Mark Those Calendars, You Anglophiles!

Because Downton Abbey (sometimes affectionately referred to as "DownTOWN" Abbey on this here blog) returns January 8, 2012!

Is it just me, or are there 90 people in this cast? It must be all the strategic dovetailing.

Highclere Castle, servants, and Granthams/Crawleys, oh, how I have missed thee.

PBS finally gave a release date for series 2! And I don't know about you, but I huzzah'd pretty loudly. There may have even been a fist-pump involved.

Story-wise, series 2 will bring us smack dab in the middle of WWI. Not sure if we'll get to see any intense battle-scenes, but there definitely will be fancy red suits!

As with most shows, there's some cast turnover. Gwen, the ambitious housemaid, will not be returning, unfortunately (based on her character development last series, I'd like to think she's off being a young professional turned secretary at the war department).

  

Filling Gwen's empty spot as housemaid is Ethel, played by Amy Nuttall.

She looks innocent enough, doesn't she? Keep your hooks out of her, O'Brien! 

Iain Glen as Sir Richard Carlisle is another addition.

Trading in the scruff and the Dothraki sea for a 3-piece suit across the pond*. 

 An extremely dapper one, I might add. Some of you might know him as Ser Jorah Mormont on a little show called Game of Thrones. He was also in the season 5 episode of Doctor Who entitled "The Time of Angels." If you haven't seen him, let it be known that he's a splendid actor, and, more importantly, his. accent. is. delicious. I already know I will be counting the times he and Dame Maggie Smith steal scenes (from others and, hopefully, each other).

 Of course, it'll be nice to see the characters I love to watch (and sometimes, love to hate--I'm looking at you, Thomas!) come back. I'm also interested to see how WWI is dealt with both upstairs and downstairs.

O hai, Carson and William!!

The HBIC and the bitch-tastic Edith.

But mainly, I just want to see if the Dowager Countess will pick up a firearm due to Britian's involvement in the war. If she encounters some new-fangled technology, that'd be great, too! She's already proven she can master swivel chairs. Make it happen, Masterpiece! I'm sure I'll enjoy her story-arcs and the series regardless. (But seriously, make it happen.)

Ahem. Anyways, Downton Abbey returns in January. We at the blog will do our best to keep you posted as we get closer to the premiere!

To get more of your Downton Abbey fix, go here  and gaze to your heart's content.


  *This picture is for you, Lea ;)

 [photo credit: itv.com]