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

Mr. Stink, a magical, heart-warming story (and Lord Grantham like you've never seen him!)

Get ready for an unexpected and heartwarming treat this holiday season, coming to Rhode Island PBS Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Mr. Stink, a feature-length drama adapted from the popular children’s novel written by David Walliams, will air at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. December 24, and at 5 a.m. December 25.

Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville stars as Mr. Stink, a homeless man who is befriended by a lonely twelve-year-old girl named Chloe who invites him to live in the shed at the end of her family’s garden. It’s a role that seems to be about 180 degrees removed from the ultra posh Robert, Earl of Grantham, which is part of the reason it should be so fun to watch.

The film description according to the official press release:

Chloe (played by Nell Tiger Free) sees Mr. Stink every day, but she’s never spoken to him, which isn’t surprising, because he’s a tramp — and he stinks. But before she knows it, Chloe has an unusual friend hiding in her garden shed when it seems Mr. Stink and his stinky dog, Duchess, might be driven out of town.

As Chloe struggles to make sure no one sniffs out Mr. Stink, she also has to cope with an overbearing mum who is more interested in her own political ambitions than her daughter, her put-upon dad who has a secret of his own, her “perfect” younger sister, Annabelle, and the nasty girls who make her life miserable at school.

There is also one other person with an extraordinary secret, as it turns out that there is more to Mr. Stink than meets the eye ... or nose.

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.

              

            

Revisit Downton Abbey Now Before Season 4 Premiere in January

In case you have not yet heard, the extraordinarily popular PBS series Downton Abbey, created by Academy Award®-winning writer Julian Fellowes, returns to Rhode Island PBS for season 4 on Friday nights beginning January 17, 2014. That sounds so far away and so long to wait! That's why, in anticipation of the new season premiere, we have a series of mini-events planned for you, all leading up to our Dinner Party and Season Preview on January 3. More on that coming soon!

In the meantime, we present Downton Abbey Revisited on Friday, September 13 at 9 p.m. Updated to include Season 3 events, this special goes behind the scenes with host Angela Lansbury to relive great moments with your favorite characters. Downton Abbey Revisited includes clips, interviews, and "making of" footage, all in a seamless flow of fondly remembered moments from the first three tantalizing seasons.

If you've not seen the series, or missed an episode, or just want to relish every dramatic, shocking, and amusing moment again, Rhode Island PBS rewinds the clock to 1913 Edwardian England with Season 1, Episode 1 on Friday, October 11 at 9 p.m. We will air every episode in Seasons 1, 2, and 3, straight through to the premiere of Season 4 on January 17.

Downton Abbey, Season 3 Preview at the Park Theatre in Cranston

The long-awaited Season 3 of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece premieres Friday, January 18 at 9 p.m. on Rhode Island PBS. But fans of the international television sensation can get a sneak peek of the new season before the series makes its American television debut.

Rhode Island PBS and The Park Theatre in Cranston are partnering to present a free public screening of the first hour of the new season on Thursday, January 3, at The Park Theatre, Rhode Island Center for the Performing Arts, 848 Park Avenue in Cranston.

 David W. Piccerelli, president and CEO of Rhode Island PBS announced the pre-screening party is sold out, but that 350 tickets are available for the free public screening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets must be picked up at the Park Theatre box office in advance of the January 3 show. 

"We – as much as the fans – are eagerly awaiting the new season of Downton Abbey," said Piccerelli. "The response to the series has been amazing."

Downton Abbey, Season 3 is set in the early 1920s – around the same time The Park Theatre opened in Cranston in 1924. "The Park Theatre is a beautiful and most appropriate location to celebrate this new season of Downton Abbey," Piccerelli said.

"We are happy and honored to work with Rhode Island PBS to bring this Downton Abbey preview to the 'big screen,'" said Yusuf Gandhi, director of programming at The Park Theatre.

Guests are asked to bring non-perishable food items or canned goods on the night of the show, in a post-holiday food drive to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

"The holidays are a time of year when we remember the needs of our neighbors and respond generously," said Gandhi. "Unfortunately, hunger does not come and go with the holiday decorations - there are local families facing hunger and food insecurity all year long."

