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'Downton Abbey' season four sneak peek reveals dark, depressed Lady Mary

The premiere of the fourth season of "Downton Abbey" is still three and a half months away — at least for those of us viewing stateside. But thanks to a rapidly approaching premiere date in the U.K. (Sept. 22), there's now a sneak peek out to help ease the wait.Or does catching a glimpse of what's to come just make the wait worse? Either way, it can't be as bad as what Lady Mary is going through
Image: Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley
Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley on \"Downton Abbey,\" season four.Nick Briggs / Courtesy of Carnival Films

The premiere of the fourth season of "Downton Abbey" is still three and a half months away — at least for those of us viewing stateside. But thanks to a rapidly approaching premiere date in the U.K. (Sept. 22), there's now a sneak peek out to help ease the wait.

Or does catching a glimpse of what's to come just make the wait worse? Either way, it can't be as bad as what Lady Mary is going through in the clip.

Set six months after the events of last season's finale — which, of course, included the tragic death of Mary's love, Matthew — she's still shrouded in black and unable to see the light.

When faced with baby George, the distracted and deeply depressed mother simply strokes his head for a moment and says, "Poor little orphan."

Anna, always the faithful servant, points out that George isn't actually an orphan at all, what with Lady Mary being alive (at least physically, if not in spirit). But Mary simply snits back, "He isn't poor, either."

He's certainly lacking a mother's love — at least for now.

Season four of "Downton Abbey" will kick off Jan. 5 on PBS.