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The final episode of the British TV series 鈥淒ownton Abbey鈥� aired on March 6, concluding the program that garnered high ratings for PBS.聽

鈥淒ownton鈥� debuted in the US in 2011 and centered on a high-born English family (portrayed by actors including Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, and Maggie Smith) and those who served them (portrayed by actors including Brendan Coyle, Joanne Froggatt, and Phyllis Logan).聽

The show quickly became a sensation and the most-viewed drama ever for PBS. 鈥淒ownton鈥� has been nominated for either the outstanding miniseries or movie Emmy Award or the best drama series Emmy Award every year it鈥檚 been on the air.聽

The series finale ended on a happy note for just about all of the characters. Developments included Crawley sister Edith marrying her romantic interest Bertie and Edith鈥檚 mother-in-law learning about Edith鈥檚 illegitimate daughter, Marigold, as well as father Robert adjusting to his wife Cora鈥檚 new position as the leader of the board at the local hospital. In addition, Barrow, a servant at Downton, briefly went to work at another household but came back to Downton Abbey after the current butler, Carson, leaves his job.

Mary鈥檚 former mother-in-law, Mrs. Crawley, made the decision to marry Lord Merton, a family acquaintance, and Mary鈥檚 husband, Henry, and her brother-in-law, Tom, decided to start a business for used cars. In addition, maid Anna gave birth.聽

Reviewers seem mostly won over by the finale, which mostly avoided any sudden disasters or sad twists. wrote of the series conclusion, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 fair to say that [series creator] Julian Fellowes has given us an American happy ending. And why shouldn鈥檛 he? Haven鈥檛 we loved these foolish Granthams with all the fervor of their countrymen?... Downton Abbey and its residents were no more real than Middle-earth and, in the end, how little that mattered.鈥�

found the finale 鈥渟low and mostly satisfying 鈥� There will be some complaints that there was not enough excitement in this last episode ... But 鈥楧ownton Abbey鈥� was never going to go out with a bang.鈥澛�

Meanwhile, gave the series finale a B grade. 鈥淭he finale was an unapologetically feel-good send-off that also wasn鈥檛 afraid to be blunt about its politics and idealism,鈥� Jensen wrote. 鈥溾��The finale didn鈥檛 have the guts to follow through on the season鈥檚 other major tension, the downsizing and liquidating of the estate and the phase-out of the Granthams鈥� increasingly untenable aristocratic way of life 鈥� Still, the wish-fulfillment was frequently clever and satisfying.鈥澛�

鈥淒ownton鈥� started out as a widely praised program, earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for receiving the best reviews for a show in 2010.聽

But it ran for six seasons and, as with just about any show, some plotlines were more criticized than others. Much of the criticism centered around stories involving maid Anna and her husband, valet John Bates, including Anna being sexually assaulted by another servant.聽

鈥淥ne thread stands out as particularly problematic,鈥� wrote of the incident. 鈥淲hat makes her assault so difficult isn鈥檛 the crime itself 鈥� although it felt as out of place in the normally placid series as Mr. Pamuk鈥檚 death-by-seduction in the first season 鈥� but its aftermath, and the character the show has emphasized as a result.聽 From the viewpoint of Downton Abbey, the person who suffered most wasn鈥檛 Anna, but her husband Bates.鈥澛�

That story led into one in which Bates was suspected of murdering Anna鈥檚 attacker and many critics disliked that storyline as well. 鈥溾�橠ownton Abbey鈥櫬爃as always had a problem with making sense out of its crime/mystery plotlines, and this entire, now-two-season-spanning story is a prime example,鈥� wrote of the story.聽

However, many reviewers seem to feel that the way plots were concluded in the series finale mostly made up for any missteps along the way.聽

鈥淲e can now look back with a sort of fondness on that purported聽Titanic survivor who wandered in and out of the show and left no trace; that less-than-stirring recreation of a World War I battle; Edith dumping聽her child on the pig farmers; Rose鈥檚 jazz-age flirtation; and most everything in these last few seasons involving Anna and Bates,鈥� wrote of the show鈥檚 less popular plotlines. 鈥淚n 鈥楧ownton鈥欌�檚 case, though, time and Sunday's finale heals most wounds.鈥