Downton Abbey - Season 2 Review, Part 2

And so continues my review of Season 2! It was a lot easier to stop at Episode 4 simply because the season contains 8 episodes. However, Season 2 has a Christmas Special - I considered reviewing it as part of this post, but because there weren't many historical details I could actually talk about, I decided against it. Maybe next season.

Matthew and William injured at war

Episode 5

This is where we see the extent of medical services during World War I, and the kind of injuries that could be sustained from trench warfare. Matthew sustains a spinal injury that causes him to lose the function of his legs. However, there is speculation that he might not even be able to bear children because he has lost all feeling from the waist down. This brings up the issue of who will be the next heir of Downton Abbey in the event that Matthew dies, but at this point, the characters are more focused on whether Matthew will marry Lavinia. Everyone believes the wedding should still go ahead as planned, but he is extremely pessimistic, for good reason. I think this also demonstrates general perception of physical disability during this time. While the other characters still see Matthew as a valuable member of the family, he has lost his confidence, believing himself to be useless. More about that later.

Meanwhile, William suffers a far worse injury to his lungs as a result of protecting Matthew during the battle, leading to irreparable damage. At this point in the season, William went to war under the impression that the scullery maid, Daisy, would be waiting for him when he returned so that the two could be married. As a result of his injury, he wishes to marry her before dying, prompting the Dowager Countess of Grantham to sort out the arrangements with the local vicar. I think many who watched this episode were surprised by the Dowager Countess' sudden act of compassion, since she often spoke of how much she valued class distinction. I think it was partly out of guilt that she organised it, seeing as she valued William's life, and she tried hard to prevent him from going to war; at the very least, she wanted William to have his dying wish. Daisy is reluctant, which makes sense - in her mind, she believed that she was leading William on as she only saw him as a friend. However, she couldn't reject his dying wish, and thus married him anyway. The local vicar, Mr Travis, made an interesting point about this union. He suspected that Daisy has chosen to marry William because there was a widow's pension for a soldier who fought in the Great War. So I did a bit of research into this. It seems many women abused this system to earn extra money, as the economy was horrendous around this time. In other countries, many used their war widow status as a political statement against the war.

All while this is happening, Mary discovers that Mr Bates' - who has returned to Downton Abbey - wife, Vera, is threatening to go to the newspapers after discovering Mary's secret about Mr Pamuk. Out of desperation, she goes to Sir Richard and asks him to intervene before Vera can ruin the family. This is an easy win for him. He agrees to help, on condition that Mary becomes his future wife, which would benefit his status greatly; in his words, "My house will welcome the finest in the land, my children will carry noble blood in their veins." It was not uncommon for marriages in this time to made for ambition rather than for love. It took a very long time before love between a couple was an expectation. For Mary, the reputation of her family was far more important than love. I don't think she would have cared too much if she was the only one whose reputation would be ruined.

Edith with the mystery soldier

Episode 6

Back to Matthew's predicament! Well, now we not only have to worry about what will happen if and when Matthew dies without an heir, a new character appears claiming to be Patrick Crawley - the son of the last heir, both of which died during the sinking of the Titanic. If his claims were true, that would mean Matthew would lose his own claim as heir to the title of Earl of Grantham. To Matthew, he seems to see it as a plus for the family: "This might be a blessing in disguise. Well, he seems a nice enough chap, he's not very pretty, of course, but he can walk around the estate on his own two legs and sire a string of sons to continue the line. All in all, I'd say that's a great improvement on the current situation." Of course he says this with a very bitter tone, as he is potentially to lose his social position as an heir to a grand estate and title. However, we don't know whether the soldier was actually Patrick Crawley or not. The soldier comes to Downton Abbey as a burn victim with a new name, Patrick Gordon, a survivor of the Titanic who lost his memory as a result of the sinking. Lord Grantham is extremely sceptical with this knowledge, and conducts an investigation. From his findings, there was a man who did apparently know Patrick Crawley on the Titanic known as Peter Gordon, and was rescued when the ship sank. The family suggests that maybe Peter assumed Patrick's identity - which was easy enough to do with a burnt face - in order to inherit. However, Edith believes it is actually Patrick Crawley. We don't know what the truth is in the matter.

