U.K. fans of "Downton Abbey" have the upper hand on the episodes of the fifth season of the hit period drama, making American fans green with envy, as the launch date for the pilot episode will be delayed for another four months in the U.S.
Nonetheless, season five started in the U.K. last Sept. 21 with a sizzling hot episode, literally. In the pilot episode, Lady Edith's bedroom catches fire. Her older sister Mary is quick to blame her for causing the damage. Good thing no one in the estate is hurt by the blaze.
Yet the fire within the characters is expected to last the entire season, as a number of controversial events are set to happen as the series unfolds.
One of them is the burning need of Lady Edith to be near her secret daughter, Marigold, who she bore out of wedlock. After reclaiming her daughter from the Swiss family, Edith manages to keep her nearby without telling her family about the baby's true identity by asking a tenant to keep her safe. However, Edith is not happy with her separation from Marigold. Would she reveal her daughter's true identity with the rest of the clan soon?
Another scorching hot affair is happening in the estate, as Lady Mary decides to take Lord Gillingham's offer to join him in a romantic weekend getaway. Since she cannot tell anyone about the forthcoming trip, she only tells her trustworthy maid Anna about her plans, and asks her to get something to prevent any unwarranted "consequences" from their steamy trip. The flustered but loyal maid skeptically complies. Since the series is set in the 1920's, contraception is taboo. It means that Anna has to go through an embarrassing ordeal just to get what Lady Mary asks her to.
Finally, Season 5 will see the return of Maggie Smith in the show. The highly acclaimed British actress plays the role of Dowager Countess Violet, the quick witted matriarch of the series.
"She's a huge part of the show, and I think she enjoys doing it," Executive Producer Gareth Neame told The Hollywood Reporter. "I think it's remarkable for someone who's had such a long and illustrious career to be still delivering work of this caliber."
The episodes of "Downton Abbey" season five are aired in the U.K. every Sunday, while the U.S. telecast is scheduled to premiere on Jan. 4, 2015.
