In the second to last episode of the season, many characters are standing on the precipice of personal growth and change. The question is: will they jump in?
In the penultimate episode of Downton Abbey’s fourth season, it seems like everyone is at a crossroads. I guess that’s what happens when you’re setting up for a season finale though, right?
For several characters, the choice that lies ahead will involve a serious step across that proverbial line the Downton crew has been toeing for years: the line that separates their cherished past from the uncertain future.
As the current season is unfolding, the characters of Downton show a new light with the women all the while growing stronger.
Mrs. Hughes is everyone’s savior. She is everyone’s mother, everyone’s friend, everyone’s confidante. As Downton Abbey’s guiding light, she provides both a sensible moral compass and a gentle, loving touch of friendship for characters in need.
Julian Fellowes wields his drama for serious reflection on the present-day issues of racism and sexual assault.
This week, Downton Abbey played out some familiar story lines, but the conflict between pomp and circumstance (tradition and reality) played out in a way that moved the story forward - a movement sometimes lacking in the Abbey.
Just when I thought that Fellowes was going to abandon the interracial dating story that he teased earlier in the season, cousin Rose throws the whole household into the deep end.