I think this episode shed quite a bit of light on how physical disabilities were viewed around this time. We saw how the perspectives on mental disabilities were changing, but there was little to be said about physical disabilities. I used to think that they were only considered honourable if the person suffered with them only got them because it was in combat. However, Patrick's disability was also a result of war, yet the others were sceptical from the start. They were repulsed by him and didn't want to believe that he was the potential heir they knew. Perhaps it was to do with the validity of his story, but I do think there were varying degrees over what disabilities were worth considering.

Ethel bursts into the dining room to confront Major Bryant's parents

Episode 7

The last episode shows that the Great War finally came to an end. This episode shows the family trying to move on, attempting to resume the lives they led before the war. The medical equipment is moved from the house, and the great Downton Abbey is once more separated from the average man. A discussion begins among the family members about the new fashions that are about the emerge after the First World War. While the Dowager Countess and Lord Grantham are looking forward to returning to how their lives were before the war, Isobel thinks differently: "I like the new fashions. Shorter skirts, looser cuts. The old clothes were all very well if one spent the day on a chaise longue, but if one wants to get anything done, the new clothes are much better." Meanwhile, Mary points out that women in France have started to wear shorter hairstyles, particularly the famous bob. Even though the flapper look wasn't particularly famous until the 1920s, we can already see the roots from the end of the war. It does make some sense considering many women gained a certain confidence about being heavily involved in the war, and the new fashions that were about to make an appearance were far more practical for heavy lifting.

Ethel's issue - quite literally - returns. She now has a young boy, who by this point is a toddler. After failing to get Major Bryant to contribute in some way, she tries to see if his parents would be able, now that her former lover has been killed in action. Although she is advised by Mrs Hughes to wait, she rushes into the dining room to confront his parents, only for his father to completely reject her claims, believing she is trying to claim some money or position and demanding proof. I think everyone - both characters and audience - would be in agreement that he behaved badly, but Mrs Bryant explains that his behaviour is more down to denial about their son's death. We don't see many opportunities to explore how the parents of soldiers felt during this time, aside from William's father in Episode 5, who takes the death far more gently than one can expect. This gives us a bit more understanding that there was definitely a strong anger towards the war for taking the lives of so many men, especially propaganda promoted war as a means of glory rather than a cause for destruction.

Dr Clarkson and Sybil tending to Lavinia

Episode 8

The show chose a good time to close the season. Towards the end of the war, the world was struck with another devastation: the Spanish Influenza. It seems interesting that I cover this while we go through a pandemic around a century later than when this is set, but from here we can see just how deadly the Spanish Flu was. It was only recently that I learnt that the H1N1 outbreak in 2009 was actually from the same strain as the Spanish Flu outbreak between 1918-1919; of course, by now, the medical advancements that have been made countered the 2009 outbreak far better than then. If there is a new outbreak of Covid-19 in a hundred years, I reckon treatments for it will be way better then. I'm going way off topic. In this episode, several characters are afflicted with the Spanish Flu: Lady Grantham, Lavinia, and Mr Carson. Each experience the disease very differently, some with unexpected outcomes. For example, Lady Grantham is depicted as having a very violent reaction to the illness, and is even at risk of dying, while Lavinia had a very mild reaction and was able to converse easily with Matthew about their wedding plans...yet she took a turn for the worst unexpectedly and died of the virus. I won't lie, I think part of the reason she was hit so hard at the end of her life was because she witnessed Matthew kissing Mary when they danced downstairs, and she realised she would never be Matthew's true love. Yeah, it's kinda like a Star Wars moment with Padme when she lost the will to live. That sort of thing. Or maybe Julian Fellowes realised that killing off Lady Grantham and Mr Carson would invoke a lot of hatred from the audience.

While Matthew struggles with Lavinia's illness, Sir Richard is becoming more ruthless in his treatment of Mary. He realises that Mary is indebted to him for not exposing her family to social ruin, and thus he seems to have gained a surge of power over her. He becomes more controlling, insisting on where she should be, and avoiding any possibility of Mary being alone with Matthew, knowing she still had feelings for him. In the previous episode, he even tries to recruit Anna to spy on Mary, knowing she works closely with her. The thing is, this kind of controlling behaviour is not exclusive to a historical period. We still see that today. There are best-selling novels that romanticise controlling and abusive relationships. The problem is that there was still a desire to protect the aristocracy from ruin at this point in time, or to rise in power among social ranks, whereas today, it's more of a Stockholm Syndrome issue, if I'm being honest. When movies and novels depict a once-alarming situation that suddenly turns into "I think I like this guy even though he's an abusive mess," you can tell it's not about becoming the next grand duchess or something. Speaking of relationships, while Lady Grantham suffers, Lord Grantham decides now is the right time to have an affair! To this day, I still don't know why he suddenly lost his appeal for his wife. He seemed to be more irritated with her, easily enraged by her comments, even if they were well-intended. Fortunately, seeing his wife in a dire state made him return to her. Blessing in disguise, I guess.

