June 23, 2015 (2015-06-23) – March 20, 2018 (2018-03-20)
Another Period is an American periodsitcom television series created by and starring Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome. It followed the lives of the Bellacourts, the first family of Newport, Rhode Island, at the turn of the 20th century. Lillian (Leggero) and Beatrice (Lindhome) played sisters "who care only about how they look, what parties they attend and becoming famous, which is a lot harder in 1902".[1] It was intended to be a spoof on reality shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians while roughly contemporaneous with Downton Abbey and satirizing many of the same themes of class and social standing.[2]
The series was picked up for 10 episodes and debuted on Comedy Central on June 23, 2015. It was directed by Jeremy Konner, co-creator and writer of Drunk History. Ben Stiller's production company Red Hour produced. Leggero, Lindhome, and Konner also served as executive producers.[3] The second season premiered on June 15, 2016.[4] On May 23, 2016, it was renewed for a third season,[5] which premiered on January 23, 2018.[6] In November 2018, Comedy Central announced it canceled the series after three seasons.[7]
Cast
The House of Bellacourt
Lillian Abigail Bellacourt, played by Natasha Leggero, is the second-eldest Bellacourt daughter, who is often seen wearing a tiara. After Charles Ponzi left her at the altar at age 11, "the height of a woman's sexual peak," she entered into a loveless marriage with Victor, with whom she has produced eight daughters, most of whom are named Susan. Lillian is smart and resourceful, but often falls victim to her own selfishness. Lillian consistently carries around her vicious chihuahua, Mayor Cutie, before killing the dog in a fit of rage. Following her deep depression when Laverne Fusselforth dies during their wedding ceremony and his grandson marries Hortense in the second-season finale, Lilian acquires a new chihuahua which she uses as a replacement Mayor Cutie.
Beatrice Bellacourt, played by Riki Lindhome, is the youngest daughter. She is twin to Frederick, with whom she is involved in an incestuous relationship. Beatrice serves as the "ideal woman" of the turn of the century. Tall, rich, and slender, she is a talented singer with no interest in politics and no opinions of her own. She exhibits exceptional selfishness and sociopathic tendencies, attempting to murder people without empathy. She is an idiot savant, with flashes of scientific genius, and helps guest Albert Einstein solve the theory of relativity. She has several children, including a son whom she calls The Little Asshole. Since being sent away to a nunnery in the second-season finale by Frederick, Beatrice has lost romantic interest in him.
Hortense Jefferson Library Bellacourt, played by Artemis Pebdani in the pilot episode, Lauren Ash in the remainder of the first season, Lauren Flans in the second season, and Donna Lynne Champlin in the third season, is the eldest Bellacourt child. Dodo and Commodore are both embarrassed by her unattractiveness, and "pray her life will be blessedly short." Hortense acts as a satire of the moderate bourgeoise feminist, calling for women's suffrage, and is a member of the Women's Temperance League as well as the Newport Association of Gal Spinsters (N.A.G.S.). Although Hortense is the most liberal character, she is as ruthless as any Bellacourt, exposing the family to ridicule when she sells their scandalous secrets to the press. In the second-season finale, Hortense married Bertram Harrison Fusselforth VII before their fiery automobile crash while on their honeymoon. Despite being reported dead, Hortense is revealed to have survived while ending up in a hospital as a Jane Doe, only to fully recover to confront Lillian and Beatrice upon learning they were going to give a speech before Congress in her stead.
Lord Frederick Bellacourt, played by Jason Ritter, is the youngest child and the heir to the Bellacourt family fortune. He is the illiterate twin brother of Beatrice, with whom he is involved in an incestuous relationship. He lacks any semblance of ambition, as he appears simple-minded and his life consists of leisure activities. After being set to marry Celery Savoy, Frederick is arranged by the Commodore to be a Senator and then future Vice President of the United States under Theodore Roosevelt.
