Is ‘Downton Abbey’ season 6, episode 9 (the series finale) new tonight on PBS?

For the past eight weeks, PBS has aired through thick and thin the first eight episodes of the final season of “Downton Abbey,” and that has included even putting the show on the air against the ratings beast otherwise known as the Super Bowl.

So why are things changing Sunday night for the series finale? There are two simple reasons for that. First and foremost, PBS wants to ensure that their ratings remain as large as humanly possible given that this is the last episode of the entire season. They weren’t so worried about airing a standard episode against the Super Bowl, especially since the two shows seemingly have very different audiences choosing to watch.

As for the other issue, remember that the Academy Awards are on! The last thing that PBS wants to do is air an upscale series against what is effectively one of the most upscale and dramatic awards shows out there.

Before we conclude this article, let’s go ahead and share what is quite possibly the greatest non-teaser possible courtesy of Jim Carter. Here is what the man behind Mr. Carson had to say in a recent video via Entertainment Weekly:

“The way television works, people watch and they get excited about the story. But if some idiot from Yorkshire’s told them the story beforehand, it ruins that pleasure. And then they come looking for that idiot and persecute him … So I don’t want to be in that position.”