‘Mary & George’ Episode 3 Recap: “Not So Much As Love As By Awe”

When last we left George (Nicholas Galitzine) in Mary & George Episode 2, he was taking King James (Tony Curran) from behind in a tent during a hunting trip, and Mary’s (Julianne Moore) jig was most certainly up after one of the men she and Sandie Brooks (Niamh Altar) tried to assassinate delivered documentation of all Mary’s dirty deeds to Sir Francis Bacon (Mark O’Halloran). In Episode 3, we start with an orgy set up by Robert Carr, Earl Somerset (Laurie Davidson), James’ former favorite lover who’s doing whatever he can to stay in the royal’s bed. 

It seems to be working, as James assures Somerset that his love for Somerset is true and that he’s the only one he wants. Of course, Somerset throws that in George’s face, but George doesn’t seem to be all that concerned, just somewhat exasperated. 

Mary visits a palm reader who tells her fate is a dangerous thing, but that change is afoot and that if Mary will “wear a false face,” someone’s going to die — but not her. In fact, her victory is all but assured in this instance. 

She’s nervous leading up to her first visit to court, but Sandie assures her that she’s ready for the king. When she enters the place, everyone stops and stares, wondering what she’s wearing, but she tries to hold her nerve. 

She soon locates George and asks him why he hasn’t written in weeks, but he points out that Somerset has been keeping him busy away from King James as much as possible and he doesn’t know what to do. Mary reminds George that he’s slept with the king three times (if rounded up, of course) and that James adores him, but that’s hardly cemented at this point. 

We also get a lovely bit of sniping between Mary and Lady Elizabeth Hatton (Nicola Walker), which is cut short when James and Somerset stage a fake theatrical sword fight, followed by James being “birthed” from under a Countess Somerset’s skirt. It’s all very bizarre, but not all that surprising, either. 

Sir Edward Coke (Adrian Rawlings) is hanging about as well, and he wants Mary to know that he’s happy to help her family continue to rise in the rankings, and he’s in a position to do so as Chief Justice and part of the Privy Council. He thinks John and Frances marrying would still be a great idea, even if his wife disagrees. 

Soon after, Mary calls King James out for how George is being treated in the court. She doesn’t give much of a welcome reception, however, and after trying to start a physical fight with Lady Elizabeth, Somerset tries to drag her out. However, King James stops him and instead asks Mary to allow them “peace and play” by leaving of her own volition. So much for a grand debut!

Meanwhile, Francis Bacon finds George and lets him know that he’s not a great fan of Somserset’s either. Bacon’s clearly extremely full of himself and George isn’t impressed, but he’s there to help. He hopes to guide George in getting closer to King James better than his mother has done thus far, and perhaps unsurprisingly at this point, George entertains the idea. 

Back in Sandie’s quarters, Mary sits down with the Earl of Essex, Countess Somerset’s first husband. He’s a bit of a sad sack, crying about how his ex-wife spread lies about his impotence (which only came on when he married her) so that she could get a divorce and wed Somerset. He claims to have been “cursed” by her and warns Mary against going to battle with her due to her power. In fact, he urges her to “flee” before it’s too late. He knows something else, Mary is sure, but he’s not particularly willing to share it. So, she sends Sandy (who’s been hiding in the rafters) off to follow him. 

Meanwhile, at a local pub, Bacon is regaling George with tales of Somerset running amok over local politics. George still doesn’t get why Bacon is so willing to help him — or what Bacon has on his mother — but he also knows he has to try something as he can’t keep going on the way things have been. 

The following day, Mary finds the Earl of Essex again in a local church, where he reveals that Sir Thomas Overbury was apparently imprisoned, cursed, and poisoned by Countess Somerset and her new husband, the  to Mary, all because he objected to her divorce and marriage to her new husband. However, he doesn’t to say much more and instead directs her to go and see a random “woman who sees the future” as she’ll be able to help. How Mary knows which woman he’s talking about is anyone’s guess, but somehow she manages to find out.

That brings us back to the palm reading scene shown at the beginning of the episode, which is shown again in its entirety. Mary thinks this premonition is a bit vague, but then she uses her own “gift” to fish for information about Thomas Overbury’s murder. Mary knows that the palm reader is the one who supplied the curse, and she wants evidence, which she gets and promptly delivers to Edward Coke, who has the power to prosecute and plans to do exactly that.

Soon, a very ill/disheveled looking George shows up to see Somerset to say that he wants the drama between them to stop. Instead, he wants more time with the king. It seems George has the pox and James wants to know how he was infected, but Lady Somerset seems to not particularly want to talk about it. Hmm, I wonder why? James sends George off and doesn’t want to see him again until he’s well — if he ever is. 

Mary’s none too pleased about this turn of events, largely because it means George isn’t allowed anywhere near the palace. However, there is a bit of good news, as Bacon arrives and reveals that Bacon is launching a murder case against the Somersets at large, which should mark the end of their entire family in the palace. 

Mary is feeling a bit smug when she visits the Somersets and lets them know she’s got all the evidence she needs to take them down. They pretend to be unbothered, insisting that if they’d done anything wrong, all their co-conspirators would know well enough to keep quiet. However, Mary assures them that’s not the case at all, and we finally see Countess Somerset looking worried. She has reason to be, especially after Bacon’s hearing unearths all the accomplices in the case. 

Somerset later comes to visit George in his sick bed, begging George to write a letter begging for Somerset’s pardon. He wants George to go see him in the flesh, promising that they can share King James. He’s desperate, and he even makes a declaration of love to George, claiming that he wanted to keep George from James because he loves George. Apparently, George is feeling well enough to go at it with Somerset, and they do exactly that. 

Of course, it’s all because he wants that pardon, which George insists he’s in no state to leave his bed, let alone go see King James and ask to spare him. Instead, he slept with Somerset because he and his mother are very much alike — they both wanted to screw him. Nice one, George! 

Back in court, Countess Somerset claims she acted alone, but the court isn’t having it. How on earth could her husband not have known? It’s official: the Earl of Somerset is to be hanged for murder, so that’s worked out well. The result seems to have earned Mary a few fans in the royal court, as well. However, Lady Hatton still isn’t impressed and promises never to let her daughter marry John. 

King James, however, is rather grateful to Mary for exposing the evilness of the Somersets. George is also well enough to return to court, and he plays the humble servant who’s empathetic to the king’s loss of Somerset. James wants George in his bedchamber, but George wants to play the cello for him. This draws up images of their intimate times together in the king’s mind. Meanwhile, Countess Somerset gives birth to her baby, which is immediately taken from her, and she and her husband prepare to be dead. 

Bacon and Mary finally meet, and it’s clear the pair will never be friends. However, they both agree on one thing: George needs to be allowed to flourish in the royal court. And it seems like he definitely will. 

Jennifer Still is a writer and editor from New York who cares too way much about fictional characters and spends her time writing about them.