‘Downtown Abbey’ Producer Drops Huge Spoilers on Third Season

It's spoiler time, 'Downton Abbey' fans! While the celebrated British drama and current belle of the TV critics' ball won't be returning until January, executive producer, Rebecca Eaton has dropped three major hints about what's in store for the upcoming third season/series.

Wily woman that she is, Eaton revealed three major plot points that while potentially game-changing, are also pretty vague. Still, it's certainly something for 'Downton Abbey' fans to think about over tea and crumpets as they await the show's January 2013 return.

Eaton talked up the third season to the Orlando Sentinal, in particular, newcomer Shirley MacLaine's role as Cora's mother, Martha Levinson. According to Eaton, the Crawley family is hoping Martha's arrival will boost their bottom line.

Eaton also dished on the dynamics between her two Oscar-winning stars, Maggie Smith, who plays Violet Crawley and MacLaine.

There are some wonderful scenes between Maggie and Shirley MacLaine — Shirley MacLaine being as ditsy as ever,” Eaton told the Sentinal. “And Maggie barely restraining her sneer in having to deal with this American. Maggie Smith is a handful, it’s true. She’s very difficult. She knows her worth, and she’s tricky on the set, but she delivers when the time comes.”

Aside from MacLaine's pond-hopping stint on the show, fans can also expect the holy trinity of scripted drama tropes - a birth, a death and a marriage.

"Somebody will be born, and somebody will die, somebody pretty key in the cast, unfortunately not going to make it. It’s the 1920s now," revealed Eaton.'

And seeing how 'Downton Abbey's second season was "the biggest thing to happen to 'Masterpiece' in 25 years," according to Eaton, these season three teases are sure to have fans of the breakout period piece counting the days till 'Downtown Abbey' makes it's "Roaring Twenties" return.