Another Period
Another Period is an American satirical period comedy television series created by Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome, who star as the vain and ambitious sisters Lillian and Beatrice Bellacourt.[1] The mockumentary-style program, which aired on Comedy Central across three seasons from June 23, 2015, to March 20, 2018, parodies reality television formats by depicting the extravagant, self-indulgent lives of the Bellacourt family and their domestic staff amid the opulence and social pretensions of the Gilded Age in Newport, Rhode Island.[2][3]
The series draws humor from anachronistic behaviors, such as the sisters' quests for fame through media stunts and family intrigues involving opium addiction, illicit affairs, and class conflicts, while lampooning the era's elite as precursors to modern celebrity culture.[4] Notable for its ensemble cast including Armen Weitzman as the scheming butler Peepers and guest stars like Christina Hendricks, the show critiques wealth inequality and superficiality without descending into overt moralizing, earning praise for its irreverent style and a 75% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes despite limited mainstream viewership.[1][2]
Premise and Format
Setting and Narrative Style
Another Period is set in 1902 Newport, Rhode Island, centering on the fictional Bellacourt family as the epitome of Gilded Age opulence and social striving. The show's backdrop evokes the summer colony's real historical prominence as a haven for America's newly wealthy industrialists, who constructed lavish mansions amid the era's economic boom and cultural shifts. This setting serves to parody the ostentatious lifestyles and petty rivalries of high society, framing them as if documented by rudimentary early filmmaking techniques of the time.[5][6] The narrative employs a mockumentary structure, presenting events in a fly-on-the-wall style reminiscent of modern reality television, complete with confessional interviews where family members soliloquize directly to the camera about their schemes and grievances. This format juxtaposes turn-of-the-century historical authenticity—such as corseted fashions, horse-drawn carriages, and emerging social reforms—with anachronistic self-absorption and voyeuristic intrusion, heightening the satire of unchecked privilege. By simulating a "reality" show from 1902, the series underscores the timeless absurdities of fame-seeking among the elite.[7][8] Episodes explore the intersection of verifiable historical currents, like the burgeoning women's suffrage campaigns of the early 1900s, with the family's self-centered vanities and intrigues, exaggerating these for humor while grounding the excess in the era's documented class disparities and reformist tensions. The style avoids overt historical lectures, instead weaving factual period details into comedic vignettes of domestic chaos and social climbing, revealing causal links between wealth concentration and personal dysfunction without romanticizing the age.[9][10]
Parodic Elements
Another Period parodies the upstairs-downstairs structure of historical dramas such as Downton Abbey by contrasting the vapid excesses of the affluent Bellacourt family with the drudgery of their servants in a 1902-1905 Rhode Island setting, but introduces overt anachronisms including modern profanity, celebrity worship, and entitled behaviors projected onto Gilded Age figures.[11][12] These deliberate temporal displacements, such as references to "cocaine wine" and reality-TV-style self-promotion, underscore the show's rejection of reverential historiography in favor of exposing perennial follies like vanity and class snobbery.[11][13] The production blends visual period authenticity—featuring ornate costumes and mansion interiors inspired by Vanderbilt-era opulence—with intentional inaccuracies to satirize the polished escapism of costume dramas.[11][14] This juxtaposition highlights how such shows often romanticize the past, as evidenced by the series' crude exaggerations of historical vices like opium use and illiteracy among the elite, which mirror but amplify documented Gilded Age indulgences without claiming documentary precision.[11][15] Stylistically, Another Period incorporates mockumentary techniques, such as direct-to-camera talking-head segments where characters break the fourth wall to confess petty motivations, parodying the confessional format of contemporary reality programming while mimicking the contrived intimacy of scripted historical narratives. This approach emphasizes the artificiality inherent in both genres, critiquing how they sensationalize personal dramas over factual accuracy.[13][16]Production History
Development and Creation
