‘Downton Abbey’: Where we left off

Beloved British TV show Downton Abbey pulled off the ultimate “six seasons and a movie” when it ran for six seasons and, well…became a movie. 

Since the show ended in 2016, anyone would be forgiven for forgetting exactly where all of the characters left off, so here’s a recap of how the Crawleys, their friends, and their servants left off in the finale. 

Lady Mary Talbot and Henry Talbot

Lady Mary made her choice of several suitors in the final season of Downton Abbey and married Henry Talbot, the dashing former racecar driver who crashed into her heart. She agreed to do so after he agreed to give up his racing career to open up a car shop, assuaging her fears that another one of her husbands would lose his life to the wretched automobile. 

As of the end of the series, Mary was also pregnant with a little brother or sister for George, her son and heir to the Earldom. 

Lady Edith Pelham and Herbert “Bertie” Pelham

Edith ended her run on Downton Abbey with the mic drop heard through the British peerage — a marriage to Herbert “Bertie” Pelham, the newly raised Marquess of Hexham. Bertie won Edith over by accepting the existence of Edith’s illegitimate daughter Marigold and whisked Downton’s most shat-upon Crawley sister off to live in Brancaster Castle and outrank the rest of her family forever. 

Robert and Cora Crawley

Robert and Cora are fine! Robert had some issues with an ulcer in Season 6, leading to a completely disgusting scene wherein he projectile vomited blood all over his dinner guests, and Cora did her level best to lower his intake of claret in response. This show really was at its best when literally nothing happened. 

Violet Crawley

Sharp-tongued Violet Crawley made sure her granddaughters got their happy endings in Season 6 by making sure Mary made peace with Edith after nearly ruining her engagement. She also suffered a devastating professional loss when the guiding council for the local hospital replaced her with Isobel. 

Isobel Crawley

Keeping with Downton’s grand tradition of pairing people off like endangered pandas, Isobel Crawley moved on from her son Matthew’s death by becoming engaged to Dickie Grey, a baron who loves her very much. As of the final Christmas special, they hoped to be married as soon as possible. 

Tom Branson

Tom returned to Downton from Boston after deciding that raising his daughter Sybbie away from her family was a bad idea. The chauffeur-turned-estate-agent surrendered most of his agent duties to Mary, who had them well in hand, and opened up a car shop with his brother-in-law Henry Talbot. He still holds anti-aristocrat ideals and was last spotted becoming friendly with one of Lady Edith’s editor friends. 

Mr. and Mrs. Carson

Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes married in the final season of Downton, officially making them Mr. and Mrs. Carson — difficulty in adjusting to having two whole servants with the same name encouraged the couple to maintain “Mr. Carson” and “Mrs. Hughes” as professional titles. 

Mr. Carson was forced to retire at the end of Downton, ceding his position to Thomas Barrow in the wake of a shaking sickness that made it difficult for Carson to perform his duties. Mrs Hughes still works as the Crawley’s.

Mr. and Mrs. Bates

After six terrifying seasons of murder, sexual assault, imprisonment, and a series of other traumas, Anna and Mr. Bates were finally able to settle down in their marriage and try for children. In true Downton fashion, Anna gave birth to her first child in Mary’s bedroom and the lovers Bates finally have a shot at a happy life together. 

Thomas Barrow

Mr. Barrow had a terrible time in his last season of Downton Abbey. He felt alienated from the staff and in the face of his impending termination (his position as underbutler began to feel redundant), he attempted suicide and left the Abbey for another position. That position, however, totally sucked. He later returned to Downton after stepping up in the wake of Mr. Carson’s retirement, and is now the butler! Good for Mr. Barrow. Now give him a boyfriend, you cowards. 

Daisy Mason

Downton’s pluckiest assistant spent most of Downton Season 6 burning with revolutionary desire when her father-in-law Mr. Mason was kicked off his land at another estate. Mr. Mason wound up getting another spot at Downton, however, and now looks after the pigs with footman Andy Parker’s help. Daisy developed a new appreciation for Andy after seeing him do hot, grubby man-work, and the two struck up a flirtation. 

Beryl Patmore

She’s been cooking in the basement for six straight seasons, what else do you expect?

Phylis Baxter

Miss Baxter came clean to Cora Crawley about her past life as a gem thief and leaned on Mr. Mosely for moral support when the time came to indict her former partner in crime. She kept her job at Downton despite her thieving past and developed a soft spot for ol’ Mosely in the meanwhile.

Joseph Mosely

After leaving service, Mr. Mosely struggled to find another job that suited his skills. After helping Daisy complete her education in Season 5 and helping Andy learn to read, he eventually became a teacher at the local school. 

Sybil Branson, Matthew Crawley, Lavinia Swire, William Mason, Michael Gregson, Kemal Pamuk, and Isis the dog

Still dead, despite my many unanswered emails to ITV begging them to consider my very good “Downton Abbey: Zombie Boogaloo” script for a one-off Halloween special.