If you’re a fan of the British period drama Downton Abbey, you have loose morals and average computer skills, than I’m guessing you’ve seen the season three premiere.
In a word? Brilliant. Oh, how I’ve missed this show. It’s been so very long.
The year is 1920, and most of the premiere centers around the drama leading up to Lady Mary and Matthew’s wedding. If you’ve seen the episode, click on through to the full recap.
Fashionable People Doing Questionable Things
The costumes on Downton Abbey are always superb, and this episode didn’t disappoint.
We had Shirley MacLaine dressed to the nines to play Cora’s mother, visiting from America.
The scenes between Ms. MacLaine and Maggie Smith were just as sharp-witted as I’d expected. I ate it right up.
Sybil, back from Dublin for the occasion (loved that it was the Dowager Countess who sent the money) with her Chaffeur-turned-journalist husband, was sporting a kicky new haircut.
Even Edith was looking pretty good.
But of course, it’s all Mary, Mary, Mary.
The 1920s are going to be kind to Mary. Of course, it was the wedding gown that blew us all away, right? That headpiece!
The dress made her look like an angel. Like we could *almost* forget that Turkish guy ever happened.
Wedding Night Fight
Of course, Mary and Matthew’s trip down the aisle couldn’t be a smooth one. There had to be a curveball thrown at them, and it was a big one. Robert lost almost all the money, nearly all of Cora’s fortune, and could lose Downton. (Was anyone else annoyed that Cora was the one comforting Robert when he lost her money? Sigh.)
Luckily, Matthew might inherit some money from poor Lavinia’s father. He wants to give it away – he is way too good a person to profit from Lavinia’s death – but Mary wants him to use it to save Downton. This will obviously be a big storyline this season, so I’m interested to see how it all plays out. It’s only a matter of time before Cora’s mother discovers what has happened to her late husband’s fortune.
I liked the stuff with Sybil and Tom, especially with the drugging and Sir Anthony exposing the truth. I’m glad Sir Anthony is back in the picture. Maybe if Edith finally gets her man, she can stop looking upon Mary with such glee when she witnesses a lovers’ quarrel.
Former Chauffeurs and Wronged Men
I liked how the return of Tom as Sybil’s husband, not the chauffeur, caused such ripples for both the family and the staff at Downton. Carson looked ready to explode. I particularly liked seeing Matthew and Tom bond, so I hope he and Sybil stay in Downton for the duration of the season. We need to see Sybil have her baby, and having her around really juxtaposes how cruel Edith can be.
Meanwhile, Bates is still in jail and Anna is looking for any shred of evidence to prove his innocence. O’Brien’s nephew was hired on as a footman, but he is apparently too tall. And Thomas is still the living worst.
It was a lovely episode. Head to the comments and share your thoughts. I’ll leave you with this image as a reminder of the pre-marriage banter that made us all swoon.
Still laughing over “loose morals and average computer skills.” Great recap!
Thanks!
Loved it, loved it, loved it! I agree with you that the Earl losing his money is a great set up for the season and will be great.
Everyone is just raving about Shirley MacClaine and Maggie Smith, but maybe it was built up too much but I wasn’t all that into their quipping. They used all the best lines in the preview videos leading up to the season. Maggie Smith’s best line was to the new footman about him being on stilts.
Like you I hope Sybil and Tom stay around Downton for a while. I like Tom and Matthew together and Lady Edith and Lady Mary sniping at each other gets boring after a while. And I do hope that Lady Edith is next, she deserves some happiness.
I saw Cora’s supporting of the Earl very much a product of the times. Yes, the fortune came through her father but in those days women were not allowed to inherit money so Lady Cora would never had any feeling like it was her money. I found her sweet and supportive although totally unrealistic. They are facing financial ruin. I liked how several times in the episode it was mentioned how Downton was to serve as a place of employment for the community and it is amazing what a ripple affect the Earl’s financial ruin would bring, not just to the Crawley’s but the staff as well.
Was it me or does it seem like O’Brien and Thomas are not as chummy as in the past?
Oh, the poor tall footman. That line was great. You’re right about it being the times, for sure. I thought maybe because Cora’s mother was so bothered by the idea of a stranger inheriting her husband’s money they maybe Cora herself might be a bit more bothered by what happened.
I liked how they kept mentioning the employment thing, too. It’s kind of comparable to today in some ways – like in Nova Scotia where I live, the government might bail out a mill in a small town, even though it’s not profitable, because it’s a source of employment.
I noticed that about Thomas and O’Brien as well. Very interesting.
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Thomas and O’Brien had egged each other on from the start in their deceptive ploys, hatching evil plans over smokes. But I think a real change came over O’Brien when she placed the soap near Cora’s bathtub so her pregnant m’lady would slip on it. At the last minute O’Brien changed her mind, realizing that’s not really who she is…. but before she could turn back to retrieve it, Cora had already gotten out of the tub and slipped on it, causing her to miscarry the Downton heir (a male child). The guilt really got to O’Brien and has made her more connected to Cora. Thomas being away at war then coming back to lord over the manor/hospital didn’t help either.