Arlington, Virginia – PBS and WGBH announced that the premiere of Downton Abbey, Season 4 on Masterpiece enchanted viewers nationwide as the Crawley family faced changes in the wake of last season’s shocking finale. An average audience of 10.2 million viewers tuned in for Sunday’s premiere. (Nielsen Fast National data, 6.2 household rating.) 

The fourth season premiere of the Emmy®, Golden Globe® and SAG Award®-winning series, a Carnival Films/ Masterpiece co-production, improved upon the average rating of the third season premiere of Downton Abbey by 22 percent (based on Fast Nationals, both seasons). Between 9:00-11:00 p.m., PBS tied with CBS as the most watched network on Sunday (based on weighted metered market averages).

“As this captivating drama continues, our audiences have been eagerly awaiting this new season to see what’s next for these beloved characters,” said PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger. “I’m so pleased that millions of viewers have returned to Downton Abbey on their local PBS stations for what has become a post-holiday tradition.” 

“I’m delighted to see that the Crawley family’s intrigue continues to beguile our viewers,” said Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton. “Julian Fellowes has written every word of all four seasons of Downton, and I toss him a huge bouquet on behalf of his American fans.”