‘Downton Abbey’ season 4: Take a new look at the characters (and behind the scenes)
For those of you who have been waiting patiently in North America to find out more information on “Downton Abbey” season 4 without being spoiled, this is the place to start to get a sense as to what is coming up.
We recently had a giveaway for a copy of the book Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey (we’ll be contacting the winner by the end of the day), and for those of you who are prospective buyers and also superfans, this book is a great place to start. It’s a visual guide of what happened prior to this season, the emotional state of all of the characters going into production, and also a few hints surrounding what you are going to see. It doesn’t give everything away, and what we especially appreciate about it is that it is a book that was clearly designed with the love of the fans in mind, and is not just some easy cash-grab around the holiday season for people who are thoroughly obsessed with the show. It’s a really great addition to the catalogue, especially if you already have some of the earlier official books in your possession. (This book is written by Emma Rowley, with a foreword from executive producer Gareth Neame.)
Also, the video at the link here via PBS should serve for you as a quick little guide as to some of the new faces who will be popping in at Downton throughout the upcoming season. Some are benevolent, some are anything but benevolent, but all represent something different in comparison to what we have been shown already. The most notable one in terms of cultural significance is Jack Ross (Gary Carr), the show’s first-ever black character.
So while you may be jealous that season 4 is ending in Britain on Sunday night (save for the Christmas special), remember that if you have gone this long without ruining the story for yourself, there isn’t that much further to go. There is always something to be said for being surprised by something that you see on TV, and while you can’t control the internet, at least some folks associated with the show have done a nice job of not disclosing anything too major to American audiences.
Season 4 premieres on PBS in the United States come Sunday, January 5 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Photo: ITV