Downton Abbey RECAP 1/19/14: Season 4 Episode 3

Downton Abbey RECAP 1/19/14: Season 4 Episode 3

Tonight on PBS a new episode of their popular drama DOWNTON ABBEY.  On tonight’s episode “Downton Abbey” continues with, Mary, Edith, Tom and Anna each struggle with a dilemma; Gillingham makes clear his intentions to Mary; Edith endangers her reputation; Tom turns to Mrs. Hughes for help with Edna; and Anna keeps her distance from Bates.  Did you watch last week’s episode?  We did and we recapped it right here for you.

On last week’s show an extravagant house party at the Abbey gave the Crawleys a chance to reconnect with old friends and culminated in a performance by opera singer Dame Nellie Melba. Among the guests were the eligible Sir John Bullock, who soon attracted the attention of Lady Rose; Gregson, who was keen to win Robert’s approval if he was to make a future with Edith; and Mr Sampson, a slightly mysterious acquaintance from Robert’s gentleman’s club. Some guests proved more welcome than others and along with the celebrations come skulduggery and heartache.

On tonight’s show amid the fallout of the eventful house party a trip to the bright lights of London is planned. Here Sir John Bullock shows his true colours and Rose finds gallantry comes from an unexpected quarter. Gregson shares ambitious plans with Edith, taking their relationship to another level.

Tonight’s Downton Abbey season 4 episode 3 is going to be great, and you won’t want to miss it. So be sure to tune in for our coverage of Downton Abbey — tonight at 9 PM EST!  While you wait for our recap, hit the comments and let us know how excited you are about the new season of the Downton Abbey? Check out a sneak peek video of tonight’s episode below.

Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates

As the festivities come to a close, guests bid adieu to their hosts and leave Downton. Shortly after, Mary begins making plans to go to London to discuss the Crawley’s options as they struggle to sort out what to do in an effort to keep Downton Abbey from being sold.

Edna hoped for another night of passion with Tom. Alas, he doesn’t remember what happened when she approached him in the hallway about her visit to his bedroom the night before. Edna continues to push him on their night of passion and challenges him to answer her about what he would do if she were pregnant. She tells him she wants assurance he will marry her should she end up with child. Later, Edna is seen around smiling and gleeful as she clearly has a plan.

Going over details about her visit to London, Mary is concerned about Anna as she seems very distant lately. Anna tells Mary that everything is alright and rushes out, not able to look Mary in the eye. Later, Anna tells Mr. Bates that she is leaving for London. After he continues to press her on why she is acting so coldly towards him, she briskly tells him that working together and being together all the time may be too much before walking off. Anna asks Mrs. Hughes to take a room upstairs once she gets back from London. When asked why, Anna breaks down and admits she feels soiled and not good enough for her Bates. Mrs. Hughes pleads with her to go to the police, but she refuses. She knows her husband would likely kill or harm any man who hurt her so she refuses to tell anyone.

Mary attends a party, only to find Lord Gillingham on the guest list. As they dance, he apologized for “ambushing her.” She confesses that she feels very happy to be with him, away from Downton. He asks to see her again when she brings up his engagement. He assures her he is ‘almost engaged’ when she rebuffs his advances once again. She tells him she is not ready, though she feels refreshed with him, she must return to her normal life back home.

While in London at an exclusive nightclub, Rose is left on the dance floor by her date after he makes a drunken spectacle of himself and rushes off to throw up. The event’s African-American band leader hopped off the stage in an act of chivalry. Clearly taken by his gallant act, Rose thanks him and walks back to her table feeling a little giddy. That mood is quickly squashed by her family as they chastise her for dancing with a “black bandleader.”

Both Mary and Anna are surprised to learn Lord Gillingham has shown up unexpectedly for a visit, but for different reasons. Anna is concerned his driver, Mr. Green who raped her, has returned, while Mary is intrigued as to why Gillingham would show up so soon after she’d just seen him. Once alone, he proposes marriage. Though Gillingham is ready to break things off with his fiancé, Mary is not so willing to let go of her feelings for George. She admits through tears that she cannot marry him because she cannot get George out of her mind. He replies that if she will not marry him, he will go through with marrying his fiancé. Gillingham asks for a kiss and Mary obliges. After telling her he will never love anyone the way he loves her, he walks away, leaving Mary to watch him disappear from her life. Later, when Tom questions whether or not Gillingham will be back, she states that she is not sure since he’ll likely be preparing for marriage. Later, she confesses to Tom that she has a feeling she recently made a decision she’ll likely come to regret. Will she change her mind before it is too late? Is there a chance for “happily ever after” for Mary and Tony?

Tom confides in Mrs. Hughes about everything that happened with Edna and how she is holding the possibility of a baby over his head. Edna calls her on her evil plan while she and Tom confront her. She pulls out the advice books Edna had read to help devise her plan. After Edna confidently tells Edna that she knows she is not pregnant and she knows all about her plan to get Tom drunk to “seduce him,” Edna gives up and runs out, banished from Downton. Mrs. Hughes seems to have everyone opening up to her, as usual, as Mr. Carson shares endearing stories from his past. Mrs. Hughes gifts him with a picture of his former love in a beautiful frame. Carson is surprised, yet appreciative of her generosity. She concedes that the gift is a reminder that he has loved before.

Warned about risking her name and reputation, Edith refuses to see anything wrong with her romance with Mr. Gregson. Despite all the warning signs about her cunning boyfriend, Edith signs what she is told is a document to give her authority in his absence as he prepares to leave for Germany, with no specific information on when he’ll be back…if ever. Though Aunt Rosemund finds that Edith spent the night with Mr. Gregson, she admits that Edith is a grown woman and can make her own choices, but sternly warns her that she is risking her name and reputation with this man. Signing a document that she didn’t bother to read, given to her by her married boyfriend who plans to leave for an undisclosed time probably wasn’t too bright! Will she regret her decisions and realize everyone was right to warn her?