Collection boxes for food donations will be located in the Park Theatre lobby.

Written and created by Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey won an impressive six Primetime Emmy® Awards and a Golden Globe® in its first season. Recent honors for Season 2 include 16 Primetime Emmy® nominations, multi-category nominations from the Critics’ Choice Awards and from the Television Critics Association. Viewers were no less passionate, with 17.1 million tuning in across the seven episodes, making Downton Abbey, Season 2 the most-watched Masterpiece series on record.

Downton Abbey, Season 3 is a Carnival/Masterpiece Co-production, in association with NBCUniversal. It is written and created by Julian Fellowes. Gareth Neame and Julian Fellowes are Executive Producers. The Producer is Liz Trubridge. The first two episodes are directed by Brian Percival, who won an Emmy® Award for his direction of season one. Other episodes are directed by Andy Goddard, Jeremy Webb, and David Evans.

About The Park Theatre 
The Park Theatre is a state of the art, multi-purpose performing arts center, with plush, comfortable seating for approximately 1,000 for concerts, comedy, theatrical performances, speakers, opera, dance recitals, children’s and family shows, movies, sports, presentations and remote entertainment through the theatre’s satellite-enabled HD projector, and other special events. The Park Theatre complex also includes the Stage Door Restaurant and Lounge, as well as a restaurant and banquet hall that can double as a conference and meeting center. Free parking is available for all events behind Cranston City Hall. 

About Rhode Island PBS 
WSBE Rhode Island PBS is operated by the Rhode Island PBS Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, established in 1987 as a public charity to raise funds and provide support services for Rhode Island’s public television station. WSBE-DT is a viewer-supported member of the PBS network of public broadcasting stations, and transmits on two channels: Rhode Island PBS (digital 36.1) and Learn (digital 36.2). Committed to lifelong learning for 45 years, WSBE Rhode Island PBS uses the power of noncommercial media to educate, engage, enrich, inspire, and entertain viewers of all ages in Rhode Island, southeastern Massachusetts, and eastern Connecticut. For more information about the programs and education services at WSBE, visit www.ripbs.org.

Downton Abbey I & II Thanksgiving Weekend Marathon

Set your DVR, or - if you're really fortunate - set aside the time to watch Masterpiece Downton Abbey Seasons 1 and 2 in a Thanksgiving Weekend "Marathon."

Season 1
Friday, November 23
12 noon - 6 p.m.






Season 2 
Saturday, November 24
3 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Concluding Sunday, November 25
3 p.m. - 8 p.m.





Bonus! Downton Abbey Revisited on Sunday, November 25 at 8 p.m.

Visit the Real Downton Abbey with Rhode Island PBS

In the popular Emmy® Award-winning Masterpiece series Downton Abbey, the opulent estate plays such a prominent and integral role in the story, it becomes a character itself. Rhode Island PBS and Collette Vacations have collaborated to customize a trip of a lifetime for fans of the series and friends of Rhode Island PBS to visit the real life Downton Abbey: Highclere Castle. The visit is a special addition to the British Landscapes tour through England, Scotland, and Wales.

Just for Rhode Island PBS viewers and friends, Collette has extended their British Landscapes tour by one day to accommodate a visit to Highclere Castle, the filming location of the Downton Abbey series. Highclere Castle will be on a limited public tour schedule in 2013, and Rhode Island PBS is thrilled to be among the few tour groups permitted.

The Rhode Island PBS trip departs on the 11th of September 2013 and returns on the 21st. The 11-day excursion includes 15 meals (9 breakfasts and 6 dinners), round-trip airfare from Logan International Airport, air taxes, fees and surcharges, hotel accommodations, and transfers.

Travelers have several options to get more information about the itinerary:

1) Visit www.ripbs.org/britain

2) Q & A Slideshow

Thursday, 25 October 2012 at 6:30 P.M.

Rhode Island PBS Studios, 50 Park Lane, Providence

Travel planning professionals from Collette Vacations will be at the Rhode Island PBS studios on Thursday, 24 October 2012 to present a slide show, distribute informative pamphlets, and answer questions during this meeting.  

  

3) Q & A Webinar

Monday, 29 October 2012 at 6:30 P.M.