The side plot of the episode is equally as astonishing. At this point, Sybil and Tom have declared their love for each other, and are willing to leave together. In the last episode, Sybil attempts to elope with Tom, but Mary and Edith manage to stop her. They feel it would be better if she told the family herself so that she would have done her part, rather than escaping in the middle of the night. She and Tom confront the family to announce their engagement, and their plan to move to Ireland. Most of the family responds very negatively, especially Lord Grantham; he threatens her with no income and that she will live a very different life to the comforts of the aristocracy, but I think because of her experience during the war as an auxiliary nurse, she knows how to live outside of wealth, and so she simply says, "Well, bully for that." Eloping was considered a very dishonourable act, and often suggested that certain improper intimacies had occurred to force a couple to have a shotgun wedding. In Sybil and Tom's case, they wanted to simply marry as soon as possible so that they could be together with there being any legal issues or any attempts to marry Sybil off to someone she didn't love. As stated before, marriage for love in this time was not a commonality. Often it was a sign of weakness.

Summary

There were so many details I wanted to mention, but it would have made this post ridiculously long. I just focused on the stuff I could definitely talk about that had historical elements to the plot. If one were familiar with the story, they might notice I missed out the issue of Mr Bates and Vera, and how her suicide led to Mr Bates potentially being on death row. I honestly just couldn't talk about it in much detail on a historical level to feel confident to mention it. It will be addressed when I review Season 3, since Mr Bates' story becomes a focus for the legal system, but I just really couldn't say much about it this time.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this - I really loved this season from this show, and it was just filled with historical elements. I will give it quite a bit of time before I return to reviewing Downton Abbey; other historical shows deserve to have the spotlight every now and then!

Downton Abbey - Season 2 Review, Part 1

Before I start, let me go on a tiny rant first: WHY IS TOM BRANSON NOT ON THE OFFICIAL SEASON 2 COVER?!?! Rant over.

I think this is probably my favourite season in the whole show. It covers a lot of historical events outside of just "oh the First World War is going on!!!" It showed that it wasn't just as simple as that, and definitely subverted expectations. I remember when this season came out, I just thought, "Okay, they'll probably cover some battles and maybe a feminist or two." I was in for a treat.

The charity performance in support of soldiers fighting in the war

Episode 1

Part of the focus of this episode is the charity performance. It's not because of the performance itself but rather because it is where a number of events occur. The episode takes place two years into the war, and Mary and Matthew are still no longer together. The show introduces Lavinia Swire during the concert, a middle-class girl from London, and Matthew's new fiancée. The other characters are a bit dubious about her, believing she is more than she seems. However, Mary and Cora, the Duchess of Grantham, try to be optimistic and friendly. I think they both knew that there was no chance Mary would be with Matthew with Lavinia in the picture, so they tried to move on by being accepting her. The concert also brings to light some of the more negative actions of the feminists during the war. During the performance, two women start distributing white feathers to men who weren't in military uniform, calling them cowards. In this time period, it was pretty clear who were involved in the military in some way. Even if they were invalided out of the war, the soldiers would still wear military uniform in their everyday lives, especially if it was a military event. One of the footmen, William, is only in his livery, making him a target for the two women. It was not an uncommon action for feminists in this time; Emmeline Pankhurst, a famous suffragette, encouraged the practice. To be a feminist pacifist was considered ridiculous.

The side-plot of the episode focuses on Sybil, who starts to feel as though she herself is a coward. Her sisters, Mary and Edith, have either found something else to worry about or made themselves useful in some way, leaving Sybil as - once again - the black sheep of the sisters. When her friend is killed in action, she confides in Isobel Crawley, who suggests that maybe she could be an auxiliary nurse, but that it would require some extra effort on her behalf, such as learning how to make a bed or make a cup of tea. Her solution is to ask the cook, Mrs Patmore, for cooking lessons. Eventually, she finds herself more practically confident to start her training as a nurse. I did a bit of research into the aristocracy and what their response was to the First World War. From what I gathered, this was a bad time for the aristocracy because many were high-ranking military leaders as a result of the Boer War, but they stayed far away from the actual combat, believing that all they had to do was keep spirits up. Instead, it caused the lower classes to be bitter. I think the show tried to avoid going down that route by giving the main characters something to do throughout the show, or to at least express their emotions about it. For example, Lord Grantham aspires to be on the front leading the men into battle, which he feels is more honourable than staying at home; instead, he is forced to stay at home, probably due to age. It makes us feel more sympathetic, I guess.

