Previews and Reviews - It's a Wonderful Downton Abbey Life

Will Carson and Mrs. Hughes make it down the aisle? Will Branson find happiness in America? Will Mary snap up the affections of the "snappy chariot" driver? Will Anna reveal her secret heartache? How will the Crawley household withstand the threat of momentous social change?

Downton Abbey returns for an epic sixth and final season of intimately interlaced stories centered on an English country estate - a deliciously entertaining saga that has made it the highest-rated drama in PBS history. Lavish costumes, posh settings, scandals and secrets, and rich enduring dialogue laced with stinging sarcasm and sniping wit from characters we've come to love, culminate in 9 episodes.

Join us for the final season of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece, Fridays at 9 on Rhode Island PBS, beginning January 8. Visit PBS for videos, behind the scenes photos, and other insights and teases.

In the meantime, binge with us on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day starting at 11 a.m. both days and fully relive the first three seasons of Downton Abbey. From the sinking of the Titanic to a fateful car ride, it's an epic turbulent journey that changes lives in the Crawley household.

And of course, we encore Season 5 of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece starting December 6 at 1:30 p.m., leading right up to the premiere of Season 6 on January 8.

Free Screening of the First Episode of Downton Abbey - The Final Season

Ring in the New Year with drama and style! On Saturday, January 2 at 5 p.m., join Rhode Island PBS for a free screening of the first hour of Downton Abbey Season 6 on the big screen at the Park Theatre RI Center for the Performing Arts, 848 Park Avenue in Cranston, Rhode Island.   

The screening is free, and - GREAT NEWS - you can call the Park Theatre (401) 467-7275 to reserve your tickets in advance for pick up on the day of the show or pick them up anytime during regular business hours 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday before December 30; the Park Theatre will be closed on Christmas Day, and on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. General seating is first come, first served.

Come dressed in your best 1920s style (optional) and step back in time to enjoy the Downton Abbey preview in the Art Deco splendor of the Park Theatre. There is plenty of free parking across the street in the municipal parking lot behind Cranston City Hall.

While at the screening, enter to win the Ultimate Downton Abbey Gift Bag* filled with more than $500 worth of Downton Abbey DVDs, books, and commemorative items. Raffle tickets are only $25 each and will be on sale in the lobby. You may also call 401-222-3636 x209 to reserve your ticket before they run out. The drawing will be held at the screening.

We thank you for your support! And tune in Fridays at 9 p.m. on Rhode Island PBS starting January 8 for the final season of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece.

*The Ultimate Downton Abbey Gift Bag includes:

