Downton Abbey: Episode 1.7

Downton Abbey: Episode 1.7
ITV
30 January 2011
Historical Drama
DVD
B

Various threads are resolved, including some brought up only in this episode, with a fine cliffhanger in the declaration of war between England and Germany.  It's July of '14 and the countess is four months' pregnant!  (We don't know her age but she was married 24 years two years ago, so I'm guessing mid to late 40s.)  Unfortunately, a misunderstanding about her looking for a ladies' maid, for her mother-in-law rather than herself, leads vengeful O'Brien to create an accident leading to a miscarriage.  I like how the "villainesses" on the show are well-rounded, and, yes, I include Lady Mary in that, although she's more of the star bitch of the series, and we see her suffer as well as make others suffer, including her equally if more ineptly vengeful sister Edith.  The pregnancy and the impending war, as well as her aunt, Lady Rosamund Painswick (played by Samantha Bond as if truly Maggie Smith's daughter). giving bad advice, cause Mary to hesitate about answering Matthew's proposal, and in the end he gives up on her.

Despite the resolved threads, there's definitely enough unsettled that I can see why this continued for another five seasons.  This one averages out to a high B- for me and I'll of course at least start Season Two, although I suppose it'll be even bloodier with a war going on.

Christine Lohr makes her first of four appearances as Mrs. Bird.  Jefferson King, who's a nameless Gentleman here, would have two other uncredited roles much later in the series.