What I’m Watching: Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey: Season 4, Episode 3 (B+)

The effects of Anna’s devastating rape last episode were felt throughout this hour, and it’s clear that it’s going to severely affect Bates, even though he doesn’t know what happened and shouldn’t find out because it would likely send him right back to prison and to the gallows, as Anna predicted. It’s nice to see that Mrs. Hughes is fully supportive of her and determined to keep her secret, and I hope that Carson notices that something is wrong and offers his own form of support without asking questions. I love how Mrs. Hughes handled Edna telling Tom that she was pregnant, accusing her of lying without being sure and having it pay off incredibly. Edna was always going to be trouble, and which I'm not positive that she's out of the picture it's completely, it's good to see that Tom has others watching out for him and aware that she's manipulative. The family seems to like Tony, though it’s probably for the best that this engagement is going to go through, since it would like have been just as long as her engagement to Matthew, which is not what anyone needs. Telling Mary that he never met Matthew but that he is dead and Tony is alive was perhaps his strongest selling point, and something Mary should truly consider. It's good to know that the kitchen staff is going to have some new opportunities for growth, and let's hope that they’re able to pull themselves away from the drama of their romantic interests for long enough to earn themselves some education.