DOWNTON ABBEY {SEASON 2, EPISODE 9} {CHRISTMAS SPECIAL} (TV)

Summary

The second season finale and annual Christmas special in this dramatic British series about the aristocrats and servants who dwell at the Downton Abbey estate in post-Edwardian Yorkshire.

In this episode, Christmas 1919 is somewhat subdued by Mr. Bates' uncertain fate, and Richard disapproves of the family's casual traditions; downstairs, Mrs. Hughes is skeptical when the servants unearth a Ouija board and begin attempting to contact the dead. Robert shoots down the idea of promoting Thomas should the worst come to pass for Bates, and Daisy begins to reconsider her role when Miss Shore, Lady Rosamund's maid, suggests that she deserves better. Edith reunites with Sir Anthony Strallan, whose war injury prevents him from joining in the annual shooting party, and she carefully words her answers to his inquiries about Sybil's quiet marriage. Anna visits Mr. Bates, who gently cautions her to prepare for his potential conviction and execution; Robert is less than thrilled to learn that the newly married Sybil is pregnant with a "Fenian" child.

As New Year's Eve approaches, Miss O'Brien advises Thomas to rebuild Robert's trust in him via a useful deed, and Violet worries that Edith may become Strallan's "nursemaid" after all. Matthew returns from London, where his would-be father-in-law Mr. Swire has just died, and the family rings in 1920 together. Miss Shore reports that Lord Hepworth, who has joined the Crawley celebrations as Rosamund's guest, has urged her to promote him to her mistress. During the shoot, Mary confides to Matthew that she's growing tired of the humorless Richard. Daisy again frets about her "dishonest" wartime marriage when Mr. Mason pays her a visit; Sir Anthony seems to agree with Violet when he gently tells Edith that he's too old for her, though Edith refuses to accept it. Richard grows increasingly jealous of Matthew's ongoing bond with Mary and tries to convince her to set a wedding date, while elsewhere Violet frankly confronts Lord Hepworth about his obvious interest in Rosamund's fortune.

The servants continue experimenting with the Ouija board, and when Robert notices Mary's clear distaste for her fiancé, Cora finally tells him the truth about Mr. Pamuk's scandalous death and Mary's unpleasant bargain to keep the story out of the papers. Miss O'Brien, Mrs. Hughes and Robert are all forced to testify at Mr. Bates' trial in York, and though they do their best to defend his honor, they admit to witnessing his rage and darkly suggestive comments regarding Vera. Anna is horrified when he is found guilty and sentenced to hang, but Mary, Matthew and his defense barrister assure her that they will take steps to have his sentence commuted to life in prison and hopefully overturned entirely. Back at Downton, Rosamund acknowledges that Lord Hepworth is a "fortune-hunter," but a promising one, and Mrs. Patmore grows annoyed with Daisy's ill-timed complaints about her lowly kitchen status. Mary is deeply touched when her father reveals his knowledge of her illicit affair and, rather than shaming her, urges her to break off her loveless engagement and abscond to America until the social scandal blows over. He says that she deserves better than someone who would blackmail her into marriage.

After Mr. Swire's burial, Isobel bluntly informs her son that Mary clearly still loves him and dismisses his claim that they "deserve to be unhappy" because of their crimes against Lavinia. Violet becomes Daisy's unexpected confidante as she assures her that marrying William to ease his final hours was a kindness, and she warns Robert about Rosamund's unwise interest in Lord Hepworth. A desperate Thomas decides to hide and then "find" Isis to win Robert over; Anna and Bates say a desperate farewell to each other, aware that he may soon meet his death. Mrs. Patmore resorts to otherworldly measures to convince Daisy to "go to the farm," where she happily accepts Mr. Mason's offer to "adopt" her as his honorary daughter. During a late-night search for Isis, Mary finally tells Matthew the reason behind her engagement, and though shocked, he agrees that she shouldn't marry him to protect the family's reputation. Mr. Carson is relieved when Anna decides to resign her post to avoid bringing more scandal to Downton after Mr. Bates' conviction inevitably makes the news. She chooses to accompany Mary to America to wait it out.

Thomas is alarmed to find that Isis has vanished from the shed where he stashed her, but she soon returns unharmed to Downton, and he manages to score points with Robert for his apparent investment in her safety. Mr. Mason advises Daisy to ignore Miss Shore and simply make her case to Mrs. Patmore. Isobel urges Matthew to fight for Mary – which he does, rather literally, when Richard takes Mary's formal rejection badly and accuses them both of breaking Lavinia's heart, spitefully adding that he will now expose Mary's scandal and Mr. Bates' conviction to the world. He departs Downton, and everyone is deeply relieved when Mr. Bates' sentence is changed to life in prison, owing to the lack of convincing evidence of premeditation. The annual servants' ball carries on as planned, and Mrs. Patmore considers Daisy's official request to be promoted to assistant cook. Rosamund is embarrassed, yet relieved to be rid of Lord Hepworth, when she catches him in a compromising position with Miss Shore; and Anna resolves to stay at Downton after all.

Cora firmly tells Robert to make his peace with Sybil and Tom's marriage, as she plans to have a close bond with her first grandchild, and Anna and Daisy are bewildered when the Ouija board offers up a strange message: "may they be happy." At the exact same time, Matthew finds Mary on the grounds and, assuring her that they are ready to leave Lavinia, Mr. Pamuk and Richard in the past, formally proposes to her. As snow falls on them, she ecstatically accepts.

Details

• NETWORK: PBS
• DATE: 9:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:32:51
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: 137402
• GENRE: Drama, historical
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Romance; Christmas; Great Britain - Upper classes
• SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 2011-2016
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Julian Fellowes … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
• Rebecca Eaton … Executive Producer
• Gareth Neame … Executive Producer
• Liz Trubridge … Producer
• Charles Hubbard … Line Producer
• Brian Percival … Director
• Laura Linney … Host
• John Lunn … Music by
• Man Made Music … Theme Music by
• Hugh Bonneville … Cast, Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham
• Laura Carmichael … Cast, Lady Edith Crawley
• Jim Carter … Cast, Mr. Charles Carson
• Brendan Coyle … Cast, John Bates
• Michelle Dockery … Cast, Lady Mary Crawley
• Siobhan Finneran … Cast, Sarah O'Brien
• Joanne Froggatt … Cast, Anna Bates
• Rob James-Collier … Cast, Thomas Barrow
• Phyllis Logan … Cast, Mrs. Elsie Hughes
• Elizabeth McGovern … Cast, Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham
• Sophie McShera … Cast, Daisy Mason
• Lesley Nicol … Cast, Mrs. Bethel Patmore
• Maggie Smith … Cast, Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham
• Dan Stevens … Cast, Matthew Crawley
• Penelope Wilton … Cast, Isobel Crawley
• Robert Bathurst … Cast, Sir Anthony Strallan
• Samantha Bond … Cast, Lady Rosamund Painswick
• Paul Copley … Cast, Mr. Albert Mason
• Jonathan Coy … Cast, George Murray
• Iain Glen … Cast, Sir Richard Carlisle
• Nigel Havers … Cast, Lord Hepworth
• Sharon Small … Cast, Marigold Shore
• Simon Poland … Cast, Defense Barrister
• Tony Pritchard … Cast, Prison Officer
• Nick Sampson … Cast, Prosecution Barrister
• Dominic Kemp … Cast, Jury Foreman
• Timothy Carlton … Cast, Judge