List of Downton Abbey episodes

August 1921. The Crawley family heads north, to Duneagle Castle in Scotland, the ancestral home of the MacClare family, to visit Lady Rose and her warring parents, Hugh ("Shrimpy") and Susan, the Marquess and Marchioness of Flintshire. Bates, Anna, Molesley, and O'Brien also make the trip. Michael Gregson, the man who hired Lady Edith on at the newspaper, tells her that he is going to be in Scotland as well. After Edith informs her family of this, Mary and Matthew disagree about Gregson's motives. Gregson later declares his feelings for Edith and hopes to find an ally in Matthew. Shrimpy tells Lord Grantham that he will have to sell his estate because he did not modernise it like Downton and now the money is all gone. Tom remains at Downton with one-year-old Sybbie. The staff looks forward to the approaching country fair, and Carson struggles to keep them concentrating on work.

February 1922. Six months on, a distraught Lady Mary mourns Matthew, and feels little motherly love for baby George, now six months old. Lord Grantham and Branson dispute the management of the estate and struggle to pay death duties. Miss O'Brien suddenly leaves to serve Lady Flintshire, on her way to India. Needing a maid in a hurry, Cora hires former maid Edna, who has trained as a lady's maid, on the strength of the reference which Tom persuaded Mrs Hughes to give her; Carson and Mrs Hughes see trouble ahead, and warn Tom to keep his distance.

Miss West, the nanny of George and Sybbie, Mary's son and Tom's daughter, respectively, acts insolently with Thomas, and the underbutler lets Cora know of her tendency to leave them to their own devices. When she overhears Miss West insulting Sybbie by calling her a "chauffeur's daughter" and a "wicked little cross-breed", Cora fires her on the spot. Cora later praises Thomas for bringing the issue to her attention.

Summer 1923: The Granthams move to their London residence for Rose's debutante ball and presentation at court, bringing most servants. They are joined by Cora's brother, Harold, and mother, Martha, from the United States. Lord Gillingham and Mr Blake attend, both still courting Mary, and mutually antagonistic. Tom and Thomas initially remain at Downton. Tom unexpectedly meets with Sarah Bunting, who asks for a tour of Downton Abbey. When they go to the upstairs gallery, Thomas sees them and later in London tells Lord Grantham about the incident, slyly insinuating Tom took Sarah to a bedroom. Tom later tells Lord Grantham the truth.

February 1924: Both Robert and Carson are upset by the election of a Labour government (22 January 1924). The villagers want to build a war memorial, and ask Carson to head the committee; he accepts, on condition that Robert is made patron. Lady Edith has had no word from Gregson. She is upset at being unable to participate in the life of her daughter Marigold, who is being raised by a tenant farmer's family. Tom Branson grows closer to school-teacher Sarah Bunting, which displeases Robert, who resents her vocal liberal political views. Daisy studies mathematics to improve herself, to Carson's disapproval. Lord Merton pursues Isobel, who is uninterested. Violet organises tea with Lord Merton and Isobel, but when she realises Isobel marrying Lord Merton would mean a shift in their social status, she also invites the widowed Lady Shackleton and Dr Clarkson in an attempt to separate Lord Merton and Isobel. During luncheon she rebukes her pompous butler, Spratt, for refusing to serve coffee to Dr Clarkson.

April 1924: After Jimmy's departure, Molesley is the only footman. Thomas reveals Miss Baxter's crime to Molesley; Baxter confirms everything, but withholds the reason for her theft. She had not told Cora either, leaving Cora undecided about Baxter. Suave art historian Simon Bricker (Richard E. Grant) arrives to view a painting. He flirts with Cora, and Robert considers him a bounder. Bricker is accompanied by Charles Blake, who concedes that Mary prefers Tony Gillingham. There is disagreement over where to place a village war memorial, but after an encounter with a local war widow and her son, Carson concedes to Lord Grantham that a cross in the village green is more appropriate than his own proposal. Mary asks Anna to procure her a birth control device for her tryst with Gillingham. Tenant farmer Mr Drewe suggests Edith become Marigold's patroness, allowing her to visit her daughter more often. However, Mrs Drewe, unaware of Marigold's parentage, resents Edith's interference.

