Downton Abbey

2010 • TMDB 8.1 • 6 seasons • Drama

Overview

Downton Abbey opens in 1912, when news of the Titanic disaster throws the future of a great Yorkshire estate into doubt. With no male heir, the Earl of Grantham’s fortune and title hang in the balance, and the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family become inseparably tangled with those of the servants below stairs who keep the house running. Across six series, creator Julian Fellowes weaves love affairs, rivalries, scandals, and social change into a sweeping saga that moves from the Edwardian era through the First World War and into the modern age of the 1920s. The Dowager Countess trades barbs with the newcomers, Lady Mary fights for love and independence, and downstairs, Carson, Mrs. Hughes, Anna, and Bates carry their own hopes and heartbreaks. Elegant, witty, and deeply addictive, Downton Abbey became a worldwide phenomenon by proving that the grandest drama can unfold in drawing rooms and servants’ halls alike.

Creator and Main Cast

Downton Abbey was created by Julian Fellowes for ITV. The cast includes Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley (47 episodes), Michelle Dockery as Mary Crawley (47 episodes), Laura Carmichael as Edith Crawley (47 episodes), Joanne Froggatt as Anna Smith (47 episodes), Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley (47 episodes), Phyllis Logan as Mrs. Hughes (47 episodes), Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley (47 episodes), Jim Carter as Charles Carson (47 episodes), and Brendan Coyle as John Bates (47 episodes).

Seasons Snapshot

Downton Abbey ran for 6 series and 47 episodes: Series 1 (7 episodes) premiered on September 26, 2010; Series 2 (8 episodes) premiered on September 18, 2011; Series 3 (8 episodes) premiered on September 16, 2012; Series 4 (8 episodes) premiered on September 22, 2013; Series 5 (8 episodes) premiered on September 21, 2014; and Series 6 (8 episodes) premiered on September 20, 2015, concluding with the finale on November 8, 2015. The series also produced 12 Specials, which are not counted in the episode total.

Why Watch Downton Abbey?

Downton Abbey is comfort television with real substance. The costumes and the castle are gorgeous, but what keeps viewers coming back is the writing: sharp dialogue, slow-burn romances, and characters on both sides of the staircase who feel fully human. It is a rare drama the whole household can enjoy together, equal parts soap opera, history lesson, and warm character study. Whether you come for Maggie Smith’s one-liners or stay for the Crawleys’ many crises, Downton delivers a world you will not want to leave.

Trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube: Downton Abbey | BritBox Trailer

Where to Watch

In the US, Downton Abbey streams on Amazon Prime Video, BritBox, PBS, and Peacock Premium. Availability was checked against JustWatch US listings on October 29, 2026, and may change over time.