![]() ![]() Not hiring a new second footman means that Downton has cast aside formality for practicality. The implications of their departures seem to matter more than the loss of them as characters. It’s not really hard to see why he was viewed as expendable. There are limitations for how much Jimmy could do with Barrow as well. A relationship with Rose would’ve been too similar to Sybil/Tom (not that Fellowes is against repetitive storylines). I suppose Jimmy could have had a relationship with Daisy, but that wouldn’t have made much sense. Problem is, there isn’t a lot that could have been done with them from a storyline perspective. Ivy and Alfred were the two characters he interacted with the most, but there was still Barrow, Daisy, and to a lesser extent Rose. The only departure that didn’t really have an obvious motive belongs to Jimmy. Ivy wasn’t exactly in a position where she needed to go, but it’s pretty clear that her character was expendable and likely a waste of screen time. Linking his leaving to the changing times was an added bonus. He needed to go in order to make room for Molesley, who was without a position at Downton. Jimmy was the only one whose departure wasn’t linked to the changing times, having been dismissed after being caught in bed with Lady Anstruther.Īlfred’s departure can be easily explained. Ivy similarly jumped ship for a new adventure, traveling to America to serve Cora’s brother Harold. Seeing Molesley struggle to find work despite having experience as both a butler and a valet must have reinforced that. Alfred left to become a chef, aware that there wasn’t much of a future in the service industry for a footman. The kitchen features the occasional character helping out, but Ivy was certainly not replaced from a storyline perspective. No new footmen were hired as Molesley was left to endure the wrath of Carson alone. By the end of episode one of series five, Alfred, Ivy, and Jimmy were all gone. ![]() Lord Grantham even created a new position for Thomas Barrow, creating the underbutler position to ensure that he could continue to be the man everyone loves to hate. Seeing fresh faces at Downton coupled with the new aged business practices of Matthew and Tom breathed new life into the dynamic and suggested that Downton might be able to survive without sacrificing too much of the old world. Despite this, we saw the cast expand in series three with the arrivals of Alfred, Jimmy, and Ivy. Nearly every servant, young and old have explored this change in mentality as they ponder their places in the ever changing dynamic. The natural progression of this change is a shrinking servant staff as Earls learn to dress themselves and pour their own tea. As we’ve seen from five series that cover a twelve year time span, even the British aristocracy cannot escape change. Carson fight this at nearly every corner, while many of the show’s other characters welcome it. ![]() I recommend reading my article on the implications of Matthew’s death as there’s some overlap in subject matter.Īt its core, Downton Abbey has always been about change. This article does not contain spoilers for those episodes. Note: I have seen all of series five of Downton Abbey, which has two more episodes to go in America. ![]()
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