<p>All those characters had my head spinning’ they should have worn name tags! I thought Anna was courting Bates, and Carson the Butler was trying to get out of work. I was always relieved when Matthew and Mary were in a scene, but mostly b/c I could distinguish them from the others. I didn’t see season I, but I read synopsis’s on pbs.</p>
<p>Here’s where I got completely lost:
Who is Thomas? The guy who got his hand shot so he could return home?
Who was murdered? I saw a pool of blood and a young girl (new servant?)
What’s with the cook’s nephew?
What did Bates do that sent him away?
Who is Lang and why is he fumbly?
Of all the roles of servitude, why did Cybil (or was that Edith?) work in a barn?
Who is the Head of the Household? I get mixed up between that and the Head of the Servants.</p>
<p>1). Thomas was the head of household’s original valet; very vindictive and volatile ; tried to frame Bates last season when he was appointed new valet…others can fill in details I’m missing</p>
<p>2)not murdered; soldier who returned blind from the war. Thomas and Sybil were guiding him through re-hab; hospital director ordered him transferred elsewhere; he committed suicide by slitting his wrists: backstory: Sybil wants to turn Downton Abby estate into convalescent hospital for rehab</p>
<p>3) cook’s nephew…I don’t think anyone important to the story per se…collateral damage to the war story…others may chime in</p>
<p>4) bates. Season 1: Mary was entertaining a foreign head of state who died in her care; the staff, including Bates, covered it up; bates’ wife is blackmailing him </p>
<p>5) no idea…first time I ever remember seeing him</p>
<p>6) no idea…it was Edith, but I got the impression that it just was a representation of the girls trying to find their own thing…</p>
<p>7) lord Grantham is head of household…Carlson (or Carson) is head of servents</p>
<p>He also has romantic relationships with other men and is not above later blackmailing his former lovers by threatening to expose them. (Homosexuality is not only scandalous but actually illegal back then). </p>
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<p>Edith ends up working in the barn basically because she had learned to drive. The farm hands were all now in the army and there was no on left to drive the tractor. Lady Edith volunteered as her part of the war effort.</p>
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<p>Because TV is ratings-driven. And far more Americans would rather watch the Kardashians and other insipid reality TV shows than would rather watch this.</p>
<p>Of all the roles of servitude, why did Cybil (or was that Edith?) work in a barn?</p>
<p>Edith detests Mary. Didn’t Edith like Matthew and Mary said something vile?
Important to know that they are enemies, or at least Edith hates her sister.
I assume the farm work was her way of being an “independent woman”, like Cybil. </p>
<p>I have forgotten why Mary and Matthew are not together. Can someone summarize if it isn’t too convoluted. </p>
<p>Limabeans, coming into this “soap opera” new at Season 2, is quite difficult ,and I commend you for even asking those questions. I assumed the show would give some back story, but they are moving ahead quickly, and not filling for those who may have forgotten, or are new to the series.</p>
<p>If you’re new to the series you can see the first season online through January 17 at the Downtown Abby website. Last night’s episode is available there, too.</p>
<p>I’ll second booklady’s recommendation of Pat Barker’s “Regeneration” trilogy.</p>
<p>Cora (Mary’s mother) is presumed to be pregnant which could lead to male heir (knocking Matthew out of his role). Mary is hesitant to marry Matthew over this issue and Matthew thinks she should marry someone on whether she is love with them or not. Cora miscarries (and they discover it could’ve been a boy). After Cora miscarries, Mary tells Matthew that she is ready to marry him but he is not sure of his motives (what is Cora went full term then this child would be the heir so Mary’s marriage would mean nothing in terms of family business rather than actual love).</p>
<p>Thanks Mdemvizi - I had forgotten when Mary actually realized she “was in love” with Matthew. I’ll watch some previous episodes, thanks SlitheyTove.</p>
<p>I really recommend against watching Season 2 without watching Season 1 first–there’s just way too much back story–and the incident where Mary “blotted her copybook” should simply not be missed!</p>
<p>While I think DA is at heart a soap opera, albeit a very classy one, I agree that the new season is significantly soapier than the first. But the series was originally written to be only a single season, and the various story lines were decently tied up by the last episode. I don’t think it was possible to create more plotting among these same characters without resorting to contrivance and melodrama. </p>
<p>One thing I could use some help on. Why wasn’t Bates’ wife content to just take the money and divorce him? Why would she want to live with someone who clearly despises her? Her over-the-top villainy, for which we weren’t really prepared, is to me the soapiest and weakest plot element in the series so far. Seems like there was a bit of desperation in coming up with story lines for the second season. On the other hand, the introduction of Sir Richard, Mary’s new suitor, particularly the reaction of old-money aristocracy to this arriviste, was nicely done, and he does seem to be precisely the sort to be attracted to the smart and prickly Lady Mary.</p>
<p>MommaJ, agreed on Mrs. Bates. She makes O’Brien look like a saint by comparison!</p>
<p>I too like the Sir Richard sub-plot. He’s the future (with shades of Rupert Murdoch!) coming into the idyllic world of Downton. I think he and Mary are well-matched in a lot of ways. She could become a powerful woman if she marries him.</p>
<p>One of my (3) local PBS stations re-ran all of Season 1 in December, so I got all refreshed.
Here it ran for 2 hrs., preceded by the new season opener of Doc Martin, so last night I was in heaven.</p>
<p>I think Bates only found out about Mary’s “misdeed” from his wife. That’s why he left DA.</p>
<p>LOVE this series. There are many fun articles about it online. It is filmed at Highclere Castle, using the actual furniture and accessories of the Carnarvon family.</p>
<p>Here it ran for 2 hrs., preceded by the new season opener of Doc Martin, so last night I was in heaven.
Gloworm- where do you live that you had Doc Martin and DA?? Doc Martin my other TV addiction! </p>
<p>Curious, does anyone else think that Cybil reminds them of Scarlett Johansson?It’s her voice…?</p>
<p>Just saw NBC nightly news with Brian Williams segment about Downton Abbey, and how popular (addictive they said) it has become in US.
Gloworm----so the DM series is not the new season season 5 I think ?</p>
<p>I watched all DM seasons on Netflix some time ago, then moved to Downton Abbey, thanks to CC recommendations, and latest obsession Mad Max, all 4 seasons on Netflix.</p>
<p>Edith resents both her sisters, and Mary most of all, because Edith is plain compared to their sparkling beauty. Cora herself said aloud (and was overheard by Edith) that Edith did not enjoy the same “advantages” as the other two girls.</p>
<p>This has led to Mary and Edith bitterly competing on several levels and undermining each other at every turn, especially over men. So most of what Edith does or says can be interpreted in the context of her endless rivalry with Mary.</p>
<p>As Cora said (paraphrasing): "You think raising daughters is going to be like ‘Little Women,’ but they are at each others’ throats constantly.</p>