Downton Abbey Season 2 Episode 7 Recap

Once again PBS decided to show two episodes of the deliciously soapy period drama “Downton Abbey” back to back. Here’s the recap of the first episode of the hour, second recap to come.

“When the war is over the first emotion is relief, the second is disappointment,” Sir Richard observes in this week’s episode of “Downton Abbey”. Indeed, the episode was a mix of both relief and disappointment for many of the characters.

While the whole family was relieved to hear Matthew would walk again, disappointments both big and small abounded for the Crawley family and their loyal servants. Thomas was disappointed in his quest to become a black market kingpin of bakery supplies. Mary was disappointed to learn that Sir Richard was more terrible than she had imagined. Anna and Bates continue to have their happy ending threatened by Vera beyond the grave. While poor Ethel’s entire life is just a series of disappointments at this point.

If there’s one thing this season of “Downton Abbey” has stressed, it’s the way war changes everything. It’s an ugly business, taking lives (poor William) and wrecking chaos. But war can also be transformative. It has a way of pointing out what’s really important. All the women of Downton have been changed in irreversible ways by the war, while Lord Grantham has been left behind to nurse a gentlemen’s midlife crisis. Having found employment and purpose, the women feel stifled by the idea of donning once more their iron girdles and returning to a life of trivial pursuits. While Sybil, as usual, is the most transparent with these concerns it can be seen in Cora and Edith as well.

 The end of the war means that, once again, everything at Downton is changing. But whether it will return to the status quo that Lord Grantham and the Dowager Countess prefer or if it will take a brand new configuration is still a mystery.

Downstairs

This week the downstairs and upstairs storylines mingled more than ever before. Between Anna being bribed, Carson resigning and Mrs. Hughes trying to help Ethel there was a lot of crossover.

After the death of Major Bryant and his pornstache, things were looking bad for Ethel. Without a widow’s stipend she might very well spend her entire life in that dirty “Misery” shack. But a light appears at the end of her dreary tunnel: Major Bryant’s family is coming for a visit at Downton. Mrs. Hughes agrees to help her by attempting to talk to Mrs. Bryant about Ethel’s son Charlie. Unfortunately, we learn that Major Bryant inherited his poor taste in facial hair and douche genes from his father. After Ethel storms dinner to tell them about Charlie, Major Bryant overturns his wife’s tiny mousey protestations and tells Ethel in no uncertain terms that they won’t recognize the child.

Meanwhile Thomas has finally decided on a post-Downton career: blackmarket kingpin! He’s decided to embark on an exciting journey as a sort of cross between Tony Soprano and the “Cake Boss”. To get his crime enterprise off the ground, he’s decided to lend his supplies to Mrs. Patmore for a wedding cake for Matthew and Lavinia. With Mrs. Patmore hooked, he would then be able to reel in other big customers. It’s like the method drug-dealers use, only with flour and icing. Unfortunately, as usually happens when you take the word of some sketchy guy you met at a bar, this doesn’t work out to Thomas’ advantage. The supplies are all useless and now Thomas has no money left. He will have to make his way in the world with only the friendship of O’Brien and his own charming personality. Basically, he’s doomed.

Elsewhere Sir Richard gets extra weird with Anna, offering her money to spy on Mary.  More and more Sir Richard reminds me of a reptile, like a crocodile or a big snake, and I just wish someone would make a wallet out of him. When Anna tells Carson and Mrs. Hughes about his offer, Carson is torn. He loves Lady Mary but unless he can turn Sir Richard into a nice pair of shoes he has basically no use for him.

Mrs. Hughes doesn’t understand why Carson loves Mary so much and Carson explains it’s because Mary has been awesome since the moment she left the womb and immediately started judging people. He tells a story about little Lady Mary and I tear up for no reason and then blame it on the dust in my house, just like the Dowager Countess would. After he tells Mary he can’t come with her to Haxby she reacts badly, taking it out on Carson and Anna and making Carson make that sad face that makes me want to cry again. My house is very dusty this week apparently.

