Mary & George – Season 1 Episode 3 “Not So Much as Love as by Awe” Recap & Review

Not So Much as Love as by Awe

In Episode 3 of Mary & George, Robert makes George watch him sleep with the King while Sandie gets Mary ready for court. Her first day is a disaster as she dresses up in Elizabethan fashion. Robert and his wife, a pregnant Countess Somerset keep the King’s attention on them with their play-acting. They kick Edward Coke and pick a fight with Mary who lashes back. But this just has James throwing her out before she can assault them.

A sulking George watches from afar and Francis Bacon approaches him. With Robert demeaning George and keeping him away from James, the boy decides to team up with Francis. They meet a brothel which ends with George sleeping with a young man who kind of looks like James.

Meanwhile, Countess Somerset’s ex-husband, the Earl of Essex warns Mary not to mess with the Somersets. She gleans that he has some dirt and gets it out of him. A Thomas Overbury tried to stop the Countess from defaming the Earl to get divorced. It ended with the Somersets having Thomas killed.

Mary follows the trail which involves the Tower guard, Somerset’s maid Turner, a chemist and a fortune teller. She strikes a deal with the fortune teller to provide evidence in exchange for her escape. Once she gets her hands on the letters, she gives them to Edward, the Chief Justice in exchange for a marriage between his daughter and John.

With Francis telling George to fight back, he goes to the Somersets requesting them to stop their bullying. Unfortunately, he contracts the pox and is kicked out. Sandie takes care of him while observing his meetings with Francis.

Meanwhile, Francis, Edward and the Privy Council, all waiting to take down the Somersets, pounce on the case of Thomas Overbury. All the people involved confess that the Somersets orchestrated the murder and the couple is put under house arrest. Robert goes to George, begging him to get a pardon from the King. He claims that his actions were out of jealousy as he loves George and they hook up. However, George just wanted to mess with Robert and refuses to help.

The Somersets are found guilty and sent to the Tower. Mary returns to court in the current fashion and everyone is cordial with her. James, in fact, apologises to her and she surprises him with a musical performance by George. James yearns for him and that night they hook up.

Meanwhile, Francis, who in fact had teamed up with David commends Mary for her “rough Elizabethan act” initially so that she would be seen as an underdog emerging victorious. He never wanted to blackmail her as David had suggested and they allude to a truce at the end of Mary & George Episode 3.

The Episode Review

Mary & George Episode 3 finally gives us what we have been wanting since day 1, taking down Robert Somerset. While he is pretty sure, we have never had such an annoying character as him ever. And his downfall is delicious to watch as we see him scrambling to escape, even begging his enemy to help him.

And with David and Robert out of the game, we did wonder who the next big baddie will be. Mary doesn’t count as she is the anti-hero whom we root for despite her nefarious deeds. Well, the role falls on Sir Francis Bacon who just may be able to keep up with Mary. He is way more subtle than David and much more likeable, which means he will be extremely unpredictable.m