Percolating plots came to a boil on the penultimate episode of season 3 of Downton Abbey, and we speculate on what may be coming next. Spoilers ahoy!
Season 3 of Downton Abbey has often run like a freight train, but its newest installment played like a soft symphony. Though it thundered strong and intense at times, the overall theme was of resolution, and hope for a brighter future for almost everyone at the Abbey.
Perhaps the most sustained conflict of the episode centered around Thomas, whose fate hung in the balance after his attempts to seduce Jimmy were reported to Mr. Carson. Carson’s offer of a “fair” reference in exchange for Thomas’ resignation was quickly nullified by Jimmy’s insistence (by way of O’Brien’s advice) that he would press charges against Thomas unless he was released in disgrace.
Utterly distraught, Thomas reluctantly confided in Mrs. Hughes, who in turn tried to sway Carson to a more generous position. Matters looked grim for Thomas until Bates – having had his share of experience with Ms. O’Brien’s skills as a saboteur – shared his suspicions with Thomas that O’Brien had been behind Jimmy’s threats all along. Anxious to give O’Brien a dose of her own medicine, Bates used an obscure bit of information from Thomas to blackmail her into advising Jimmy to stop Thomas with the police. White as a sheet, O’Brien reversed so fast on her previous advice to Jimmy that she all but strangled herself trying to untangle her own web of snide suggestion.
Bates, meanwhile, attempted to settle into his new domestic life with Anna – who was much less sympathetic to Thomas’ plight than her husband. Ultimately, Bates’ good turns wound up reaping quite a few more than he had intended, initiating an accidental reorganization of the hierarchy of the male staff at Downton.
Upstairs, Robert was preoccupied with beating the village team at their yearly cricket match, while bitterly battling the waves of change sweeping over his life. Matthew and Tom made their stand for modernizing the estate’s business model, to which Robert finally capitulated – at a price.
At the same time, Edith found herself the reluctant chaperone for Violet’s young relative Rose (Lily James), who was mysteriously eager to return to London immediately after her arrival at Downton. Edith’s work at the newspaper seemed to be going well, until she sensed a romantic spark in her interactions with her editor, which led to a surprising confrontation. While in London, she, Matthew and Rosamund were forced to intercede in Rose’s wild goings-on and tow her back to Downton under promises of good behavior and silence. Lady Violet, however, neatly sussed out their secrets and arranged a satisfying comeuppance for Rose’s misbehavior.
Meanwhile, Matthew and Mary began the work of ensuring Downton’s succesion, Tom confided his plans for baby Sybil’s rearing in a hopeful Cora, and Isobel found herself forced to concede to Violet’s not-entirely-insensitive manipulation of The Edith Situation. In the end, everyone dressed in their finest whites and the men played a marginally awkward game of cricket.
Hypable Episode Title: “Take Me Out”