Downton Abbey Season 4 Episode 3

Masters and servants arrive en masse to Downton for a big party weekend.

Edith’s beau Michael is worried about spending time with the family. Lady Edith promises he’ll get to know her father better. Lady Edith invites Lord Grantham for a walk with Michael but he refuses, awkward! Edith keeps trying to corner Lord Grantham to spend time with Michael, but he always has an excuse. Michael is taking German lessons and says he’s getting quite fluent. Lady Edith remains amazed a man would do so much to be with her.

Lord Gillingham and Mary have a heart to heart on the stairs. He’s single and looking… There is definitely a connection between the two, but Lord Gillingham is in the middle of being matched up with Mabel Lane Fox, the greatest heiress of the season. Tom and Mary have yet another deep and serious conversation about love while riding together. Lord Gillingham convinces Mary to dance with the rest of the young folks after dinner, but she spots Matthew’s gramophone and flees. During another riding session on the estate, Tom gives Mary some tax advice. They commiserate on facing the same trials of the changing times, of keeping an estate like Downton Abbey together.

Everyone anticipates Dame Nellie singing at Downton except Lord Grantham, who thinks it’s too expensive. The staff are also invited to hear her sing. Carson doesn’t quite approve. Carson arranged for Dame Nellie to eat in her room, but Lady Cora is livid when she finds out that a world famous singer isn’t eating with them. Cora tells Robert he’s going to sit next to Dame Nellie at dinner, and he will like it. The two get along rather well after they discover a mutual interest in wine.

Countess Violet begs Isobel up to hear Dame Nellie sing. She comes up for dinner but is still very grief stricken and uncomfortable with Mary having a good time. Isobel doesn’t seem to be getting better.

 

 

 

 

Downstairs is a frenzy of cooking and busyness… Mrs Patmore is overwrought by stress. Jimmy shows off opening a jar and smashes it everywhere. He falls down and sprains his wrist, unable to serve. Thomas Barrow is asked to play footman; he is peeved. Carson calls Molesley up to the estate and convinces him to help out for the big party. Molesley is mortified about wearing gloves and following Alfred’s lead, even though he’s currently working as a delivery boy. Mrs Patmore suffers a panic attack which everyone believes is a heart attack at first. The doctor is called and says Mrs. Patmore is too stressed out.

When the visiting servants arrive downstairs, Mr Green flirts with Anna. Bates gets a bit jealous, admitting that Mr Green ‘gets his goat’. Mr Green introduces the staff to a fun filled card game. Bates does not approve. During Dame Nellie’s performance upstairs, Anna goes downstairs for headache medicine and finds herself alone with Mr Green. He offers her a drink, saying she looks like she could use some real fun for once. Mr. Green forces himself upon Anna and when she refuses, smacks her quite hard. He drags Anna off to another room and rapes her while everyone is upstairs watching the opera performance. Mrs Hughes finds a bruised and battered Anna in a dark room, begging for help. Anna won’t tell Bates because he’ll murder Mr. Green and be sent to jail again. Mrs. Hughes helps Anna compose herself and get dressed, promising to keep Anna’s secret. When Bates finds Anna, she says she fainted and hit the bathroom sink. Mr Green walks by and says goodnight like nothing’s happened. This is a shocking and dark event downstairs…

Edna corners Branson and wonders if they can still be friends, even if they can’t go to the pub for lunch. He confides that he feels like a fish out of water with all the visitors. Branson feels Edna really understands him. Their relationship makes a lot of headway in this episode and Edna sneaks into Branson’s room at the end, after she plies him with whiskey.

The boys stay up late playing cards. Sampson is the big winner. Lord Grantham agrees to play cards the following night but is warned about Sampson’s prowess. Michael gets in on the action too, hoping to get to know Lord Grantham better. Robert gets in deep, asking everyone to keep the secret of his debt. Robert doesn’t want Sampson invited back. Robert keeps his losses a secret from Cora, who disapproves of grown men throwing away their fortune on gambling. Michael also takes a beating but comes back for more when the boys sneak off to play poker during Dame Nellie’s opera performance. Michael starts beating Sampson. The old editor has something up his sleeve.  Michael gets everyone’s money back, beating the card sharp at his own game. Sampson is a cheat. Michael returns all the money to the impressed losers, including Lord Grantham.

 

Quotes from Downton Abbey Season 4, Episode 3

Lord Grantham: Who’s the glamorous pirate?

Lady Edith: Don’t worry, you and papa are really going to get to know each other this time, I promise.

Countess Violet: I’m afraid Tom’s small talk is very small indeed
Lord Grantham: Not everyone can be Oscar Wilde
Countess Violet: That’s a relief.

Mrs. Patmore: Chilled soup should be an exquisite mouthful not a bucket of slop.

Isobel: Oh you know Mary, she’s always quite opaque.

Countess Violet: If I were to search for logic, I would not look for it among the English upper class.

Carson: An Australian singer, eating with her ladyship?

Lady Mary: You may be surprised to hear, but a match that is wanted by everyone can turn out to be extremely happy.

Lord Grantham: Do you fear the corrupting influence of opera?

Mrs. Patmore: I’ll have no swear words in here, thank you very much. Unless I’m doing the swearing.

Branson: I’m a fish out of water and I never felt it more than today.

Lady Mary: Sometimes I don’t know who I’m more in mourning for. Matthew or the person I used to be when I was with him.

Mr Molesley: I’m having my career backwards.

Lady Cora: Am I the only member of this family who lives in the 20th century?

Lord Grantham: What does one say to a singer?

Carson: Screaming in the servant’s hall, singers chatting to his Lordship, and a footman cooking the dinner. What a topsy turvy world we’ve come to.

Valet Mr. Green: You’re not telling me that sad old cripple keeps you happy?

Isobel: Guilt has the power to make all of us do strange things.

Lord Grantham: Mr. Gregson has saved my bacon.