Commodore Bellacourt (originally Harold Bellawitz, a fur trapper[8]), played by David Koechner, is the family patriarch and "magnet magnate." Often away on business, he avoids his family when he is home. After disowning Lillian and Beatrice in the season one finale when their scandals are made public, the Commodore takes them back in order to have them annul their husbands and marry into rich families so that he can regain his fortune. He is left bankrupt when the marriages do not pan out, with Dodo buying the manor and banning him from the estate.
Dorothea "Dodo" Bellacourt, played by Paget Brewster, is the wife of the Commodore and the mother of his first four children. She begins to suspect her husband is having an affair, and delves deeper into her pre-existing morphineaddiction to cope. Her condition worsens as the series progresses, and she attempts to quit cold turkey after she forces herself upon the butler Peepers after drinking too much absinthe. In the second season, Dodo flees the Bellacourt estate and joins a nunnery upon finding out that the Commodore plans to have her institutionalized for giving away most of his fortune to charity. Dodo returns after the Commodore sends her divorce papers, the charity organizations she donated to revealed as fronts as she transferred the Bellacourt fortune to the abbey in her name. In the third season, Dodo becomes the sole owner of the Bellacourt estate and bans the Commodore from the premises.
Victor Schmemmerhorn-Fish V, played by Brian Huskey, is a self-centered Bavarian married to Lillian who married into the Bellacourt family in order to "stack cash", but feels that he cannot live "on a husband's allowance." A closeted homosexual, he is in a secret relationship with Albert. In the second season, Victor agrees to have his marriage to Lillian annulled on the condition that he be allowed to continue living at the manor. In the third season, Victor is revealed to be the uncle of Adolf Hitler.
Albert Downsy, Jr., played by David Wain, is married to Beatrice. A closeted homosexual, he is in a secret relationship with Victor. In the second season, Albert agrees to have his marriage to Beatrice annulled on the condition that he be allowed to continue living at the manor.
Celery Savoy Bellacourt, played by Missi Pyle, is a socialite who becomes engaged to Frederick after his appointment to the United States Senate. But after her marriage to Frederick, Celery is disowned by the Savoy family following the Bellacourts' scandals being made public. She has since attempted to use Frederick as a means to regain her status.
Servants at Bellacourt Manor
Peepers (formerly Mitchell P. Spiritwalker) played by Michael Ian Black, is the Bellacourt butler, who was adopted and raised by a Native American family as an infant. Though the Bellacourts take no notice of his efforts, Peepers is a stickler for perfect order and hopelessly devoted to the family to the point of killing Scoops LaPue and having feelings for Dodo. Peepers is also Blanche's legal guardian and has the ability to send her to an insane asylum at his discretion. In the second-season finale, Peepers helps Dodo with her plan to steal the Commodore's remaining fortune and temporarily moves to the abbey until Dodo buys the Bellacourt estate in her name.
Celine/Chair, played by Christina Hendricks (Seasons 1–2), is a former prostitute who became the Commodore's secret mistress and bearing his unborn son.[9] The Commodore arranges for Celine to become a servant at the manor, where Beatrice renames her "Chair". In the season one finale, making her move to acquire the Bellacourt fortune, Celine attempts to kill Dodo. But as she ended up making an enemy out of Blanche when arranging her to be sent to the asylum as revenge for a previous event, resulting with Celine ending up in a coma after being pushed down the stairs. In the second season, regaining consciousness after giving birth to the Commodore's son Kermit, Celine eventually regains her memories and use of her legs while convincing the Commodore to divorce Dodo and marry her. But Celine leaves the Commodore upon him becoming bankrupt.
Blanche, played by Beth Dover, is the head housemaid. She was diagnosed with hysteria as a nervous disorder and spent time in an asylum, feeling slighted that she was the only patient left unraped by the orderlies. She is easily startled from the experiences she did have there. Following being institutionalized by Celine, later causing her coma, Blanche reveals she got pregnant by one of the orderlies. She is then married by Mr. Peepers to Dr. John Goldberg before giving birth to her son Murry, whom she later has take place of Kermit as she spirits the Bellacourt baby away.
