Summary
Carson is forced to accept female staff serving in the dining room and Downton Abbey is turned into a convalescent home to accommodate an influx of wounded soldiers.
❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more)
Downton Abbey
- 2012
- Season 2
- 9 episodes
- Drama
- Romance
Episode 8: Downton Abbey
Summary
The wedding approaches and excitement is in the air, but Branson's plans could rattle everyone. Spanish flu reaches the house and a desperate Thomas looks for a way to re-establish himself. Ethel faces a dilemma when the Bryants return with a heartbreaking proposition, and a decisive Anna forces Bates to think about their future. Costume drama, starring Allen Leech, Rob James-Collier, Amy Nuttall, Joanne Froggatt and Brendan Coyle
Review
After Cora’s throwaway remark about Spanish flu in the previous episode, in one of Julian Fellowes’s road-signs to a plot development – THIS WAY TO LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS – she looks a bit peaky. Soon she’s wet and shivering, and very quickly members of the Downton household start to take to their beds with bad cases of Costume Drama Sickness.
Of course, we’re meant to guess who will live and who will die in this eventful, absorbing and moving final episode. But that’s almost a side issue because so much else is going on – will Robert do the deed with the comely servant girl? Does flighty Lady Sybil defy her family to elope with the chauffeur? Will Matthew and Lavinia’s wedding go ahead?
And though it contains at least two of the most well-worn devices in drama history, which will have you shouting, “Oh, come ON!”, it will still punch at your heart. Just you wait for that crippling final scene. Just you wait.
How to watch
Next showing
There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming providers below.
Streaming
❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more)
Details
- Released on
- 2011-11-06
- Languages
- English
- Formats
- Colour
Credits
Cast
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham | Maggie Smith |
| Robert, Earl of Grantham | Hugh Bonneville |
| Lady Sybil Crawley | Jessica Brown Findlay |
| Lady Edith Crawley | Laura Carmichael |
| Mr Carson | Jim Carter |
| John Bates | Brendan Coyle |
| Lady Mary Crawley | Michelle Dockery |
| O'Brien | Siobhan Finneran |
| Anna | Joanne Froggatt |
| Thomas | Rob James-Collier |
| Mrs Hughes | Phyllis Logan |
| Cora, Countess of Grantham | Elizabeth McGovern |
| Daisy | Sophie McShera |
| Mrs Patmore | Lesley Nicol |
| Ethel | Amy Nuttall |
| Matthew Crawley | Dan Stevens |
| Isobel Crawley | Penelope Wilton |
| Molesley | Kevin Doyle |
| Tom Branson | Allen Leech |
| Dr Clarkson | David Robb |
| Lavinia Swire | Zoe Boyle |
| Sir Richard Carlisle | Iain Glen |
| Jane Moorsum | Clare Calbraith |
| Mr Bryant | Kevin R McNally |
| Mrs Bryant | Christine Mackie |
| Rev Travis | Michael Cochrane |
| Mr Mason | Paul Copley |
| Registrar | Stephen Omer |
| Arresting officer | Anton Saunders |
Crew
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Executive producer | Gareth Neame |
| Executive producer | Julian Fellowes |
| Writer | Julian Fellowes |
| Executive producer | Rebecca Eaton |
| Producer | Liz Trubridge |
| Director | James Strong |
All episodes
Episode 8
Downton Abbey
Summary
The wedding approaches and excitement is in the air, but Branson's plans could rattle everyone. Spanish flu reaches the house and a desperate Thomas looks for a way to re-establish himself. Ethel faces a dilemma when the Bryants return with a heartbreaking proposition, and a decisive Anna forces Bates to think about their future. Costume drama, starring Allen Leech, Rob James-Collier, Amy Nuttall, Joanne Froggatt and Brendan CoyleReview
After Cora’s throwaway remark about Spanish flu in the previous episode, in one of Julian Fellowes’s road-signs to a plot development – THIS WAY TO LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS – she looks a bit peaky. Soon she’s wet and shivering, and very quickly members of the Downton household start to take to their beds with bad cases of Costume Drama Sickness.
Of course, we’re meant to guess who will live and who will die in this eventful, absorbing and moving final episode. But that’s almost a side issue because so much else is going on – will Robert do the deed with the comely servant girl? Does flighty Lady Sybil defy her family to elope with the chauffeur? Will Matthew and Lavinia’s wedding go ahead?
And though it contains at least two of the most well-worn devices in drama history, which will have you shouting, “Oh, come ON!”, it will still punch at your heart. Just you wait for that crippling final scene. Just you wait.
How to watch
Next showing
There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming providers below.
Streaming
❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more)Details
- Released on
- 2011-11-06
- Languages
- English
- Formats
- Colour
Credits
Cast
role name Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham Maggie Smith Robert, Earl of Grantham Hugh Bonneville Lady Sybil Crawley Jessica Brown Findlay Lady Edith Crawley Laura Carmichael Mr Carson Jim Carter John Bates Brendan Coyle Lady Mary Crawley Michelle Dockery O'Brien Siobhan Finneran Anna Joanne Froggatt Thomas Rob James-Collier Mrs Hughes Phyllis Logan Cora, Countess of Grantham Elizabeth McGovern Daisy Sophie McShera Mrs Patmore Lesley Nicol Ethel Amy Nuttall Matthew Crawley Dan Stevens Isobel Crawley Penelope Wilton Molesley Kevin Doyle Tom Branson Allen Leech Dr Clarkson David Robb Lavinia Swire Zoe Boyle Sir Richard Carlisle Iain Glen Jane Moorsum Clare Calbraith Mr Bryant Kevin R McNally Mrs Bryant Christine Mackie Rev Travis Michael Cochrane Mr Mason Paul Copley Registrar Stephen Omer Arresting officer Anton Saunders Crew
role name Executive producer Gareth Neame Executive producer Julian Fellowes Writer Julian Fellowes Executive producer Rebecca Eaton Producer Liz Trubridge Director James Strong
Powered By
IMDBHow to watch
Next showing
There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming providers below.
