Lucky Houston fans of Downton Abbey were in an excited mood earlier this week when they got to watch a sneak preview of the supersized season finale and attend a taping of Manor of Speaking, the locally-produced show that dissects every twist and turn of PBS's most popular series.
Some fans came to the Houston Public Media studios dressed in period costume — this season's episodes are set in 1924 — ready to dissect every plot point with a panel that included MOS host Ernie Manouse, regular panelists Helen Mann and St. John Flynn and special guests Joanne Herring and Evan Turner.
There was a lot to talk about because the season finale has a lot of twists and turns, including — spoiler alert! —a trek to a Scotland castle where all sorts of scandalous things happen, yet another new handsome suitor for Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) — this time the dashing Finn Polmar (Matthew Goode) from The Good Wife — and the most heartwarming ending in Downton's five year history.
Actually, all of these things are alluded to in the previews of the season finale that followed the last episode, so we're not really giving any secrets away. To find out what happens, watch the season finale episode Sunday at 8 p.m. on Channel 8, followed by the season-ending episode of Manor of Speaking. (The local show used to be aired live but this season it is taped beforehand because more than 80 PBS stations across the nation have picked it up to run at various times throughout the week.)
Guests also got a chance to pose with life-sized cut-out characters from the show — either with the upstairs Crawley family or the downstairs servants — or both.
A Manor of Speaking audience member asks host Ernie Manouse a question about Downton Abbey during the season finale taping.
Photo by Jonathan Sandys
A Manor of Speaking audience member asks host Ernie Manouse a question about Downton Abbey during the season finale taping.
Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, will team up to co-headline the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour in 2025, which will include a stop at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, June 6.
The large, 40-city tour will take place over three months, starting in Greenville, South Carolina on May 28, and wrapping up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 24.
In addition to Houston, the tour will go to Austin on June 4 and Dallas on August 1. It will include special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles, at all dates.
Fans can expect some of the greatest rock anthems of all time, including “Renegade,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Come Sail Away,” “Can't Fight This Feeling,” and “Hotel California.”
Styx and Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, coming together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This will mark their sixth time joining forces on the road.
2022 was the 50th anniversary of Styx's self-titled debut album, but they have yet to slow down. The band released their 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. Of course, not everyone is a fan, as this classic clip from The Simpsons illustrates.
REO Speedwagon's recording days appear to be done, with their last album coming out in 2009, but the main group of five has been together since 1989. On this tour, Cronin will be joined by REO's lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt.
General tickets for the tour will go on sale starting on Friday, December 13 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets in the U.S. beginning on December 9 at 10 am through the Citi Entertainment program.
Styx and Kevin Cronin will be offering VIP packages via their own exclusive pre-sales beginning on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 am, as well as at LiveNation.com.
