Sound awesome? Well, here is how to stream Downton Abbey. The story began in 1912, but time passed quickly, with the first movie taking place in 1927 and the second in 1928. Romance, conflict, tragedy, comedy, and compelling stories ensue. The series then follows the lives of the Crawley family and their domestic servants in an upstairs/downstairs way as they all discover that the Crawley’s distant (and very handsome) cousin they’ve never met is the new heir.

If you’re one of the few who hasn’t seen Downton Abbey yet, the series follows an ensemble group of characters living inside the Downton property in early 20th century England.ĭownton Abbeystarts in 1912 with the disastrous sinking of the Titanic (never a dull moment on this show) – leaving the Downton estate without a male heir after the presumed one tragically dies. There are six seasons of Downton Abbey and two feature films to date.

Oh, and let’s not forget Lady Violet’s (Maggie Smith) hilarious one-liners. The manners, the costumes, the swoony romances, the award-worthy performances, addictive storytelling with solid scripts, the sets (most notably the now recognizable Highclere Castle), and more all make Downton Abbey one of the best series of the 21st century – helping to catapult the period drama genre into the mainstream. RELATED: 25 TV Shows To Satisfy Your Downton Abbey Addiction

With its popularity continuing for over a decade and rising, now is the perfect time to watch Downton Abbey for the first time (and see what you’ve been missing!) or re-watch what is a comforting series in these difficult times. The TV series aired for six seasons and had a successful movie with a theatrical release in 2019, with another original film that premiered in 2022. Credit: ITV/Carnival Films/WGBH-TVĮver since Julian Fellowes’ Downton Abbey first premiered in 2010 on ITV and PBS’s MASTERPIECE in January 2011, the British period drama series has become a pop culture phenomenon worldwide. Matthew (Dan Stevens) and Mary (Michelle Dockery) in Downton Abbey.

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