text: Downton Abbey Season Three Premiere Ratings Soar To New Heights! – Michael Fairman TV
  Downton Abbey, the international smash that is a bonafide hit with U.S. audiences too, hit ratings gold for its season three premiere this past Sunday night!
  The epic British soap opera drew 7.9 million viewers on PBS, which is its highest total yet according to the Nielsen Ratings! The third season premiere of the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning series, a Carnival/MASTERPIECE co-production, quadrupled the average PBS primetime rating, and exceeded the average rating of the second season premiere of Downton Abbey by 96 percent (based on metered market averages). That means the number is four times PBS' typical nightly average and nearly twice the 4.2 million who watched the season 2 premiere episode!
  "The well-loved characters that made Season 2 the most-watched series in MASTERPIECE history continue to delight us," said MASTERPIECE executive producer Rebecca Eaton. "I'm thrilled to see so many viewers return to the Crawley family's delicious drama and intrigue." The new season, which rejoins the story as the Great War is over and the long-awaited engagement of Lady Mary and Matthew is on, will be available on the PBS Video Portal after each national broadcast for a limited time.
  After the jump watch this just released look into Season Three of Downton Abbey with its creator, Julian Fellowes. What was your favorite part of the Season three premiere? The wedding of Matthew and Mary? Shirley MacLaine's debut? Lord Grantham's confession that he may lose "Downton" forever? Let us know!
  Watch Downton Abbey: State of the Abbey, Part 1 on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.
  Related Topics:Downton AbbeyJulian FellowesratingsSeason Three Premiere
  The show is fun to watch.A soap opera.A great idea and great characters with Actors who can actually act.I loved the wedding and her sisters return with her husband. Nice that Matthew and his new brother in-law get along. The money will be gone But I think Matthew should take the inheritance because Lavinia would have wanted him to save Downtown Abbey, I hope Bates is not guilty,and he andAnna can reunite. O'Brian and Thomas need to get theirs. They are sleazy and they need to pay for their sins. I love Maggie Smith .I read she adds things to… Read more »