The full length trailer of the upcoming season debuted last week, with plenty of juicy tidbits to tide us over until the actual premiere of Downton Abbey this September 20 (US fans will have to wait a bit longer for the debut which will happen on January 5). In that particular Downton Abbey season 5 trailer, we saw Jimmy the footman being caught in bed with a woman, Lady Mary (possibly) choosing a man among her many suitors, Tom Branson leaning in for a smooch, and the mother of all surprises -- a fire that rages on the Crawley's venerable mansion.
To further excite their ardent fans, ITV has released another clip that gives us an actual peek into one of the scenes that we can expect to see in this brand new season. Though not as long as the full length Downton Abbey season 5 trailer, this 20 second clip one of the most beloved characters in the show, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, played by Dame Maggie Smith. In the clip, she is shown walking with Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton) though a cemetery. And of course, it wouldn't be a featured clip of the Dowager Countess without a bit of witticism on her part. "I do like him. It's just he just wants something from that I can't give," Isobel confides. "Well he wants what all men want," the Dowager Countess declares. "Oh don't be ridiculous," Isobel says. Then the Dowager Countess counters, "I was referring to companionship. As I hope you were."
Earlier this year, Downton Abbey executive producer Gareth Neame confirmed that Maggie Smith's character will be involved in a bigger way in this upcoming season. In an interview with TVline, Neame said the Dowager Countess will have a "bigger than normal" role this time. "She has a brilliant story line this season," he shared. "It's Downton at its best, this story line. It's fantastic." Although we weren't able to see any of this in the full length Downton Abbey season 5 trailer, if we are fortunate we will see more Dowager Countess lines like the one we just saw in the clip. Watch below and see for yourself!