• An 11-ounce 100% cotton canvas tote with a 5-inch bottom gusset 20" x 15" x 5". "Downton Abbey" and an image of Highclere Castle (real life location for filming the Downton Abbey series) is screen printed in dark blue ink on the natural canvas. Extra long natural web handles are reinforced at stress points. 
• All 6 seasons of Downton Abbey on DVD (Season 6 ships separately when the series is released in January 2016)
• 16 oz “What is a WEEKEND?” Beverage Mug (Maroon) - White ceramic 16-oz. mug features the quote "What is a 'WEEKEND'?" in maroon lettering. Mugs have ear-shaped handles for a comfortable hold and feature a wide mouth and tapered base.
• 16 oz “I am NEVER wrong” Beverage Mug (Navy Blue) - White ceramic 16-oz. mug features the quote "I am NEVER wrong." in navy blue lettering. Mugs have ear-shaped handles for a comfortable hold and feature a wide mouth and tapered base.
• Downton Abbey Mini-Light Up Castle and Book of Quotations - The grand, ancestral home of the Crawleys comes to desktops everywhere with this collectible mini kit. Included is a miniature replica of the iconic manor house with a unique light-up feature and a full-color 32-page book with favorite quotes and images from the show--a must-have for the millions of Downton Abbey fans. Made in USA
• Downton Abbey Rules for Household Staff Book - The household staff of Downton Abbey carries out their duties with effortless dignity, finesse and pride. Yet how do they know how exactly to lay the table, when to leave the room to give Lord and Lady Grantham their privacy, how to care for Lady Mary's furs and which uniform to wear when?
• The Butler’s Guide to Running the Home and Other Graces Book - Perched on an island off the shores of Cornwall, England, the soaring castle of St. Michael’s Mount has been home to the St. Aubyn family since 1647. For nearly thirty years, Stanley Ager, one of the most esteemed butlers of the twentieth century, ensured that St. Michael’s Mount was an impeccable place to live and a gracious and welcoming one for guests to visit. Revered by everyone from royalty to the estate staff, Stanley Ager considered it his calling to run a home gracefully and efficiently. Several of the men whom he trained at St. Michael’s Mount went on to serve in the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace and at British embassies throughout the world. But you don’t need a manor to benefit from Ager’s wisdom on homekeeping.
• Downton Abbey and Philosophy Book - In Downton Abbey and Philosophy, twenty-two professional thinkers uncover the deeper significance of this hugely popular TV saga. Millions of viewers throughout the world have been enthralled by this enactment of a vanished world of decorum and propriety, because it presents us with emotional and interpersonal problems that remain urgent for people in the twenty-first century.
• Downton Abbey Mini Snow Globe and Book of Quotes - Enjoy the holidays at Downton Abbey this kit includes a deluxe miniature snow globe of the Downton Abbey estate, complete with an elegant nickel-plated base. Also included is a 48-page book with quotes and full-color images from the show--a must-have collector's item for the millions of fans of the beloved period drama.
• Downton Abbey 2016 Engagement Calendar - This is the elegant planner that keeps the show close and the fan immersed in the world of Downton Abbey. With millions of viewers worldwide, Downton Abbey is one of the most successful and captivating dramas on television. The Downton Abbey Engagement Calendar is a sophisticated gift: a practical weekly datebook featuring full-color photographs from the show accompanied by captivating snippets of dialogue. The spacious spreads provide plenty of room for writing down each day’s appointments, notes, and goings-on.
• Mrs. Patmore's Pudding Tea - This decadent dessert tea has the homemade flavors of vanilla sponge cake drizzled with rich caramel sauce. The full-bodied base of premium black tea lends itself well to a splash of milk, making it a perfect afternoon tea to partner with puddings, scones and shortbread.
• Edwardian Cooking: An Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook - With 80 delicious recipes, this cookbook celebrates the phenomenal success of the series and the culinary wonders enjoyed by the aristocracy in Edwardian England. Starting with an elegant array of savory tea sandwiches and sweets from traditional high tea, this book guides you through dinner at the Edwardian table.
• Christmas at Downton 2 Music CD Set - the official festive collection from the much loved, award-winning television series, Downton Abbey. Transport yourself back to a simpler time and enjoy this two CD collection of well-known carols and hymns, which have been carefully curated to evoke the Christmas At Downton Abbey spirit. This 2 disc CD set features 47 tracks with 7 cast recordings.

Disc 1

1. The Budapest City Orchestra and The Budapest Choral Voices - The Downton Christmas Suite Pt.1
2. Julian Ovenden - O Holy Night
3. Elizabeth McGovern - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
4. Elizabeth McGovern & Julian Ovenden - The First Noel
5. Julian Ovenden - The Sussex Carol
6. Julian Ovenden & Katie Marshall -12 Days Of Christmas
7. Julian Ovenden – Silent Night
8. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - We Wish You A Merry Christmas
9. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - In The Bleak Midwinter
10. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa – Oh, Little Town Of Bethlehem
11. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - Once In Royal Davids City
12. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
13. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
14. William Christie - Charpentier Messe de Minuit pour Noel, Kyrie
15. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - Ding Dong! Merrily On High
16. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - Good King Wenceslas
17. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - While Shepherds Watched
18. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - Away in a manger
19. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - In Dulci Jubilo
20. Libera - Panis Angelicus
21. Il Giardino Armonico - Christmas Concerto 1st Movement, Vivaldi
22. Alexander Lazarev - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcraker Suite
23. Jim Carter - Twas The Night Before Christmas

Disc 2
1. The Budapest City Orchestra and The Budapest Choral Voices - The Downton Christmas Suite Pt.2
2. Joel Cohen - Joy To The World
3. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
4. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - Angels, From The Realms Of Glory
5. Nikolaus Harnoncourt - Handel Messiah Hallelujah Chorus
6. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - The Holly and the Ivy
7. Thomas Hampson - Go, Tell It On The Mountain
8. Alexander Lazarev – March from The Nutcraker Suite
9. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - Tannenbaum
10. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - I Saw Three Ships
11. Carleton Etherington & Benjamin Nicholas - When Christ Was Born Of Mary Free
12. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - Adam Lay Ybounden
13. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - The First Nowell
14. Andrew Parrot, Taverner Choir & Taverner Consort - We Three Kings Of Orient Are
15. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
16. Ralph Allwood, Rodolfus Choir & Sam Jenkins - I Sing The Birth
17. William Christie - Noels sur les Instruments
18. Joel Cohen – Nouvelles, Nouvelles
19. Joel Cohen - Chantons Noel, Menons Joyeuse Vie
20. Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge – The Three Kings
21. Nikolaus Harnoncourt – O Thou Tellest Good Tidings to Zion
22. Claudio Scimone - Christmas Concerto 3rd Movement, Corelli



UPDATED: December 9, 2015

Before He Was "Inspector Morse" He Was "Endeavour"

The highly anticipated second season of Endeavour has arrived in the United States!

