Downton Abbey Script Book Season 2

The Complete Scripts

Julian Fellowes

• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9780062241351
• eBook ISBN:
  9780062241368
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Film Screenplays

The full scripts of award-winning Downton Abbey , Season Two, including previously unseen commentary from Julian Fellowes

Opening in 1916, as the First World War rages across Europe, Season Two is the next dramatic installment of the much-loved, award-winning drama. The Crawley family and their servants play their parts on the front line and back at home as their lives are intensified by the strains of war.

The shooting scripts give a fascinating view of how Julian Fellowes weaves his storylines of love, loss, and betrayal to captivate the audience. With key insights into the research and creative processes, this will appeal to fans and students alike.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

ACT ONE*

1 EXT/INT. MONTAGE. DAY.

Christmas 1919. A truck drives through the woods with a huge tree strapped on the back of it.

The truck pulls up in front of the house. Thomas instructs the men to untie the tree.

Daisy carries buckets of coals and stops to admire the tree until Mrs Hughes enters the hall and tells her off.

Mrs Hughes, Thomas, O’Brien and the maids help Mary and Edith to decorate the tree, supervised by Carson and Robert, who give contradictory higher/lower gestures and commands. In a corner, Anna watches, silently.

Rosamund steps out of the car, kisses her nieces and instructs her maid, Shore, who gets out of the front, to help Thomas with the luggage.

---

Cora and O’Brien kneel on the drawing-room floor wrapping presents together and scream when Matthew opens the door, shooing him out.

Carson chooses different wines.

---

In the library, Violet picks up a Christmas card, looks closely at the signature, grimaces and puts it back.†

2 INT. HALL. DOWNTON. CHRISTMAS DAY.

It is Christmas at Downton, with a huge tree in the hall, and Cora, Mary and Edith give out presents to the servants in turn. Isobel, Matthew, Rosamund and Carlisle are there. The maids are given a bolt of cloth as well as something wrapped. Mary calls out ‘Anna’, and Anna goes forward.

CORA: This is for you.

MARY: The usual cloth for a frock, I’m afraid, but I hope you like the other thing.

ANNA: I’m sure I will, m’lady. Thank you.‡

CORA: We all prayed for him in church this morning.

Anna smiles a little.

ROBERT: Happy Christmas, Anna.

Cora calls for Mrs Patmore, who steps forward, as Anna walks back to stand by Mrs Hughes.

CORA: I can’t wait for you to open this.

MRS PATMORE: Thank you, your ladyship.

MRS HUGHES: What did her ladyship say?

ANNA: She was just being kind.

MRS HUGHES: I wish I could tell you not to worry.

ANNA: My husband’s on trial for his life, Mrs Hughes. Of course I worry.

MRS HUGHES: Well, I’m old-fashioned enough to believe that they can’t prove him guilty when he’s not.

---

ANNA: Would you mind if I didn’t join you for Christmas luncheon?

MRS HUGHES: You have friends all around you.

ANNA: I know that. Truly. But I’d rather take a tray up. Unless you’d like me to help in the dining room?

MRS HUGHES: No. They look after themselves at lunch on Christmas Day, and I don’t want to give them any ideas.

---

Robert is talking to Carson. The latter has a large book.

CARSON: The Royal Families of Europe. Oh, my. I shall find this very interesting, m’lord.*

---

ROBERT: Good . . . Carson, are you quite happy about everything?

CARSON: What, precisely, m’lord?

ROBERT: Well . . . Going on with Christmas and the New Year’s Day shoot and the Servants’ Ball and all the rest of it, with Bates in his lonely cell.

CARSON: I’m as sorry as you are, m’lord. But I do not believe Mr Bates would want us to abandon the traditions of Downton because of his troubles.

---

Across the hall, Anna looks at her little wrapped box.

---

MRS HUGHES: Go on. Open it.

---

She does. It contains a gold brooch in the shape of a heart. She glances across at Mary, who catches her eye and nods.

3 INT. SERVANTS’ HALL. DOWNTON. CHRISTMAS DAY.

The servants are nearly at the end of their lunch. We start with the younger ones, who are pulling crackers and wearing paper hats. At the other end, Mrs Hughes and Carson are not.

MRS HUGHES: I don’t want to spoil their fun, but I couldn’t wear a paper hat. Not with poor Mr Bates locked away.

CARSON: His lor...

Table of contents

• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Episode One
• Episode Two
• Episode Three
• Episode Four
• Episode Five
• Episode Six
• Episode Seven
• Episode Eight
• Christmas Special
• Cast List
• Production Credits
• Photo Section
• Acknowledgements
• About the Author
• Credits
• Copyright
• Back Ad
• About the Publisher