Collette Vacations will host a Webinar (online meeting and visual presentation with live chat) on Monday, 29 October at 6:30 P.M. (Advance registration is recommended to verify proper video and audio set-up.) Click here for Webinar information.

4) Travel planning professionals at Collette Vacations are also prepared to answer questions at any time by telephone at 877-872-4331.

New Year, New Season: Celebrate at Our Downton Party

Enjoying the Downton Abbey Season 1 encore on Friday nights at 9? We are, too! We're also planning a Downton Abbey "marathon" for Thanksgiving weekend that will bundle seasons one and two (scroll down to see the info, below).

But we're most excited about our plans for the premiere of the brand new Season 3, and we're announcing our plans early so you can mark your calendar now:

Rhode Island PBS will host a public screening of the first hour of Masterpiece Downton Abbey's new season at the Park Theatre, 848 Park Avenue Cranston, RI, on Thursday, January 3. But the real fun begins at the Masterpiece Downton Abbey Season 3 Pre-Screening Party at 6:30 P.M.

For a contribution of $75 or more to support programming on WSBE Rhode Island PBS and Learn, you and a guest can party with us in the upstairs lounge of the historic Park Theatre. Light refreshments and cash bar will be available. Brush up on your Downton Abbey facts - your correct answers could mean fun prizes in the trivia contest! For added fun and glamour, come dressed as your favorite Downton Abbey character - the fashions in the three seasons so far span the late Edwardian period (think "Titanic" style) to the Roaring '20s (think "flapper" style).

Then at 7:30 P.M., move into the luxury and comfort of your V.I.P seating in the beautifully restored theatre for the public screening of the first hour of Downton Abbey's new season - before it airs on U.S. television!

Plus, for your $75 contribution, you will also receive the official Downton Abbey soundtrack CD with our thanks.

Masterpiece Downton Abbey

Thanksgiving Weekend Marathon 

Season 1 Friday, November 23 from noon - 6 P.M.

Season 2 Saturday, November 24 from 3 P.M. - 8 P.M.
                concluding Sunday, November 25, 3 P.M. - 8 P.M.

Bonus! Downton Abbey Revisited Sunday, Nov. 25 at 8 P.M.

Season 3 premieres on Rhode Island PBS on Friday, January 18, 2013 at 9 P.M.
           

Downton Abbey Returns

Cast in the signature image for season 3 of Downton Abbey

The new and long anticipated Season 3 of Downton Abbey premieres on Masterpiece on Rhode Island PBS in January. At the end of Season 2, we were left breathless by Matthew's (Dan Stevens) romantic marriage proposal to Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) amid swirling Christmas snowflakes - and her acceptance finally. But we have to wonder what new twists of destiny and fate writer Julian Fellowes has planned for us.

We do know that Shirley MacLaine (above) joins the cast as Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) American mother, Martha Levinson. Can you imagine the electrifying quips and barbs that will fly between Martha and Violet, Dowager Countess Grantham (Dame Maggie Smith, pictured below)?

If the video clips are any indication, those moments will be delicious.



In the meantime, Rhode Island PBS presents Season 1 of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Fridays at 9 P.M., beginning September 28. We will encore Season 2 at the end of November.

For fans of good statistics as well as good drama, Downton Abbey was nominated for 12 Emmy awards and won four - including Outstanding Miniseries - in its first season. It has been nominated for a staggering 16 Emmys for its second season.

Taking fondness for Downton Abbey a grand leap forward, Rhode Island PBS is working with Collette Vacations on a customized 11-day tour of British landscapes that includes a visit to the real-life Downton Abbey - Highclere Castle, the sumptuous home of Earl and Countess of Carnarvon where the Downton Abbey series is filmed.
 
According to the Highclere Castle and Masterpiece Web sites:

The Highclere Castle of today was achieved through several iterations, most of them overseen by the Carnarvon family, who have lived there since 1679. The original Elizabethan house was built on the site of a medieval palace and later rebuilt as a classical Georgian house. But it was the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon who, in 1839, created the Highclere Castle of today when he commissioned the architect of the Houses of Parliament, Charles Barry.

