'Downton Abbey' Season 6: Christmas episode set in 1925 is fitting end to series

(Reuters)

It was only a month ago that news broke of the upcoming sixth season of "Dowton Abbey" being its last. Executive Producer Gareth Naeme had suggested that while the sixth season would be the show's last hurrah, the final season would infuse each episode with Downton's traditional drama and intrigue, while providing a satisfying conclusion to longtime followers of the show by wrapping up each character's respective narrative arcs.

Fellow Executive Producer Julian Fellowes mentioned that it had been a roller coaster ride for the show's entire cast and crew. Speaking about "Downton" in a news report at the show's official website, Fellowes said, "People ask if we knew what was going to happen when we started to make the first series and the answer is that, of course we had no idea."

Along the way, the show has delivered some memorable moments, with key storylines from Caron's romantic proposal to Mrs. Hughes to Lady Mary Crawley's tragic loss. It was this kind of quality that enabled "Downton" to build on its huge worldwide following, and while the sixth season farewell is certainly disappointing news, the show promises to retain the same kind of quality and even surpass it.

"Downton Abbey" will air its sixth and final season starting November later this year. The season will run for eight episodes before concluding with a Christmas special right during the holiday season. The Christmas episode will be set in the year 1925 and will bring an official closure to the most loved television series.

Fans looking to reminisce on past episodes can head over to the show's official website where the production team has made available large amounts of extra footage commemorating the show's biggest and brightest moments. The extras footage can be viewed here.

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