Andorra

Welcome to the Downton Abbey Spoilers & Speculation Thread



Upstairs

The Crawley Family

The Right Honourable Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham - Hugh Bonneville - The Earl and the head of the Crawley family
The Right Honourable Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham - Elizabeth McGovern - The American wife of the Earl
Lady Mary Josephine Crawley - Michelle Dockery - Eldest daughter of the Earl
George Crawley - son of Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley
Lady Edith Crawley - Laura Carmichael - Middle daughter of the Earl
Tom Branson - Allen Leech - Lady Sybil's husband and now estate agent
Sybbie Branson - daughter of Lady Sybil and Tom Branson
The Right Honourable Violet Crawley, Countess of Grantham - Maggie Smith - Dowager Countess and the Earl's mother
Mrs Isobel Crawley - Penelope Wilton - Matthew's mother
Lady Rosamund Painswick - Samantha Bond - Sister of the Earl
Lady Rose MacClare - Lily James

Downstairs

The Staff

Charles Carson - Jim Carter - Butler
Elsie Hughes - Phyllis Logan - Housekeeper
John Bates - Brendan Coyle - Lord Grantham's valet
Thomas Barrow - Rob James-Collier - Footman, later Lord Grantham's valet
Joseph Molesley - Kevin Doyle - Footman
Anna Smith, later Anna Bates - Joanne Froggatt - Head housemaid
Beryl Patmore - Lesley Nicol - Cook
Daisy Robinson, later Daisy Mason - Sophie McShera - Kitchen maid
Jimmy Kent - Ed Speleers - Footman
Phyllis Baxter - Raquel Cassidy - Lady's Maid


Previous Thread

#11: Because we're already over halfway through the hiatus

Andorra

Spoiler about general storylines
- there's something sad happening in episode 1 and something dramatic (fire)
- fire in episode 1
- hunt in episode 1 or 2
- there's a wedding in Episode 2
- anniversary party in episode 1
- visit at another estate in either the CS or episode 8
- memorial ceremony in episode 8
- there's an undercover police officer in earlier episodes
- there will be a scene with a wireless
- there's snow in the CS
- Tim and Larry Grey will make an appearance
- Both Flintshires will be back as well as Rose's sister and brother in law (wedding?)
- there appears to be a funeral later in the series and only Tom, Mary and the downstairs character attended


Mary
- the destroying of the ticket will haunt her
- RJC said Mary will find love in series 5
- takes a more active role in the running of the estate
- is funnier and more relaxed than in previous episodes
- continues being mean to Edith
- two suitors are still there
- visits a hotel in Liverpool with Tony, is kissing him inside the hotel room and later kissed on the cheek by him in front of the hotel
- visits a prison in York at some point
- makes an impulsive decision
- spends time romantically with either suitor, Tony and Blake
- wears a wedding ring at the scenes in Alnwick
- doesn't wear a wedding ring in Liverpool when she's kissing Tony

Evelyn Napier
- is out of the race

Tony
- propositions Mary in the first episode
- goes on a hunt with Mary and Tom
- seems to be ahead in the race at the beginning
- filmed until July 12th
- Mabel Lane Fox makes an appearance in 5.7/5.8 or the CS

Blake
- urges Mary not to choose Tony because, as Charles puts it, Mary wouldn't be able to hide that she is cleverer than Tony is
- stopped filming Downton in June


Rose
- gets involved in the Russian-refugee project
- gets more mature and grows out of being just a party girl
- tries to play matchmaker for Tom and Sarah
- has a Beau about whom she is more serious than before
- wears a big Diamond on her finger in the scenes in Alnwick
- was missing at the Memorial ceremony


Edith
- Rosamund and Violet don't know that the child lives with the Drewes
- Tom will help and support her as much as he can
- will focus more on her work this series
- pays secret visits to Marigold
- accidently sets fire to Downton
- is depressed over her daughter living so near an being yet so far
- has her daughter on her lap in the Memorial ceremony in 5.8

