DOWNTON ABBEY: Calm Before a Storm

This review, and the episode, deal with the after effects of a sexual assault. If you find this triggering, please do not read any farther.

This episode felt like a filler episode – with details that we need to know for later – but one where doesn’t as jarring as two weeks ago happens.

Anna and Bates are still floating around each other as Bates tries to get to the bottom of Anna’s distress. Mrs. Hughes is still wrapped up in the drama, and only after she tells Bates what happened (minus who the real assailant is) does there seem to be some resolution. Anna is moving back into the cottage, Bates doesn’t think less of her for being “spoiled” by the mystery man, and Bates is dead set on finding the man and exacting revenge. Hopefully there’s no more trips by Mr. Gillingham to Downton.

Thomas’ suggestion of a new lady’s maid has paid off: Cora’s new maid, Baxter, is trying to please both Cora and the rest of the downstairs staff, to Thomas’ ends later. Those ends, even when Thomas explains them, are nebulous: he only wants to know what changes might come to Downton because no one will tell him anything.

That downstairs business is undercut with Alfred’s test at the Ritz, and Jimmy’s lack of job ambition. Alfred goes off for the test, having done a good job on a savory just before, but doesn’t get into the four. That also means that once Alfred’s job is up in the air that Moseley misses out one more permanent job. You snooze you lose, Moseley.

Upstairs, Robert seems to be changing some of his tune about his tenants, and gives one recently deceased tenant’s son a chance to still work the land rather than have it turn over to the family. He does that with the help of a check to the new tennant, which Mary and Tom don’t learn about until much later. Perhaps that trio will work out well enough – Robert with compassion when necessary, Tom with his Socialist tendencies, and Mary with her new pragmatism.

Isobel and the Dowager have another tiff: this time over the work of a young boy from the village, Pegg, who starts to work for the Dowager before a precious letter opener goes missing.

Edith is worrying about what has gone on with Michael, but there has been no word. She goes off to look after Michael’s office, but not really as she goes to a doctor’s office. Is there a bun in her oven?

Mr. Napier, from seasons past, has arrived and seems to be flirting with Mary right off the bat. Does she need another man in her life? The government wants to study the landed estates to find out if they can survive in the new economy and with new situations. Mr. Napier is asked to stay with them and that means his boss Mr. Blake will have to stay with them as well.