‘Downton Abbey’ season 4 ready to begin (at least production-wise)
If you are a diehard fan of “Downton Abbey,” you have surely been waiting for this for quite a long time; and luckily, the moment is just about here. “Downton Abbey” had its first read-through earlier this week for season 4, and as we progress forward into the days and weeks ahead, filming for the new episodes will officially be underway.
So how much are we going to find out about this process while it is happening? The answer here is simple: very little. While Americans have to suffer through spoilers from anywhere and everywhere after the show airs earlier in the United Kingdom, Julian Fellowes and the crew have done a stellar job over the years at keeping most details concerning the plot of this show a secret … especially when it comes to stunners such as Sybil’s death.
Considering how long the wait is, this really is a situation where the less we know about specific events that transpire, the better off we know about this series is the better off we’ll be. With that in mind, don’t expect this place to become a haven for saying that “X happened” or “Y died.” Instead, we will share some casting news as it comes out, along with what some of the actors themselves are saying about the filming process. Production will push ahead now for several months, and the new season will begin as always on ITV in September. (It’s still to be seen as to whether or not PBS will push up the airdate in America.)
What do you want to see take place on “Downton Abbey” season 4? If you want to see what Joanne Froggatt has to say about some of the scripts for the new season, you can do so over at the link here.
Photo: ITV
Mac
March 14, 2013 @ 7:16 am
To the American viewers, you should be so lucky, we in oz have only just got to watch Lady Sybil’s death episode.
judy clark
February 19, 2013 @ 2:19 pm
My husband and I LOVE Downton Abbey and were so sorry to hear that the character of Matthew had to die….but I believe Julian Fellows is a genius and he will find a way to keep Downton just as enthralling as it has been for 3 seasons. I really hate to see the next season delayed while British TV starts early. Some how the “spoilers” always make it over the pond. Wish this could be fixed someway..Can’t wait for Season4! Thank you Sir Fellows!!
CHRISTINA
February 18, 2013 @ 11:35 pm
SUCH A FANTASTIC PROGRAM…EVERYONES TALKING ABOUT DOWNTON ! I WISH THE US COULD LEARN FROM YOU GUYS AND STOP WITH THE “REALITY TV SHOWS”…ENOUGH ALREADY!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT PROGRAM….WAITING WITH EXCITEMENT FOR SEASON 4!!!
Jean Charlebois
February 18, 2013 @ 5:37 pm
My wife & I love Downton Abbey, but were very disappointed to see Mathew lying there dead,we hope you would reconsider. Why would you take out one of the main characters that we have come to love.Sorry to hear Dan Stevens didn’t want to come back.
Marie
February 18, 2013 @ 12:57 am
Love, love Downton Abbey. Love all the characters especially Jimmy/James, Mary, Tom, Thomas, The Dowager, Mrs. Hughes and Isobel.
You need a dashing love interest for Mary to keep the viewers enthralled, just like Dan Stevens. One person that comes to mind is Andrew Buchan (Garrow’s Law). He is Amy Nuttall’s husband in real life and she plays Ethel in DA.
Another dashing British actor is Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock).
I hope this series goes on for a long time with more than 7 episodes per season.
Lace
February 17, 2013 @ 11:36 pm
Matthew is DEAD! He’s not coming back.
Mary
February 17, 2013 @ 3:45 pm
Just because Dan Stevens does not want to come back does not mean that Matthew has to die. His character is a very important part of Downton and I would love to see him and Mary become lords of Downton. Matthew and Bradso’s characters are making a great impacts at Downton. Final words! Say goodbye to Dan if he does not want to return but do not kill the character. Matthew still has alot to do with Mary, the new baby and most importantly with Downton.
NjN
February 17, 2013 @ 3:24 pm
Julian, Next season opener: The ambulance sent for Matthew after the car accident crashes on the way to the hospital. His injuries from the 2nd accident require plastic surgery to his face. His face will be bandaged for months as he recovers from injuries. Then when he is healed and the bandages come off…wah-lah a new face for Matthew is readily accepted. We expect this miracle from Matthew whose spinal cord was ‘bruised’ and allowed him to get up out of his wheelchair (for heaven’s sake)
All of the tragedy happens to the Crawleys, spread some of it around to the help for heaven’s sake!
