Downton Abbey: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

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; his American heiress wife, Cora his comically implacable, opinionated mother, Violet 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 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. Downton Abbey offers a spot-on portrait of a vanishing way of life.

Series details

• Title: Downton Abbey
• Format: Scripted
• Language: English
• Genres: Drama, Family, Romance
• Premiere date: 2010-09-26
• Final broadcast date listed: 2015-12-25
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: ITV1
• Network country: United Kingdom
• Typical episode runtime: 71 minutes
• TVmaze community rating: 8.7/10
• TVMaze ID: 251

Cast and credited roles

• Elizabeth McGovern — Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham
• Michelle Dockery — Lady Mary Crawley
• Laura Carmichael — Lady Edith Crawley
• Penelope Wilton — Isobel Merton
• Jim Carter — Charles Carson
• Phyllis Logan — Elsie Hughes
• Rob James Collier — Thomas Barrow
• Joanne Froggatt — Anna Smith
• Lesley Nicol — Beryl Patmore
• Sophie McShera — Daisy Robinson
• Hugh Bonneville — Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham
• Maggie Smith — Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2010-09-26; final listed air date 2010-11-07; episode order: 7.
• Season 2: premiered 2011-09-18; final listed air date 2011-12-25; episode order: 8.
• Season 3: premiered 2012-09-16; final listed air date 2012-12-25; episode order: 8.
• Season 4: premiered 2013-09-22; final listed air date 2013-12-25; episode order: 8.
• Season 5: premiered 2014-09-21; final listed air date 2014-12-25; episode order: 8.
• Season 6: premiered 2015-09-20; final listed air date 2015-12-25; episode order: 8.

Source and licence

Adapted from Downton Abbey on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.