\n<\/p>\n
With six seasons, two movies and a third on the way, Downton Abbey<\/em><\/a> might be one of the most successful period dramas of all time \u2014 and with good reason. The story of the Crawleys, a wealthy family who run an estate in the English countryside, is full of upstairs-downstairs drama, romance, scandal and history. It begins in 1912, and the story continues all the way through 1926.<\/p>\n At the heart of this PBS series is the romance between Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery<\/strong><\/a>), the eldest daughter of the family, and distant relative Matthew Crawley, (Dan Stevens<\/strong><\/a>), who becomes the heir to the estate (which is not allowed to pass to a woman) when the previous heir dies aboard the Titanic. Mary\u2019s two younger sisters, Edith (Laura Carmichael<\/strong>) and Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay<\/strong>), are also seeking marriages and daring to dream bigger as rights for women begin to expand.<\/p>\n The staff of Downton also experiences its fair share of romantic drama, especially between valet Mr. Bates (Brendan Coyle<\/strong>) and lady\u2019s maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt<\/strong>). Perhaps the most memorable character of all is Lady Violet, the snarky and sharp Dowager Countess, played by the late, great Maggie Smith<\/strong><\/a>. Downton<\/em> earned 69 Primetime Emmy nominations<\/a> during its run \u2014 the most of any international series.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n