Keep it plausible.
Anonymous American
February 17, 2013 @ 12:35 pm
For S4, PLEASE a cameo upstairs by Hugh Laurie and downstairs by Stephen Fry… James can’t get with Daisy because he is closeted to himself and will figure that out in S4. Either Edith or Rose will have to do the heavy lifting on birth control in the 20s. Sooner or later we are going to have to discover the dark secret that the blue-eyed Earl and his equally blue-eyed wife are concealing behind the lovely chocolate-brown eyes of Edith and Mary. We need to see more tenants affected by the Earl’s decisions; William’s dad is a good start for that, and Daisy’s arc should include farming– perhaps with Edith’s help. Cora will find a way, somehow, someway, to take effective anti-simpering lessons so that she doesn’t drain the life out of every scene in which she appears. OK, maybe not that last one… sigh.
Anonymous
February 15, 2013 @ 7:06 pm
I was saddened to learn that Matthew will not be returning to Downton. I just cannot see how the show can survive without him, but if you absolutely must replace him, please do consider Jonathan Rhys Meyers for the role. Jonathan stole my heart in the Tudors.
Blue
February 15, 2013 @ 1:40 am
Best to replace the character not the actor….as the actor, Dan Stevens, doesn’t want to continue – finding more money it would seem across the Herring Pond in New York. He wasn’t all that anyway – it was the writing made Stevens good/interesting…..The writing can create a new Mathew and probably a better actor to play him. He has to continue the Downton Abbey fortunes…otherwise it could go down again….Mary is too much her father to continue Mathew’s way and her child is a baby. And what will happen with the Branson character without Mathew and we cannot lose Mathew’s Mother – she is a great giving Downton a good well meaning character – much needed as the years go… And please keep it British…no more yanks…it disrupts the whole and makes Cora less. Also Edith needs a good run – she is interesting and now with a story line that fits her well and an attractive newspaper man come into her life – (with a hideous back story – why?) Obviously his wife has to die or he finds the law can work for divorce.
I also like little Daisy and the young James (Jimmie) who plays piano dances very well and showed some interest in Daisy – he doesn’t care for the other kitchen maid but he seems to maybe like Daisy…..Could be an interesting pair/match.
Tricia
February 14, 2013 @ 11:56 pm
Branson and Edith should fall in love
Gorgeous Henry Cavill. (Tutors) should be brought on as. Mary,s new love
Phoebe
February 14, 2013 @ 1:44 pm
I’d like to see Eddie Redmayne as a suitor to Lady Mary.
They could sing a duet along with Lady Cora.
Caitlin
February 13, 2013 @ 5:24 pm
Its such a shame that Dan Stevens had to be so full of himself and for sure that really ruins it for me because he was my favorite character of all of them! Truly a great actor if hes such a pomp in real life. And right, this show makes no sense to have a widow and a widower with babies in the same year… and having to hill off the two dearest characters in Downton. And what, we have to sympathize with Thomas now? Dan Stevens, you may as well have ruined the show. For me anyways.
KAREN L. WINGETT
February 12, 2013 @ 7:24 pm
I AM ABSOLUTELY IN SHOCK RE: MATTHEW–PLEASE DON’T LET HIM DIE!!!!!!
DOWNTON ABBEY IS SUCH A GREAT–SHOW!!! I HAVE NEVER SEEN A BETTER
PROGRAM IN ALL MY LIFE (EXCEPT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS!!!!!)
THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE IN “AMERICA” CAN’T COME TO CLOSE TO THE
BRITISH PROGRAMS, “DOWNTON ABBEY, FOYLES WAR, INSPECTOR MORSE………….
PLEASE CONTINUE WITH DOWNTON ABBEY—-YOU “BRIT’S HAVE A
WON THE HEARTS OF YOUR MARVELOUS PROGRAMS!!!!!”
AMERICAN PROGRAMS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
I THANK YOU, BLESS YOU AND HOPE WE “AMERICANS” REALIZE HOW
WONDERFUL YOU ARE.