Another Period was created by comedians Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome, who served as co-writers, executive producers, and lead performers portraying the Bellacourt sisters, Lillian and Beatrice.[17][18] The duo conceived the series as a satirical fusion of Gilded Age excess and contemporary reality television, inspired by the oblivious opulence of historical elites akin to modern celebrity families, as seen in programs like Keeping Up with the Kardashians, blended with the format of period dramas such as Downton Abbey.[19][18] This approach highlighted the absurdities of wealth and social hierarchy, drawing from Leggero and Lindhome's observations of parallels between turn-of-the-century American aristocracy and today's media-driven fame.[20] The initial development stemmed from Leggero and Lindhome's visits to Newport, Rhode Island mansions, where they identified untapped comedic potential in the era's elite detachment from broader societal realities, including gender constraints and class divides.[21] Lacking prior showrunning experience, they pitched the concept emphasizing female-driven narratives to counterbalance male-centric historical depictions, securing creative control from Comedy Central despite their novice status in series production.[18] In June 2014, the network issued a series order for the pilot and subsequent episodes, enabling the integration of authentic period elements—like detailed costumes and sets—with farcical guest appearances, such as Christina Hendricks, to underscore the show's blend of historical verisimilitude and exaggeration.[22][23]Seasons and Cancellation
The series premiered its first season on June 23, 2015, consisting of 10 half-hour episodes that aired weekly through August 18, 2015.[24] A second season of 10 episodes followed, premiering on October 27, 2016, and concluding on December 15, 2016.[25] The third and final season, also comprising 10 episodes, aired from January 23, 2018, to March 6, 2018, for a total of 30 episodes across the run.[25] Comedy Central renewed the series for its second season in August 2015 and for the third in May 2016, citing favorable critical response amid modest audience figures that averaged under 500,000 viewers per episode in earlier seasons.| Season | No. of Episodes | Premiere Date | Finale Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | June 23, 2015 | August 18, 2015 |
| 2 | 10 | October 27, 2016 | December 15, 2016 |
| 3 | 10 | January 23, 2018 | March 6, 2018 |
Cast and Characters
Bellacourt Family and Servants
Natasha Leggero portrays Lillian Bellacourt, the ambitious and self-absorbed daughter of the Bellacourt family who manipulates social movements like women's suffrage to elevate her personal status and achieve fame in early 20th-century society.[9] [29] Riki Lindhome plays Beatrice Bellacourt, Lillian's younger sister, depicted as naive and childlike, often reverting to infantile behaviors amid family dynamics while sharing her sibling's fixation on wealth and celebrity.[30] [6] The family hierarchy includes Commodore Bellacourt (David Koechner), the patriarchal figure heading the household, and Dodo Bellacourt (Paget Brewster), the matriarch reliant on morphine to manage her dependencies.[31] [32] Among the servants, Peepers (Michael Ian Black) functions as the fastidious head butler, enforcing strict order and loyalty to the family's traditions while resisting any disruptions to the established class structure.[33] [6] These roles underscore the rigid servant-family divide, mirroring documented Gilded Age practices where Newport estates maintained extensive below-stairs quarters for staff numbering in the dozens per household.[17]Guest and Recurring Roles
Lauren Flans portrayed Hortense Bellacourt, the eldest Bellacourt sibling depicted as a teetotaling suffragette committed to celibacy and women's rights activism, appearing in nine episodes across the series.[34] The role of Hortense was played by four different actresses in total, reflecting the character's episodic presence and the show's mockumentary style that occasionally highlighted casting changes for comedic effect.[35] Other recurring guest contributions included historical parodies, such as Mike O'Connell as Teddy Roosevelt in three episodes, emphasizing the series' satirical take on Gilded Age figures interacting with the Bellacourts.[36] June Diane Raphael guest-starred as Eleanor Roosevelt, appearing alongside O'Connell's Teddy in season 2's "Roosevelt" episode to lampoon progressive reforms clashing with elite excess.[37] Bebe Drake recurred as Harriet Tubman in two episodes, integrating abolitionist history into the show's absurd Newport society critiques.[34] Notable one-off guests enhanced episodic chaos, including Joss Whedon directing and appearing in season 2, contributing to the production's ensemble comedy while tying into themes of external disruptors.[37] Kate Micucci appeared as a member of the National Association of Gilded Sisters (N.A.G.S.), a fictional suffragette group, often providing vaudeville-style musical interludes that underscored the era's performative feminism.[38] Fortune Feimster recurred as Garva in three episodes, adding layers to servant dynamics beyond core staff, while Kate Flannery played Annie Sullivan in two installments, parodying educational interventions in the household.[36] These roles prioritized short-form satire over sustained arcs, amplifying the series' focus on transient influences on the Bellacourt milieu.Episodes
Season 1 (2015)
