The ruler to ensure the cutlery is appropriately spaced on the dinner table, the snip of a barbed comment from the Dowager Countess of Grantham, the arrival of Martha Levinson—the third season of the PBS "Masterpiece" drama “Downton Abbey” is almost here.
In fact, by the show website’s real-time clock, it is four days, 10 hours and counting until the Sunday, Jan. 6 premiere.
Tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 3, WTCI is celebrating the highly anticipated event with two period occasions of its own: an afternoon bridal tea with traditional bite-sized desserts and champagne cocktails, and an evening reception with beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres.
For both, guests are encouraged to don their dapper dubs in honor of Lady Mary Josephine Crawley's impending wedding, and, most importantly, both will feature a screening of the first 60 minutes of the third season.
“Downton Abbey” first premiered in the U.K. in September 2010. With the second season, the period drama, which has seven Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe to its credit, came across the pond to the U.S. in January 2012.
The hourlong drama quickly became the darling of PBS "Masterpiece" programming: With a final count of 17.1 million viewers, “Downton Abbey” is the record-holder for the most-watched "Masterpiece" series of all time.
Ticket sales from tomorrow’s events will benefit WTCI programming.