Garfield Leopold McGillicutty,[10] played by Armen Weitzman, is the under butler/valet, manservant, and later potato scrubber[8] who was taken by Peepers from the orphanage at age 5 to work in the manor. The Bellacourts are his only family and he loves them with a blind devotion, having known nothing else.
Hamish Crassus, played by Brett Gelman, the foul, unkempt groundskeeper who tends to the grounds of the mansion and performs certain other "special" duties such as kidnapping, "re-conforming to heterosexuality training," and selling women into sexual slavery.[11] While framed for the death of Scoops LaPue, Hamish is revealed to be the Commodore's half brother in season two and is later revealed to be Jewish.
Flobelle, played by Alice Hunter (Seasons 2-), the new maid hired to replace chair. She is an open-minded woman.
Eunice, played by Kate Micucci, is a member of N.A.G.S who lost use of her left eye following being attacked by Beatrice.
Abortion Deb, played by Betsy Sodaro, is a member of N.A.G.S.
Scoops LaPue, played by Brent Weinbach, is a reporter/columnist for Newport's Lookie Loo newspaper. In the first-season finale, LaPue is murdered by Mr. Peepers when he appears to have made the Bellacourt's scandals public in the Lookie Loo.
Dr. Goldberg, played by Moshe Kasher, is a pansexualJewish physician who lives on the Bellacourt estate initially to tend Albert while in his coma while having a fling with Victor. Later revealed to be Canadian, Goldberg marries Blanche in a loveless marriage to acquire citizen status.
Father Black Donahue, played by Jemaine Clement (Seasons 2–3), is a Catholicpriest of an abbey on the Bellacourt property who houses Dodo during season 2 and converts Beatrice while she is in the nunnery. Following Dodo stealing the Comodore's fortune, Donahue becomes Dodo's lover and accompanies her to the Bellacourt estate at the start of the 3rd season until he overstays his welcome and abuses Dodo's generosity.
Ben Stiller as Charles Ponzi, a businessman who was once engaged to Lillian and attempts to rekindle their relationship so he can con her family out of their fortune without any qualms. But he ends up being murdered by his Indian boy-servant Tabu.
Lillian (Natasha Leggero) and Beatrice (Riki Lindhome) prepare to entertain a Newport power broker, and new servant Celine (Christina Hendricks) adjusts to life at Bellacourt Manor and her impromptu name change: Chair. Guest stars include Shoshannah Stern as Helen Keller, Kate Flannery as Annie Sullivan, and Artemis Pebdani as Hortense Bellacourt (replaced by Lauren Ash in all subsequent episodes).
Lillian and Beatrice brainstorm ways to rid themselves of their husbands. Frederick (Jason Ritter) gets courted by a wealthy divorcee. Garfield (Armen Weitzman) copes with a traumatic event. Jon Daly, Will Sasso and Jessica Chaffin guest star.
Lillian and Beatrice hold a funeral for their husbands. Albert (David Wain) and Victor (Brian Huskey) try to build a new life together. Peepers (Michael Ian Black) confronts his heritage. Guest Stars: Lou Diamond Phillips, Rich Fulcher, Tim Heidecker and Moshe Kasher.
Bellacourt Manor hosts the first beauty pageant that is for more than vegetables. Babies or women may also now enter which leads to a Bellacourt showdown. Peepers trains Chair in the art of servitude. Jack Black, Kate Micucci, Betsy Sodaro and Moshe Kasher guest star.
The Commodore (David Koechner) returns home to Bellacourt Manor. Frederick prepares to become a US senator while Lillian and Beatrice sabotage a suffrage rally that is important to Hortense. Chris Parnell, Brian White, Kate Micucci, Betsy Sodaro and Nancy Friedrich guest star.
