Downton Abbey Bows Out To High Ratings On PBS

Downton AbbeyThe third season finale of hit period drama Downton Abbey, starring Dame Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville, pulled in big ratings for PBS in America.

Press Release:
PBS and WGBH announced today that the conclusion of the breakout hit “Downton Abbey, Season 3” on MASTERPIECE CLASSIC captivated an average audience of 8.2 million viewers (Nielsen Fast National data, 5.2 household rating). The Season 3 finale’s average audience was 50 percent above the Season 2 finale (5.4 million viewers, 3.5 household Fast National rating) from February 2012.

“Downton Abbey, Season 3,” a Carnival/MASTERPIECE co-production, consistently drew an audience more than quadruple the PBS primetime average. It exceeded the average rating of the second season of “Downton Abbey” by 66 percent (based on metered market averages).
According to SocialGuide, there were nearly 80,000 “Downton Abbey”-related tweets sent out on Feb. 17, making it the 2nd most tweeted-about series (broadcast or cable) on television that night.

Final, Live+7 ratings for the season finale will be available in approximately three weeks.

A fourth season of Downton Abbey, and another Christmas Special, have been ordered with production to begin shortly. Creator and writer Julian Fellowes has discussed the fourth season and what it will mean for Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) in a recent interview. Find out more here >>