May 1924: Sergeant Willis reveals that a witness overheard Green talking to someone on the pavement moments before his death. Green had told others he had been badly treated at Downton and disliked Bates. Willis seems satisfied after interviewing Bates, though Anna is worried. Violet's butler Spratt spots Mary and Gillingham leaving a hotel in Liverpool; he informs Violet, who quickly contrives an explanation about a farming conference. She later tells Mary she disapproves of her behaviour, but Mary stands up to her. Miss Baxter tells Cora that an abusive and manipulative male servant forced her to steal jewellery from her former employer; Cora allows her to stay at Downton.

May 1924: Violet takes Isobel to visit the Russian aristocrats, now living in poverty. Tom and Mary push the housing development, but Robert rejects it as too big, and wants a smaller project. Rose's father, Lord Flintshire (Shrimpy) announces that he and his wife are divorcing. Edith asks if he can discover what happened to Michael Gregson, who apparently got involved with Nazi thugs. Lord Merton tells Isobel he truly loves her and proposes; taken aback, she says she needs time to consider.

1924: Inspector Vyner of Scotland Yard interviews Mary and Anna about Mr Green, and appears suspicious of their answers. Mrs Patmore decides to buy a cottage with her inheritance money and rent it out. Lady Rosamund accompanies Edith to see Marigold. Mrs Drewe tells her husband to forbid further contact with Edith. Violet gets the entire story from Rosamund; they advise Edith to take the child to France. Sarah Bunting gets a new job, and moves away; Tom remains at Downton. Bates is concerned over the matter concerning his wife and the police. He reassures her that nothing bad will ever again happen to her and vows to keep her safe.

1924: Violet visits Prince Kuragin on her own, and some of their story is revealed. Edith learns that Michael was killed during Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch (8–9 November 1923). She inherits his publishing company and removes Marigold from the Drewes (revealing her true relationship with Marigold to Mrs Drewe) and goes to London. In response to an anonymous letter about Green's death, the police return. They interview Miss Baxter, threatening to return her to prison if she is uncooperative. She admits to some suspicions about Bates and Green. Bates discovers Mary's contraceptive device hidden in Anna's drawer. He wrongly accuses Anna of not wanting his child because she believes him a murderer. He claims he knew about Green but did not murder him. He intended to go to London to kill Green but knew it would cause Anna more trauma. His unused train ticket would have proved he had never gone there, but Mary burned it, believing she was protecting him. Anna and Bates reconcile.

1924: Rose introduces her new friend Atticus Aldridge and his parents, Lord and Lady Sinderby, to the family. Isobel announces her engagement to Lord Merton; later Violet tells Mary she is not jealous that Isobel will socially outrank her, but is sad to lose her companionship. Rosamund and Violet prepare to reveal Edith's secret to Cora, but an upset Mrs Drewe tells her first. Cora is angry that they withheld the news of her granddaughter, and goes with Rosamund to see Edith in London. She suggests that Edith return home and pretend to adopt Marigold. Edith reluctantly agrees, as do the family. Tony Gillingham believes Mary loves him, so Charles arranges for him and Mary to kiss in public in front of Tony and Mabel, ending Gillingham's pursuit for good. Charles is going abroad for some months, so is also out. Baxter overhears Mrs Hughes asking Mary about the train ticket, and informs Bates that she can swear it was unused. Bates is hostile to her for talking to the police – even though she explains she was in an adverse position.

1924: Everyone is in London for Rose and Atticus's wedding, but the atmosphere is awkward; Rose's mother, Lady Flintshire, disapproves because Atticus is Jewish, while Atticus's father does not approve of his son marrying outside the faith. Lady Flintshire is especially antagonistic and unpleasant to everyone, including her husband, whom she is divorcing. She attempts to sabotage the wedding with staged photographs of Atticus with a prostitute, whose advances he actually refused. On the wedding day, Lady Flintshire informs Atticus's father of her divorce, but Atticus's mother intervenes, warning her husband to stay silent. Inspector Vyner calls Anna to take part in an identity parade at Scotland Yard, and it is at first unclear whether she has been picked out by a witness.

September and December 1924. Lord and Lady Sinderby invite the Granthams to the country estate they have hired for driven grouse shooting; their snobbish butler Stowell (Alun Armstrong) resents serving Tom and ignores him. He is also rude to the other servants, who conspire to take revenge. When an irate Lord Sinderby insults Stowell and then Thomas at the dinner table, Thomas learns a dangerous secret from a tipsy Stowell and arranges for his lordship's mistress and illegitimate child to arrive. Rose defuses the situation, earning her father-in-law's gratitude and respect. The Dowager Countess reunites Prince Kuragin and his estranged wife; she also negotiates the continuing sparring between Spratt and Denker. Carson and Mrs Hughes search for a house as an investment together, but Mrs Hughes reveals she has no money and cannot retire: she must pay for her mentally disabled younger sister Becky's care. Carson reveals he has bought a property in both their names. He then proposes marriage to Mrs Hughes, and she accepts. Isobel declines Lord Merton's earlier marriage proposal, not wanting to come between him and his sons.

