Downton Abbey: The One with All the Plots

The Spanish Flu pandemic hit Downton in the most recent two hour episode, in which four hundred other things happened. I can't imagine the challenge of doing a full recap in which All The Plots are detailed, so I'll just give you a quick run down. I will undoubtedly miss at least ten things that happened, but here are some tidbits to relive:

    •  Cora getting the flu and almost dying
    •  Carson getting the flu, but not really almost dying
    •  O'Brien ALMOST confessing that she caused Cora's miscarriage last season (wow!!)
    •  Lord Grantham having a mid-life crisis and making a well-received pass at a MAID!
    •  Lord Grantham temporarily disowning his daughter for making a pass at the CHAUFFER!
    •  Lord Grantham potentially realizing he is a hypocrite and giving his blessing to Sybil, and also paying off his maid girlfriend when she leaves Downton
    •  Sybil running off in the middle of the night with her chauffer and getting cockblocked by Lady Mary and Lady "Thank God She Can Drive" Edith
    •  Anna convincing Bates to marry her
    •  Anna and Bates getting married
    •  Anna and Bates getting busy in a fancy Downton bedroom per Mary's direction (Go Mary!)
    •  Anna getting tearful (her lips wobble with sadness perfectly) when Bates gets carted off to the slammer for murdering his Evil Ex
    •  Ethel meeting her baby's Evil grandparents
    •  Ethel deciding that her baby's Evil grandparents can't be the boss of her
    •  Tom trying to make a business out of the blackmarket and getting pwned
    •  Someone bringing a gramophone into the house so Violet can get a few zingers in
    •  Lavinia tripping over a footstool, causing paralyzed Matthew to stand up out of his wheelchair to rescue her
    •  Lavinia getting the flu but recovering
    •  Lavinia spotting Mary and Matthew dancing to one of my favorite songs, "Look for the Silver Lining" while confessing their affection and first-kissing in 360 degrees
    •  Lavinia breaking it off with Matthew so he can get with his True Wuv
    •  Lavinia tragically taking a turn for the worse
    •  Lavinia DYING!, therefore paving the way for Mary and Matthew--
    •  Oh wait, Matthew now has unbearable guilt about Lavinia's death, so the M&M reunion tour is totally not happening.

Considering they worked All The Plots into this episode, they must have run out of steam. There are only two hours left in this amazing season, wrapped up by the famed Christmas episode. There will be nothing more on the roster till season 3 gets underway, with Shirley Maclaine joining up as Cora's mom, mainly to spar with Countess Violet. Can't wait.

In the meantime, if you missed the most recent episode and my giant list of spoilers hasn't put you off, check it out below.

Watch Downton Abbey, Season 2: Ep. 6 on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.