'Downton Abbey' Cast Departures: How Producers View Recent Exits

Why Stars Leave 'Downton Abbey'
In this image released by PBS, from left, Elizabeth McGovern as Lady Cora, Hugh Bonneville as Lord Grantham, Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary are shown in a scene from the second season of "Downton Abbey." The series was nominated for a Golden Globe award on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. The 70th annual Golden Globe Awards will be held on Jan. 13. (AP Photo/PBS, Carnival Film & Television Limited 2011 for MASTERPIECE, Nick Briggs)
In this image released by PBS, from left, Elizabeth McGovern as Lady Cora, Hugh Bonneville as Lord Grantham, Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary are shown in a scene from the second season of "Downton Abbey." The series was nominated for a Golden Globe award on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. The 70th annual Golden Globe Awards will be held on Jan. 13. (AP Photo/PBS, Carnival Film & Television Limited 2011 for MASTERPIECE, Nick Briggs)

"Downton Abbey" returns in four days, and according to our critic Matt Zoller Seitz, everything is back in its proper place after having been flip-turned-upside-down during last year’s popular, if super-soapy, upswing. (If Matthew whines about dearest dead Lavinia one more time … )

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