"Victoria" is coming to PBS Masterpiece in January, and the fact that many are wondering if the show will fill the "Downton Abbey"-sized hole in their hearts isn't lost on the new series' star, Jenna Coleman.

"Downton Abbey" left some massive shoes to fill with its six highly successful seasons, so Coleman is understandably being careful with any comparisons. In fact, she recently made sure to highlight the differences between the two British dramas in an interview with Deadline.

"There is a lot of expectation but I think 'Downton' was a phenomenon. It's its own," she said. "The shows are both period dramas and that's kind of where the similarities end. It's a completely different period of time."

"Victoria" does start earlier than "Downton" did, picking up in 1837 with the crowning of the then-18-year-old queen. There may be more similarities than Coleman would care to admit, though: The first season follows her courtship and later marriage to Prince Albert (Tom Hughes). If you watched "Downton," the themes of love, relationships, and marriage should sound familiar.

Coleman may be wary of comparisons, but she wasn't afraid to give the Julian Fellowes show its due.

"What's fantastic is that 'Downton' has been so popular in the U.S. that it's carved an audience that hopefully are hungry for investing in the next drama which takes you back to somewhere which isn't now," she told Deadline.

"Victoria" has performed well in the U.K. so far, scoring a Season 2 order not long after its August premiere. The "Doctor Who" alum could get just as warm of a welcome from U.S. viewers when "Victoria" premieres Jan. 15 on PBS.

[via: Deadline]