The PBS Masterpiece period drama The Forsytes continues to bring the heat with its fourth episode. The wealthy Victorian family is dealing with secrets, lies, and broken hearts. Episode 4, which aired on Sunday, April 12, 2026, showed that even a trip to Paris cannot fix a troubled marriage.
Jo Forsyte (Danny Griffin) is stuck between his duty to his wife and his love for his secret children. June (Justine Moore) dropped a major surprise on the entire family during dinner. Meanwhile, Soames (Joshua Orpin) showed his true colors to his new bride Irene (Millie Gibson), proving that his controlling nature was only hiding under the surface.
Here is a complete recap of everything that happened in Episode 4 of The Forsytes.
Jo Tries to Cut Ties With Louisa but Fails Completely
After the drama of the previous episode, Jo promised his wife Frances (Tuppence Middleton) that he would stop seeing Louisa (Eleanor Tomlinson). He removed all the paintings from his office that reminded him of Venice and tried to focus only on work. Frances and June were happy to see him trying to be a good husband again.
But things got complicated quickly. Louisa‘s mentor, Ellen Parker Barrington (Josette Simon), asked Louisa to speak at a charity event. The charity was for “fallen women,” meaning women who had children without being married. Louisa had to stand in front of everyone, including Frances, and admit that she was not a widow. She told the truth about having two children without a husband.
This put Frances in a very hard spot. People in the room could now guess that Jo was the father of those children.
Then the situation became even worse. The twin children got very sick with a fever. When Jo found out, he rushed to Louisa’s shop without thinking twice. He held Louisa while she cried, proving that he could not truly stay away from her. When Jo finally came home, Frances pretended to be asleep. She now knew for sure that she could not trust her husband.
Soames Shows His Jealous Side During the Paris Honeymoon
At first, the Paris trip looked perfect. Soames seemed deeply in love with his “wild thing” Irene. He wrote to his father James (Jack Davenport) saying he wanted to open a business office in Paris and stay there for a long time.
But cracks began to show very quickly. Soames met Irene’s friends, who were free-spirited dancers living a bohemian lifestyle. He did not like them at all. When he watched Irene at the ballet, he became jealous of the male dancers touching his wife. He decided he did not want to see her on stage.
James was also angry back in London. He sent a telegram demanding that Soames return. But Soames found his own reasons to leave Paris. When Irene excitedly talked about her audition and her dreams, Soames calmly told her they were going back to London.
“I owe my father an explanation. In person.” – Soames
This was the moment the mask slipped. Soames was not the supportive husband he pretended to be. His jealousy and need for control won over his wife’s happiness.
June Stuns the Family With Her Engagement Announcement
June was supposed to marry a rich, boring man named Horatio Carteret. Her mother Frances was trying hard to set up this match. But June’s heart belonged to Philip Bosinney (Jamie Flatters), a poor architect with big dreams.
June went to see Philip one last time, but instead of saying goodbye, she proposed to him. He said yes, and they kissed.
Later that night, the family gathered for dinner. June looked at everyone and dropped the news. She said she did not want Horatio and announced she was already engaged to Philip. The shock went through the room. Jo and Ann (Francesca Annis) seemed to support her, but Jolyon Senior (Stephen Moyer) and Frances were horrified.
Jo met with Philip and made a deal. He would allow the engagement, but only after Philip finished his first building commission. Jo told Frances his real plan. He believed that by the time Philip finished the work, the romance would be over. They gave June permission to be engaged, but Jo was secretly hoping the relationship would fail on its own.
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James Tries to Take Control of the Family Business
Back at Forsyte and Company, everyone was talking about a new investment called Ceylon Gold. The man behind it, Jimmy Buckland, had a bad safety record. Jo and Jolyon thought the investment was too risky. But James saw it as a way to make a lot of money.
James was also angry that his son Soames was staying in Paris. He wanted Soames back in London to help him take over the company. James asked his wife why he worked so hard if his own son would not sit in the chairman’s chair.
The fight between James and Jo over the risky investment showed that the family was breaking apart in business as well as in their personal lives.
The Forsytes airs Sundays at 9/8c on PBS. Viewers can also stream episodes on the PBS website and app.
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