TELEVISION SHOWS 2012: DOWNTON ABBEY — In an undated handout picture released by TMC ‚Äì NBC Universal on December 8, 2011 British actress Maggie Smith plays her role as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham in a scene of the hit British television series Downton Abbey. The popular period-drama series Downton Abbey, that centers on the Crawley family and their servants in the years leading up to the start of World War I, will hit screens in France on December 10, underlining the popularity of this “Made in Britain” show. AFP PHOTO / TMC – NBC UNIVERSAL RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT ” AFP PHOTO / TMC – NBC UNIVERSAL ” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS – NO ARCHIVE (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images) NYTCREDIT: ITV for MASTERPIECE