SPOILERS - Last night’s poignant episode of Downton Abbey reminded viewers of the horror of the First World War.

ATV today

Written by Rosemary Brighte

Monday, 17 October 2011 09:30

The First World War affected nearly every household in the country in someway and last night viewers of ITV’s Downton Abbey were reminded of that fact. It had escaped longer than most households considering the second series is already into 1917 - having fast-forwarded itself through the first years of the war to the criticism of some fans. Last night’s episode saw Captain Crawley (Dan Stevens) and former footman William (Thomas Howes) both fall victim to the war in different ways. William’s injuries killed him but not before he could marry his ‘sweetheart’ Daisy (Sophie McShera) who was rather reluctant to do so believing it to be dishonest. For a while it looked as though Daisy would confess to the dying William that she wasn’t in love with him at all and had only kept up the pretence of being so at the insistence of Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol) but thankfully she gave the dying William his last wish. In front of the other servants and the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) he married Daisy before dying shortly after. Matthew Crawly meanwhile was revealed to have been left paralysed by his injuries. Mary (Michelle Dockery) acted as nurse for him down at the village hospital perhaps cursing herself for not confessing her love for him before the war. Meanwhile his wife-to-be Lavinia (Zoe Boyle) promised to stay with him despite his objections - but the audience will doubtless be wondering if that will indeed be the case. If I have one criticism of the episode its the throwaway line about the death of the Tsar and his family in Russia - surely it deserved a bit more of a mention given its importance which even then would not have been lost on anyone? When Lady Mary wasn’t playing nurse to Matthew she was confessing her sins to Sir Richard Carlisle (Iain Glen) in the hope he could help her silence the vengeful Vera Bates (Maria Doyle Kennedy). Sir Richard’s help though came at a price - marriage. Foolish Mary though has now made sure he can effectively blackmail her or ruin if her she breaks their agreement. Sir Richard is no fool unlike Vera who blindly walked into his trap - something tells me this little stt back won’t stop her quest for ‘revenge’ against John Bates (Brendan Coyle) and Anna (Joanne Froggatt). Despite the moving storylines of Thomas’ death and Matthew’s injuries there was a little humour in the episode as ever provided by the wonderful Maggie Smith and her witty one-liners as the Dowager Countess - her scenes with the telephone were one such source of amusement. However, the humour was kept to a minimum, and quite rightfully, allowing the audience to connect easier to the over-riding sadness within last night’s episode. Upstairs and down the cost of the war was seen by all.