An old flame pays Lillian a visit at the manor. Peepers becomes gravely ill but no one seems to notice. Hortense finds herself in a delicate condition. Exec Producer Ben Stiller guest stars as Charles Ponzi.
Lillian orchestrates her own kidnapping for press attention while Blanche (Beth Dover) and Peepers spend the day as members of the upper class. Rich Fulcher guest stars as Mark Twain.
Beatrice has a meltdown when Frederick brings home a fiancee -- Celery Savoy. Dodo (Paget Brewster) goes through morphine withdrawal. Missi Pyle guest stars.
New friends invite Lillian to a beach party. Beatrice goes to Thomas Edison for forbidden experimentation. Blanche receives a mysterious letter from a factory. Meanwhile, Garfield tries to keep the family from falling apart. Rachel Blanchard, Stephen Tobolowsky and Jon Daly guest star.
Lillian and Beatrice race across Newport in a failed attempt to stop Fredrick's wedding to Celery Savoy, only for them to be banned from the Bellacourt estate by the Commodore when their family scandals have been made public on The Lookie Loo. While Peepers realizes Celine's intentions yet unable to act against her on the Commodore's order, he instead kills Scoops LaPue for being the apparent writer while framing Hamish (Brett Gelman) for the crime. Lillian and Beatrice decide to become famous. Missi Pyle guest stars.
Lillian and Beatrice are determined to be famous and enlist the help of Harriet Tubman. The Commodore finds out he is broke because Dodo has been sending his money to charity and wants to send her to go shopping for straitjackets. To solve his financial issues he decides to marry off Lillian and Beatrice again! Peepers is on a mission to retrieve Lillian and Beatrice and get them back to Bellacourt Manor on orders from The Commodore.
Lillian and Victor fight for control of the Butternut Room, Beatrice helps Albert recover from the trauma of his hatchet attack, and Peepers hires a new hall boy.
Lillian and Beatrice both try to woo a foreign prince, Blanche helps Chair reclaim her lost memories, and Hamish forms a bond with his prison cellmate.
The Commodore tries to sell Frederick as a possible vice president, Beatrice and Eleanor Roosevelt hit it off, and Flobelle organizes a servants' strike.
Lillian gets close to the servants when a typhoid outbreak wreaks havoc in the lower quarters, and Beatrice goes on a double date with her new boyfriend.
Scott Joplin visits the manor to produce a song for Lillian and Beatrice, Blanche enjoys her new marriage to Dr. Goldberg, and Peepers struggles with sexual frustration.
Lillian prepares to marry an elderly media magnate, Frederick finds himself embroiled in a scandal, and Beatrice learns the ins and outs of Christianity.
Lillian and Beatrice take up Hortense's mantle to begin fighting for women's rights, and Peepers bristles at Father Black Donahue's new role at the manor.
Victor and Lillian square off after the Olympics allows women to compete, and Frederick and Beatrice question their relationship after Frederick discovers that he was adopted. Guest starring Thomas Lennon.
Lillian and Beatrice fight over a sexy Spanish meteorologist, and a boat trip provides an opportunity for Dodo and Peepers to rekindle their illicit romance. Guest starring Marc Evan Jackson and Gilles Marini.
Dodo subjects Beatrice to a harrowing beauty regimen as part of a campaign to get her face on the new nickel, and Lillian develops a gambling addiction.
The Commodore enlists Peepers to help him win Dodo back, Lillian's alliance with Blanche takes a turn, and Beatrice and Frederick plan to meet their beloveds.
32
11
"President Bellacourt"
Natasha Leggero & Riki Lindhome & Michael Ian Black
^Cathcart, Olivia (September 12, 2014). "A conversation with Natasha Leggero". The Laugh Button. Retrieved June 16, 2015. It's kind of like Keeping Up With The Kardashians meets Downton Abbey, I guess. Riki Lindhome and I play these rich and sort of tacky heiresses who are just trying to get into society and become famous, which is hard in 1902 because there's no TV or media.
