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{{infobox episode |
{{infobox episode |
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| − | | name = |
+ | | name = The London Season |
| series = 4 |
| series = 4 |
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| number = 9 |
| number = 9 |
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| Line 8: | Line 7: | ||
| airdate = 25th December 2013 |
| airdate = 25th December 2013 |
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| writer = [[Julian Fellowes]] |
| writer = [[Julian Fellowes]] |
||
| − | | director = |
+ | | director = [[Jon East]] |
| previous = [[Episode 4.08]] |
| previous = [[Episode 4.08]] |
||
| next = [[Episode 5.01]]}} |
| next = [[Episode 5.01]]}} |
||
| − | '''2013 Christmas Special''', also known as '''The London Season''', is the feature length Christmas special episode of [[Downton Abbey (programme)|Downton Abbey]] that ends [[Series 4|series four]]. It first aired on December 25th, 2013 on [[ITV]] in the UK. |
+ | The '''2013 Christmas Special''', also known as '''''The London Season''''', is the feature length Christmas special episode of [[Downton Abbey (programme)|Downton Abbey]] that ends [[Series 4|series four]]. It first aired on December 25th, 2013 on [[ITV]] in the UK. It aired as part 8 on Sunday February 23, 2014 in the US on most [[PBS]] stations. |
== Production == |
== Production == |
||
| Line 17: | Line 16: | ||
== Synopsis == |
== Synopsis == |
||
| − | + | '''Late Summer of 1923 '''- [[Rose MacClare|Rose]]'s [[wikipedia:debutante|coming out]] ball is at [[Grantham House]] after she is presented at [[Buckingham Palace]], with [[Cora Crawley|Cora]]'s mother [[Martha Levinson|Martha]] and brother [[Harold Levinson|Harold]] in attendance. Martha has expressed a desire to, in Robert's words, "see another [[London]] season before she dies".<ref>[[Episode 4.08]]</ref> Lord Gillingham and Mr Blake also attend the ball, still chasing Mary, and mutually antagonistic towards each other. |
|
The [[Crawley family]] is implicated in a scandal threatening to engulf the royal family, and [[Robert]] must go to great lengths to protect his family and the monarchy. [[Edith Crawley|Edith]] is struggling with a moral dilemma of her own, while [[Isobel Crawley|Isobel]] has attracted an [[Lord Merton|admirer]]. [[Daisy Mason|Daisy]] receives an unexpected invitation, while [[Charles Carson|Carson]] treats the staff to a day out at the beach.<ref>[http://shows.stv.tv/downton-abbey/latest/251480-downton-abbey-christmas-episode-details-revealed/ Downton Abbey Christmas episode details revealed] STV, [http://shows.stv.tv/ stv shows], 4th December, 2013.</ref> |
The [[Crawley family]] is implicated in a scandal threatening to engulf the royal family, and [[Robert]] must go to great lengths to protect his family and the monarchy. [[Edith Crawley|Edith]] is struggling with a moral dilemma of her own, while [[Isobel Crawley|Isobel]] has attracted an [[Lord Merton|admirer]]. [[Daisy Mason|Daisy]] receives an unexpected invitation, while [[Charles Carson|Carson]] treats the staff to a day out at the beach.<ref>[http://shows.stv.tv/downton-abbey/latest/251480-downton-abbey-christmas-episode-details-revealed/ Downton Abbey Christmas episode details revealed] STV, [http://shows.stv.tv/ stv shows], 4th December, 2013.</ref> |
||
== Plot == |
== Plot == |
||
| + | '''Late''' '''Summer of 1923 '''- "The American Contingency" - namely [[Martha Levinson|Martha]] and [[Harold Levinson]] - arrive earlier than expected to [[Grantham House]], and [[Cora Crawley|Cora]] misses their arrival. Martha has expressed a desire to, in Robert's words, "see another [[London]] season before she dies." Harold expresses how uncomfortable he feels in England. He has "never seen the need to leave his country." |
||
| − | {{Sectionstub}} |
||
| + | |||
