The `` Downton Abbey '' phenomenon just keeps getting bigger . Sunday 's season four premiere of the upstairs-downstairs drama on PBS surpassed the comparable ratings for every previous episode . According to Nielsen data , at least 10.2 million viewers tuned in live ( or within a few hours via digital video recorders ) on Sunday night , up from 7.9 million at the start of season three and 8.2 million at the end of it . This was more than a `` personal best '' for `` Downton . '' The season four premiere outperformed every other drama on Sunday night , too . CBS 's `` The Good Wife , '' for instance , had 9.2 million viewers ; ABC 's `` Revenge '' had 6.7 million . ( All these totals will increase once several days of digital video recorder viewership is factored in . ) PBS is n't rated like a traditional network because it does n't carry traditional commercials . But even last season 's `` Downton '' premiere was described as one of the highest-rated events in the history of the public broadcasting network ; analysts said PBS had n't seen numbers this high since the premiere of the `` Civil War '' documentary series in 1990 . An apples-to-apples comparison is impossible because of changes in ratings methodology . But the season four premiere affirms that `` Downton '' is making history for the network . Season four , of course , debuted several months ago in the United Kingdom . PBS has received no small amount of criticism for its decision to delay the episodes in the United States , and the network 's executives are aware that some fans get a sneak peek by finding the episodes illegally on the Internet . But they say the sky-high ratings two seasons in a row are proof that their scheduling strategy is a wise one . Paula Kerger , the chief executive of PBS , said in a statement on Monday , `` I 'm so pleased that millions of viewers have returned to 'Downton Abbey ' on their local PBS stations for what has become a post-holiday tradition . '' Rebecca Eaton , the executive producer of `` Masterpiece , '' added , `` Julian Fellowes has written every word of all four seasons of 'Downton , ' and I toss him a huge bouquet on behalf of his American fans . '' The premiere ratings suggest `` Downton '' could grow to be even more popular as the season progresses . Last year 8.2 million viewers tuned in on the night of the season three finale , and more than 4 million tuned in later , for a total of 12.3 million . The second-to-last episode of the season did even better once delayed viewership was totaled up : 12.4 million . That 's the next `` personal best '' for the drama to beat .
At least 8 million viewers tune in Sunday to season four premiere . That 's up from 6 million at the start of ` ` ' 's '' season three . PBS also says the show has become a post - holiday tradition .