There’s death, sex and more scandal in this saucy episode. Mary once more connives to allow an illicit tryst within the house, this time for another member of the household. Two affairs go on while one draws to a conclusion with Ethel facing the parents of her baby’s Father to decide upon the boy’s fate.
Spanish flu has spread throughout Europe following the Great War. Fate rolls the dice on the lives of those at Downton Abbey. Who will survive the night when several of the stately home’s inhabitants are taken ill? Isobel is once more in her element, though Doctor Clarkson can no longer pull rank and tell her to go away. Similarly, Thomas wiles his way back into the household by being helpful while Carson and Molsley are incapacitated. O’Brien feels that the chaos might give her the opportunity she needs to salve her conscience and apologize to the Countess for her unforgivable deeds.
There seems to be no end in sight for Matthew and Mary, for whom there are an endless stream of reasons why they do not have a future. In contrast, it seems that Sybil and Branson have swiftly written themselves out of a life at Downton, the only question being whether the family will stay in touch or not. Whilst the other members of the household buzz about, Lady Mary is left wondering where the drama is in her life. Granny comes to the rescue, however. Maggie Smith has some more excellent lines including “Don’t be defeatist dear, it’s very middle class”, as well as some aristocratic scheming of the sort historians could only dream of – re-writing family lines and pulling major strings to advance a career.
Downton Abbey Season 2 Episode 8 airs on ITV at 9pm on 6th November 2011 for UK viewers only.
Table of Contents
Cast
- Lady Rosamund Painswick played by Samantha Bond
- Earl of Grantham, Robert played by Hugh Bonneville
- Lavinia Swire played by Zoe Boyle
- Lady Sybil Crawley played by Jessica Brown Findlay
- Lady Edith Crawley played by Laura Carmichael
- Mr Carson played by Jim Carter
- John Bates played by Brendan Coyle
- Lady Mary Crawley played by Michelle Dockery
- Molesley played by Kevin Doyle
- Vera Bates played by Maria Doyle Kennedy
- Sarah O’Brien played by Siobhan Finneran
- Anna Smith played by Joanne Froggatt
- William Mason played by Thomas Howes
- Thomas Barrow played by Rob James-Collier
- Tom Branson played by Allen Leech
- Mrs Hughes played by Phyllis Logan
- Andrew Lang played by Cal Macaninch
- Countess of Grantham, Cora played by Elizabeth McGovern
- Daisy Robinson played by Sophie McShera
- Mrs Patmore played by Lesley Nicol
- Ethel Parks played by Amy Nuttall
- Doctor Clarkson played by David Robb
- Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet played by Maggie Smith
- Matthew Crawley played by Dan Stevens
- Isobel Crawley played by Penelope Wilton
Crew
Written and created by Julian Fellowes
Executive Producers: Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes
Producer: Liz Trubridge
Line Producer: Charles Hubbard
Director: Ashley Pearce
