‘Downton Abbey’ season 5 debate: Should next season be the last?

No one will ever doubt whether or not “Downton Abbey” has been a phenomenon for ITV and for television all around the globe. It has smashed records, introduced new parts of the world to Britian and their history, and also presented a new series of very memorable character, whether you are talking about Mr. Bates, Carson, Robert, Mary, or someone else.

But, all things do at some point have to come to an end, and Britain is very different from America in that they often do not choose to allow their shows to drag on for as long as humanly possible. They tend to prefer allowing things to reach some sort of natural conclusion earlier, that way there is not so much of a feeling that something overstays its welcome.

When it comes to “Downton Abbey,” we are starting to near that point. Ratings are down for much of this season in the United Kingdom without Dan Stevens, and you get the feeling that this once-discussed series is starting to lose a little bit of its steam. The last thing that you want to do is have another season where this happens, and then in a season 6 it starts to go out with a whimper. This is why we are put into a pretty tricky position here. While we do not want to see “Downton Abbey” go away by any means, we almost feel like it is better for it to end next year rather than to drag it on for too much longer.

If season 5 is the end, one benefit that the series will surely have is the chance to bring back potentially some fans who turned off this season, but will be interested in seeing how things end. If the shows waits too long, then you rush the risk of viewers being turned off completely, and they will never return no matter when your final season airs … and we want to see this series go out with a flourish, and with numbers that are through the roof and deserving of this monster of a hit.

What do you think about this issue: Should season 5 of “Downton Abbey” be its last, or do you think that there is something more in the tank for the show? Share your thoughts in the comment box below, and click here if you want to see some more news. We’re going to have a review of tonight’s finale at that link very soon, so stay tuned.

Photo: ITV