What Hollywood could learn from ‘Downton Abbey’

It's January, and that means it's "Downton Abbey" season here in the States. The British television series has been an unprecedented success. A quick Wikipedia search reveals the dozens of awards that the series has been nominated for, and won (Golden Globes, Primetime Emmys, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild, among many others), and the numerous viewing records it has set and shattered.

One of the great surprises to Julian Fellowes, the show's creator, is its extraordinary popularity in the United States, which has only increased with each season. "Downton Abbey" follows few if any of the usual formulae for success in the U.S. market. As American "Downton Abbey" fans revel in the sixth and final season, it's worth asking why this show has drawn such an enormous fan base in its five-year run.