The basic problem is that "Downton Abbey" is a British show made for British TV, and the Brits make their shows short.

A season with episodes in the single digits ("Downton" started with seven, but later seasons have had nine) is the norm for British drama and comedy shows.

The reason seems to be that British shows are made by smaller teams, especially when it comes to writing. "Downton" creator Julian Fellowes has written all 43 episodes of the show -- two other writers were credited with helping, but only on one episode each. The belief seems to be that a single writer can't feasibly produce more than nine episodes in a year.

Compare this with "Downton's" American-made Sunday night competitor, "The Good Wife," which has made use of 25 different writers over its 127-episode run. Note, too, that it has produced three times as many episodes as "Downton" but has only been on the air for one more year.

The result can also be seen in the number of years a show lasts. Most people say that the fact that British shows are produced by very small creative teams means that those teams burn out faster, so to speak, and end their shows after just a few seasons.

"The Office" is the clearest way to compare both of these phenomena. The original British sitcom, one of the best-loved British comedies of recent years, consisted of two seasons of six episodes each, plus a two-part Christmas special. All of it was written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.

When NBC produced its own version of "The Office" for American TV, it employed 55 directors and 38 writers, to produce 187 episodes over nine seasons.

This may just be the way the businesses have developed, but artsy types can also chalk up to differing philosophies about creativity. The argument for the British style is that a show stays true to a single artist's "vision," while the U.S. style can be seen as more collaborative, making use of more people's creativity.

Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided.