"Downton Abbey" is no new hand at shuffling around characters to accommodate for actors that are shuffling around career commitments and often optioning themselves off the show. There have been more than one shocking deaths due to a simple change in career path on behalf of cast members, but is it possible that this is something we will see this year?

Two major actresses have both expressed that they may have an interest in abandoning the show. Actress Elizabeth McGovern plays Lady Cora, who is the family matriarch before the Dowager Countess. She recently said in an interview with the Sunday Express: "I know there is going to be another series but don't know whether I would be up for a season after that."

Does this mean that Lady Cora will be making her exit sometime this year? As one of the main characters who is central to the plots and interactions at "Downton," there doesn't seem to be a graceful way to remove her from the show. Most likely, an absconding McGovern will mean that her DA character will come to a surprising and sudden end, as was the case with Lady Sybil and Cousin Matthew.

This, however, isn't the possible defection that could leave "Downton" fans grimacing. None other than the Dowager Countess herself has expressed an interests in entertaining a new independence from the long running Anglo-American period piece:

"I'm very sad because I haven't done anything in theatre to justify this. I wish I had. Doing something on stage at the National the other night was extraordinary. I'd love to do more. I would love to do more theatre work but really, I don't get any offers," Maggie Smith is reported as saying, according to the International Digital Times.

Would she really be willing to pack-up and go, rejecting a sixth season, if she could get more work in theatre? And if so, would show developers bring back the recent health scare of her character to complete its morbid run?

The 5^th Season will begin sometime in fall for UK viewers, although for U.S. viewers the next season might air sometime in 2015. Until then viewers can cross their fingers hoping that our favorite characters will remain alive and vigorous in Season 6, if the show is indeed renewed after this upcoming season.