Downton Abbey Season 4 Ends at the Beach: Watch Full Episode

Note the episode is no longer available to watch online.

Downton Abbey ended with a whisper instead of a bang this season. No shocking car crashes. The biggest surprises of this finale were that Carson had the courage to show his bare feet AND take Mrs. Hughes hand to stroll into the water at the beach.

Oops I forgot to preface that with the words SPOILER ALERT.

Of course that ending was not very dramatic. The rest of the finale contained enough eyebrow raising moments though. Scroll down to watch the Downton Abbey season four finale if you don't want me to ruin things for you.

Here is a recap in bullet points.

• Edith has had her baby and plots to get her back with the help of a pig farmer. Now those are real spoilers!
• Mrs. Hughes finds and gives to Lady Mary evidence that implicates Bates in Mr. Green's death. (Lady Mary later destroys it.)
• Daisy gets another suitor in the form of Harold Levinson's valet.
• Thomas tattletales on Tom for bringing the village school teacher Ms. Bunting to the house without permission.
• Lady Mary learns from Lord Gillingham that Sir Charles Blake is much richer than he let on and grew up just as privileged as she did.
• Bates saves the family in a letter plot that could have hurt the Prince of Wales
• The Prince of Wales dances with Lady Rose a day after her presentation party as a "thank you" gift.
• The servants get time off at the beach.

As I mentioned, the final episode ended softly. Overall the season's over the top storylines left many fans and critics squawking and rolling their eyes. Rape, pregnancy, race relations and a love quadrangle? A bit much Julian Fellowes, don't you think?

Watch the finale and tell me what YOU think? How would you rate the season finale? How would you grade season four overall?