‘Downton’ shocker draws huge rating for PBS

TV · · · ·
Downton Abbey Christmas Special 2012 Promo downton abbey 32843744 466 310 Downton shocker draws huge rating for PBS

Credit: ITV/PBS

It appears that every major network took a huge ratings hit on Sunday, as the numbers were down across the board. Except in one case….

PBS announced today that the third season finale of Downton Abbey drew 8.2 million viewers, up from the 7.9 million viewers who turned in for the premiere in January. In addition, the series was also one of the most socially-active shows of the night, with PBS trumpeting that the series was the the second most tweeted-about show on television Sunday night, on broadcast or cable.

Throughout its third season, Downton Abbey consistently drew four times the audience of PBS’ regular primetime average, and increased viewership over the show’s second season by 66%. It’s huge to consider, given the prodigious amount of spoilers spread across the web after the show’s Christmas Special aired in the UK, that many fans seemed not to know about the huge shocker at the end of Sunday night’s finale. Insiders suspect that the Downton finale was responsible for much of the downturn in ratings suffered by the other major networks.

A fourth season of Downton Abbey has already started production though no premiere date has been announced.

Full story: HitFix

— Nick Roman

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Mikhail XO
Mikhail XO moderator

No shocker really. It was a shocker in 2012, December. I think folks here in the states were aware of Matthew's imminent  demise and tuned in due to their knowledge of this outcome. Lol...hence the high ratings. I know of no one here who was unaware of the supposed "shocker" prior to its PBS airing last week.

Alansky
Alansky

@Mikhail XO Me! I was actually floored by the last scene. I knew Dan Stevens did not sign-up for season 4 but I did not expect his character to be "killed." Although one felt something was going to happen as he was driving towards the Abbey. I really LOVE this show. I watch Masterpiece Theater a lot but DA has been one of my favorites. I hope the writers do it justice in season 4.

Mikhail XO
Mikhail XO moderator

@Alansky @Mikhail XO Julian Fellowes is fantastic. I think he'll remain consistent with his characters.... It is so well written.

 I loved Mary and Matthew together....but that's life...people die. No neat packages and sentimentality from the Brits! For cave dwellers like you and Nick ...it was, apparently, a "shocker"... J/K <3 

NickRoman1
NickRoman1 moderator

@Mikhail XO Oh, I knew a TON of people. In fact, I was really surprised at how many had no idea what was about to happen. So weird, as I figured everyone had already been spoiled. I mean, really, it was practically unavoidable. I have no idea how they got around it.


But I do agree that the sizable contingent of people who knew what would happen ahead of time likely contributed to the huge number, just to see what would happen. I wonder what the ratings look like by the quarter-hour, as I imagine there was a huge spike in the last fifteen minutes or so.

Mikhail XO
Mikhail XO moderator

@NickRoman1 @Mikhail XO Oh, really? Hmmm...come to think of it...most of the  folks I know who watch regularly are expats. Perhaps those American viewers without UK/Euro connections were not (as) privy to the spoilers?