The architect of Highclere Castle (above)
also designed the Houses of Parliament (below)

Set on 1,000 acres of parkland, Highclere Castle's interior was finished in 1878, and within its walls history was made as the Egyptologist and 5th Earl of Carnarvon financed Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. 

British and world history intersected again with the castle as it was converted into a hospital during the First World War. During World War II, it was home to more than 100 children evacuated during the Blitz.

Even the simplest Google search term "Downton Abbey" reveals several sites and blogs rich with information about the Downton Abbey series and Highclere Castle itself. The Highclere Castle and Masterpiece Web sites start you on a fascinating journey that can blur the line between television fiction and the often more fantastic history... like the real-life conversion of Highclere Castle into a hospital during World War I!

Signature images for each season: 

Downton Abbey, Season 1

Downton Abbey, Season 2

Downton Abbey, Season 3

To keep up with unfolding news about Downton Abbey Season 3 - as well as the Highclere Castle tour during the British Landscapes trip to England, Scotland, and Wales - visit ripbs.org/britain.

Long-Awaited Season Two of Downton Abbey starts January 20

WSBE Rhode Island PBS is proud to announce season two of Downton Abbey will air on Masterpiece Classic on Fridays at 9 P.M., beginning January 20.

Downton Abbey's Granthams and their family of servants have already weathered scoundrels, scandals, and a momentous succession crisis. But by November 1916, the Great War has rendered everything — and everyone — changed. Even Downton Abbey itself, like its residents, has risen to the call of duty and transformed.

At the war front, life intensifies for Downton's young men in the face of untold horrors. Meanwhile, at Downton, war makes new and often unjust demands. Some rise to its call for a stiff upper lip and a useful turn, and others see change as an opportunity for either growth or exploitation. Far from the trenches, there remains no shortage of scheming, meddling, and dangerous attractions.

As other great houses crumble, a diminished Downton Abbey struggles to prevail into a new era with its residents and its honor intact.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Downton Abbey's Season Two heroes and villains, the loyalties and betrayals - all - are at least as gripping and engaging as Season One. And, of course, that gorgeous estate and those lavish costumes are as sumptuous as ever.

The first episode of Downton Abbey' second season The first episode of Downton Abbey’s second season on January 20 airs for 2 hours; the next four weekly episodes are 1 hour each. The pre-finale on February 24 and the season finale on March 2 are both 2-hour episodes.

There is also word out of the United Kingdom that we can expect a season three of Downton Abbey! More on that as details surface.

Enjoy these preview clips. I hope they help keep you satisfied until the premiere on January 20 at 9 P.M. on WSBE Rhode Island PBS.

Downton Abbey Thanksgiving Marathon (Whet Your Appetite for January's New Season)

On Friday after Thanksgiving, when dinner is over and savory leftovers are on the menu, relax with WSBE and delve into the intrigue on the estate...

Join us at 5 P.M. for a 6-hour marathon of Downton Abbey. We're airing all of the episodes back-to-back in anticipation of the brand new series of episodes premiering in January. (It's a golden DVR opportunity if ever there was one!)

The Downton Abbey estate stands a splendid example of confidence and mettle, its family enduring for generations and its staff a well-oiled machine of propriety. But change is afoot at Downton — change far surpassing the new electric lights and telephone. A crisis of inheritance threatens to displace the resident Crawley family, in spite of the best efforts of the noble and compassionate Earl, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville, Miss Austen Regrets); his American heiress wife, Cora (Elizabeth McGovern); his comically implacable, opinionated mother, Violet (Maggie Smith, David Copperfield); and his beautiful, eldest daughter, Mary, intent on charting her own course. Reluctantly, the family is forced to welcome its heir apparent, the self-made and proudly modern Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), himself none too happy about the new arrangements. As Matthew's bristly relationship with Mary begins to crackle with electricity, hope for the future of Downton's dynasty takes shape. But when petty jealousies and ambitions grow among the family and the staff, scheming and secrets — both delicious and dangerous — threaten to derail the scramble to preserve Downton Abbey. Created and written by Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), Downton Abbey offers a spot-on portrait of a vanishing way of life.

Here's a short preview of the new season of Downton Abbey from PBS.  (Please note: We will soon announce our premiere date, which may not be January 8. )




THIS is quite a preview!