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The question of how to deal with an embarrassing Labrador has hounded English families for decades.
But even by the wacky standards of Downton Abbey, killing it off seems a little extreme. Tonight’s episode of ITV’s period soap opera appears to tackle a problem that has been getting harder to ignore. Lord Grantham’s dog is called Isis. This is awkward because it shares a name with the terrorist movement sweeping the Middle East. With the jihadists showing little sign of giving up, one of them had to go, so – spoiler alert – Julian Fellowes and his script-writers have given the dog the heave-ho.
Or so it would seem. About 20 minutes into tonight’s episode, Lord and Lady Grantham interrupt discussions on some building work to observe that Isis is looking “terribly listless”. The golden Labrador does, indeed, look a little peaky, splayed out on the ground like a spatchcock chicken. “I wonder if she’s picked up a germ,” observes Lady Mary, in doubtful 1920s speak. “Maybe she’s eaten a squirrel.” Other Moriarty-style observations include her looking “quite fat”, and “perhaps she’s pregnant?”.
Downton Abbey series 5Show all 103 1 /103Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Mr Bates and Anna behind bars
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Andy, Mr Carson, Molesley and Thomas
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Above and below stairs gather for the WWI memorial
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Atticus and Lady Rose, who wears a large engagement ring
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Lady Sinderby, Lord Sinderby and Atticus following his engagement to Lady Rose
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Lady Mary Crawley, Master George Crawley, Baxter, Cora, Countess of Grantham, Denker, Lady Edith Crawley, Mrs Hughes, Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, Mrs Patmore, Tom Branson, Miss Sybbie Branson and Isobel Crawley
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Mr Carson and as Robert, Earl of Grantham at the memorial service
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Downton Abbey series 5 downton11.jpg Anna lines up as part of a police identity parade
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Mr Bates at the WWI memorial service
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Mrs Patmore and Daisy in the kitchen
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Cora, Countess of Grantham
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Lady Mary and Lady Edith looking happy together
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 Violet and Isobel Crawley talking at the ceremony
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey: Season 5 The Dowager Countess' new maid Denker chats with Mr Bates
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Edith returns from London
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Love is in the air for Lady Rose and Atticus
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Allen Leech as Tom Branson
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Isis is sick
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 The boys: Lord Merton, Tim Grey, Robert, Earl of Grantham and Atticus Aldridge
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 The girls: Lady Rose, Lady Mary and Mabel Lane Fox
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Aspiring cook Daisy, played by Sophie McShera
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Can Mabel Lane Fox (Catherine Steadman) convince Tony Gillingham (Tom Cullen) that she's the woman for him?
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lady Mary continues to look pensive. Is she any closer to deciding upon a lover?
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lord Merton (Douglas Reith) joins the Grantham family at the Abbey
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 There's a new face in the form of Lord Merton's son, Larry Grey, who is played by Charlie Anson
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lily James as Lady Rose
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 David Robb as Dr Clarkson and Robert James-Collier as Thomas
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Tensions are high between Cora and Robert after his confrontation with Simon Bricker
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 The cast of Downton Abbey indulge in some racing at a Point to Point
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Michelle Dockery looks like she means business as Lady Mary Crawley
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Catherine Steadman as Lord Gillinghams former lover Mabel Lane Fox
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lady Rose and Atticus strike up a friendship in Downton Abbey series 5
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Thomas, Molesley and Mr Carson serve drinks in Downton Abbey series 5
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Robert James-Collier as under-butler Thomas
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 The Downton Abbey children, George and Sybbie play with cuddly toys
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley and Oliver/Zac Barker as Master George Crawley
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Cora, Violet and Isobel in Downton Abbey series 5
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lady Rose is all smiles as she talks to Charles Blake
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Matt Barber as Lady Rose's new love interest Atticus
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Michelle Dockery plays Lady Mary in Downton Abbey series 5 episode 5
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Underbutler Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey series 5
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Richard E Grant plays art historian Simon Bricker
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Cora, Simon Bricker and Molesley look ominous at Downton's door
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Sophie McShera plays maid Daisy, who tries to better herself by learning maths
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Howard Ward plays Sergeant Willis
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Thomas returns downstairs to speak to Daisy in episode five
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 A sullen Lady Mary sits next to her father Robert, Earl of Grantham
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Louis Hilyer plays Inspector Vyner
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Richard E Grant as Simon Bricker and Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Catherine Steadman as Mabel Lane Fox, Julian Ovenden as Charles Blake, Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley and Samantha Bond as Lady Rosamund
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Daisy Lewis plays schoolteacher Sarah Bunting in Downton Abbey
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lord Gillingham and Lady Mary Crawley have a heated discussion in Downton Abbey series 5
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary and Samantha Bond as Lady Rosamund in Downton Abbey series 5
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Peter Egan returns as Lady Rose's father Shrimpie
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Richard E Grant flirts with Cora in the role of art historian Simon Bricker
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lady Mary and Robert, Earl of Grantham have a serious-looking discussion in the Downton grounds
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lady Mary, Robert, Earl of Grantham and Tom Branson look ready for business
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Penelope Wilton as Isobel Crawley in Downton Abbey
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Robert James-Collier as Thomas in Downton Abbey
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Christopher Rozycki as Rostov and Rade Sherbedgia as Kuragin.
