Before ITV1 could even faded to black last night at the conclusion of series 4 of Downton Abbey, news broke that the series has been commissioned for a fifth series. While it has yet to even see the light of day in the States (except for those midnight downloads that we’re not supposed to discuss), when the show premieres as part of PBS’ Masterpiece series, word is that Downton will still stand for another year with production set to begin in early to mid-2014. Given the broadcast history of the previous 4 series, that would put the UK broadcast in Fall 2014 and the PBS broadcast in January 2015. But, while history seems to have repeated itself like clockwork the past four years, you never know….
 

 
Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton says Downton fans who tune in on January 5, 2014 can “…rest easy knowing that a fifth season is on the way.” Brilliant news for has become the most-watched drama in PBS history.