‘Downton Abbey’ season 6, episode 1 reaction (PBS): On the Anna – Bates decision

The “Downton Abbey” season 6 premiere has now aired in America! Was it entirely what you expected? We do think that it was an enjoyable episode that covered quite a bit of ground, and also gave you many insights into how many characters (Robert, Mary, Mr. Carson) are all trying to keep up with the changing world.

We gave it more of a full analysis when it aired in Britain in the fall. What we want to do in this particular episode is give a little more insight on the subject of Anna, Bates, and the story that may be the most difficult one the entire history of the series: The death of Mr. Green. What he did to Anna was the most terrible thing we’ve ever witnessed on the show, but we remain surprised that the series decided to drag this story out for as long as it did. It simply made more since for them to take a breath, handle the subject, and then eventually move on to the next thing.

Yet, they didn’t. After years of waiting we finally got an answer as to what truly happened to Mr. Green in this episode tonight, and it made some sense. However, the timing of it felt almost like an afterthought when you remember that the show had already constructed another storyline for Joanne Froggatt and Brendan Coyle’s characters as they attempt to start a family. We like to think that this deserved a more worthy conclusion, and something that fully encapsulated the emotional weight of what happened. The handling of this story, to us, remains one of the show’s greatest flaws. There’s a reason sometimes why plotlines are contained within a single season and then only vaguely referenced after that.

Tell us: Did you feel a great sense of closure about what happened to Mr. Green, and would it have been more substantial had it happened a year or two ago? Share with us in the attached comments!