Series 4 consists of eight episodes and a Christmas Special with the opening and closing episodes again being feature length. Series four continues the story of the Crawley family and their servants in the early 1920s and premiers on the 22nd September, 2013 on ITV in the UK and on the 5th January, 2014 on PBS in the US.

The story picks up nearly six months after the end of the 2012 Christmas Special, and covers February 1922 into the spring/summer of 1923.

It is nearly six months after the death of Matthew Crawley and Mary is adjusting to her new life and attempting to move on without the man she loved and raise her son, George. She has at least two new suitors: Anthony, Lord Gillingham - who has known her since childhood but hasn't seen her since - and aristocrat Charles Blake.

Tom Branson is taking on a larger role within the family, having become Robert's right-hand-man. Something exciting will happen for him in the middle of the series.

Tom and Mary will spend more time together and grow considerably closer, but not be romantically interested in one another.

There will be a nursery sub-plot involving a nanny and the children.[citation needed]Edith's relationship with Michael Gregson will flourish.

Better days - plus a few ups and downs - are expected for John and Anna Bates.[citation needed]Cora's new maid Baxter has a past with Thomas Barrow who has some sort of power over her.