Downton Abbey Photos: Bates in Jail! Motherly Mayhem!

It will soon be on between Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess and Shirley MacLaine's Martha Levinson.

Okay, not too soon. Downton Abbey Season 3 doesn't premiere in America until January.

But ITV has whet our appetite for this Emmy-nominated show once again, by following up its recent release of various sneak peeks with a slew of photos. They depicts Mr. Bates in prison; Miss O'Brien in a foul mood; and Smith squaring off against MacLaine.

Click through scenes from upcoming episodes now:

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.