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.
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.
