'Downton Abbey' was first shown on ITV in the UK in 2010. It is written by Julian Fellowes and its stars include Hugh Bonneville as the Earl of Grantham, Maggie Smith as his mother and Elizabeth McGovern as his wife. The series follows the lives of the Earl and his family, especially his three daughters, and also of the large staff of servants whose lives are intertwined with theirs.

The first series ended with the start of World War I in 1914, and the second series was mainly about the impact of the war on the characters. There was a Christmas special in 2011 and the series is coming back in 2012. It's been a massive success and is now shown in several countries, including the US.

The show is often accused of snobbery, factual inaccuracy and especially of giving an unrealistically rosy portrayal of the lives led by servants 'below stairs'. All these are probably true, but don't seem to worry audiences who love the drama, excitement and lavish sets and cosutmes, as well as the performances (especially Maggie Smith as the terrifying Dowager Countess.)