11 Must-See Drama Series on Amazon Prime Video This July 2025
Spanning six seasons and two films, with a third in production, Downton Abbey stands as one of the most celebrated period dramas ever — and for good reason. Centered on the Crawley family, a wealthy household managing an estate in the scenic English countryside, the series is rich with upstairs-downstairs intrigue, romance, scandal, and historical events. It commences in 1912 and unfolds through 1926.
At the core of this PBS series is the romance between Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery), the family’s eldest daughter, and her distant cousin Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), the new heir to the estate after the previous heir perishes aboard the Titanic. Mary’s younger sisters, Edith (Laura Carmichael) and Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay), are also in pursuit of love and dream of greater aspirations as women’s rights begin to advance.
The Downton staff navigates its own share of romantic entanglements, particularly between valet Mr. Bates (Brendan Coyle) and lady’s maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt). Perhaps the most iconic character is Lady Violet, the witty and acerbic Dowager Countess, portrayed by the late exquisite Maggie Smith. Downton garnered 69 Primetime Emmy nominations during its airing, the highest for any international series.
