Downton Abbey, the beloved PBS TV series, introduced audiences to dozens of captivating characters, both above and below stairs. The sixth and final season managed to wrap up a great many of their storylines, and a well-regarded 2019 feature film gave us a glimpse into their lives a year and a half on. Robert and Cora, Mary and Henry, Edith and Bertie, Bates and Anna, Daisy and Andy, and of course, Carson and Mrs. Hughes are all living happily ever after, but there was one long-teased match that was never fully made. With a much-anticipated sequel on the way, there's hope that -- with so many other plot threads resolved -- two of Downton's most downtrodden characters could finally find love.
Mr. Molesley was raised at Downton, the son of a gardener. At the series' start, he takes a job at Crawley House serving Matthew and Isobel when they take up residence. Matthew unwittingly insults Molesley's chosen profession but learns to respect him and his career. Later on, he follows Matthew to Downton Abbey proper, where he becomes the lovable loser of the downstairs staff. Though he's sweet, honest, dignified and intelligent, he's unable to win the affections of Anna (who he clearly adores), or any of the other ladies who live and work at the estate.
That is until a lady's maid named Baxter arrives in Season 4 to attend to Cora. Baxter is, like Molesley, reserved and grateful for the kindness of others. However, she seems to be hiding a dark secret, and her pre-existing relationship with Thomas Barrow is cause for concern. Molesley is fond of her regardless, but their exceedingly slow-burning romance can't really catch fire until Baxter deals with her shadowy past, which Moseley encourages her to do.
It turns out that Baxter stole expensive jewelry from her former employer and served three years in prison for the crime. Thomas arranged for her to get the job at Downton, but as is almost always the case, he has an ulterior motive. Thomas is lording the truth over her head, threatening to tell the Crawleys if she doesn't play by his rules. Molesley, not knowing the exact nature of her secret, suggests she confess to Cora herself and not let Thomas take advantage anymore. She takes his advice, and eventually mends fences with the family and Thomas. Moseley can't quite reconcile the modest, thoughtful woman he's come to know with the thief she claims to be and suspects there's more to the story.
When it's revealed that a footman coerced Baxter into the theft (along with several other women), she's called to testify at his trial. From then on, Molesley and Baxter are each other's moral support. Molesley accompanies Baxter to the trial, in which the footman, Coyle, changes his plea from not guilty to guilty and is sentenced to ten years in prison. When Coyle requests that she visit him one last time, Molesley advises against it, for her own mental health and sense of closure. Baxter also supports Molesley's ambitions to become a teacher. With all of the obstacles out of the way, fans expected this perfectly suited couple to make things official. But it didn't happen -- not in the series finale, nor in the Downton Abbey movie, which had hinted at the potential romance in cast interviews and marketing. Instead, the film made a mockery of Molesley's loyalty to the Crown and excitement about serving the Royal family.
Not much is known about Downton Abbey 2 (which is currently in production, with a likely release date of March 2022), other than the sequel will bring back most of the show's cast and feature some new characters, including one played by Hugh Dancy. The Crawley children, Sybbie and George, are also being played by tween-age actors, which means there will likely be a bit of a time jump. With a courtship as slow-moving as Molesley and Baxter's, that doesn't necessarily preclude a romantic subplot for the couple.
Downton Abbey has always balanced the lives of the staff with the lives of the aristocrats they serve, and with almost every other character married off, there'd be no better place to focus some of the sequel's attention than on Joseph Molesley. Kevin Doyle portrays Molesley so deftly that audiences love him in both his most noble and cringeworthy moments and his flirtation with Baxter has inspired a significant amount of fan fiction and online shipping. If anyone on Downton deserves a happy-ever-after, it's the too-earnest valet-turned-footman-turned-teacher and the legions of fans who love him.