‘Downton Abbey’ returns for Labor Day weekend marathon of all six seasons on Arizona PBS

PHOENIX – (Aug. 29, 2016)

Arizona PBS is airing a binge-worthy Labor Day weekend marathon of all six seasons of the top PBS drama of all time, “Downton Abbey.”

Kicking off Friday evening at 8 p.m., Sept. 2, and concluding Monday, Sept. 5, at 11 p.m., this round-the-clock celebration features every moment of the landmark series.

“We’re thrilled to bring back our most beloved series for an encore with all of the drama, feuds, romance and intrigue from the entire six seasons packed into one weekend,” said Nancy Southgate, associate general manager of content at Arizona PBS. “Viewers will have the chance to return to the Crawley estate and relive all of their favorite moments from every episode as part of this unprecedented marathon presentation.”

“Downton Abbey,” a Carnival Films/Masterpiece co-production, opened Season 1 depicting a family crisis sparked by the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Having weathered the demise of a string of heirs, the horrors of World War I, the Spanish flu, false convictions and romantic betrayals, not to mention the compromising death of a Turkish diplomat in the throes of passion, the characters of “Downton Abbey” continued to keep viewers tuning in with record ratings for five more seasons.

Season 6 placed the characters in 1925 with a series of crises reflecting the momentous changes that transformed society. Women’s rights gave Lady Mary and Lady Edith new positions of responsibility: Mary ran the estate, and Edith managed the magazine she inherited from Michael Gregson. Tom Branson had left for Boston and newlyweds Lady Rose and Atticus Aldridge tried their luck in Jazz Age New York. Anna Bates faced a murder charge, though many still suspected her husband. For the rest of the servants, big doubts hung over their jobs. Yet in the series’ final episode, watched by a record 9.6 million viewers, “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes wove a conclusion for the beloved characters that netted the series BAFTA and National Television Awards, as well as Emmy Award nods for the sixth straight year.

Additionally, on Sunday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m., Arizona PBS premieres “I Miss Downton Abbey!” a nostalgic celebration of the enormously popular Masterpiece series. Hosted by Allen Leech, who played Tom Branson, the chauffeur who transitioned from below stairs to above by winning the heart of Lady Sybil, “I Miss Downton Abbey!” delves into the award-winning cast, writing and historic locations of the series. It combines clips from all six seasons, exclusive, never-before-seen “behind-the-scenes” footage from Season 6, and is filled with new interviews with the entire cast as well as creator Julian Fellowes and executive producer Gareth Neame.

A runaway hit when it debuted in 2011, “Downton Abbey” is widely credited with reigniting American viewers’ passion for British drama. With 59 Emmy nominations, more than any other British show in Emmy history, “Downton Abbey” is one of the most-honored series on television. It has won 12 Emmys, three Golden Globes, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Producers Guild Award and four BAFTAs.