Another Period's first season aired on Comedy Central from June 23 to August 25, 2015, comprising 10 episodes broadcast weekly on Tuesdays.[24] The series establishes its mockumentary style by chronicling the Bellacourt family's opulent yet absurd existence in 1902 Newport, Rhode Island, centering on sisters Lillian (Natasha Leggero) and Beatrice (Riki Lindhome) Bellacourt's relentless pursuits of fame amid escalating household scandals.[17] Key introductory arcs feature Lillian's manipulative bids for attention, including staging a kidnapping and competing in a beauty pageant, alongside Beatrice's eccentric personal dilemmas that foreshadow divorce and elopement attempts.[30] The season's narrative builds through episodic vignettes that expose family dysfunction, such as Frederick Bellacourt's (Jason Mantzoukas) ill-fated senatorial campaign and the Commodore's (David Koechner) domineering influence, which ultimately leads to disowning Lillian and Beatrice by season's end.[39] Subplots introduce early tensions around women's suffrage, highlighted in episodes where characters like Hortense Bellacourt (Beth Grant) advocate for voting rights, only to face sabotage from family members.[40] These elements underscore the mockumentary's satirical lens on elite privilege without delving into broader thematic critiques.| Episode | Title | Air Date | Key Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Party of the Century | June 23, 2015 | Lillian and Beatrice host an extravagant event for a power broker; new maid Celine (Christina Hendricks) navigates manor hierarchies.[30] |
| 2 | Divorce | June 30, 2015 | The sisters explore marital dissolution schemes; Frederick encounters a suitor.[30] |
| 3 | Funeral | July 7, 2015 | Family mourns amid opportunistic plots; Peepers (Michael Ian Black) grapples with heritage.[30] |
| 4 | Pageant | July 14, 2015 | Lillian enters a beauty contest for notoriety.[30] |
| 5 | Senate | July 21, 2015 | Frederick campaigns for office; Commodore returns to assert control.[40] |
| 6 | Lillian's Birthday | July 28, 2015 | Celebrations devolve into chaos, amplifying Lillian's fame quests.[30] |
| 7 | Switcheroo Day | August 4, 2015 | Role reversals expose class and gender dynamics.[41] |
| 8 | Dog Dinner Party | August 11, 2015 | Absurd pet-focused event highlights excess.[42] |
| 9 | Kidnapped | August 18, 2015 | Lillian orchestrates her own abduction for publicity.[30] |
| 10 | Tsar | August 25, 2015 | Climactic power struggles resolve with family exile.[24] |
Season 2 (2016)
The second season of Another Period premiered on Comedy Central on June 15, 2016, and consisted of 10 episodes airing weekly.[44] [45] It escalated the series' mockumentary-style satire of Gilded Age opulence by integrating more prominent historical figures into the Bellacourt family's self-absorbed schemes, such as Lillian and Beatrice enlisting Harriet Tubman to revive their socialite status amid the Commodore's financial woes.[46] This approach heightened the anachronistic chaos, blending early 20th-century events with contemporary obsessions like fame-seeking and interpersonal rivalries, while guest appearances from figures like Theodore Roosevelt and Albert Einstein amplified the parodic historical distortions.[47] [44] Episodes featured increased downstairs-upstairs tensions, exemplified by a contagious outbreak forcing Lillian into quarantine with the servants, underscoring class divides through exaggerated hygiene fears and dependency dynamics.[48] Guest-driven plots introduced external disruptions, including a princely visitor sparking romantic competition between the sisters and clashes between butler Peepers and the guest's servant, as well as Lillian's condom procurement amid Einstein's visit to Bellacourt Manor.[49] [44] Creators Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome emphasized the season's intent to mine "historical accuracy" for humor, drawing on era-specific absurdities like social climbing and invention fads, with added layers of marital annulments, hatchet phobias, and musical collaborations parodying celebrity aspirations.[6] [50]| Episode | Title | Original Air Date | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tubman | June 15, 2016 | The Bellacourt sisters seek fame via Harriet Tubman; the Commodore faces financial ruin.[46] [44] |
| 2 | Annulment | June 22, 2016 | Lillian and Beatrice's marriages end; family disputes erupt over room access and phobias.[51] [44] |
| 3 | The Prince and the Pauper | June 29, 2016 | A prince's visit ignites sisterly rivalry; Peepers conflicts with the prince's aide.[49] [44] |
| 4 | Trial of the Century | July 6, 2016 | Legal proceedings parody sensational trials of the era.[44] |
| 5 | Roosevelt | July 13, 2016 | The family interacts with Theodore and Eleanor Roosevelt, fueling political and social satire.[47] [44] |
| 6 | Servants' Disease | July 20, 2016 | A downstairs epidemic quarantines Lillian with staff; double dates and inventions ensue.[48] [44] |
| 7 | Harvard | July 27, 2016 | Albert Einstein arrives; Beatrice aids his work while Lillian seeks contraceptives.[44] |
| 8 | Joplin | August 3, 2016 | Sisters collaborate on a song with Scott Joplin; Peepers grapples with urges.[52] [6] |
| 9 | Lillian's Wedding | August 10, 2016 | Lillian weds a magnate; scandals and religious lessons unfold.[46] [44] |
| 10 | Dummy | August 17, 2016 | Season finale involves ventriloquism and family deceptions.[44] |