DOWNTON ABBEY'S 2012 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL - A SHOCKINGLY BITTERSWEET, YET THOROUGHLY ENTERTAINING EPISODE TO KEEP US ENGAGED FOR NEXT SEASON

WARNING: FULL OF SPOILERS. KEEP OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED SEASON 3 AND ARE PLANNING TO.

Worldwide success "Downton Abbey" (written and created by Julian Fellowes) has now come to its definite end for the time being. We won't be seeing more of the Crawleys until well into 2013, and we'll yearn to know what's going to happen next - as it always is.

But there's been a twist to the whole thing: after two seasons of us wondering how the heck would the entail end up, we're now wondering how the characters will deal with the deaths of such and such and who will possibly die next.

It's given that the Crawley-Grantham aristocrats, and their downstairs staff of course, can never be quiet - trouble is always making its way through the apparently peaceful, idyllic lifestyle they carry. And of course this must happen, for what would be interesting in seeing aristocracy boast a perfectly tranquil, flamboyant life with no drama at all? Of course, nothing whatsoever. Once the entail affair was settled, how could writers keep drama going? They could either make the family undergo a financial crack, kill some characters (in tune with actors wanting to leave), involve them in varied scandals or introduce hungry vampires and werewolves and zombies. Given that the last option would be going too far, all of the previous ones could prove useful.

During the main bundle of episodes, we saw feisty, lovely Sybil give birth after difficult labouring and enjoy perfect happiness with her beloved Branson (Should I say "Her beloved chauffeur"?) But her happiness wouldn't last long, as Julian Fellowes (possibly out of an agreement with actress Jessica Brown-Findlay) decided lady Sibyl had to leave the castle and head to the place of no return. And what a shocking death it was! How powerfully portrayed!

It seems that's what we'll have to get used to for the next season as well.

The Christmas Episode itself

The highly anticipated Christmas episode, broadcast in the UK on 25 December, was advertised everywhere as "the Crawleys' holiday to Scottish Highlands." A-mazing, isn’t it? Where, and how, did aristocrats spend their well-deserved holi-days? Following Victorian fashion, Scotland was the perfect destination. So, one year after the end of season 3, up went the Crawleys and their personal maids and valets to spend some days at Duneagle Castle, set in an awe-inspiring Scottish glen, home to the Crawleys’ cousins and niece. Mary, pregnant. The rest, perfectly fine thank you very much. Could this idyll of unbreakable rest start to crack? Could trouble come up in the midst of heather, when all you do is hunt deer and fish and dance? Of course, in Downton there’s always room for trouble. And trouble has now divided in two different settings, ie it has been multiplied by two.

As the episode unfolds, we see Marquess Hugh MacClare of Flintshire (Shrimpie, when among friends) and his daughter Rose (previously seen as a naughty, scandalous brat) deal with tradition-tied Susan MacClare, Marchioness of Flintshire. Their family is undergoing serious trouble, as she – much like her aunt Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – cannot stand status quo being altered and her daughter wearing deep-cleavage dresses and smoking in public.

Meanwhile, 8-month pregnant Mary’s baby threatens to be born at any minute – when she gets down the train, when she takes a stroll here and there, and when she takes a chance at dancing during a ball organised by the MacClares. Not that the dancing involves a wild, rave-like choreography, but well… Stuff happens, and finally Mary has to leave for Downton again – baby Crawley MUST be English.

Meanwhile, at Highclere Castle Downton Abbey, ex-Chauffeur Tom Branson has been left behind, uninvited by the MacClares. He will spend some time with his former fellow-employees, now servants. New maid Edna Braithwaite (played by MyAnna Buring – that thing about vampires I mentioned, you see?) will unsuccessfully try to climb her way up the social pyramid by making advances towards Branson. Mrs Patmore will partially become the frolicker she energetically claimed not to be. Thomas will try to be as close to Jimmy as possible, in the way showing that homosexuals needn’t be pussies. Mr Carson is as stiff and kind as ever, with Mrs Hughes softening his stiffness while adhering to his kindness.

All of this seems rather dull and slow to tell, and in fact it may turn so for a 90-minute episode. But given that I’m already used to slow-paced fiction, that’s of no consequence.

