Hey Devastated 'Downton Abbey' Fans, There Might Be a Musical to Console You

Update, 6/23: With another twist of the tourniquet, Julian Fellowes has made us even more pained/okay about Downton Abbey ending. Here is a recap of the post-apocalyptic DA scraps he's tossed our way:

the possibility of a Violet Crawley spinoff that Maggie Smith apparently wants no part of
the possibility of a full-length movie
the super-sweet endings the actors imagined for their characters which could come true in part because Julian has been slacking

Add to that a Downton *musical,* which the series' composer says has pretty good odds of making it past the maybe stage, Metro reports. "There's talk of Julian Fellowes and I and some of the cast doing a live tour the way Dr. Who did," John Lunn said. "Seventy percent of it will be music from the show. There might be some Elgar, there might be some jazz of the periods. Some of the actors will likely recite. We'll have a screen. We may have the music live to several scenes. Julian may be the host. I'd say [there's a] 75 per cent chance it will happen."

So...it's like a reenactment? I might pay student rush for that. (Full price if it's on ice.)

Original post, 3/27: There will be no more Downton Abbey after season six. There—Band-Aid OFF.

While you crawl toward the nearest corner to have a good cry/sneak a restorative nip from your flask (no judgement, not today), let me deliver the full news: After multiple traitors floated the rumor, executives confirmed that the show is ending on Christmas Day this year.

"Inevitably there comes a time when all shows should end and Downton is no exception," said executive producer Gareth Neame in a statement. "We wanted to close the doors of Downton Abbey when it felt right and natural for the storylines to come together and when the show was still being enjoyed so much by its fans. We can promise a final season full of all the usual drama and intrigue, but with the added excitement of discovering how and where they all end up."

(You mean gravestones, Gareth? Like the one they just put up for MY HEART?)

All is 99.99999 percent lost, but there's still a microscopic glimmer of hope: Neame said he and Julian Fellowes are "definitely contemplating" a movie based on the soap opera that felt classy because it was British and on at nighttime.

"It would be great fun to do," he said. "I think it would be a wonderful extension of everything people love about the TV show. But I can't confirm that it's definitely going to happen. It would take a lot of planning and thinking about. We shall see."

*guzzles straight Everclear*

You should also check out:

Ugh, It's True: 'Downton Abbey's Next Season Will Be Its Last

Lord Grantham Says Mary Might Be Getting Her Heart Broken in 'Downton' Season 6, Possibly Edith Too

'Downton Abbey' Creator Julian Fellowes Has No Say in How the Show Ends

Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at Marie Claire. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.