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The "Downton Abbey" premiere opens in 1912, when the sinking of the Titanic punctures the succession plans of Lord Grantham, the father of three daughters, and inspires Cora and his mother to push him to separate his title from his estate, which are legally entailed to pass only to a male heir. In other events, he hires a former aide from his military days to be his valet, which doesn't sit well with others on the household staff.