Henry Lang dealing with the side effects of shell shock

Episode 2

In the previous episode, Lord Grantham's valet, Mr Bates, is forced to leave Downton because his wife, Vera, threatened to go to the newspapers about a scandal regarding the family - which turned out to be about Mary's wanton behaviour in Season 1. He is replaced by Mr Lang, an ex-soldier who was invalided out for shell shock. I remember learning about shell shock in History classes, but it wasn't until I studied it in more detail in university that this was the point where society started to realise war could have traumatic effects on soldiers. This was essentially the beginning of understanding PTSD. I watched several videos of recovering soldiers suffering from shell shock, and to say it was jarring was an understatement. The show depicts shell shock with a very sanitised view of it - the video recordings of patients with shell shock depicted men who were barely able to stand, much less walk properly. Lang is still able to work, although we see his mental deterioration very clearly. He has lapses where he loses control of himself, such as dropping a gravy boat on Edith at a dinner. The show can only go so far in showing how shell shock affected soldiers, so at least they were able to address it. Honestly, they showed quite a lot about mental illness in the show. In the same episode, a soldier recovering in the hospital kills himself because he was depressed and he was going to be sent away after he only just started to feel normal (?). It's not until after his death that the rest of the characters who interacted with him realise what kind of toll the war is having on the mental health of soldiers.

I won't lie, that's honestly the only interesting thing worth talking about with this episode :p

General Strutt with Matthew Crawley, Isobel Crawley, and Cora Crawley

Episode 3

This episode is a bit more interesting. Due to the soldier who committed suicide in the last episode, Sybil, Isobel and Dr Clarkson come up with a solution of turning Downton Abbey into a convalescent home. Despite initial objections by the other family members, they eventually agree. This is where Edith starts to flourish. Up until this point, I always thought Edith was extremely annoying and vindictive. Mary is equally vindictive, but at least she had some personality. Here, she starts to realise that she wants to be useful. She takes care of the soldiers' personal needs, such as making sure letters arrive for them, providing books for them to read, etc, so much so that the soldiers praise her efforts to General Strutt on his visit. 

Meanwhile, Sybil and Tom Branson's relationship starts to blossom. The two bond as they start to spend more time with each other. However, Tom becomes extremely bitter about the military, to Sybil's confusion. It is revealed Tom had a cousin who was present at the Easter Rising in 1916. I didn't know much about this event when the episode came out, mostly because Irish politics was just plain boring to 14-year old me. I didn't learn about it properly until I started A Level History, and I had to study Irish history as part of the curriculum. The Easter Rising was probably the point where the Irish revolutionists decided that enough was enough, and that parliamentarianism was no longer a useful tactic. Armed rebels took to the streets during Easter Week to protest British rule in Ireland. Many were killed, but it sparked greater support for Irish home rule. I think Tom started to become more inclined towards reactionary motivations to promote politics around this time as well, but slowly. When he talks about the Bolshevik Revolution, and how Kerensky had been made Prime Minister, he argues that the political side isn't enough, and that the entire country's system needed to be changed completely, preferably without killing the Tsar's family. Within two episodes, Tom argues that the deaths of the Tsar and his family were "necessary sacrifices." Harsh.

The curiosity around Lavinia is heightened. When Lord Grantham's sister, Rosamund, catches Lavinia arguing with Mary's new partner, Sir Richard Carlisle, she and the Dowager Countess start to do some investigating. They soon find that Lavinia was the instigator of the Marconi share scandal, since she gave evidence about insider share trading to Sir Richard when he blackmailed her father. I won't lie, I looked into this scandal - I still don't get what happened exactly. It doesn't help that these characters are fictional.

Setting up a soup kitchen in Isobel's home.

