![Downton Abbey, Season 5 on MASTERPIECE on PBSSundays, January 4 - March 1, 2015 at 9pm ETJIM CARTER as Mr Carson, ROBERT JAMES-COLLIER as Thomas, RAQUEL CASSIDY as Baxter, KEVIN DOYLE as Molesley, LAURA CARMICHAEL as Lady Edith Crawley, PENELOPE WILTON as Isobel Crawley, ALLEN LEECH as Tom Branson, MAGGIE SMITH as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, HUGH BONNEVILLE as Robert, Earl of Grantham, ELIZABETH McGOVERN as Cora, Countess of Grantham, MICHELLE DOCKERY as Lady Mary Crawley, MATT BARBER as Atticus, LILY JAMES as Lady Rose, LESLEY NICOL as Mrs Patmore, SOPHIE McSHERA as Daisy and PHYLLIS LOGAN as Mrs Hughes. (C) Nick Briggs/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2014This image may be used only in the direct promotion of MASTERPIECE CLASSIC. No other rights are granted. All rights are reserved. Editorial use only. USE ON THIRD PARTY SITES SUCH AS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER IS NOT ALLOWED.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/downton-abbey.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
Downton Abbey returned a massive audience and came thisclose to setting a new ratings record.
The fifth season premiere had 10.1 million viewers Sunday night, which is huge for a PBS drama. The number is just shy of the show’s all-time peak U.S. viewership of 10.2 million viewers for its fourth season premiere. “We’re incredibly excited that Downton Abbey’s fans came out in force for the premiere of what has become a cultural phenomenon,” said PBS chief programmer Beth Hoppe. “We’ll also be looking at time-shifted and online viewing over the next few weeks as the season progresses.”
“America has whole-heartedly embraced the Crawley family and those who serve them since the first season of Downton and we are very appreciative,” added executive producer Gareth Neame. “We’re thrilled to have season five, of which we are quite proud, off to such a strong start.”
Downton ranks as PBS’ most popular show of all time. The premiere picked up Crawley family melodrama in 1924 and EW’s Melissa Maerz gave the episode an A-. You can check out her review here.
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