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Downton Abbey: How to watch the television series and the movies in release and chronological order

How to catch up on Downton Abbey ahead of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Guides by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, Contributing writer

Published on Mon May 05 2025

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It’s time to meet the Crawleys.

Downton Abbey is a historical drama set in Yorkshire during the early 20^th century. The ITV series focuses on the Crawleys, an aristocratic family, and their servants. The British series proved to be a hit, and it gained an international audience when PBS began airing it for American viewers.

This September, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will hit theaters, serving as a final bow for the Crawleys, their servants, and all the friends we’ve made along the way. If you’re looking to catch up on Downton Abbey ahead of the movie, or thinking of starting the franchise for the first time, Popverse is here to help. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about watching the hit historical drama, the sequel movies, and answer all your burning questions.

How to watch Downton Abbey in release order

Watching Downton Abbey in release order isn’t too difficult. Just remember that all 6 seasons of the television series aired before the three movies were filmed. Once you’re done with the series, watch Downton Abbey, then Downton Abbey: A New Era comes next. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is, as the title states, the grand finale of the series. As of this writing, the film isn’t out yet, but it will be in theaters this September. That gives you a few months to catch up.

If you’re looking to watch Downton Abbey in order, just follow this list…

Downton Abbey season 1 (2010)
Downton Abbey season 2 (2011)
Downton Abbey season 3 (2012)
Downton Abbey season 4 (2013)
Downton Abbey season 5 (2014)
Downton Abbey season 6 (2015)
Downton Abbey (2019 theatrical film)
Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022 theatrical film)
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025 theatrical film)

How to watch Downton Abbey in chronological order

If you want to watch Downton Abbey in chronological order, the good news is that it’s exactly the same as the release order. While the franchise occasionally uses flashbacks, the television series and the films don’t jump back and forth between different eras. However, it’s worth noting that the Downton Abbey timeline moves at a different speed than most television shows.

For example, the first episode of season 1 begins in the year 1912, and by the end of season 2 we’re in the year 1919. This allowed the producers to show the Crawley family and their staff dealing with different trials and tribulations of the early 20^th century. Later seasons would slow the timeline down a bit, with seasons 5 and 6 only taking place during a single year.

If you’re curious about Downton Abbey’s chronology, here’s a timeline that covers each season and all three films.

1912-1914: Downton Abbey season 1
1916-1919: Downton Abbey season 2
1920-1921: Downton Abbey season 3
1922-1923: Downton Abbey season 4
1924: Downton Abbey season 5
1925: Downton Abbey season 6
1927: Downton Abbey
1928: Downton Abbey: A New Era
1930: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Is there going to be a season 7 of Downton Abbey?

As of this writing, there are no plans for Downton Abbey season 7. The television series ended in 2015 after 6 seasons, and although there have been occasional rumblings and rumors of a season 7, Carnival Films has opted to continue the franchise with films. The upcoming 2025 film Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is acting as a final farewell to the Crawleys, which makes season 7 unlikely.

There’s always a possibility that Carnival Films will change their mind. It wouldn’t be the first time a beloved television series has returned after producing a finale movie. However, as of now, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is the planned end for the series. You can consider the three films to be a season 7 of sorts.

Why did Downton Abbey end so abruptly?

While some viewers thought Downton Abbey’s ending was abrupt, the producers don’t share that view. Speaking to The Sun, Downton Abbey executive producer Gareth Neame said that Dame Maggie Smith’s departure was their signal that it was time to wrap things up.

“We easily could have gone for a 7th season, but if I’d have said ‘We haven’t got Maggie’ it would have been a shadow of itself. We all feel very blessed. Nobody regrets ending when we did. We have a final season that’s as strong as the first because we quit while we were ahead. We had the ambition that we had a complete show.”

In an open letter to fans, series creator Sir Julian Fellowes stated that he wanted to wrap the series up before it had gone stale.

“The series is ending and that decision will not be reversed. We wanted to leave while we would still be missed and not wait until everyone was dying to see the back of us. I hope and believe we have avoided that.”

What was Carson’s illness in Downton Abbey?

Warning: This section of the guide contains spoilers for Downton Abbey season 6.

During the final season of Downton Abbey, Carson’s hands begin to shake uncontrollably. This affliction worsens, forcing him to step down from his role as head butler. The series refers to his condition as a palsy, and some online reviewers assumed he had Parkinson’s disease.

However, series creator Sir Julian Fellowes revealed in an interview that Carson was suffering from an essential tremor, a neurological disorder that can cause rhythmic shaking. Fellowes has been living with an essential tremor for years and wanted to raise awareness about the condition.

“When people have a shake that is unexplained to them and they’re possibly panicking that it’s Parkinson’s, I would just say to them, please go to the doctor. The truth is you are eight times more likely to be suffering from an essential tremor than Parkinson’s. It doesn’t kill you. It doesn’t hurt. It’s a nuisance. It’s tiresome. But there are plenty of things that are worse in the world that people have to put up with.”

Why did Michael Gregson leave Downton Abbey?

For a time, it appeared that Edith Crawley had found her happily ever after. The middle Crawley child had fallen in love with Michael Gregson, a magazine publisher. However, Gregson disappeared during a trip to Germany, and it was years before Edith would learn his fate.

In season 5 we learn that Gregson was killed by a group of Hitler’s Brownshirts. The death is never depicted onscreen, and the characters learn about it after the fact. While waiting to hear of Gregson’s fate, Edith gives birth to his daughter, Marigold.

Reportedly, Charles Edwards, the actor who played Gregson, had limited availability, so the Downton Abbey producers decided to write him off. However, showrunner Sir Julian Fellowes has said that some people are just unlucky, indicating that he wasn’t inclined to give Edith a happy ending that early in the show’s run.

Is Downton Abbey in the same universe as The Gilded Age?

The Gilded Age is an HBO historical drama set during New York City in the late 19^th century. The series follows two affluent families living on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The show was created by Sir Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey. The show’s creator and premise have caused many viewers to compare it to Downton Abbey.

In fact, the series was originally developed as a Downton Abbey prequel, focusing on Cora Levinson’s past before she married Robert Crawley. In a 2022 interview with TVLine, Gilded Age producer Gareth Neame (who was also an EP on Downton Abbey) said both shows were set in separate universes and there would be no crossover. However, Julian Fellowes indicated that he’s open to the idea of some Downton Abbey characters showing up if the circumstances are right.

It's worth noting that Gilded Age takes place a few decades before Downton Abbey’s first season, so if any of the characters did show up, they would likely be played by other actors. As of now, the two shows haven’t crossed over, but there’s no telling what the future might hold.

Where can I watch Downton Abbey?

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, then good news – you have access to all 6 seasons of Downton Abbey. The complete television series is available to stream on Prime Video. If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, then you have access, and there’s no need to pay any extra fees. Alternatively, the complete series is also available to stream on BritBox, a streaming service that hosts European shows.

The 2019 Downton Abbey movie is available to stream on Netflix. Downton Abbey: A New Era is not currently streaming on any streaming service, but it’s available to rent or purchase from a variety of video-on-demand platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play. Please note, the availability of Downton Abbey could change as streaming licenses expire and new deals are made.

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Joshua Lapin-Bertone: Joshua is a pop culture writer specializing in comic book media. His work has appeared on the official DC Comics website, the DC Universe subscription service, HBO Max promotional videos, the Batman Universe fansite, and more. In between traveling around the country to cover various comic conventions, Joshua resides in Florida where he binges superhero television and reads obscure comics from yesteryear.