Downton Abbey 3 Spoiler Alert!

January 2013 sounds like a long way away, but its really not. Even Fall 2012 sounds far off for the UK premiere of the most popular drama to hit ITV and PBS in more years that I can remember. It’s been too long since the local chapter of the Downton Abbey Separation Anxiety group has convened. Fortunately, the Executive Producer for PBS’ Masterpiece series is well aware of the negative effect that no weekly presence of the Dowager Countess can have on the viewing public and has offered up a few minimal spoilers for the upcoming season.

Speaking with Hal Boedeker at the Orlando Sentinel, Eaton offered a few bits and bobs to get everyone to at least next week before the need arises again for more information. She told the paper, “It’s the 1920s now. Somebody will be born, and somebody will die — somebody pretty key in the cast, unfortunately, is not going to make it”.

Eaton also offered some insight as to what life has been like on the set with the addition of Shirley MacLaine to the cast for the upcoming season. “There are some wonderful scenes between Maggie and Shirley MacLaine,” Eaton says. “Shirley MacLaine being as ditzy as ever…and Maggie barely restraining her sneer in having to deal with this ‘American’,” she says.

On the upside, however, “Matthew and Mary do get married,” says Eaton of the characters played by Dan Stevens and Michelle Dockery.

Just think, in the time it took to read this, you are that much closer to the UK premiere in September 2012 and the U.S. premiere in January 2013. It’ll be here before you know it.