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley, Allen Leech as Tom Branson and Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham study a map
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Prince Kuragin, Isobel and Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham take a look into the past
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Michelle Dockery dresses up to the nines as Lady Mary Crawley in Downton Abbey
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Rade Sherbedgia as Kuragin, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham, Lily James as Lady Rose, Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley in Downton Abbey
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lady Mary Crawley is all smiles ahead of her saucy weekend with Lord Gillingham
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Jeremy Swift as Spratt in Downton Abbey series 5
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Howard Ward as Sergeant Willis and Brendan Coyle as John Bates as the case of valet Green comes under scrutiny again
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Richard E Grant as Simon Bricker and Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham admire some artworks
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Richard E Grant as Simon Bricker and Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Simon Bricker charms Cora in Downton Abbey
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Robert, Earl of Grantham is left 'red faced and furious' when things do not go as he had planned
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Robert James-Collier as Thomas on the telephone in Downton Abbey
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Rade Sherbedgia as Kuragin and Christopher Rozycki as Rostov
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Raquel Cassidy as Baxter
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Cora, Countess of Grantham, Elizabeth McGovern) and Simon Bricker (Richard E Grant) deep in conversation
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lady Edith with her estranged daughter
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Socialist school teacher Sarah Bunting (Daisy Lewis) and friend of Branson, creates tension at Downton
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol) and Daisy (Sophie McShera)are wondering what the future holds amid the changing social and political landscape
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 The household appears transfixed by a gramophone...
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 ...but Carson does not look impressed.
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Mr Carson, played by Jim Butler, and Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan). The loyal Carson is struggling to adapt to the changing times
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Under-butler Thomas Barrow, played by Rob James-Collier. The actor has told audiences to expect a "harrowing" storyline centred around his character's sexuality
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 John and Anna Bates (Brendan Coyle and Joanne Froggatt) in the fifth series of Downton Abbey - how will their marriage hold out?
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Sophie McShera as aspirational household cook Daisy
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 For Isobel Crawley, played by Penelope Wilton, romance could be on the cards
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham, and Richard E Grant as Simon Bricker
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Anna Chancellor as newcomer Lady Anstruther
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 ...and can't keep away from her secret child
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Mary's stepbrother (Allen Leech) could also be in line for a new love...
Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 ...in the form of socialist school teacher Sarah Bunting, played by Daisy Lewis
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) with her secret child Marigold...
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 ...and with the child's adoptive parents, Mr and Mrs Drewe
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Emma Lowndes plays the farmer's wife
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Downton Abbey series 5 Downton Abbey series 5 Richard E Grant as Simon Bricker
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Seasoned viewers of Downton – we are now in series five – will know that even the most trifling of conversations are loaded with meaning. So this dialogue – of a banality that is quite normal for The Archers, less so for Downton – must point to some terrible undoing of the dog later in the series. Which would conveniently tackle the PR problem that has plagued this series. When viewers first noticed the connection last month, they took to Twitter, pointing it out as #awkward.
The dog’s possible demise should not come as a complete surprise. The fact that Isis made her debut in the first Downton episode set in 1912 as an adult, and is still with the family in 1924, puts her at the upper end of Labrador life expectancy, canine experts say.
A spokesman for ITV insists it is pure coincidence, and that they got there first. “Isis has been the Crawleys’ family pet since series two (2011) and was named after the Egyptian goddess,” she says. “At the time the dog was named, and up to and including the majority of filming of series five, no one was using that acronym to describe a terror group. It is an unfortunate coincidence.”
But the spokesman declined to confirm or deny what becomes of the dog later in the series. The timings suggest it is quite possible that the scriptwriters decided to erase Isis from Downton in response to the negative reaction from viewers.
Isis, far left, in the Downton Abbey 2011 Christmas special (ITV) Filming for series five began in February, by which time Isis had already captured the Iraqi city of Fallujah. But ITV insists that the script was written last year, when the name Isis still wasn’t widely associated with the Islamists terrorising parts of Iraq and Syria.
Before all this, Isis was better known as an Egyptian goddess from about 3,000BC. Residents of Oxford have long known their stretch of the Thames by that name, and customers of the Ann Summers sex shop may have some Isis panties in their drawers. For Julian Fellowes, who has been accused of multiple atrocities in the making of Downton – such as writing dialogue unheard of in the Twenties – killing off a troublesome Labrador may be the least of his worries.
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