After the romantic end of the final episode of Season 5 of “Downton Abbey” was shown on March 8 at PBS, many of its fans as well as some of the show’s stars believe that there is not much to go on for Season 6 as far as storylines are concerned.
In fact, the sixth year of the TV series was almost put in jeopardy when reports came out that Julian Fellowes, the creator and writer of “Downton Abbey” has agreed to work on another period drama titled “The Gilded Age” for NBC just days after the show wrapped up its fifth season.
However, PBS just announced on its website on March 21 that there will be a Season 6 for “Downton Abbey” and Julian Fellowes will still be back as creator and writer for the critically-acclaoimed period drama TV show.
In the same manner, the network also announced that the upcoming season will be the final year for the 11-time Emmy and three-time Golden Globe award-winning TV series, notes MSN News.
The sixth and final season will start airing towards the end of the year and will wrap up in the first quarter of next year.
Returning cast members
Expected to return for the sixth and final season of “Downton Abbey” are the show’s premiere acting cast that include Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Lily James, Joanne Froggatt, Jim Carter, and Maggie Smith.
The fans of the TV series got worried when NBC network chairman Bob Greenblatt confirmed that Julian Fellowes has committed to write the new period drama show “The Gilded Age” set in 19th century New York.
Many were thinking that the schedule and the similar type of period drama would force Fellowes to choose between “Downton Abbey” and “The Gilded Age.”
Now, it has become clear that while the writer has accepted work for “The Gilded Age,” he is professional enough to finish what he has started with “Downton Abbey.” For sure, fans of the TV series are excited to hear of the news and some perhaps could no longer wait to see the Season 6 premiere episode.
Filming for the TV series will likely begin in the next couple of months, although no schedule has been announced yet by the production team.
Extending the happy ending
Season 5 of “Downton Abbey” ended on a very happy note that is why veteran British actress Maggie Smith said that there is nothing much to go on with the show after the fifth season.
She said that the most that “Downton Abbey” could go on is up to the next season and the show’s creator would really be hardpressed to develop plenty of materials beyond Season 6.
Smith was also quoted as saying in another interview that Season 5 may also be the last one because she herself does not see how the show could go on.
The veteran actress said that if the show will go on to the next season, she should be around 110 years old by then, consistent with the sarcastic sense of humor of the Dowager Countess role she has been playing in the series for the past five years.