‘You have a straightforward choice,’ says Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess as the new trailer for Downton Abbey’s fourth season begins. She is speaking to Michelle Dockery’s Mary, but she isn’t finished yet, ‘You must choose either death or life.’ It’s the kind of pronouncement that could come across as way over the top, but coming from Smith it’s a simple statement of the way things are. That’s what keeps the show not just watchable, but addictive.
Downton Abbey returns to PBS’ Masterpiece Classic on January 5, 2014. Check out the trailer following the jump.