'Downton Abbey' Premiere Recap: The Birds and the Bees, and Blackmail

Warning: This recap for the Season 6 premiere of Downton Abbey contains spoilers.

And we’re off! Downton Abbey’s final season premiered with gusto, featuring traces of tradition (a good old-fashioned fox hunt) and signs of encroaching modernity (cocktails before dinner!). The premiere introduced several plotlines that will likely dominate the rest of the season: a battle royale between the Dowager Countess and Isobel over the fate of the local hospital; Lady Mary’s ascendancy over the estate; and the potential downsizing of the staff.

It’s 1925 now, and Downton is changing. Even Carson can’t do anything to stem the tide that the future is bringing. So how does all this change affect our favorite characters? Read on:

Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes
In case you forgot — though how could you?! — Carson and Mrs. Hughes are engaged. Except the housekeeper is reluctant to set the date because she’s worried about having S-E-X. Of course, nobody actually says the word; Downton hasn’t changed that much yet.

Mrs. Hughes deputizes Mrs. Patmore to bring up the subject with Carson, which leads to a couple of incredibly awkward (but also funny and surprisingly touching) conversations between the butler and cook. After their first chat, we needed a shot of port just as much as Mrs. Patmore.

Related: ‘Downton Abbey’ Cast, EPs Preview Final Season

Eventually, they are able to hint their way around the subject, and Carson very eloquently tells Mrs. Patmore that he does want a “full marriage.”

“I love her, Mrs. Patmore. I am happy and tickled and bursting with pride that she would agree to be my wife,” Carson says, as we wipe a tear from our eyes. He then offers to let Mrs. Hughes out of the engagement, but she’s happy he wants her, “warts and all.” They share a very sweet kiss. Awww!

Lady Mary:
Upstairs, Lady Mary has decided to become the new agent in place of Tom, who’s gone to Boston. But there’s a complication, when a former Liverpool hotel maid threatens to blab about her sordid affair with Tony Gillingham. She wants $1,000 pounds, or she’ll go to the papers.

Mary refuses to be blackmailed, and resolves to just live with the scandal. But Lord Grantham steps in and gives the maid a little money, but more importantly he gets her to sign a promise not to reveal the info to anyone else. But he’s not disappointed in his daughter. Rather, this just proves to him that Lady Mary is “quite tough enough to run this estate. Indeed, she could clearly run the kingdom should she be called upon to do so.” Long live Queen Mary!

Anna and Bates:
Man, these two really just can’t seem to catch a break, ever. Finally, the whole Mr. Green nonsense is resolved — another woman comes forward to confess to pushing him into the street. Good riddance! The family and the servants all gather downstairs to toast the good news, but Anna still isn’t happy.

Earlier, we saw her burst into tears while shining shoes. She explains to Mr. Bates that she can’t seem to bear children: She’s gotten pregnant, but keeps suffering miscarriages. “You could never let me down,” Bates reassures her, but Anna is still gloomy. She knows he wanted a litter of kids, and so did she. Fate has not been kind to her at all.

Related: Binge Guide: The 10 Best #PoorEdith Episodes of ‘Downton Abbey’

Daisy (and her big mouth):
As for our favorite assistant cook, her troubles are of her own making. The family goes to an auction at a nearby estate that’s been sold to a new owner. The estate is where her father-in-law’s tenant farm is located, and the new owner is pushing him out.

So, Daisy goes to the auction and gives the new owner a piece of her mind right in front of Lord and Lady Grantham. But her harsh words have the opposite effect: The new owner is now absolutely set against Mr. Mason keeping the farm. And she puts her own job at Downton in jeopardy. Luckily for her, Lady Grantham kindly offers to give Daisy another chance.

#PoorEdith moment:
The ever-unlucky daughter is considering moving to London. Notes her father, “At her age, she’s entitled to get up to something.”

Dowager Countess quip of the week:
“Sometimes, it’s good to rule by fear.”

What did you think of the final season premiere?

Downton Abbey airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on Masterpiece on PBS.