Here's Everything We Know About Downton Abbey's Final Season (So Far)

It's the end of an era for Downton Abbey, both for the Crawleys and for the fans worldwide who've come to love them.

The British period drama won over viewers with its look at post-Edwardian England, when one's bloodline determined one's status, and the noble houses were run like clockwork by a fleet of dedicated servants. On Downton's upcoming sixth and final season, which premieres Jan. 3, that noble way of life is slowly but inexorably dying out.

"That was the trajectory of those houses," executive producer Gareth Neame tells TVGuide.com. "They didn't continue forever, they weren't financially viable. So in this final season, we will see the way of life we've all enjoyed watching in that show starting to change and evolve in a new way.