Watch: New Season 3 'Downton Abbey' clips

Two new clips for Downton Abbey's Season 3 has been released as the new season 3 premiere approaches in the UK (lucky UK fans get to see the new season first!) on ITV. The first clip with the mother-in-laws Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (mother of Lord Grantham), played by Maggie Smith and Martha Levinson, Lady Grantham’s American mother played by Shirley Maclaine looks hilarious. Can't wait to see S3 already! Too bad PBS Masterpiece here in the US is not airing it at the same time as the UK's ITV channel, which is airing it next month (though oddly, there's still no actual date and this month's about to be over!) Like the previous 2 seasons, we'll have to wait for Season 3 to air in January 2013!

The Golden Globe award winning (who recently scored 16 Primetime Emmy Award Nominations this year!) series is co-produced with UK’s ITV, who will air Downton Abbey first in September, followed by a second run on PBS Masterpiece Classic here in the US in January.  The new season will feature all of the principle cast (including as Mrs. Crawley, Matthew's mother), plus the addition of Shirley MacLaine as Lady Mary’s other grandmother.

Watch the S3 clips for Downton below...

Watch Downton Abbey, Season 3: A Scene from Episode 1 on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

(source: ITV1)