On Sunday night, the third season of PBS's Downton Abbey's will come to an end in the U.S., raising the stakes at the Grantham estate one year after the penultimate episode.

The upcoming Christmas installment will feature Edith as the object of her married editor's desire, indicating to her that he'd like to get to know her family on a more personal level. However, Matthew becomes knowledgeable of the situation and suggests that the heavy flirting stop, although Edith may be enjoying it.

Meanwhile, Thomas will come to James' aid when he's attacked in a drunken debacle, but will actually end up taking a majority of the beating, losing his watch and money in the process.

Appreciative of Thomas' assistance, James offers him his friendship, but eliminates any future hope of a romance occurring between the two.

Also, it's a momentous occasion when Mary gives birth to her first child, a baby boy. Husband Matthew, who is ecstatic about the news, will drive into town to inform everyone about his newborn. However, his celebratory trek will unfortunately be cut short in a fatal car wreck.

Many of the Downton Abbey fans had been speculating whether the respective part would be re-casted to fill the shoes of voluntarily departing actor Dan Stevens (Matthew).

Although it's now confirmed that it will not be replaced, the show's creator Julian Fellowes had previously tipped off fans when he stating the following to the U.K.'s Telegraph:

"I don't think it's ever going to be right to recast a different actor for the same character in Downton. You can do it with something like Sherlock Holmes and Watson, as they are very established and iconic, and many people have played them, so you have a kind of freedom."

Downton Abbey is set to air its Season three finale in the U.S. on the PBS network on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 9 p.m.

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