THANKS,
KAREN
rwarton
February 12, 2013 @ 11:31 am
I don’t have to wait as long because there is a website called stream-tv.me. You can go there after all the episodes have aired in the UK ( which is after Christmas) and they will all be there to watch. For those who watch Merlin and haven’t seen season 5 or any other seasons Merlin is on there too.
Lola
February 12, 2013 @ 8:17 am
Eddie Redmayne as Lady Mary’s next suitor.
TeamJanBradyAKAedithcrowley
February 12, 2013 @ 4:29 am
Branson & Rose?! Are you people nuts? Matthew is gone because Dan Stevens is a douche. PBS’s execs are too stupid to realize that they need to push America’s air date to October. Hell, it’s a joint Masterpiece/Carnival production, surely the honchos at Masterpiece can agree to it. Edith needs a hot guy because she made amends for her Season 1 wickedness by caring for William.
Finally, I have a feeling Mary & Tom might get it in in S4 or S5. Call me crazy.
BostonBoy
February 11, 2013 @ 9:26 pm
Wow has anyone at PBS heard about this thing called the internet ??? Airing in Sept. in the UK and not till Jan in the US is just stupid, it’s spoiler hell!. Airing in the US needs to be moved up
Estee White
February 11, 2013 @ 3:37 pm
You have to realize that Mathew/Dan Stevens did NOT want to come back. He was given the opportunity to at least make / be in some episodes as cameo appearances, he did not want to. What makes it sad is that Downton Abbey made him well known, he’s on Broadway now & venturing toward movies and a bigger paycheck. He bite the hand that “fed him” as so many do !
Marianna Mutschler
February 11, 2013 @ 2:52 pm
Please bring Matthew back either the same actor which I would prefer or find another actor that would fit. It does not make sense to kill the character at this time so soon after Sybil died. Leaving a widow and widower of the same family with new babies does not make sense.
Anonymous
February 11, 2013 @ 2:25 pm
Love Matthew and Mary, can’t see how the future of Downton would work Witt them together. Re-think your writing…please!
Debra
February 11, 2013 @ 8:14 am
Love Lady Mary & Matthew together! Please do what you can to keep him!!!
Gerri
February 11, 2013 @ 2:01 am
Who cares what the plans are for content? Let’s just bring on Season 4 (and 5 if possible). Love this story!
Janet
February 10, 2013 @ 11:55 pm
When do we get to veiw season 4 in the United States?
Lulu
February 10, 2013 @ 9:17 pm
I agree with Kimberlee PLEASE BRING DAN STEVENS BACK. Also Tom Branson with cousin Rose is a great idea.
Kat
February 10, 2013 @ 9:15 pm
If anyone tries with Branson, I will be upset. His relationship with Sybil was perfection. The way season 3 ended kinda made me lose hope for the show. They can’t be killing everyone off!
Alison
February 10, 2013 @ 8:56 pm
I CANNOT wait until season 4! I just discovered this TV show a week ago and have watched seasons 1-3 during that time. I want Mary to find a new man ( one like Mr. Farouk, please) and I want Rose (the rebel cousin) to fall in love with Tom Branson.
Kathy
February 10, 2013 @ 7:55 pm
I would like to see members of the family visit their American relations. This has been talked about in past episodes.
Candace
February 10, 2013 @ 7:45 pm
When does season 4 premier in England?
Kimberlee
February 10, 2013 @ 7:28 pm
What do I wanna see in Season 4? The discovery that Matthew is NOT DEAD afterall!! Can’t you offer Dan Stevens a little more money. He’s the best in the entire cast! And we need his warmth to balance Lady Mary’s cool. PLEASE bring him back!!
Will
February 10, 2013 @ 6:45 pm
Pretty much any show can be found online after its original air date. Sometimes in a matter of minutes or hours. Besides if America can get away with having ridiculously cheaper goods then they can deal with waiting for a tv show…which really isn’t necessary if you just go online.
DApper
February 10, 2013 @ 5:27 pm
I believe PBS has already announced that season 4 will air next January in the US, citing the high ratings and successes this season despite spoilers prior to air.
Jesse
February 10, 2013 @ 5:06 pm
You could always find it online, you know…It’s really, really not that hard.
Holly
February 9, 2013 @ 9:05 pm
This is KILLING ME! Why does it take longer to be seen in the USA? Not fair! Best. show. ever.