Viewers can expect to follow plot threads left dangling from the last season of Downton Abbey, including Lady Mary's courtship contest, Lady Edith's trials as a secret single mom, Thomas's scheming against Bates, Robert's battles against modernity, Tom's quest to be true to his ideals, Violet's one-line zingers, and more. One of the recurring themes of Downton Abbey is change, from the wrenching consequences of the Titanic disaster in Season 1 to a notorious automobile accident at the end of Season 3 —plus World War I, women’s rights, and the new morals, inventions, and fashions of the 1920s.

Which is where Season 5 begins. The year is 1924. The United Kingdom has its first Labor Party prime minister. The radio is the latest miracle of the age. And Downton's traditional ways are besieged on all fronts, as evidenced by this exchange between the head housekeeper, Mrs. Hughes, and the butler, Mr. Carson: "We’re catching up, Mr. Carson. Whether you like it or not, Downton is catching up with the times we live in," says the forward-thinking Mrs. Hughes.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of!" the butler retorts. New and returning characters include:

Richard E. Grant (Girls, Gosford Park, Doctor Who) is joining the cast as Simon Bricker, who visits Downton Abbey as a guest of the Granthams. Anna Chancellor (The Hour, Four Weddings and a Funeral) joins in a guest role, playing Lady Anstruther, and Rade Sherbedgia (Eyes Wide Shut, 24) plays a Russian refugee. Returning guest cast member Dame Harriet Walter will reprise her role as Lady Shackleton, along with Peter Egan, returning as Lord Flintshire.

Begin viewing Downton Abbey, Season 5, with a Masterpiece special: The Manners of Downton Abbey, hosted by on-set historian Alastair Bruce. Airing on January 4 on PBS, just prior to the series' premiere, this one-hour documentary follows Bruce, a specialist of period manners and historical accuracy, as he helps the Downton Abbey cast and crew recreate the social behaviors of early-1900s Britain. Cast members Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery reveal what it's like to inhabit characters from a different era, giving fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the making of the series.

Pages: 1 · 2

More Articles

• Mercy Street, a New Historical Drama Employed Experts on Southern Gentility, on Civil War Medicine, on Runaway Slaves and Society
• Where We Left Off: The Ultimate Downton Abbey Season 6 Primer and Lady Cora on a Rose Parade Float
• Masterpiece Theater's New Saga, Indian Summers: The Imperial Game Was Up
• "You Think I Should Choose Life?" Asks Lady Mary in Downton Abbey's Season Four