Tom
- there's tension between him and some of the servants, not only Thomas, because they resent him for being where he is
- grows more and more into Sybil's role between the two sisters, develops a strong friendship with both and becomes their confidant
- he won't get much involved in the Russian refugee story, because he has political issues with it
- he gets challenged by Sarah Bunting to leave and make his own life
- he puts out the fire at Downton
- one of his storylines is about what kind of father he wants to be for his daughter
- is still friends with Sarah Bunting at the beginning of the series, but she wants it to be more romantic than he wants.
- says goodbye to her in 5.3 or 5.4
- gets his political passion back, but is more educated about it now and won't get back to being a radical
- is keen on finding love


Thomas
- Cora is mad at him, because Baxter will confide in her about her deep, dark secret but then Thomas does something to redeem himself in the eyesof the family
- he filmed in Alnwick
- The animosity between Thomas and Tom Branson continues
- There will be "bromance" between Thomas and Jimmy

Jimmy
- will probably get caught sleeping with Lady Anstruther in the first episode. We don't know by whom Robert??

Cora
- will flirt with Simon Bricker or he with her.

Robert
- unhappy with the nickname Sybbie has given him
- involved in the creation of a war memorial
- during the fire, walks in on two characters in a compromising position Do we know that it is Robert who finds those two??
- is not such an "idiot" like past series and will surprise Mary and Tom by embracing modern changes

Isobel
- is still courted by Lord Merton, but we don't know how serious things get. She doesn't seem to be married to him at the end of the series though.

Anna
- doesn't believe that Bates killed Green, because she doesn't even know that he knows it was him, but she wants to find out what happened.
- is more honest with Lady Mary this series than ever before
- distancing herself from Bates in the bedroom in 501
- struggling with Bates about whether or not to have a child
- is not at the Memorial ceremony
- has a scene in London where she is seen searching down a street

Mr Bates
- is inside a prison at one point, but in normal clothes
- he is at the memorial service


Daisy
- swept up in the political changes and wants to educate herself

Violet
- has a secret past with the Russian prince
- gets involved in the Russian refugee story together with Rose
- gets a new lady's maid (Sue Johnston)
- meddles in Isobel's love life
- has a scene with "choir children" in one of the earlier episodes (the wedding in 5.02?)

Carson
- becomes uncomfortable when the village asks him, not Robert, to chair a committee


Sarah
- doesn't understand Tom's feelings for the family. He tries to explain it to her
- confronts Robert at the anniversary dinner about the lives wasted in WWI, and then is chastised by Violet
- hopes for a more romantic relationship with Tom, but he doesn't want to
- seems to leave in Episode 3 or 4

Andorra

I had the newest spoilers from this article here:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jacelacob/do...26axxye#8n0aff

northboundtrain

Thanks for the new thread and spoilers!

I find MD's comments very interesting...

The two bolded parts, at first, seemed contradictory to me. Then I thought it over, and I think maybe what she's getting at is that while Mary doesn't want to make a final decision on a husband yet, in bouncing back and forth between Tony and Charles she may make other impulsive romantic decisions that lead to negative consequences for her and/or them

The weird thing is that Charles's speech seems to indicate that he has reason to believe she's about to become engaged to Tony. But if we're to take MD at her word, Mary's not getting engaged to anyone anytime soon.

All I can figure is that maybe Mary sleeps with Tony, and Charles gets some hint as to their closeness and assumes an engagement is official or forth-coming, possibly leading to Mary having to correct him (and maybe also to the "sex versus love" debate the TCA recaps mentioned).

MD saying Mary "could have dealt with it better" also makes me think one of her choices may end up hurting one or both of the suitors, even though that wasn't her intention.

HarshBench

I am getting very worried that Tom is going to leave. Seriously. He's hinted it. After killing Sybil to keep him there, they are going to send him off without finding love. Two seasons of just being out of place, hanging out with horrible women and being Mary's confidante and colleague, and that's it.

I will be seriously pissed if that's the case. Seriously. I can't think of a more depressing end for what was my favorite ship and characters....all sacrificed for the sake of this two- season "Where Do I Belong?" story.

Andorra

I'm not worried about Tom leaving at all. Allen has been so vocal about wanting to return for a 6th series, why should they have him leave?

