The eighth and final episode of Season 5 of “Downton Abbey” was shown on March 8 on PBS network and it was just fitting that the British period drama TV series concluded with a romantic end.
While Season 6 has already been confirmed as early as late last year immediately after Season 5 began airing in the UK on September 21, 2014, it appears that there is now serious doubt as to whether there will still be a sixth year for the widely popular British TV series or not.
The apprehension loomed larger especially when reports came out that Julian Fellowes, the creator and writer for “Downton Abbey” has agreed to work on another period drama titled “The Gilded Age” for NBC after the show’s fifth season, reports the Christian Times.
No less than NBC network chairman Bob Greenblatt confirmed that the new period drama show set in 19th century New York will be launched next season and that Fellowes has already made his commitment to the series.
It is still not clear at this point if the decision of Fellowes to do the writing for “The Gilded Age” would also mean that he will no longer continue his job with “Downton Abbey,” if indeed the show pushes through with its sixth season next year or towards the latter part of this year at the earliest.
Not much to go on
Veteran British actress Maggie Smith believes that “Downton Abbey” has nothing much to go end after its Season 5 finale, which was quite a happy ending.
In a recent interview, Smith 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 for Season 6.
She was also quoted as saying in another interview with Entertainment Weekly that Season 5 is the last one because she herself does not see how the show could go on.
Smith 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.
Limitations to privacy
The 80-year-old Maggie Smith also says that the popularity of the series has also put some limitations on the privacy of the stars of “Downton Abbey.”
She says that they can no longer do the things they used to do in public without soliciting the attention of the public.
Unlike before when she could go to art galleries without getting noticed or drawing much attention, she can no longer do that now as fans and the public have already identified her with the very popular TV series.
Maggie Smith has already won a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild, and two Emmy awards for the show and is also planning on leaving the show soon, assuming that she agree to give herself a go for Season 6.
I certainly pray that DOWNTON ABBEY will continue on thru many more seasons as I have become enamored with it has many others I know. Please Mr. Fellowes continue the series. I have all the DVDs and long for more.