Froggatt, Thomas Howes, Rob James-Collier, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Maggie Smith, Dan Stevens, Penelope Wilton, Amy Nuttall
Creator: Julian Fellowes
Genre: Period Drama
Rating: A+
The problems that I had with the second season of Downton Abbey are largely resolved by the single-episode Christmas
Special. Taking place between Christmas
1919 and early 1920, the episode really slows things down and properly handles
the many plots that it has going on – and most importantly provides a lot of
resolution to things. By the end of the
episode things are really starting to feel like they are where they should be
and there’s hope for the people of Downton.
There are two main plot points to this episode, although there are also a handful of smaller ones that get brought up. The biggies are the relationship between the Lady Mary (Dockery) and Matthew (Stevens), who clearly are in love, despite her apparent commitment to her fiancé, the giant jackass Sir Richard Carsile (Ian Glen); and the trial of Bates (Coyle), who has been accused of murdering his late wife. Beyond this, you can see that everyone’s still trying to redetermine themselves as they settle into life-post war: Thomas (Barrow) tries to avoid leaving Downton, while Carson (Carter) tries to get rid of him; the Dowager Countess (Smith) questions her daughter’s new beau; Lady Edith (Carmichael) tries to resume her relationship with Sir Anthony Strallan (Robert Bathurst); Mrs. Hughes (Logan) and O’Brien (Finneran) are called to testify against Bates; Daisy (McShera) begins to feel abused; and Sybil (who doesn’t appear) is pregnant.
I loved how concise the Christmas Special was. It had a lot of elements of an overall season while also having elements of a single episode, especially the fact that it was just a single episode. Things moved a lot faster than they did in season one, but without the complexity and brevity that many of the plots were treated with in season two - and, at the same time a lot of things were rather nicely brought full circle and if not always completely wrapped up then at least progressed greatly. I love how they dealt with Mary and Matthew's relationship, the growth of Daisy, the revitalization of Edith, and the new hope that Sybil's pregnancy brings. The only plot that I didn't really think was brought to a good point by the end of this episode was Bates', but I suspect that they're going to be playing with this for a while yet. I did like how the whole plot with Bates brought things outside of just Downton and I kind of hope that in season three they use this new away-from Downton approach to show Sybil and Tom in Ireland; I think there's only so much they can justify having the pair return to Downton.
I didn't really care for the whole Thomas plot line, and I'm not really sure where they're planning on going with it. A lot of what they did with him felt like it was just an attempt to keep him on. They seem like they're running out of ideas but aren't yet ready to have Thomas leave the picture. This happens a lot in TV and tends to bring shows down, I don't want to see that happen to Downton. Despite that, though, I have really strong hopes for the future of this show.
There are two main plot points to this episode, although there are also a handful of smaller ones that get brought up. The biggies are the relationship between the Lady Mary (Dockery) and Matthew (Stevens), who clearly are in love, despite her apparent commitment to her fiancé, the giant jackass Sir Richard Carsile (Ian Glen); and the trial of Bates (Coyle), who has been accused of murdering his late wife. Beyond this, you can see that everyone’s still trying to redetermine themselves as they settle into life-post war: Thomas (Barrow) tries to avoid leaving Downton, while Carson (Carter) tries to get rid of him; the Dowager Countess (Smith) questions her daughter’s new beau; Lady Edith (Carmichael) tries to resume her relationship with Sir Anthony Strallan (Robert Bathurst); Mrs. Hughes (Logan) and O’Brien (Finneran) are called to testify against Bates; Daisy (McShera) begins to feel abused; and Sybil (who doesn’t appear) is pregnant.
I loved how concise the Christmas Special was. It had a lot of elements of an overall season while also having elements of a single episode, especially the fact that it was just a single episode. Things moved a lot faster than they did in season one, but without the complexity and brevity that many of the plots were treated with in season two - and, at the same time a lot of things were rather nicely brought full circle and if not always completely wrapped up then at least progressed greatly. I love how they dealt with Mary and Matthew's relationship, the growth of Daisy, the revitalization of Edith, and the new hope that Sybil's pregnancy brings. The only plot that I didn't really think was brought to a good point by the end of this episode was Bates', but I suspect that they're going to be playing with this for a while yet. I did like how the whole plot with Bates brought things outside of just Downton and I kind of hope that in season three they use this new away-from Downton approach to show Sybil and Tom in Ireland; I think there's only so much they can justify having the pair return to Downton.
I didn't really care for the whole Thomas plot line, and I'm not really sure where they're planning on going with it. A lot of what they did with him felt like it was just an attempt to keep him on. They seem like they're running out of ideas but aren't yet ready to have Thomas leave the picture. This happens a lot in TV and tends to bring shows down, I don't want to see that happen to Downton. Despite that, though, I have really strong hopes for the future of this show.
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