Episode 4

When Isobel leaves Downton, believing she is not wanted, things become complicated. Matthew and William - who is now part of the army and working with Matthew - go missing after they stumble on a German army camp. Meanwhile, Isobel's staff, Mr Molesley and Mrs Bird, find themselves bored when Isobel leaves, but not for long. A veteran of the war appears asking for food, and before too long, he brings along other soldiers in similar situations as him. Interestingly, the two staff take pity on the first veteran, but he insists that they don't because he was considered "one of the lucky ones." I suppose in a way he's right, but not in a good way. Mrs Patmore and Daisy discover this and decide to help, saying that it would be a disgrace if they couldn't even feed soldiers who fought for them from their own kitchens. They provide food made from what the army gave them as they are feeding soldiers, but when Lady Grantham discovers the soup kitchen they begin running, she tells them to use the food provided by the house instead to avoid any legal problems of potential mismanagement. To probably everybody's delight, she joins them after that.

One new character introduced at the beginning of the season is a new housemaid, Ethel Parks. I only just discovered maybe...2 or 3 weeks ago that the actress who played Ethel was the youngest ever actress to be cast as Christine in the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera. Naturally, I was jumping out of my seat, as an avid Phan. Ethel is a light woman given to flights of fancy. She constantly goes on about how she thinks the working class will have far more opportunities to succeed in careers after the war, making her a target for lady's maid Ms O'Brien as a potential laughingstock. When Downton Abbey is turned into a convalescent home, Ethel is attracted to a young officer, Major Charles Bryant, and unfortunately ends up in a sexual affair with him, eventually getting caught by housekeeper Mrs Hughes and immediately dismissed. We already know the social consequences of premarital sex in this historical context, thanks to Mary. However, Ethel's tryst brings on a new challenge: pregnancy. By the end of the episode, she confides to Mrs Hughes that she is expecting Major Bryant's baby. What kind of impact will this have on Ethel? Stay tuned for the next post ;)

Downton Abbey - Season 1 Review, Part 2

And so begins Part 2 of my review of Downton Abbey, Season 1! Honestly, even though the show has already explored a myriad of topics in the first three episodes, I think from this point onwards is where the show starts to get more interesting. The show begins to explore more socially-complex issues, which work well in conjunction with how the first three episodes have set up the story. The characters have already been introduced, the audience is aware of how the characters behave; all that's left is to develop them.

Tom Branson and Sybil Crawley

Episode 4

The episode begins with the introduction of Tom Branson, an Irishman hired as a new chauffeur with an interest in history and politics. This detail proves to become a major character point throughout the show, especially for the first three seasons. It is revealed later in the episode that Tom is a "socialist, not a revolutionary," which in itself could cause problems if he were outspoken about them, which he is. Unfortunately - or fortunately - this has an indirect influence on the youngest Crawley daughter, Sybil. I do wish he demonstrated his socialist views more in this episode, but given what we were about to see with Sybil, it would have caused the entire episode to be too politically-heavy.

As Sybil becomes more bold about her views about the women's suffrage movement, so to does she become more bold about female empowerment. In a previous episode, Sybil learns that that Gwen, a housemaid working at Downton Abbey, desires to leave service to become a secretary, she immediately begins looking for options for Gwen, believing that life for women could be more than just being a servant or a housewife. Perhaps meeting Tom gave her the push she needed to explore freedom for women in other senses, and to become more active in her political thoughts. I do wonder if she would have dared to dress in pantaloons by the end of the episode, which were seen as subversive and scandalous at the time. Maybe she might have, but I'm not convinced.

Lord and Lady Grantham, and the Dowager Countess of Grantham, observe Mr Molesley's roses.

Episode 5

In my opinion, this episode was the weakest in the entire season, but at the same time, there was a lot that happened in this episode for me to talk about, largely surrounding the idea of aristocratic influence.

The focal point of the episode is on Sybil and Gwen's secret. Knowing about Gwen's ambition, which was frowned upon by many from all classes, Sybil decides to help her anyway, believing that women should be able to do whatever made them happy. She writes letters to various businesses, praising Gwen's abilities and recommending her unto them. This proves successful for the two of them, and Gwen is invited for an interview. Although everything goes smoothly up until the end of the interview, their horse ends up lame, and they have to make excuses to explain their disappearance...while hiding Gwen's secret. Unfortunately, Gwen is not successful, which pushes Sybil to be more driven to help her where she can until she is successful. This, honestly, is one of the more interesting parts of the episode.