| + | [[Terence Sampson]] returns unexpectedly to the show. Following his underhanded ways of before, at a party, Rose's indiscretion leads to his stealing a love letter sent from the Prince of Wales to [[Freda Dudley Ward]], the Prince's mistress. When he learns of it, the Earl mobilises the family to get it back, and prevent a scandal; he enlists the help of Bates, who uses his forging skills to get Mary into Sampson's flat. To retrieve the letter, Lady [[Mary Crawley|Mary]], Rose and [[Charles Blake]] break into Sampson's flat, but do not recover anything. Later Bates steals the letter out of Terrence Sampson's coat pocket, and the danger is averted. |
||
| + | |||
| + | [[Elsie Hughes|Mrs Hughes]] finds a train ticket for [[York]] to London for the day [[Green]] died in [[John Bates]]' coat pocket, prompting her to question his innocence in Green's death; she tells Mary, and they agree to keep quiet, but later Mary has an attack of conscience and thinks she should reveal it. Only when Bates picks Sampson's pocket as he is leaving, and retrieves the letter and again shows his loyalty to the [[Crawley family]], does she relent and burn the ticket. |
||
| + | |||
| + | The tension continues between Mary's suitors. Mary shares her time going on separate dates with each one. At the ball to celebrate Rose's [[wikipedia:debutante|coming out]], Mary is startled to learn from Gillingham that the egalitarian Mr Blake is actually in line to inherit a huge estate from a cousin, so he is more suitable for her than she thought. |
||
| + | |||
| + | The Crawleys host a ball in Grantham House: unexpectedly, the Prince arrives and opens the ball dancing with Rose. She becomes the "darling" of London society. |
||
| + | |||
| + | As a reward for all their hard work, Cora asks [[Charles Carson|Mr Carson]] to organise a day out for the staff. After originally thinking of ideas such as museum visits, Mrs Hughes encourages him to think of a seaside trip. The two of them hold hands and paddle in the sea. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Harold grows closer to one of Rose's friends, [[Madeleine Allsopp]]. She is told to pursue him by her father, [[William Allsopp|Lord Asgarth]], as Harold is very rich. After getting to know each other better, Madeleine encourages Harold to have a better opinion of himself. Despite Harold saying that he generally only socialises with girls who expect nothing from him except a diamond bracelet at the end of the relationship, she tells him he would make a good husband, and they arrange to keep in touch by letter. |
||
| + | |||
| + | [[Branson]] gets himself in a pickle when [[Sarah Bunting]] asks to be shown around the Abbey and Thomas catches them hanging around near the upstairs bedrooms, as they overlook the gallery below. Upon arriving in London, Thomas makes the Earl aware of the 'suspicious' incident. |
||
| + | |||
| + | [[Lord Merton]] shows his emotions for [[Isobel Crawley]], and [[Daisy Mason]] is admired by Harold's valet, [[Ethan Slade]]. [[Martha]] is also admired by Lord Asgarth. Lord Asgarth is simply interested in Martha's money, and she turns down his hasty proposal, saying that she has no desire to be married, but will invite him to her home and also invite some of her rich friends - ones who desire to be married to a titled Englishman. [[Thomas Barrow]] still tries to pump [[Phyllis Baxter]] for scandal, but she resists, helped by [[Joseph Molesley]]'s support. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Lady [[Edith Crawley|Edith]] has had her baby, [[Marigold]], in Switzerland and returned home, but regrets leaving her there. She ignores Lady [[Rosamund Painswick|Rosamund]]'s protestations and decides to leave her with a farmer in England, [[Timothy Drewe]]. |
||
== Behind the scenes == |
== Behind the scenes == |
||
| − | Filming for the episode took place in various locations in [[London]] and the south of England. This includes [[Lancaster House]], which was used to depict the interiors of [[Buckingham Palace]] when Cora presents Lady Rose to The King and Queen; [[Goldsmith’s College]]; the beach at West Wittering in Sussex; and [[Basildon Park]] in Berkshire, which was used for the interiors of the [[Crawley family]]'s previously unseen London residence, [[Grantham House]].<ref>[http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/downton-abbey-christmas-video Downton Abbey at Christmas (video)], [http://www.itv.com/presscentre ITV Press Center], 7th December, 2013.</ref> |
