Season 3 Preview

What’s going to happen in Season 3 of Downton Abbey?

Most of the world is in Downton Withdrawal after last season, waiting for January 2012. Creator Julian Fellowes and the cast were pretty tight lipped about what’s going to happen in Season 3 of Downton Abbey, but there are a few things we’re pretty sure about…


An American Invasion:

Shirley MacLaine set to appear in Downton Abbey Season 3

We know for sure that Shirley MacLaine will join the cast of Downton Abbey Season 3 as Cora Crawley’s mother, Martha Levinson. If she’s half as sassy as Countess Violet, expect the sparks to fly. Elizabeth McGovern said a few of her American relatives will be making guest appearances on Downton Abbey. It would be a glorious homage to American audiences if Downton included scenes from the U.S, but that’s up to Mr. Fellowes… Lady Mary would be a hit on the New York social scene, but she may be too busy planning her wedding to Matthew now that she doesn’t need to “find a cowboy out West”.

Two Weddings in Season Three:
Downton will see at least two weddings. One of those weddings is the lavish and long awaited nuptials of Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley. Julian Fellowes is clear on the fact he won’t be stringing us along with more complications between the young heirs. The only daughter left to get married is overlooked Edith. Can she find happiness with Sir Anthony Strallan, the one armed millionaire up the road? Her only dalliances beside Strallan include a kiss with a married farmer and an intimate conversation with a badly burned Patrick, returned from the dead. Certainly Edith deserves a new love interest and a little bit of the same happiness enjoyed by her comely sisters. Maybe Edith can lasso herself an American cowboy…

A Great Depression:
Season Two of Downton Abbey ends in the 1920s, but when will Season 3 start? World War II doesn’t really start until 1939, but the Great Depression hits its stride in the early 1930s. Surely Downton Abbey can’t remain unscathed. In most countries the Great Depression started in about 1929 and lasted until the 1940s. And what will happen to Downton Abbey fashion if they run out of money! Season One opened with the sinking of the Titanic. Season 2 of Downton was all about World War I. Can we expect another momentous world changing event in Season 3? The creators of Downton Abbey aren’t revealing the details of how much time will pass between the season two finale and the season three premiere, but we can be assured of radical change in both the characters and the world stage.

Mr Bates, Downton Abbey

Mr Bates left hanging

Mr Bates:
Bates escaped the hangman’s noose, but we’re still not even sure if he’s guilty or innocent. But come on, who are we kidding, of course he’s innocent. Julian Fellowes admits that Bates is one of his favourite characters. Fellowes says Anna and Bates haven’t been given a lot in life except the chance at real love. He wouldn’t ‘undermine’ that. But we’re pretty sure you can expects a whole lot of Season 3 to revolve around Anna and everyone else finding a way to get Bate’s off the hook from his guilty charge. A happy ending is nice, but it doesn’t keep people hooked. Joanne Froggatt (Anna on Downton) sent viewers on a tear jerking ride with her trial performances. She is definitely committed to seeing her man a free man once again. With schemingThomas acting as Lord Grantham’s valet while Bates is in prison, hijinx will ensue.