Downton Abbey” Season 3 Episode 5 Recap”

• PBS
• I may be having a baby, but I still look good doing it

Well, after my jolly assertions about “Downton Abbey” last week, we were given an exceptionally sad follow-up. But, to keep spoilers hidden, I will instead talk about some of the other things this jam-packed hour gave us.

There were a lot of subplots scattered throughout the episode that portend interesting things to come, from Edith’s column to Isobel taking on Ethel as her latest do-gooder project, to the love triangles (squares? hexagons?) forming in the Downstairs kitchen as well as Sherlock, Jr Anna getting her big break on the case.

Matthew also stealthily begins talking about “middle class values” (the very idea!) and ideas for running Downton in a way that might actually make it a profit, or at the very least break even. He’s found an ally in Murray, and the two politely scheme to try and wrestle away control from Robert (it won’t be easy, and Mary doesn’t seem to like the idea of it, naturally). Mary has been particularly surly of late, and the questions as to why she and Matthew have not yet produced an heir have seemed to set the couple of edge, particularly when compared to Sybil’s pregnancy.