The leaves on the trees are turning orange, the wind is getting colder, and I have started wearing my boots again which means only one thing – time for Downton! Downton Abbey is back for its sixth and final series (cue the tears from middle-aged women across the country) and, as Hugh Bonneville has promised for it to satisfy us like a great meal, there are big expectations for what is in store. Will Mary and Edith finally find their right matches? Will Anna and Bates finally get their happy ending? But, most importantly, will the Earl of Grantham decide to move with the times and sell Downton? This highly anticipated series has many questions to answer, which will hopefully all be revealed over the next few weeks.
After episodes one and two, there are already plots unravelling and hints to potential endings of the series. Following on from season five and the Christmas special, we were met on Sunday the 20th September to a distressed Mrs Hughes worrying about the full conditions of marrying Carson. This began the series with a fairly light-hearted and comical plot, with Mrs Hughes worrying about the sexual aspects of a marriage, whilst Mrs Patmore tried to express the situation to Carson. However, although the situation was resolved with Carson telling Mrs Patmore he loved all of Mrs Hughes, the troubles for the wedding did not end. Episode two led us to see Carson’s divide between his wife to be and his beloved daughter-like figure, Mary, on where the wedding should take place. Whether the much loved pair will finally peacefully get married, who knows!
Episode one also began with the great news that Anna was finally free from the accusations of killing Green with the true unknown murderer confessing. Yet, as usual, Bates and Anna’s happiness did not last with the introduction of Anna’s worries about failing to produce a child for Bates. Nevertheless, the cold-fronted and kind-hearted Mary stepped in in episode two, and took Anna to a clinic to discover she may be able to have children with treatment. Perhaps Julian Fellows will finally let Anna and Bates to live in peace?
Many other storylines have been occurring over the two episodes, the usual fight between Violet and Isobel, however this time over Downton’s hospital, Daisy’s fight to save Mr Mason’s farm and Edith’s traumatic ordeal which exploded in episode two when Margie Drewe stole Marigold which led to the Drewe’s cause to leave the farm at Downton. However, what I find most intriguing is the subtle implications of the changing times at Downton, with their friends selling up and moving to smaller estates, people having less servants or none at all. Is this how the plot will end, with the Crawley family selling up and accepting the rapidly developing modern world? Nonetheless, with rumours of more weddings to come and a possible film afterwards, I certainly have a feeling Downton Abbey will not fail to please us this series.
