Arkansas PBS > Engage > Pressroom > AETN to host free season 6 preview screening for 'Downton Abbey' on 'Masterpiece'
Posted 03 Dec 2015
The top-rated PBS drama of all time approaches its climactic chapter as 'Downton Abbey' enters its sixth and final season on 'Masterpiece,' bringing exciting closure to a remarkable series. The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) will host a free season 6 preview screening at the Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E 3rd Street, Little Rock, Saturday, Dec. 19, at 2 p.m.
The event will include a screening of the first hour of the final season of 'Downton Abbey' at 2 p.m., followed by tea time at 3 p.m., a period costume contest and door prizes. Costumes are strongly encouraged but not required. The event is free and open to the public, and anyone interested in attending should RSVP at aetn.org. Additional information is available by calling 501-324-9351.
Where will fate, passion, ambition and duty lead television's most beloved characters? Millions of devoted viewers will soon find out on 'Downton Abbey,' season 6, airing in nine enthralling episodes beginning Jan. 3 on 'Masterpiece.'
Having weathered the demise of a string of heirs, the horrors of World War I, the Spanish flu, false convictions and romantic betrayals, not to mention the compromising death of a Turkish diplomat in the throes of passion, 'Downton Abbey' is primed for new surprises in season 6. Season 6 opens in 1925 with a series of crises reflecting the momentous changes that are transforming society. Women's rights have given Lady Mary and Lady Edith new positions of responsibility: Mary runs the estate, and Edith manages the magazine she inherited from Michael Gregson. Meanwhile, Tom Branson has left for Boston, and newlyweds Lady Rose and Atticus Aldridge are trying their luck in Jazz Age New York. Anna Bates faces a murder charge, though many still suspect her husband. And for the rest of the servants, big doubts hang over their jobs. Will great houses and the fortunes that support them soon be gone?
Making their bittersweet farewell are members of the beloved cast, including: Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggatt, Penelope Wilton, Phyllis Logan, Laura Carmichael, Brendan Coyle, Lesley Nicol, Sophie McShera, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Kevin Doyle, Samantha Bond, David Robb, Raquel Cassidy and Michael Fox.
'We wanted to close the doors of 'Downton Abbey' when it felt right and natural for the storylines to come together, and when the show was still being enjoyed so much by its fans,' executive producer Gareth Neame said. 'We can promise a final season full of all the usual drama and intrigue, but with the added excitement of discovering how and where they all end up.'
Written and created by Julian Fellowes, 'Downton Abbey' is a Carnival Films/'Masterpiece' co-production. Carnival Films, headed by 'Downton Abbey' Executive Producer Gareth Neame, is a division of NBCUniversal International Television Studios. With 59 Emmy nominations, more than any other British show in Emmy history, 'Downton Abbey' is one of the most honored series on television, having captured 11 Emmys, three Golden Globes, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Producers Guild Award and three BAFTAs.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is Arkansas's statewide public television network that enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. For more information, visit aetn.org, or follow the AETN blog at aetn.org/engage. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), and KETZ (El Dorado).