Happy New Year! What lies ahead for BTS' favorite period shows? Here's what we know so far for 2026!

Bridgerton's Lady Danbury's home (aka the Holburne Museum) in Bath.  Season 4 begins in January

 

Happy 2026!

I’ve always looked forward to the month of January. After the rush of the holidays—truly the most wonderful time of the year, filled with gatherings of friends and family, goodies for breakfast, and the cheerful invasion of ornaments, twinkling lights, and scented candles—it’s nice to settle back into a routine. It’s time to eat a bit more sensibly, enjoy some “down time,” set new goals, and see which favorite series and films await us in the coming year.

For us at BTS, that means returning to our bread-and-butter (or clotted cream and scones) franchises: The Gilded Age, Downton Abbey, Jane Austen adaptations, and Bridgerton.

We’re spilling the tea on what we know so far:

Bridgerton

Season 4 premieres on Netflix this January, released in two parts: the first half on January 29 and Part 2 on February 26. This season focuses on Benedict Bridgerton, the second-oldest of the eight siblings. So far, we’ve watched Daphne marry the Duke, Anthony pair off with Kate, and Colin—my favorite storyline to date—find his happily-ever-after with Penelope, forming the superstar couple “Polin.” (Spoiler alert: Penelope was also a spiller of tea, courtesy of her quill.)

Early previews hint at a Cinderella-style tale. Start the carriage—we are ready to be amused!

Troy, NY at the home of Mrs. Fish - no new money!

The Gilded Age

Season 4 is confirmed, though no official air date has been announced. Online speculation points to late 2026 or early 2027. One thing we can confirm: filming will once again take place in Troy, New York. According to the Albany Times Union, Mayor Carmella Montello recently announced that filming is expected to begin this spring.

At the Whistling Kettle in Troy for afternoon tea.

And the Gilded Age cast and crew won’t be the only ones in Troy this spring—the BTS crew will return as well. Will we get a peek at the goings-on? We’ll keep you posted. At the very least, we’ll chat with the locals, gather the scoop, and make our way back to The Whistling Kettle for afternoon tea.

Jane Ausen museum in Bath. Channeling both inner Jane and Lady Whistledown with quill and ink.

Jane Austen

There’s plenty happening in Austen-land, even after the 250th birthday celebrations of 2025. As highlighted in this month’s Town & Country, here’s what’s queued up for 2026:

1. The Other Bennet Sister As mentioned in this week’s Tuesday Tea and Tomes, this Pride and Prejudice–inspired novel focuses on the overlooked middle Bennet sister. A ten-episode series based on the book is expected to air this spring on BritBox. And we’ll finally learn whether ladies who wear glasses receiv

2. Pride and Prejudice Another remake of the classic. While we continue to debate the best adaptation (BBC 1995 with Jennifer Ehle and *swoon* Colin Firth? Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen in 2005? Or, for a select few, the 1940 version starring the decidedly not–early-twenties Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier), Netflix is bringing us a new six-part series in 2026. Emma Corrin (Princess Diana in The Crown) will star as Lizzy Bennet. Release date TBD.

Can we fit another P&P into our rotation? It pains me little to say: a Janeite in possession of a Netflix account is surely in need of more Austen streaming.

1. Sense and Sensibility A new film adaptation arrives in theaters in September 2026—just over thirty years since Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson brought the Dashwood sisters to life. Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing, Under the Banner of Heaven) will take on the role of Elinor Dashwood. It's been too long since we've been charmed by Willoughby and questioned the Brothers Ferrars on the big screen. We hope the latest version brings much to recommend!

Highclere (Rachel in foreground), the real Downton Abbey - more stories to tell?

Downton Abbey

The third and final film in the trilogy arrived this past September. Creators and cast have said this is the end—and the title, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, certainly suggests as much. Still, for those of us who have followed the upstairs/downstairs world of the Crawley family and their staff for fifteen years, it’s hard to say goodbye.

Interviewing Lady Carnarvon  in Newport - blending Gilded Age & Downtown Abbey. Crossovers in the future?

While we don’t want Lady Mary to “jump the shark,” we wouldn’t object to a few spin-offs in the future. Star Wars has shown us, there is no story line not worth exploring, even if it isn't really.

Rev up the recliner and pass the remote - we're ready for all the drama (hopefully mostly on screen) the new year brings.

Happy New Year from Barb's Tea Service!