Sure, you might be enjoying/still eagerly anticipating Benedict Cumberbatch in “Parade’s End,” but there’s no denying that it’s still little more than the pretender to the crown. The real blockbuster British period drama remains “Downton Abbey,” and it won’t be long until the third season of the acclaimed show returns to our screens. In fact, the premiere episode will debut in just 10 days over in its native U.K., while U.S audiences will see in return on January 6th, 2013 on PBS.
Because it’s back so soon on British screens (something tells us ITV has been holding onto this until the conclusion of the Olympics and Paralympics, which have aired on rival broadcasters), the marketing machine for the show is going into overdrive and we’ve got domestic and international trailers for the show to feast our eyes upon. Set to a choral version of Lou Reed’s "Perfect Day," the ITV trailer immediately introduces Shirley MacLaine’s new character and shows off some of the many highs and lows that we’ll see over the course of the soap opera’s latest season.
The new season will pick up on events in 1920 and will cover a period of 18 months in the life of the Crawley family. At the rate things are moving, we can’t wait to see a Downton/”Boardwalk Empire” crossover episode. A Christmas special has also been announced, and that should air a week or two before the series makes its debut on the other side of the pond. We’ve been promised by one of the show’s producers that this season will see a couple get married, a baby being born, and that a well-known character will die. Let the speculation begin… Watch both trailers below. [Collider]
