The rumors were true: PBS has announced that Downton Abbey will officially end after its sixth season, confirming earlier reports. In a statement, the show’s executive producer Gareth Neame explained plans for the show’s end:
“Millions of people around the world have followed the journey of the Crawley family and those who serve them for the last five years. Inevitably there comes a time when all shows should end and ‘Downton’ is no exception. We wanted to close the doors of ‘Downton Abbey’ when it felt right and natural for the storylines to come together and when the show was still being enjoyed so much by its fans. We can promise a final season full of all the usual drama and intrigue, but with the added excitement of discovering how and where they all end up.â€
While he didn’t say whether or not the final season will include the usual Christmas special, he does imply that we’ll get closure. For Edith’s sake, let’s hope that doesn’t mean even more tragedy.