+ | Filming for the episode took place in various locations in [[London]] and the south of England. This includes [[Lancaster House]], which was used to depict the interiors of [[Buckingham Palace]] when Cora presents Lady Rose to The King and Queen; [[Goldsmith’s College]]; the picture gallery in Royal Holloway College's Founders building; the beach at West Wittering in Sussex; and [[Basildon Park]] in Berkshire, which was used for the interiors of the [[Crawley family]]'s previously unseen London residence, [[Grantham House]].<ref>[http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/downton-abbey-christmas-video Downton Abbey at Christmas (video)], [http://www.itv.com/presscentre ITV Press Center], 7th December, 2013.</ref> |
== Cast List == |
== Cast List == |
||
{{Col-begin}}{{Col-2}} |
{{Col-begin}}{{Col-2}} |
||
*[[Michael Benz]] as [[Ethan Slade]] |
*[[Michael Benz]] as [[Ethan Slade]] |
||
| − | *[[Samantha Bond]] as [[ |
+ | *[[Samantha Bond]] as [[Rosamund Painswick]] |
*[[Hugh Bonneville]] as [[Robert Crawley]] |
*[[Hugh Bonneville]] as [[Robert Crawley]] |
||
| + | *[[Alastair Bruce]] as [[Lord Chamberlain]] |
||
*[[Laura Carmichael]] as [[Edith Crawley]] |
*[[Laura Carmichael]] as [[Edith Crawley]] |
||
*[[Jim Carter]] as [[Charles Carson]] |
*[[Jim Carter]] as [[Charles Carson]] |
||
*[[Brendan Coyle]] as [[John Bates]] |
*[[Brendan Coyle]] as [[John Bates]] |
||
| − | *[[Tom Cullen]] as [[Anthony Foyle |
+ | *[[Tom Cullen]] as [[Anthony Foyle]] |
*[[Oliver Dimsdale]] as [[Prince of Wales|Edward, Prince of Wales]] |
*[[Oliver Dimsdale]] as [[Prince of Wales|Edward, Prince of Wales]] |
||
*[[Michelle Dockery]] as [[Mary Crawley]] |
*[[Michelle Dockery]] as [[Mary Crawley]] |
||
| − | *[[Poppy Drayton]] as [[ |
+ | *[[Poppy Drayton]] as [[Madeleine Allsopp]] |
| − | *[[James Fox]] as [[Lord Aysgarth]] |
+ | *[[James Fox]] as [[William Allsopp|Lord Aysgarth]] |
*[[Joanne Froggatt]] as [[Anna Bates]] |
*[[Joanne Froggatt]] as [[Anna Bates]] |
||
*[[Paul Giamatti]] as [[Harold Levinson]] |
*[[Paul Giamatti]] as [[Harold Levinson]] |
||
| Line 45: | Line 63: | ||
*[[Rob James-Collier]] as [[Thomas Barrow]] |
*[[Rob James-Collier]] as [[Thomas Barrow]] |
||
*[[Patrick Kennedy]] as [[Terence Sampson]] |
*[[Patrick Kennedy]] as [[Terence Sampson]] |
||
| − | *[[ |
+ | *[[Pete Lee-Wilson]] as a [[Porter]] |
{{Col-2}} |
{{Col-2}} |
||
| + | *[[Allen Leech]] as [[Tom Branson]] |
||
*[[Daisy Lewis]] as [[Sarah Bunting]] |
*[[Daisy Lewis]] as [[Sarah Bunting]] |
||
*[[Shirley MacLaine]] as [[Martha Levinson]] |
*[[Shirley MacLaine]] as [[Martha Levinson]] |
||
| + | *[[Henry McCook]] as [[Lady Rose's Friend]] |
||
*[[Elizabeth McGovern]] as [[Cora Crawley]] |
*[[Elizabeth McGovern]] as [[Cora Crawley]] |
||
*[[Sophie McShera]] as [[Daisy Mason]] |
*[[Sophie McShera]] as [[Daisy Mason]] |
||
| Line 54: | Line 74: | ||
*[[Lesley Nicol]] as [[Beryl Patmore]] |
*[[Lesley Nicol]] as [[Beryl Patmore]] |
||
*[[Julian Ovenden]] as [[Charles Blake]] |
*[[Julian Ovenden]] as [[Charles Blake]] |
||
| − | *[[Scott Plumridge]] as a |
+ | *[[Scott Plumridge]] as a [[Waiter]] |
*[[Douglas Reith]] as [[Lord Merton]] |
*[[Douglas Reith]] as [[Lord Merton]] |
||
*[[Andrew Scarborough]] as [[Timothy Drewe]] |
*[[Andrew Scarborough]] as [[Timothy Drewe]] |
||
*[[Maggie Smith]] as [[Violet Crawley]] |
*[[Maggie Smith]] as [[Violet Crawley]] |
||
*[[Ed Speleers]] as [[James Kent]] |
*[[Ed Speleers]] as [[James Kent]] |
||
| − | *[[Cara Theobold]] as [[Ivy Stuart]] |
+ | *[[Cara Theobold]] as [[Ivy Stuart]] |
*[[Guy Williams]] as [[King George V]] |
*[[Guy Williams]] as [[King George V]] |
||
*[[Penelope Wilton]] as [[Isobel Crawley]] |
*[[Penelope Wilton]] as [[Isobel Crawley]] |
||
Revision as of 02:39, 30 March 2018
The 2013 Christmas Special, also known as The London Season, is the feature length Christmas special episode of Downton Abbey that ends series four. It first aired on December 25th, 2013 on ITV in the UK. It aired as part 8 on Sunday February 23, 2014 in the US on most PBS stations.