April 1925. Big changes are afoot. Robert anticipates having to cut costs and reduce staff, worrying Carson. Mrs Hughes, nervous she will be embarrassed when performing her wifely duties after marrying Carson, asks Mrs Patmore to sound him out; after much embarrassment, Carson says he expects them to have a full marriage, which reassures Mrs Hughes. The local hospital is threatened with a take-over by the larger County Hospital; the board is split, with Violet objecting, and Isobel approving in the name of efficiency. Rita Bevan, a former chambermaid at the hotel where Mary and Lord Gillingham stayed, attempts to blackmail Mary by exposing their tryst. Mary refuses to pay, but Rita confronts Robert, who buys her off with £50 instead of the £1,000 she demanded, and gets her signed confession to prevent future blackmail. He admires Mary's pluck, and approves of her succeeding Tom as the estate's Agent.

April 1925. The conflict between Violet and Isobel over the hospital continues to escalate, with Cora siding with Isobel. Mary chides Robert for offering Carson the servants' hall for his and Mrs Hughes' wedding reception, and offers the upstairs instead; Mrs Hughes insists on a separate venue which better represents who they are, which leads to friction between the couple. Thomas interviews for another job, believing everyone wants him gone. Edith argues vehemently with Mr Skinner, the magazine's publisher, whom she believes dislikes all her ideas because she is a woman. Mary takes Anna to a Harley Street doctor, who proposes minor surgery during her next pregnancy to prevent another miscarriage.

May 1925. Mrs Patmore tells Cora that Mrs Hughes is unhappy with having her wedding breakfast in Downton's hall. Cora forces a meeting with the family so that Mrs Hughes can explain. Cora supports her, so Carson relents. Violet tries to get Robert to support her view on the hospital merger; things get nasty at a Board meeting, and an annoyed Isobel is rude to Dr Clarkson. Edith and her editor continue to argue; she dismisses him after she can no longer tolerate his insults. Fortunately, she meets an old acquaintance, Bertie Pelham, who suggests he help her and her staff finish the issue which is due the next morning. Anna is pregnant, so Mary plans to take her to the doctor in three months' time. Thomas is interviewed by an eccentric widower, Sir Michael Reresby (Ronald Pickup) for a position in decrepit Dryden Park, but he declines the offer.

May 1925. Lady Shackleton visits, with her nephew, Henry Talbot, who races cars and is an acquaintance of Mary's. Lady Violet wants Lady Shackleton's support in the dispute over the hospital and explains that she opposes the merger because she resents the government's increasing control over regional institutions rather than the locals being in charge. This helps mollify Isobel. Lady Rosamund also arrives, and Downton is visited by Mr and Mrs Harding in connection with a women's college of which Lady Rosamund is a trustee. Anna recognizes and greets Mrs Harding as Gwen, the former Downton housemaid who left service to better herself in a new career. Thomas attempts to embarrass Gwen by mentioning in front of the family that she is a former servant. When Gwen explains that it was the late Lady Sybil who had encouraged and helped her find a job as a secretary, the family is pleased and touched by her story. Robert later chastises Thomas for his behavior. Sergeant Willis asks Baxter to testify against the man with whom she was involved when she stole from a previous employer. She is reluctant but finally agrees after Molesley encourages her. Daisy is upset that Mr Mason is unlikely to get Yew Tree Farm, and she prepares to angrily confront Cora, believing Cora was deceitful; the staff en masse warn her she is about to commit a terrible offense which will result in Daisy losing her job. However, Cora has already persuaded Robert and Mary to lease Mason the farm, which Daisy fortunately learns from Robert as she is about to confront Cora.

