Grab Your Girdle: 'Downton Abbey' Returns on Sunday

Hooray, because Downton Abbey, your favorite period piece with all those violins, returns to PBS this Sunday. Let’s play catch up, shall we? *spoiler alert*

“If there’s a theme to the fourth season, it’s how Mary will rebuild her life,” said Gareth Neame, a “Downton” executive producer.

“Once a young couple get married, there tends to be a dramatic lull, the idea of numerous suitors arriving, interested in Lady Mary, is very exciting.”

Since Matthew Crawley was killed in that car accident last season, who, oh, who will love that bitchy Lady Mary with her baby boy in tow? Obviously, suitors are coming again to woo her since she receives the family’s property and money as the first born, but something bad will probably happen to one of those guys. Remember when she sort of killed the Turk with the great hair? She’s a maneater!

Elsewhere, (former chauffeur) Tom Branson is still raising his daughter without his late wife Sybil, who died of preeclampsia. In the brief season four trailer above, it looks like he moves on with one of the maids from downstairs but I’m not totally sure. What do you all think? If that guy smooching is Tom though, then scandal.

Meanwhile, Lady Grantham has grown from watching Lord Grantham’s bad decision that allowed Sybil to die and she’ll be disagreeing with him a bit more this season. She also welcomes her feisty American mother, played by Shirley MacLaine aka Ouiser from Steel Magnolias, back with her brother, played by Paul Giamatti. Typing that last line made me excited because I can only imagine the havoc MacLaine’s character will wreak on the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley, played by Maggie Smith. There will be more cat fights for sure.

Speaking of cat fights, sexy Thomas and grouchy Ms. Obrien weren’t mentioned in the New York Times piece, but I’m sure they’ll be around. Who else will be evil for no reason and steer the subversive plots?

Oh, and black people have apparently made it to England in season four, but only through a Jazz singer presumably cast so that troublesome young white girl (cousin?) can have a semi-fling — read: dance — that will be very frowned upon. Those black people, always starting stuff with their dancing, liquor and music!