Production
Joining the main cast will be Shirley MacLaine who will reprise her role as Martha Levinson and Paul Giamatti who will be playing Harold Levinson.[1]
Synopsis
Late Summer of 1923 - Rose's coming out ball is at Grantham House after she is presented at Buckingham Palace, with Cora's mother Martha and brother Harold in attendance. Martha has expressed a desire to, in Robert's words, "see another London season before she dies".[2] Lord Gillingham and Mr Blake also attend the ball, still chasing Mary, and mutually antagonistic towards each other.
The Crawley family is implicated in a scandal threatening to engulf the royal family, and Robert must go to great lengths to protect his family and the monarchy. Edith is struggling with a moral dilemma of her own, while Isobel has attracted an admirer. Daisy receives an unexpected invitation, while Carson treats the staff to a day out at the beach.[3]
Plot
Late Summer of 1923 - "The American Contingency" - namely Martha and Harold Levinson - arrive earlier than expected to Grantham House, and Cora misses their arrival. Martha has expressed a desire to, in Robert's words, "see another London season before she dies." Harold expresses how uncomfortable he feels in England. He has "never seen the need to leave his country."
Terence Sampson returns unexpectedly to the show. Following his underhanded ways of before, at a party, Rose's indiscretion leads to his stealing a love letter sent from the Prince of Wales to Freda Dudley Ward, the Prince's mistress. When he learns of it, the Earl mobilises the family to get it back, and prevent a scandal; he enlists the help of Bates, who uses his forging skills to get Mary into Sampson's flat. To retrieve the letter, Lady Mary, Rose and Charles Blake break into Sampson's flat, but do not recover anything. Later Bates steals the letter out of Terrence Sampson's coat pocket, and the danger is averted.
Mrs Hughes finds a train ticket for York to London for the day Green died in John Bates' coat pocket, prompting her to question his innocence in Green's death; she tells Mary, and they agree to keep quiet, but later Mary has an attack of conscience and thinks she should reveal it. Only when Bates picks Sampson's pocket as he is leaving, and retrieves the letter and again shows his loyalty to the Crawley family, does she relent and burn the ticket.
The tension continues between Mary's suitors. Mary shares her time going on separate dates with each one. At the ball to celebrate Rose's coming out, Mary is startled to learn from Gillingham that the egalitarian Mr Blake is actually in line to inherit a huge estate from a cousin, so he is more suitable for her than she thought.
The Crawleys host a ball in Grantham House: unexpectedly, the Prince arrives and opens the ball dancing with Rose. She becomes the "darling" of London society.
As a reward for all their hard work, Cora asks Mr Carson to organise a day out for the staff. After originally thinking of ideas such as museum visits, Mrs Hughes encourages him to think of a seaside trip. The two of them hold hands and paddle in the sea.
Harold grows closer to one of Rose's friends, Madeleine Allsopp. She is told to pursue him by her father, Lord Asgarth, as Harold is very rich. After getting to know each other better, Madeleine encourages Harold to have a better opinion of himself. Despite Harold saying that he generally only socialises with girls who expect nothing from him except a diamond bracelet at the end of the relationship, she tells him he would make a good husband, and they arrange to keep in touch by letter.
Branson gets himself in a pickle when Sarah Bunting asks to be shown around the Abbey and Thomas catches them hanging around near the upstairs bedrooms, as they overlook the gallery below. Upon arriving in London, Thomas makes the Earl aware of the 'suspicious' incident.
Lord Merton shows his emotions for Isobel Crawley, and Daisy Mason is admired by Harold's valet, Ethan Slade. Martha is also admired by Lord Asgarth. Lord Asgarth is simply interested in Martha's money, and she turns down his hasty proposal, saying that she has no desire to be married, but will invite him to her home and also invite some of her rich friends - ones who desire to be married to a titled Englishman. Thomas Barrow still tries to pump Phyllis Baxter for scandal, but she resists, helped by Joseph Molesley's support.
Lady Edith has had her baby, Marigold, in Switzerland and returned home, but regrets leaving her there. She ignores Lady Rosamund's protestations and decides to leave her with a farmer in England, Timothy Drewe.
Behind the scenes
Filming for the episode took place in various locations in London and the south of England. This includes Lancaster House, which was used to depict the interiors of Buckingham Palace when Cora presents Lady Rose to The King and Queen; Goldsmith’s College; the picture gallery in Royal Holloway College's Founders building; the beach at West Wittering in Sussex; and Basildon Park in Berkshire, which was used for the interiors of the Crawley family's previously unseen London residence, Grantham House.[4]
Cast List
References
- ↑ Downton Abbey Exclusive: Paul Giamatti Joins Season 4 Cast as Cora's Brother, Michael Ausiello, TV Line, 24th June, 2013.
- ↑ Episode 4.08
- ↑ Downton Abbey Christmas episode details revealed STV, stv shows, 4th December, 2013.
- ↑ Downton Abbey at Christmas (video), ITV Press Center, 7th December, 2013.