Ep 5. Series 2, Episode 5

During Downton Abbey season 2 episode 5, tensions are high at Downton Abbey as World War I rages on and the estate is forced to confront the realities of war. The episode opens with Lady Mary helping her new beau, newspaper editor Sir Richard Carlisle, cover the war efforts. Meanwhile, Lady Sybil is out making a name for herself as a nurse in France.

Back at the estate, the war hits home as Mrs. Patmore receives news that her nephew has been killed in action. The staff rallies together to help comfort their grieving friend. Meanwhile, Lady Edith decides to take on new responsibilities by learning to drive and eventually becomes a driver for the local ambulance corps.

In other parts of the house, tensions between the Dowager Countess and Isobel Crawley continue to simmer. The two ladies clash when Isobel insists on throwing a garden party for the village, despite the fact that many of the men are away at war. The Dowager Countess believes that it is inappropriate to hold such a frivolous event during such trying times.

Elsewhere, Bates is still struggling with his past when he receives a letter from his estranged wife, Vera. The letter threatens to ruin his relationship with Anna and cause him to lose his job at Downton Abbey. Bates and Anna try to keep the letter a secret, but when Vera shows up at Downton, chaos ensues.

Throughout the episode, the characters must grapple with the harsh realities of war and the toll it takes on both the soldiers and those left at home. As the war rages on, it becomes clear that no one is safe from its effects.