“Give me some warning the next time we’re expecting Germans at Downton.”

Season two of popular British drama Downton Abbey picked up two years after the end of season one with our beloved Matthew in the middle of the Battle of the Somme, one of the bloodiest battles on French soil in the First World War. Of course, the beloved Matthew did not quiver in the face of German guns and was soon looking forward to his leave in which he had plans to indulge in the gastronomic delights of London (?) and head north to “a girl [he was] hoping to see.”

Cue a girlish smile breaking out over the faces of the romantics amongst the Downton audience. Had Matthew and Mary, in the two years between season one and two, reconciled after the awful advice from the aunt incident? Should we be worried that it seems slightly incestuous, but that we’re all rooting for it? No. In fact it seems nobody has spoken to anyone since the outbreak of war, so don’t worry, you’ve not missed anything important. Matthew, heir to the Downton estate, has made plans to marry some poor middle-class urchin from London without telling anyone but his mother. #downtonlogic

In the meantime the war has been taking its toll on the running of Downton. The Granthams are throwing a small concert in order to raise money for the local hospital and the new standoffish maid is thrown in at the deep end and does not appreciate being condescended to. As she herself insists she “was head housemaid in [her] last position” (actually she was the senior housemaid of two) and clearly has ideas above her station. I’m fairly certain this girl will come to a sticky end.

Meanwhile everyone is thinking about the effort de guerre. Lord Grantham no sooner bitterly laments that he is “not a proper soldier” than he sits down at the breakfast table to find a letter asking him to become colonel of the North Riding volunteers. As an old and podgy man he seems excited at the prospect of returning to the front. However, as it turns out the army just wanted someone important as a figurehead. #predictable

Sybil has been deeply affected by the death of “all the men [she] ever danced with” and is convinced by Cousin Isobel to take a place on an auxiliary nursing course. However, in order to do so she must learn to do things that she has always had done for her such as to make her own bed, boil an egg and fill the kettle. #memberofthe1%

William, the simple-minded footman, is holding off on enlisting because his father is afraid for his only living child. Simple Will is slightly irritated and is eager to receive a call-up. However, little does he know that the Dowager Countess (Professor McGonagall) has written to the war office to ask that he and Molesley (the butler of Crawley house) be excused on fabricated medical grounds, although Professor McGonagall tries to keep her hand quiet she does utter “God works in mysterious ways” when Molesley informs Isobel and Cora that he has been declared unfit for service. Someone has a high opinion of herself. Eventually Cousin Isobel calls Professor McGonagall out on this with the deep thought of “there can be no special cases, because every man at the front is a special case to someone.”

Branson, the Irish chauffer, ominously announces that he “will cross that bridge when [he comes] to it” when Lady Edith, whom he is teaching to drive, (a nod towards the emergence of women into traditional male roles during the First World War in Britain) suggests that the war will be putting him out of his current job. Is he a pacifist? A coward? An Irish Republican?

Thomas, the passive aggressive potential murderer, is the only member of the household currently at the front. If you recall last season he was also the only member of the household to join the medical corp in hopes of avoiding being called up. #predictable

Professor McGonagall arrives in time to help re-arrange the flowers for the concert being held to help raise money for the hospital. She is interrupted by Cousin Isobel arriving to discuss and explain Matthew’s engagement to Miss Lavinia Swire (the afore mentioned middle-class urchin.) In typical Downton fashion Matthew and Lavinia are to be introduced that evening at the concert, which happens to also be when Mary is to arrive back from London. #downtondrama

Lavinia and Mary come face to face at the concert and the anticipated cat fight doesn’t happen because this is Downton Abbey, not Save the Last Dance. However Mary and Matthew fans were slightly indulged in their hushed conversation at the dinner table:

“Mary: Did you miss us?
Matthew: What do you think?”

I think they are going to get together by the end of the season, especially after the heartfelt goodbye of unrequited love on the railway platform.

I think the railway platform merits the award for ‘cute moment of the episode’ – although Anna and Mr Bates almost had a close second with their engagement. However, Mrs Bates turning up and black mailing dear Bates into leaving Downton by threatening to go to the press with the story of Mary and the Turkish diplomat and their naughty antics ruined this. #scandalatdownton

Back on the front, bombs are going off and people are dying and Matthew runs into Thomas. They share water and a cigarette and “talk about the old days and forget about all of this for a minute.” Thomas subtly asks Matthew if he knows of anyway he could get a transfer back to the hospital at Downton, but shrugs, ignoring the implication behind the question and his answer, saying that Thomas would need to be sent home from the front. Then in ‘the most dramatic moment of the episode’ Thomas performs the desperate act of a homesick soldier who has seen enough suffering holding a lighter up over the trench and letting his hand be shot. One cannot entirely condemn Thomas, but one can still hate him.