He's the most popular young, male character on the show. He has a huge fanbase. He also is always ready to promote the show. Has there been one promotion event in the past months were Allen wasn't one of the cast members representing the show? I don't think so. Q&As, red carpet, online chats, magazines, Germany, Melbourne, LA, New Orleans and England, Allen is always there.

They're only spoiling the first part of the series in this article. They haven't seen more than the first episode. And we know in the middle of the series that's when the new storylines will start. Before that it is usually mainly giving closure to the old ones.

It won't be any different this year. This whole "Tom thinks about leaving" is intertwined with his relationship with Sarah Bunting. It is the closure to his whole identity crisis storyline from last year where he didn't knew where he truly belonged.

I bet when she will be leaving in Episode 3 or 4, Tom will come to a decision and for me the decision is absolutely clear: He will stay at Downton and make a life there.

And hopefully that will also be the point where he starts looking for a new love in his life.

puffball7

After reading that article I can understand why you might be a bit concerned. But I don't think we should be.
Firstly, I think AL finds it too enjoyable being on the show to want to leave and secondly, the makers would be completely off their rockers to write Tom's character out, he has a huge fanclub and they know it.

I tend to agree with Andorra on this, they do only tend to talk about stuff that spoils for the first half, we never know anything about the second half. So I think what is being referred to is Tom's state of mind at the beginning.

AL has said that Bunting keeps banging on about him being more than just a part of the house, which is true and I think he will realise he can be more and get back in touch with that side of himself, but he will also learn that it can be done whilst living at Downton and being a part of the family, there will be some kind of resolution.

Bunting doesn't understand his relationship with the family, her outlook is too balck and white, her attitude is: they're aristocracy, your not, equals, you can't possibly like them. But he does, and she can't wrap her head round this. AL says Tom tries to explain his feelings for them but she doesn't get it. Her attitude is that he can only make his own life if he gets the hell out. I think Tom will struggle with this for a bit but will ultimately realise he doesn't want to leave, he can still venture out into the world but Downton is his home. AL has also previously said that Tom himself would now accept that he belongs at the
Abbey. Bunting thinks he can only have a life if he leaves.

Bunting is like Tom used to be (minus the charm) but it wil be made clear that Tom can't go back, he's evolved.

Roswell Dream Girl

Thanks for the new thread!

NikNak

pio231

Evelyn Napier
- is out of the race

ajblondie17

I'm trying to hold onto my delusions a little longer, but it's getting harder and harder all the time. On one hand, they haven't *completely* denied a Mary/Evelyn pairing like they have Mary/Tom, but this is very opposite from the coy encouragement that was given when Mary/Matthew were uncertain.

HarshBench

Do we know that for a fact?

I mean, why did Mary mention him in the CS as being "out there somewhere" (supposedly hankering for her)? Maybe it was just to leave it open, IDK.

Andorra

Well, Michelle was asked about him and said: “Poor Evelyn,” said Dockery. “There’s not really much hope for Evelyn. I think it was always going to be that way with Evelyn though; it’s sort of the past now, for Mary.”

She has been asked in another interview, too and said pretty much the same. To me that sounds not very ambiguous, but actually very clear.

HarshBench

You're right. It sounds like the door is closed. I'm almost sorry they brought him back just as a plot device to introduce Blake. And portrayed him as STILL hung up on Mary after all this time when he is a total catch and should have moved on a long time ago. They should have let him leave with his dignity intact. I mean if they just needed him to bring Blake to the house? He still could have been happily married. They didn't need a THIRD guy to be panting after Mary?

northboundtrain

JF likes his character motifs, and Evelyn's seems to be "guy who brings guys to Downton that Mary likes more than him." When I watched the show, I saw Evelyn filling that function, because Mary didn't seem to be showing the interest in him that she showed in Tony and Charles. And most of the American reviews I read dismissed him as a serious contender by the end of the season (with talk of "friend-zones" and "going home without a rose").

It's absolutely true that Evelyn could have been married when he arrived -- that still would have allowed him to introduce Charles and be a friend to Mary. Maybe he'll guest star on S6 and we'll learn that he did finally find happiness with a woman who loves him and finds him more interesting than Mary does, in keeping with the hope he voiced way back in S1.