What Downton Abbey Season Five Can Do For Me!

Our beloved Downton Abbey returns to U.S. screens on January 4, 2015, but comes to the UK this weekend. Executive Producer Gareth Neame has already confirmed a brief cameo by George Clooney; what more could I ask of season five you might say? Plenty, I can ask plenty.

– We need a “good” ladies maid for Lady Grantham. Baxter is lovely, and I’m sure there’s some wonderfully evil Thomas story lines to come, but no one can hold a candle to Miss O’Brien. We need an evil ladies maid to juxtapose with Anna.

– The children in this picture look eerily like Children of the Corn with a British accent. While I’m not keen on more children’s story lines, a few involving Mr. Carson, I think, would be wonderful. Sneaking down for snacks maybe, hiding behind the curtains. I see Mr. Carson being more of a Grandad to Lord Grantham’s Grandpapa.

– Molsley, what is left to be said about poor old Molsley. Well let’s kill two birds with one stone, shall we; let’s see him set up shop somewhere with Baxter. Get rid of the complaining and the niceties in one fell swoop.

– Lady Mary’s love interests were I think played out to their fullest in Season Four. Certainly she needs to pick a suitor, and while part of me still adores Evelyn Napier, I have to hope for the dashing Lord Gillingham. More Gillingham, I say, more Gillingham. I worry that she will marry Harry (Gillingham) but mess around with Ike (Blake).

– I hope Griggs comes back and they get the baby; Edith needs a happy ending. I fear Griggs will come back but have become a Nazi, and Edith will have to make a horrible choice.

– For Anna and Bates, I would like to see children, if only to explore the differences between upstairs and downstairs more. I’m guessing Anna won’t get much maternity leave. It might also take their minds of the murderous tendencies or Mr. Bates.

– Simon Bricker, played by the delightful Richard E. Grant, will appear in four episodes. An art historian and house guest, I fear he is intended as a love interest for Cora. I hope he is a love interest for Edith, after turning away the Nazi Griggs. She does like her older men.

– Tom Branson seems to be getting into the swing of things as man about the estate. I’d like to see him embrace the lifestyle a little more for Sibbie. I’m a sucker for a daddy-daughter storyline. He might not have laid aside the revolutionary for Sybil, but for Sibbie? I think we’ll see more upward mobility on his part.

– An illegitimate child from Lord Grantham’s youth to complicate the inheritance? We haven’t had an inheritance complication in a while.

– Three words. More. Paul. Giamatti.

So what are you hoping for from Season Five?