The other plot of this episode focuses on a flower show. This is perhaps where the influence of the aristocracy really comes to light in this era. Isobel finds it interesting that the Dowager Countess wins the contest every year, which Violet argues is merely the result of the judges deciding her flowers are the best. That year, roses are put on display by Molesley's father, which are admired strongly by Lady Grantham. Despite this, when the winner is announced, we see a shot where it shows that Violet has won once again that year, but she decides to announce that the winner is the senior Molesley, much to the surprise of all present. Even though Violet displays a gesture of goodwill, it does show that the aristocracy are treated very highly, and it is inferred that the general population of the area do not wish to disappoint them at risk of losing their tenancies or occupations.

Matthew Crawley, Sybil Crawley and Tom Branson at the results of the by-election.

 Episode 6

Other than the first episode, this is probably my favourite episode of the season. This is where we really see Sybil and Tom's political sides come out, and in full force. Tom's socialist views are more defined, and he expresses his discontent with the upper classes to Sybil: "If I do [go into politics], it's not all about women and the vote for me, nor even freedom for Ireland. It's the gap between the aristocracy and the poor, and...I'm sorry. I don't mean to speak against his lordship." He makes it clear that while he respects Lord Grantham as another human being and as an employer, he doesn't approve of him being a representative of "an oppressive class." While I am not a socialist, nor even a socialist sympathiser, it's just fascinating to watch Tom's character development from this point onwards. Even within this episode, he demonstrates that he doesn't support violence to pursue his goals when he defends Sybil against a group of thugs. In Sybil's case, she feels even more strongly about the cause for a woman's right to vote, believing that the Prime Minister of the time is "resisting the inevitable." She goes as far as to have an active role in politics by joining movements, admitting that she wants to get involved in canvassing. In her family's disapproval, she lies to her father and to Tom, telling them she's going for a charity meeting, when she actually goes for the results of the by-election, resulting her getting injured. Naturally, although unfairly, Lord Grantham blames Tom's influence.

Throughout the season, Mary's scandal with Mr Pamuk slowly becomes more of public knowledge. At one point, Lady Grantham points out that the upper classes have started gossiping about Mary, which pushes her to find ways to wed Mary to anyone in order to quell the rumours. One attempt is through Sir Anthony Strallan, whom Lord Grantham describes as "at least my age and as dull as paint." Although nothing comes from the attempt, Mary is more inclined towards Matthew. Her fondness for him is more pronounced in this episode; she spends some time alone with him following Sybil's ordeal, discussing politics and conformity to class expectations, which ultimately results in the two sharing their first kiss. She reveals to Lady Grantham that Matthew has proposed to her, which would theoretically be exciting news, but her wanton behaviour with Pamuk makes her feel obliged to tell him, leaving her conflicted as to whether she ought to accept the proposal or not, knowing that Matthew would not take so kindly to her if he knew the truth. Knowing that someone as liberal as Matthew would not accept a pre-marital scandal as such just goes to show the social consequences; it's a shame, though - Mary and Matthew were always the endgame for me.

Left to right: Lady Grantham, Mr Carson, Lord Grantham

Episode 7

This episode is the turning point for the characters. At the beginning of the episode, housekeeper Mrs Hughes notes to Lord and Lady Grantham that the main gossip around the area is the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It's clear from here on that while this has no direct impact on Britain yet, people are speculating what the influence it would have on Britain when a great war could begin on the continent.

At the same time, Mary's conflict as to whether she should accept Matthew's proposal is complicated further when Lady Grantham finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Not knowing whether the baby will be a boy (which would displace Matthew's position as heir) or not, Mary hesitates even further, causing her relationship with Matthew to deteriorate all the more. I honestly think this was extremely shallow on her part; while there was benefit to be had by marrying Matthew if he remained the heir, Mary potentially deciding against marrying him over a title and estate worsened my view of her. Of course, the aristocracy of this time will disagree, considering they believed love was not as important in the marital conquest as class prospects. Heck, Mr Carson would disagree.

Throughout the season, the cook, Mrs Patmore, experiences some difficulty with her sight, blaming Daisy on all of her faults. It was not serious when it started, but Episode 5 brings to light the severity it has reached. She drops a tray containing roasted chickens, which results in the housemaids attempting and successfully covering up the mishap; later, she accidentally pours salt all over a raspberry meringue dessert, rather than sugar. It is at this point, that both the staff and the family decide it might be best to send Mrs Patmore for corrective surgery. Although it proves successful in the end, Mrs Patmore advised the scullery maid, Daisy, to sabotage Mrs Bird's cooking, who joins the staff temporarily, in order to ensure Mrs Patmore will have a job waiting for her. The staff find out, but Mrs Bird is sympathetic, telling Daisy that "there are worse crimes on earth than loyalty." I did enjoy Mrs Patmore's arc through the season; it made her and Daisy's personalities more fleshed out, and gave us an idea of what kind of relationship they had.

