Downton Abbey Season 3 Ends – What Lies Ahead?

Warning: Spoilers ahead for those of you who haven’t seen the season 3 finale of Downton Abbey.

Many U.S. fans of Downton Abbey already knew what was coming at the end of the season 3 finale, since the season aired at the end of last year in the U.K. The birth of a baby boy for Matthew and Mary Crawley, and Matthew’s death in a car crash as the elated father drove back to Downton to fetch the rest of the family.

Season 3 was already touched with a tragic death – Lady Sybil’s death in episode 4 after the birth of a baby girl.

The catch about the death of the “upstairs” characters is that they can’t simply stalk off into the night. Such behavior would be out of character for Matthew, who was madly in love with Mary.

The other catch is that the character deaths in season 3 of Downton Abbey were due to the departure of the actors playing the roles. Writer Julian Fellowes has received some harsh criticism for allowing the departure of actors to dictate the plot lines of the show.

Fans and critics alike have a lot of doubts for the future of the series. Season 4 has been verified as a go – but what lies ahead for Downton Abbey?

Here are some rumors that we found:

Lady Mary will begin building her life again after the death of Matthew. But how long will she mourn for Matthew, and what kind of time jump will we see between the seasons?

“I imagine Mary will not be able to move on very quickly,” actress Michelle Dockery told Entertainment Weekly. “It will be very difficult to replace the love of her life. The thing is that for the third [season] Mary was largely happy and content and they got the money to save Downton. I find myself smiling more often as the character and my guess is that I will not be seeing that smile again for awhile. I’m sure she won’t come out of mourning too quickly.”

There have already been rumors about a new love interest for Mary in season 4 of Downton Abbey. TVLine.com reported that a gentleman named Lord Anthony Gillingham will be introduced to court Mary.

The Sun reported that actor Tom Ellis has auditioned to play the part of Lady Mary’s new love interest. It has been said that he has been shortlisted for the role by the producers. He’s known for his role in the EastEnders, a BBC soap opera, and currently stars in Miranda, a comedy show on BBC.

There are a few things to look forward to for season 4 of Downton Abbey – the progress of Lady Edith’s ill-fated romance with her editor, the addition of the wild Lady Rose MacClare to Downton, possible romances for the downstairs cast, and, of course, how Lady Mary will go on without Matthew at her side.

What do you think is in store for viewers of Downton Abbey in season 4?

How do you think Lady Mary will handle life without her beloved Matthew?

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!