All this dullness is stirred up right at the end of the chapter. The Crawleys and Granthams are back at Downton and Mary has given birth to a healthy boy. She’s only tired. That baby seems to be a barking dog, as his birth has been completely successful. Matthew feels absolute joy, ‘like he has eaten a box of fireworks. Meanwhile, at the Abbey, Robert, Cora and Violet reflect on how strange life is. We see Matthew driving home after leaving Mary in hospital, and we see a vintage, small truck coming opposite Matthew’s car. The people at home discuss the ups and downs of life. We are shown the body of Matthew, pressed beneath his car. Mary is ignorantly happy with her little Crawley. We can see Matthew’s face with blood flowing from his ear. He’s dead. SuperMatthew, him who overcame war, him who stood up after spending time on a wheelchair and feared being impotent, comes to die in a bloody silly car accident.

That’s all very dramatic, and I cannot say I didn’t shed a tear for him and all the rest. But after it had all ended, I was left with these reflections: “How’s it going to go on? Isn’t Matthew a key character? Besides, he’s one of the most interesting ones! There’s a real challenge now for Fellowes as a writer. It won’t be the same without Matthew.”

Dan Stevens discusses leaving Downton Abbey

"We were always optioned for three years, and when that came up it was a very difficult decision. But it felt like a good time to take stock, to take a moment. From a personal point of view, I wanted a chance to do other things." "It is a very monopolising job. So there is a strange sense of liberation at the same time as great sadness because I am very, very fond of the show and always will be." (On Matthew and Mary)"After everything we have been through it will be sad not to see the relationship continue." "On the other hand, I won’t be sorry to see the back of that dining room. It may have held some of the key plot points, but it is just a nightmare to shoot in. There are so many angles and edits and it gets very airless and stuffy – and it is blacked out so even at 10 in the morning we are in the dark."

What should we expect?

Nevertheless, the main reflection that came through my mind, and actually took residence there, was “Who’s next?” Together with rumours of Dan Stevens (actor playing Matthew Crawley) wanting to end his participation in the series, there have been those claiming that some other actors wanted to leave as well, particularly Dame Maggie Smith (portraying witty, fan-favourite Dowager Countess Violet.)

With the evidence we have, we can really expect some more characters to die: Does the actor want to leave? Well, his character might well prepare to end his days in the graveyard. It’s the most basic, yet most effective, way of ending characters.

And, 2+2, Countess Violet might well have her days counted. Will next season be the last one for her? Possibly. Do fans want it to be so? Absolutely not. And if it happens, the season (now it’s me giving an opinion) should be the last one. Why? Simply put, the show’s main attractions are Countess Violet and her hilarious reactions and comments. The challenge of replacing her will be simply too hard to be successfully overcome. Mind you, I also think that replacing Stevens and his character will be tricky. But given that a new season’s been confirmed, I can’t think season 3 should be the last one – and I will be watching season 4, even if I think killing (key) characters is horrid.

So, the Dowager Countess might be seeing the last sunbeams of her life next season. But what about the rest? How will Mary react to Matthew’s death? How will she bring up her son? WHO ON EARTH will be her suitor now? For that’s an interesting new plot line. Will she have new men come to court her? Will she fall in love with her in-law Tom Branson? Well, it’s Downton and anything could happen…

What will happen to Mrs Isobel Crawley now? Well, she’s more or less settled… But will she be able to bear this? Who knows? Maybe Penelope Wilton wants to leave the project too…

As for the rest, I think they’ll manage without him. And apparently we’ll have to manage as well.

In the meantime, while we wait, we can re-watch the seasons gone and/or take a look at Facebook Abbey, the role-play game on that social network (piece of advice: King Thomas Barrow is the best.)

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Drunk Molesley dancing

Matthew's dumbo valet mistakenly gets drunk and starts dancing a jig with hilariously energetic moves.

Insufferable bagpiping

The MacClares' castle features a human clock: a bagpiper who announces the time to wake up, to eat and to go to bed by playing annoyingly loud, yet delightful Scottish tunes on his bagpipe much to the distress of the Downton people.

Mrs Patmore frolicking at the fair

Mrs Patmore visits the fair and, not caring she's forty- or fifty-something, she engages in merry-go-round rides and the like.

Mary cradling her baby

A tender, deeply moving scene in which Mary shares motherly intimacy with little Crawley and gets to know her baby and observe him all. Great scene.

Matthew’s death

Heartbarking and shocking, a scene that adds "bitter" to the previous scene's "sweet."