May 1925. Mrs Patmore, Daisy, and Andy help Mr Mason move into the farm; Daisy is upset when she realises that Mr Mason and Mrs Patmore are becoming friendly. Andy offers to learn about farming, and Mason hands him several books to begin his farming education. Thomas, whom he has been avoiding, keenly notices Andy's frustration with the books, and Andy confesses that he is illiterate. He accepts Thomas's offer to teach him in secret. Edith hires Laura Edmunds as her editor, and Edith also becomes romantic with Bertie Pelham. Molesley accompanies Baxter to the trial, but she is not called upon to testify as Coyle accepts a plea. Carson, used to perfect meals and service in the servants' hall, makes innocent but continual complaints about Mrs Hughes' cooking, annoying her — especially when he dares to ask Mrs Patmore to help his wife with her cooking skills. Passing each other walking in the village, Denker rudely confronts Dr Clarkson about opposing Lady Violet regarding the hospital. He sends a note of complaint to Violet, who quickly fires her, but Denker blackmails Spratt (regarding his assisting a criminal nephew) into supporting her, and Denker is allowed to remain.

Early June 1925. Carson continues to criticize Mrs Hughes' housekeeping practices at the cottage not being 'up to standard' (as in, the standards of the Abbey), to her increasing annoyance. He even complains about how she makes the bed, and suggests she get some cooking pointers from Mrs Patmore. The Board of the Downton Cottage Hospital decides to approve its merger with the Royal Yorkshire Hospital and invites Cora to be their new president, replacing Lady Violet to avoid similar situations in the future. Daisy continues to sabotage the growing relationship between Mrs Patmore and Mr Mason, but is too blatant, and both realise what she is doing. Mary takes Tom to London, where they meet Henry, who invites them to a motor-car race at the Brooklands circuit. Henry tells Mary he is falling in love with her.

July 1925. Isobel is puzzled to receive an invitation to the wedding for Lord Merton's son, Larry and Amelia Cruikshank. Larry had once insulted Isobel by calling her a middle-class gold digger when she was briefly engaged to Lord Merton, subsequently resulting in Isobel ending their engagement. A suspicious Violet confronts Amelia and accuses her of wanting Isobel to marry Lord Merton only to care for him in his old age. The family watch Henry Talbot drive in a motor car race, but his friend, Charlie, is killed in a crash during the race. Later, after dinner, Mary receives a telephone call from Henry, who implores her to give him an answer regarding his romantic intentions; she says he is not the right man for her.

August 1925. When his cousin dies, Bertie becomes a Marquess; Robert is delighted, as this makes him a more suitable match for Edith. However, she hesitates to tell him that Marigold is her daughter. When Mary spitefully reveals it, Bertie walks out, saying he cannot trust Edith. Edith goes to London, where she and her editor are startled to discover that the magazine's agony aunt, believed to be a female, is in fact Spratt, the Dowager Countess' butler. When it is revealed that the first couple to stay at Mrs Patmore's B&B were adulterers, she finds bookings are being cancelled. To show support – and ignoring Carson's objection to the family getting involved – Rosamund, Cora, and Robert go there for tea, taking a newspaper photographer to record their visit. Molesley begins teaching at the school. He encourages his students to always keep learning, whatever their future. Thomas attempts suicide by slashing his wrists, but is saved by Andy, Baxter, and Mrs Hughes.

29 September to 31 December 1925: Carson fumbles serving dinner when his hands begin shaking, suffering from an unspecified hereditary disease his family called 'the palsy'. Thomas secures a job with an elderly couple with a staff of only three, but is unhappy there. Edith offers to expand Spratt's magazine column to a whole page; Denker discovers Spratt's secret, and tries to get him dismissed by revealing it to the Dowager Countess, but she finds the column jolly amusing and keeps him on.

Molesley leaves service when the Headmaster offers him a teaching position, plus a cottage; upon parting, he and Baxter finally express their mutual romantic affection. Lord Merton tells Isobel he suffers from pernicious anaemia, but still wants to marry her. Sensing his impending death, and her own loss of control, his cruel daughter-in-law, Amelia, prevents Isobel from seeing him. An indignant Violet intervenes, and he enthusiastically agrees to marry Isobel. Andy falls for Daisy, who is uninterested, but she gradually grows to like him when he spends time helping at her father-in-law's farm. Eventually she decides to live at the farm.

Robert tells Cora how proud he is after watching her preside over a hospital meeting; they reaffirm their love for each other. Mary and Rosamund arrange for Edith to have dinner with Bertie, who proposes, and she accepts. At Brancaster Castle to announce the engagement, the Crawleys' meet Bertie's moralistic mother Miranda. Edith tells her about her having bore an illegitimate child, Marigold, winning over Mrs Pelham with her honesty. Henry and Tom go into business together selling cars and Mary tells Henry she is pregnant with his child.