Downton Abbey Predictions

Last night was the season finale of Downton Abbey. And I am a fan of the show. Sometimes it verges on soap opera, but I’m so fully vested in the characters I don’t care. At least, not much.

Earlier in the week, I’d thought through the plot threads, wondering what kind of cliff hanger the writers might chose to end the season with. But instead of leaving a character in the lurch, the writers gave almost everyone a happy ending. Mary has her desire of suitors. Mrs. Crawley has her lord. Edith has her baby nearby, though this bodes oh-so-badly. (How long before Thomas figures that one out?) The Dowager Countess has Mrs. Levinson leaving. Lady Rose (my least favorite character) had a lovely coming out and seems to have grown up a little—punishing Mama is not a great life plan. Mr. Bates seems to have gotten away with murder. (Good for him.) Baxter stood up to Thomas (You go, girl!) and has an admirer in Mosley. And Mrs. Hughes and Carson held hands.

It was a lovely ending to the season and no real cliffhanger, though Tom is in a bit of a bind with the school teacher. And we the viewers are left with a happy ending. We get to imagine that everyone is happy at least until next January when things begin to unravel...because without conflict, there is no story.

So here are my predictions for next season.

1. Mary will continue to lead her suitors down the primrose path. Don’t look for her to marry anyone soon.

2. Things will progress between Baxter and Mosely (at least for a while). They bring out the best in each other. And Mosely was getting a bit whiney and grating.

3. Mrs. Crawley will not marry her lord because marriage would take her from her grandbaby, her last remaining tie to Matthew.

4. Someone will figure out that the new baby at the cottage looks remarkably like Edith. And sooner or later, Thomas will hear of it and the knowledge will allow him to keep his job when they try to fire him.

5. Carson and Mrs. Hughes will continue to love each other, and drive each other crazy, just like a real brother and sister.

So these are my predictions, and I really hope they’re wrong. I love being surprised.