Downton Abbey Episode 4 on PBS/Masterpiece-Season 1 Finale

Lord Grantham and his Rolls Royce

How sad that this lovely series is over for the year.  My goodness this was an event packed episode.  I loved it but will try not to spoil it for those who have yet to see the entire series.  We have been assured that Season 2 is in the works, but  a year is a long time to wait.  Apparently, according to Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley), Season 2 picks up two years after the start of WWI in 1916, so we can expect a lot to have happened in those two years, and a bit of a rollercoaster ride to catch us up.


Shall we guess what happens to everyone?

Destiny awaits these two...eventually!

Matthew and Mary have to end up together due to the rules of Period Drama romances, which state that if two lead characters (of similar age and usually opposite sex) hate each other vehemently, it is only a matter of time until they fall madly in love, then are thwarted in some way, and then eventually wind up together, usually after surmounting a ludicrous number of obstacles!

Someone will have to die in the war and many will have signed up by the time we rejoin them.  I can only wish that it is Thomas who is killed, but more likely it is poor William.  I hope Daisy weeps for him! My husband (The Squire) suggested that Matthew might get killed in the war and my immediate reaction was "They won't need lawyers in the war!".  I know, what a ludicrous thing to say.  Instead, I should have referred him to rule #1 of Period Drama romances above.  He will probably volunteer (I guess he would be an officer) and Mary may think he has been killed in the war, as one of those numerous obstacles, but he has to fulfill his destiny as the next Earl and Mary's devoted husband.

At least we know Bates won't pass the physical and so will have to stay at home.  Anna and Bates' stories will definitely heat up.  His wife will probably have to come out from hiding to make this storyline sing.

I think Lady Sybil will probably end up as a Nurse at the front, much to her father's chagrin.  She'll probably end up having to deal with Thomas (Mr. Medic) and his nastiness at some point.  And what about our cute little Irish socialist Branson.  Will the puppy dog follow Lady Sybil to the trenches?

The cat fighting will continue...

I don't give a flying leap what happens to Lady Edith!  So there!

I am happy that O'Brien's character has been rehabilitated and is now human.  I hope she doesn't go back to her old conniving ways.  I know, there is no chance she'll stay good for long!

I do wonder what Matthew's mother Isobel will do with her endless energy and extensive medical knowledge during the war.  Train nurses? Rehab soldiers at home?

Lord Grantham will obviously stay at home, but will he feel guilty about not contributing?  Will Cora fund raise and roll bandages in the village to be sent to the front?

The Dowager Countess will keep meddling and whipping off wonderful lines.

We adore you Dame Maggie!

Line of the evening from the Dowager Countess (aka Dame Maggie Smith);

"We can't have him assassinated...I suppose..."

Well, I look forward to watching the continuation of this Edwardian soap opera.  I feel like I did when I used to watch "The Young and the Restless" when on maternity leave.  Guilty but addicted.  Oh, well...

N.B. As a note for anyone interested in Mrs. Patmore's cataract surgery.  Although it is true that large centres like London were doing this surgery, she would not have returned to the kitchen without glasses.  In those days, they didn't do intraocular lens implants like they do today.  She would have had strong glasses to compensate for the focusing power of the cloudy lens removed from the eye.  Think Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys.  If they need an optical historian for future episodes, I would love to volunteer!

Spectacles after cataract surgery would have likely been even more magnifying than these!