Downton Abbey (TV Series) Episode #2.6 (2011) User Reviews

A ghost comes back

[jpismyname · 7/10 · 21 December 2017]

Carson is offered by Sir Richard Carlisle to work for him and his fiancée Lady Mary in their would-be new home. A wounded soldier, whose face is unrecognizable because of scars, claims that he is Patrick Crawley. Edith believes him, but the others are suspicious. Is he the real deal or simply an impostor?

To be honest, I did not like the storyline of this "Patrick Crawley". It is far-fetched and unrealistic, I think.

But well, this is still a good episode. The ending is shocking.

Not Quite There

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 6 August 2020]

One of the main plot elements here is a badly disfigured man who claims to be the heir to Downton. Edith takes a shine to him (any man who will give her a sideways look). Meanwhile we have the appearance of Ethel, this time with a child, sired by that jerk who was in the hospital. Lord Grantham is starting to feel under-appreciated and has eyes for a pretty new maid. Sibyl and Branson are beginning to make serious plans.

Guess who's returning to Downton.

[mark.waltz · 10/10 · 6 February 2020]

Imposter or the real deal? Will the family believe or not believe? A wounded and badly scarred officer convaleses at the Abbey engages Edith in a conversation and claims to be Patrick Crawley, the supposedly late heir to Downton Abbey and one time fiancee to Mary. Supposedly having drowned on the Titanic, he claims to have been suffering from amnesia and only regained his memory recently. Edith believes it to be true, having once loved him, but then again, what man has Edith not loved? Mary is cruel to Edith simply for believing Patrick's words, and that explains the long building animosity between the sisters, a bit of one sided verbal abuse. Meanwhile, Richard offers Carson a job as butler as a way of pushing Mary towards accepting his marriage proposal. With the war announced to be ending, new challenges will face the family, as long as Ladies Violet and Cora can find Isabel something else to do as they strive to end the hospice.

Robert finds herself becoming friendly with a new maid which could lead to all sorts of trouble. The Bates saga continues with the announcement that Vera is dropping her divorce dispute, simply to be vicious and keep him and Anna from finding happiness. This sets O'Brien's scheming nature in motion and the shocking conclusion will bring on more drama that will be felt into the next season. Livinia returns at Richard's urging and is determined to get Matthew to reconsider breaking up. The celebrating of the war ending has several repurcussions with Richard revealing himself to be rather tyrannical in his intentions and Edith once again heartbroken over yet another disappointment in her battle against her uppity older sister who obviously has resentments for not being the only child.

Somebody comes Back????

[moviesfilmsreviewsinc · 10/10 · 14 May 2022]

The end of World War I should bring peace and normalcy back to the residents of Downton, but the Lord of the manor Robert Crawley struggles to find logic in all the change and senseless loss, while his daughter Lady Sybil is determined that her life will never go back to the empty and unproductive existence of a debutant. An interesting development in Matthew's health changes his prospects in many eyes, and a fatal sickness will level the playing field for Lady Mary. In this packed two hour episode, some older plot lines were resolved and new ones introduced. Screenwriter Julian Fellowes certainly pulled out all the melodramatic stops. As emotions ran from regret, guilt, anger, envy, grief, desire and fear, I wondered what else could possibly have been squeezed into this once classy and well-written corset drama that has now slipped into "so middle-class" territory as granny would say. Granted, all this highly charged, multiple plot line, melodramatic tosh is intensely entertaining, but I am seriously craving a return to the more sophisticated narrative and character development of season one. I am most disappointed in the trite and sappy character that poor actor Dan Stevens is trying to add some dignity to. Some of the things that come out of Matthew Crawley's mouth are so, so, silly, that I am embarrassed for him. We were impressed, however, that O'Brien's bangs and Lady Mary's eyebrows suffered no harm during this week's series of incredibly wild events. 1919 sees the last of the recovering officers depart Downton, the house is reverted to its former state - but not so its residents. The future looms large for a lost and melancholy Robert, an uneasy Bates, a determined Sybil, a cunning, ambitious Thomas and a desperate Ethel. A stunning revelation deeply affects Robert and Cora and incites Richard to tighten his grip on Mary. But Mary has accepted her fate with detachment. Violet, however, will do no such thing, and even Carson reaches his limit. Sybil discovers unlikely, however unenthusiastic, allies. A wedding is planned but fate cruelly intervenes. In its wake lay guilt, grief and, among the servants, fresh horrors.

Soapy Filler Episode

[TheFearmakers · 6/10 · 20 May 2022]

Baby born out of wedlock. Crippled for life, with no sex. And last but not least in the soap operatic book of tropes, amnesia. Connected to a reportedly dead person returning to change everything, no less. Basically this show is wallowing in side-characters. Like the maid we barely got to know before having that baby. Still, the good stories, the mainline, rolls on. Just not strongly enough in this particular episode.

Anastasia and the Entail

[skinnybert · 6/10 · 10 August 2023]

Agree with other reviewers' assessment of this as filler, or soap-opera -- which season two has largely been, though often rising above. With The Gordon character, we find ourselves wandering off into Anastasia territory -- which feels like a sidetrack. And it is: though nicely done, it feels like a bit of a cheat. However, it's also a true angle on the fragility of the primogeniture system which has been this series' driving plot from episode 1.

Speaking of plot, pursuing the Ethel line is important but seems outside the scope of this series ... however, there is a nice contrast presented with the war widow who replaces her position.

A rather silly episode

[ThePunatic · 4/10 · 18 July 2015]

Only recently acquired the DVDs of this show and was looking forward to it after hearing plenty of positive reviews. A bit surprised to find then that Downton Abbey often flirts with soap opera territory, especially so far in season two. This particular episode is where the flirting ends and soap opera-hood is embraced wholeheartedly.

Really disappointed, but they tell me that the show returns to its Season One territory soon, especially with the Christmas Special at the end of this season. Will plod on, but a bit more warily, and certainly with less expectations now...

Adding a few lines, since apparently I need at least ten to submit a valid review. I can see what the show-runners have been going through with this season. I can see it is quite a task to come up with content. But then.. I don't have the backdrop of the Great War to work with, and I daresay the show-runners simply don't care that they have descended into some hackneyed stuff.