Downton Abbey Season 3 On KCTS 9
The Phenomenon Lives On! Downton Abbey Season 3 – Sundays, January 6 – February 17, 2013 on KCTS 9
SEATTLE—Season 3 of Downton Abbey, the PBS phenomenon that the New York Times called “an instant classic,” and the Wall Street Journal deemed “impossible to resist,” will premiere on KCTS 9 on Sunday, January 6 at 9:00 pm. Downton Abbey Season 3 airs over seven Sundays beginning with a two-hour premiere on January 6 and concluding with a ninety-minute finale on February 17. The series’ total running time is 9 1/2 hours.
The Great War is over and the long-awaited engagement of Lady Mary and Matthew is on, but all is not tranquil at Downton Abbey as wrenching social changes, romantic intrigues, and personal crises grip the majestic English country estate for a third thrilling season. The all-star cast, including Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, returns and welcomes guest star Academy Award®-winner Shirley MacLaine.
KCTS 9 has consistently been one of the top PBS stations in the country for Downton Abbey ratings, and Pacific Northwest fans of the show have been eagerly awaiting Season 3 of the biggest PBS hit in years. KCTS 9 will celebrate the Season 3 premiere with an exclusive preview screening of the first hour of episode one on January 5 at 2:00 pm at the Seattle Art Museum, one day before Season 3 airs on PBS’ MASTERPIECE Classic. The preview screening is free, but seating is limited and an online RSVP is required. Media who wish to attend the screening may contact Hilda Cullen, at hcullen@kcts9.org to rsvp.
Nationally, 17.1 million viewers tuned in to the initial seven episodes of Downton Abbey Season 2, making it the most-watched MASTERPIECE series on record. For the passionate Northwest fans who may have missed it or who can’t wait for the new season, KCTS 9 is currently airing all seven Downton Abbey Season 2 episodes this month. In anticipation of the new season, KCTS 9 has created a dedicated web page featuring “all things Downton,” including a blog, video clips, photo galleries, and Downton Abbey news and highlights. Fans of the show who visit www.kcts9.org/downton-abbey may also sign up for “Tea Times” to receive twice-weekly Downton Abbey tips, tidbits, and episode recaps by email.
Written and created by Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey Season 3 is a Carnival Films and
Masterpiece coproduction. Seasons 1 & 2 have together won nine Primetime Emmy®
Awards and a Golden Globe® for Best Mini-Series. PBS recently announced that a fourth season of Downton Abbey will air on MASTERPIECE. MASTERPIECE on PBS is presented by WGBH Boston.