The first episode of the fifth series of “Downton Abbey” was watched by an average audience of 8.1 million on Sunday evening.

    It beat the debut episode of five-part BBC One army drama “Our Girl,” which attracted an average audience of 3.9 million.

    An extra 300,000 watched “Downton” on ITV’s +1 channel. But it was just over a million less than the 9.2 million who saw the first episode of series four.

    The latest installment of Julian Fellowes’s period drama attracted a mixture of reviews.

    Andrew Billen, writing in The Times, gave Sunday’s episode four stars in his review.

    “Lord Fellowes, who may yet get through a series without resorting to murder, rape or sudden death, is filling his plots very enjoyably with sex instead,” he said.

    The Telegraph’s Ben Lawrence concluded “there are still faults with ‘Downton Abbey.’”

    “Some of the dialogue should really have been left on the cutting room floor — ‘Tom, come with me. You know where the sandbags are kept!’ Also, the large ensemble is beginning to feel unwieldy.

    “But it is such an enjoyable confection that these criticisms feel niggardly,” said Lawrence.

    The new season of “Downton” is set in 1924, as Britain’s first Labor government comes to power.

    New actors to join the series include Richard E Grant, who joins the cast as Simon Bricker, one of the guests of the Grantham family.

    Anna Chancellor also joins in a guest role, playing Lady Anstruther, while “24” actor Rade Sherbedgia plays a Russian refugee.

    (SD-Agencies)