The episode/season ends well, and in a way I love: with a cliff hanger. One thing I noticed about this season, and potentially with the whole show, is that whenever a character receives a telegram, one can expect either very good news or very bad news that affects the story in some way. The first episode shows a telegram containing the news that Lord Grantham's heir and the heir's son have died. The last episode ends with a telegram containing news that Britain has declared war on Germany, while the camera view shifts between the characters wondering how this news will affect them. Those who studied World War One will have an idea of who will directly be affected, but there's only so much one can guess.

Downton Abbey - Season 1 Review, Part 1

In a time of a global pandemic, many have turned to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime or whatever streaming services are available. I decided to binge-watch Downton Abbey instead, partially out of boredom. Like many others, I suffered a depressive spell from being cooped up at home constantly with very little to do, and a sense of uselessness at not being able to be productive. However, when I got to Season 3 of the show, a conversation stood out to me. Edith complains to the Dowager Countess that in her depression following getting jilted at her own wedding that she doesn't know what to do; her grandmother is initially sympathetic, but admonishes her, "Edith, dear, you're a woman with a brain and reasonable ability. Stop whining and find something to do." No doubt many have already told me the same thing, but sometimes it takes that extra push to get me to do something about it. This gave me the idea to do reviews of the show itself. If the title didn't make it clear already, this will have spoilers, so read at your own risk ;)

Left to right: Mr Carson, Edith Crawley, Robert Crawley, Mary Crawley

Episode 1

The show begins following the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, where the heir to Downton Abbey died in the sinking. Honestly, given the premise, they couldn't have picked a better year for the show to begin. The entire show covers a large range of historical subjects between the years 1912 to 1925, from key events to controversial topics. Considering the main issue of Season 1 focuses on who will inherit Downton Abbey, the sinking of the Titanic makes for an excellent starting point. The introductory montage features the routines of various members of staff; the scullery maid, Daisy, is up before dawn and makes sure the fireplaces of all the family members are prepared quietly without waking them, all before waking the rest of the staff at 6am. Once the staff are dressed in their appropriate uniforms, the housemaids and the footmen prepare the ground floor rooms, opening the curtains, setting the dining table for breakfast, and clearing away any trace of mess; then, and only then, can they have their meagre breakfast, which point the bells of the rooms begin to go off, signalling that the aristocratic family are awake. This is one of my favourite scenes in the entire series; I love studying lifestyles of people throughout history, understanding what kind of routines they might've had. I even managed to find Downton Abbey: Rules for Household Staff in a bookstore in Dubai a few years ago, which was published officially by Julian Fellowes, outlining the tasks each of each staff member.

When considering the tasks of staff members, the episode featured a new member of staff, Mr Bates, who was hired as Lord Grantham's valet; however, he is seen with a walking stick, which he explains is due to a war injury he suffered during the Second Boer War. The rest of the staff, aside from housemaid Anna, are not optimistic in the slightest, viewing him as a hindrance and potentially extra work for them. I thought this to be reflective of the stigmas against those with disabilities, whether they be caused naturally or as a result of war. This stigma is used as a means of a prank when Lady Grantham's maid, Ms O'Brien, deliberately trips Mr Bates so that he would fall in front of a large group of people, thereby humiliating him. It almost results in him quitting his job before Lord Grantham insists that he stays and they work it out together. It was interesting that the aristocrat would have a much kinder view of him than his own colleagues, but I suspect it was down to loyal ties as Bates was Lord Grantham's batman during the war.

Matthew Crawley and Isobel Crawley's entrance to Downton Abbey

Episode 2

The second episode addresses the complication featured in the first regarding the running of Downton Abbey; the original heir and his son died on the sinking of the Titanic, which meant that the earldom and Downton Abbey would need to be passed on to someone else, as the current earl's daughters are not eligible on account of their sex. Women have the benefit today of being heiresses in their own right, if parents or guardians so wish to pass on their properties and wealth. The show attempts to work their way around this issue by explaining that the eldest daughter, Mary, was to marry the heir's son so that everything would be kept in the family. Instead, young Matthew Crawley, a middle-class lawyer from Manchester, comes into the picture, and this plan is thrown out the window, but already both Mary and Matthew are aware that there is a possibility that they will be pushed to each other to marry - to this, the two react very negatively. Interestingly, it is this initial hatred for each other that hints at a strong chemistry between the two characters.

Matthew's middle-class background becomes considered his vice in this season, definitely more prominently in this episode. His grievances with being provided with a butler/valet, Mr Molesley, demonstrates a certain character development within the episode. While initially very much against the thought of even having a butler or a valet, as he feels he can do everything without one, Lord Grantham convinces him that in spite of personal views, Matthew has a part to play as the future Lord Grantham: "Your mother derives satisfaction from her work at the hospital, I think. Some self-worth...Would you really deny the same to poor old Molesley? And when you are master here, is the butler to be dismissed, or the footmen? How many maids or kitchen staff will be allowed to stay? Or must everyone be driven out? We all have parts to play, Matthew, and we must all be allowed to play them." I somehow got the impression from this that Lord Grantham might've held the same opinion at one point, perhaps in the early days of his earldom, and someone else might have given him the same advice.

The side plot of this episode focuses on Matthew's mother, Isobel. Having been trained as a nurse, married to a doctor, and being the daughter and sister of a doctor, Isobel is no stranger to medical matters. Up until this point, I figured there would be very little hope for what a woman could aspire to in terms of careers. Even nurses were not held to high regard at this point, unless one was Florence Nightingale. However, Isobel subverts this expectation, not just for the audience but for the characters. The lead doctor, Dr Clarkson, remarks, "When you made your offer, I thought you might be a 'great lady nurse' and faint at the sight of blood." Instead, Isobel is tenacious and insists that Dr Clarkson attempt newer medical treatments for illnesses that would've normally been deemed impossible to treat.

Mary Crawley and Kamal Pamuk

Episode 3

If one thought the idea of having pre-marital sex today was scandalous, it was far worse in 1912, especially for members of the aristocracy. In this episode, Lady Mary is seduced by an attaché with the Turkish Embassy, Kamal Pamuk, despite her initial expectations that Mr Pamuk would be a "funny little foreigner with a wide, toothy grin and hair reeking of pomade." Instead, she finds herself deeply beguiled by his presence, since he is unlike the rest of the men of her social circle. Although she attempts to ward off Mr Pamuk's advances to maintain her virtue, she succumbs to her passions - but this results in Pamuk's sudden death due to unknown causes. The consequences are severe, even though Mary is able to hide her sin with the help of Anna and her mother, Cora, by bringing Pamuk's body back to his room. Cora even points out that her hiding Mary's secret is not even for Mary's sake, but for the family's reputation, hinting that the virtue of a young woman reflected heavily on how her family would be viewed. Unfortunately, such an ideal is still being upheld today, especially in countries like India, and amongst ultra-conservative families. Perhaps this issue might hit some closer to home than others.

The ability to reach Mary's room in the first place is thanks to footman, Thomas Barrow. Episode 1 reveals to us that Thomas is a closeted homosexual - I would have referenced that when I explored that episode, but I figured this would be a better opportunity. In Episode 1, we see that homosexuality can be used as a form of blackmail; Thomas uses it against the Duke of Crowborough in hopes of gaining a better position, although his threats prove to be empty when the Duke throws away any written proof into the fire. Episode 3 brings this issue back when Thomas wrongly thinks Mr Pamuk took an interest to him, and he even makes the move to kiss him. Pamuk, knowing this can be used as leverage, forces Thomas to lead him to Mary's room to keep him quiet. Fortunately for Thomas, he doesn't have to worry about his secret coming out.

Summary

I didn't want to explore the entire season in one post; I felt that to do so would make the post very tedious to read, and it would leave the reader on a bit of a cliffhanger if I did it halfway through the season. I debated whether to explore Episode 4 in this post, as Season 1 contains 7 episodes, but considering the themes later on, it made more sense to leave it here. Three episodes into this amazing series, and already there's much to consider. The show does not disappoint when it comes to engaging the audience, and throws in many controversial topics to keep it interesting. Some might have wondered whether the show would be able to keep up its momentum in ensuring that there was something to explore as the show went on, and there will be many who will disagree with me when I say that there was.