‘Downton Abbey’ Season 4, Episode 2 Spoilers: Will Mary Be Successful Running The Estate Despite Her Father? [VIDEO]

"Downton Abbey" has returned to the U.S. for an explosive Season 4. The new season has the family in the aftermath following the death of Matthew. Dan Stevens, who played the character, didn't renew his contract and forced writers to write him off of the show which upset fans everywhere. "‘I spend a lot of my time apologizing. [It happens] almost every day," he said during an interview. "It was a tough decision, but like a lot of tough decisions, they’re kind of exciting to make at the same time. But I’m thrilled to be here and it’s been quite a year since we left. I suppose it was a surprise. It's a testament to how much people love the show, how much people love the character. In a way it was nice, but it has upset a lot of people, so I'm sorry."

Episode 2 of the new season finds a letter from Matthew, appointing Mary (Michelle Dockery) his sole heir; the Earl (Hugh Bonneville) is not pleased at this, nor that Mary wants to work with him and Tom (Allen Leech) on the estate management -- he wants to run things on his own. Violet (Maggie Smith) secretly supports Mary, and urges her to learn the business from Tom. Learning that Molesley (Kevin Doyle) has fallen on hard times, is working as a labourer, and has debts, Bates (Brendan Coyle) gets money from the Dowager Countess, and pretends he's paying back Molesley for an earlier loan.

Thomas' (Rob James-Collier) suspicions about Nanny West are discovered by Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) to be horribly accurate and Cora fires West immediately after overhearing Nanny West when she thought she was alone. The following morning, Cora expresses deep gratitude to Thomas and his instincts. Lady Rose (Lily James) and Anna (Joanne Froggatt) go to a tea dance in York which turns out to be for the servant class; she dances with an under-gardener, but when another man tries to cut in, a fight ensues, and they have to run for it. The Earl announces that his solicitor has confirmed that Matthew's letter is as good as a will, and everyone wants him to include Mary in his plans. Watch a preview of Episode 2 down below!