Season two of the Inspector Morse prequel airs on Masterpiece | Mystery!on Fridays at 9 p.m., beginning July 11.

Shaun Evans returns as a young Endeavour Morse, along with co-star Roger Allam as Morse's partner, DI Fred Thursday, as the two investigate various crimes in the 1960s. 

The series is written by acclaimed screenwriter Russell Lewis, who also wrote for the original Morse mysteries.

Endeavour follows the story of a young Morse in the early days of his career, after leaving his Oxford college without taking a degree and joining the police force. Series 1 aired last summer as part of Masterpiece | Mystery! to a very warm reception from fans who have embraced this additional chapter in the world of Inspector Morse.

The second season has four feature-length episodes: 

July 11 "Trove" - When an unknown man plummets to his death, Morse unearths secrets in the university and far beyond the city.

July 18 "Nocturne" - The death of an elderly man with a specialism in heraldry and genealogy propels Morse to the Blythe Mount School for Girls.

July 25 "Sway" - A housewife found choked to death in her own home marks the third strangling in a month, setting Oxford Police on edge.

August 1 "Neverland" - A petty criminal's escape from an open prison sets off a chain reaction of troubling events, exposing unspeakable horrors of the past.

Watch the enticing trailer - (made for British ITV). 

Downton Abbey Returns: Let's Party Like It's 1922!

                  Ring in the New Year with High Drama and High Style 

Season 4 of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece premieres on Rhode Island PBS on Friday, January 17 at 9 p.m. To celebrate, Rhode Island PBS is hosting an Upstairs Dinner Party and a Downstairs Preview Screening at the Park Theatre in Cranston on Friday, January 3, 2014. Join us - let's party like it's 1922! 

Period costume is optional, but it's such a fun part of the event. Downton Abbey Season 4 opens in 1922 - dropped waists, "Flapper" fringe, bobbed and waved hair, t-strap shoes, and long strands of beads were in fashion. Hemlines may have been rising, but formal evening wear still swept the floor with full-length skirts. Check the Web for inspiration - Pinterest has some lovely photos of vintage dresses.  

The Upstairs Dinner Party starts at 6 p.m. and includes a delicious menu and an enlightening and entertaining presentation about period clothing styles by Laurie Brewer, costume and textiles curator at the RISD Museum, as well as a living history presentation by Patricia Perry, a professional historical interpreter with Sneak Peek Productions. Upstairs Dinner Party guests can also bid in a silent auction of a select number of fun and luxurious items. Seating is strictly limited for the Upstairs Dinner Party, so you'll want to get your tickets now. 

The Downstairs Preview Screening will show the first hour of Season 4 on the Park Theatre's big screen at 8:30 p.m. The screening is free and open to the public, and all guests are invited to come in costume. Doors open to the screening public at 7:45 p.m. There is plenty of free parking in the municipal parking lot across the street from the Park Theatre.

Guests who plan to only attend the free screening must pick up their general admission tickets in person in advance at the Park Theatre (848 Park Avenue, Cranston, RI) on or after December 6. Kindly note: Due to expected high demand, the Park Theatre cannot accept telephone, online, or "will call" reservations for the free tickets. Screening tickets must be picked up in person in advance, thank you! (Dinner Party guests will enjoy VIP seating at the screening with no advance ticket pick up necessary - your tickets will be conveniently waiting for you.)

Guests are invited to bring a canned good or non-perishable food item to the Park Theatre to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. 

All guests - upstairs and downstairs - are eligible to purchase a limited-edition raffle ticket for a one-week stay at the quaint Connemara Country Cottages in Ireland. Tickets are $50 each and only 250 raffle tickets will be sold. We will draw and announce the winner immediately after the screening. Visit our Website for information about the Connemara Country Cottages and to purchase your raffle ticket before they sell out. You don't have to be present to win - but wouldn't it be exciting to hear your name called in a theater resounding with applause! 

Mark your calendar for the premiere of Downton Abbey Season 4 onMasterpiece, on Friday, January 17 at 9 p.m. on Rhode Island PBS.

The Rhode Island PBS Upstairs Dinner Party |Downstairs Preview Screening and local broadcast of Downton Abbey Season 4 on Masterpiece is generously sponsored by Rhode Island Antiques Mall, Hearing Health Professionals of New England, with additional support from Lathrop Insurance Agency and the Warwick Mall.