Upstairs

Upstairs it is the best of times but it is also the worst of times. In the best column, it turns out Matthew’s “tingling” south of the border last week wasn’t just because Lavinia is bootylicious. When Lavinia almost trips over a stool Matthew pops out of his wheelchair to grab her. He can stand! Everyone gathers around, excited and happy for Matthew, to ask Dr. Clarkson how this could be possible. What is the explanation for Matthew’s sudden recovery? Dr. Clarkson sums it up thusly: “My bad!”

Meanwhile, Lord Grantham’s life has never been harder. With all his womenfolk employed in useful pursuits, he’s left to eat his meals alone. No one’s life is harder than Lord Grantham’s. He’s feeling rightly useless, especially as even Cora has gotten bit by the working bug. Bored and questioning his value as a human being, Lord Grantham is in a ye olde midlife crisis. Unfortunately, as the sport car has not yet been invented, his only option is to creep on new maid Jane, who looks a bit like a younger Cora for the extra creepiness factor. I agree with Carson’s bushy eyebrows of disapproval.

Matthew’s amazing recovery is the final straw that breaks Sybil. She realizes that war is really and truly over and she can’t go back to the way life was before. She goes to see Branson in the garage, where he is at all hours of the day and night. I’m becoming increasingly concerned that Branson lives in that car.  Branson is excited, wondering if his many years of persistent stalking, foul moods and subtle put-downs have finally convinced Sybil she loves him. Here’s sort of how the conversation goes:

Sybil: God, post-war life is boring. I haven’t saved any lives today and all my dresses are old now!

Branson: Run away with me! Far, far away from all your friends and family!

Sybil: Well, I guess I don’t have anything else going on right now. I’m ready for a new adventure! And I don’t have any better adventure options. Let’s do this!

Branson: I’m glad you finally see how much you love me!

Sybil: Sure, whatever. Let’s makeout and then bounce!

Branson: Oh sweet and happy day!

Sybil: God, shut up and just kiss me. You are totally ruining this.

Mary, sensing a disturbance in the social hierarchy, immediately goes to Sybil’s room to see what’s up. Anna helps her get a key to Sybil’s room and inside they find a note titled “To my family”. Never a good sign. It turns out Sybil has run away with Branson to elope. The next thing you know Mary, Edith and Anna are in a car together, going after Sybil. It’s the “Downton Abbey” equivalent of the Justice League, only with more hats.

When they find Sybil and Branson, Mary is awesome. She literally tells Branson to “pipe down” which is what I’ve been wanting to say to Branson all season. She convinces Sybil that while she can do whatever (or in this case, whoever) she wants, it’s best to do it out in the open instead of running off in the night. Sybil assures Branson that her heart belongs to him but agrees to come back home with Mary and Edith.

The Mary and Matthew of it All

With his ability to walk (and do other things with his bottom half) restored, the wedding between Matthew and Lavinia is back on. Lavinia wants to have the wedding in Downton, since they had so many big moments of their relationship there. Mary puts on a giant fake smile at the dinner table and then immediately slams back some wine. This doesn’t escape the notice of the Dowager Countess, because nothing does.

Later, Cousin Violet visits with Cousin Matthew in his room, which she admits is quite scandalous. She explains to Matthew that Mary is still in love with him. Matthew looks shocked, because he is stupid. He tells Violet that he couldn’t possible turn over Lavinia after everything she’s done for him. While Violet agrees this is a commendable stance, she doesn’t agree with it. “Marriage is a long business. There’s no getting out of it for our kind of people,” Violet advises him. “You could live 40, 50 years with one of these two women. Just make sure you have selected the right one.” To translate into the words of Kanye West: “Matthew, Imma let you finish but you’re clearly in love with Mary for all time.”

Best Maggie Smith Lines

Watch even a few seconds of “Downton Abbey”, and it’s pretty clear that Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess gets all the best lines. Here are her best gems from episode seven:

“Oh certainly, all this unbridled joy has given me quite an appetite.” – said when being invited to dinner after learning Matthew would walk again.

“I’ll stick to the chaise lounge.” –Violet’s reaction to going back to the way things were, post-war.

What did you think of this episode of "Downton Abbey"? Are Matthew and Mary really doomed to be seperated? And what about Bates and Anna? Sound off in the comments!