Downton Abbey - Episode Two

This exceptional television show continues with the arrival of the new heir, Matthew Crawley and his mother.  He is like Jed Clampet turning up in Beverley Hills.  He has no concept of having a staff to look after him and he wants to continue working as a successful solicitor.  In fact he practically insults his butler/valet, Molesley. When speaking to the Earl, he mentions he will let Molesley go.  The earl is horrified and asks, so when he takes over Downton, will he fire all the staff?  He impresses on Matthew that each person has a purpose and that that purpose is important to the person.  After this, Matthew allows Molesley to do things for him.  Meanwhile, his mother, who used to be a nurse, visits the hospital where a local man is suffering from dropsy with liquid on his heart.  She suggests a radical treatment to remove the liquid and then pump adrenaline back into the heart.  The Dowager, who doesn't like the mother, tries to stop her from being allowed into the hospital but she forces the doctor to perform the risky surgery and it works.  The Earl is the patron for the hospital and makes the mother the new Chair, making the Dowager having to work with her.
Meanwhile, Bates spies the Butler, Mr Carson being suspicious in the village after he is seen stealing food from the pantry.  Soon a man arrives to speak to the Earl while everyone is out.  Bates realises this has something to do with Mr Carson and tries to protect him by getting a maid to get him to return to the Abbey as soon as possible, but the Earl arrives at the same time as Mr Carson and it is revealed that Mr Carson used to be in vaudeville and the man was his partner who was blackmailing him for money and he was going to reveal the butler's past to shame him because he refused to pay the money.  The Earl showed his support for Mr Carson by paying the man twenty pounds and threatening to have the man arrested if he ever showed up again.
This really is a wonderful show and I look forward to seeing what happens to the Crawley family and their staff in future episodes.