#series 03

Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes: The heads of the male and female servants respectively, Carson is Downton's butler and Hughes its head housekeeper. The pair are almost fanatically devoted to the reputation and well-being of Downton and its residents, which they work to protect both officially and sometimes sneakily, like the good-hearted yin to Thomas and O'Brien's a-hole yang. Both of them are essentially married to the job, with the widowed Mrs. Hughes going so far as to turn down a proposal from an old flame. Their own relationship, which frequently unfolds in closed-door meetings in their modest offices, is strictly platonic. Carson's stately baritone may be the best speaking voice on this show, which is saying something.