‘Downton Abbey’ season 3: Down to the last detail
Speaking in a new story per the Daily Mail, the show’s historical adviser Alistair Bruce had the following to share when it comes to not only his job description, but also a perspective to some of the characters that we often choose not to think about when watches some of the recent season 3 episodes:
“It’s my job to help the director by telling the actors how to sit or eat or how the footmen would serve the food. I have to be forthright enough to pipe up and point out that something isn’t right when a director is shaping a scene. It’s important for us to remember that service was a very highly regarded job for many commoners in those days as it was a job for life, a good wage and lifestyle and they would be looked after by their employers right up until they died.”
What makes shooting a period drama from this standpoint so challenging is that you often have to reprogram how your mind thinks and acts. For example, we have grown accustomed over the years to thinking and feeling that certain things belong that we have to reprogram our mind to think of them as not being there. This is why such historical advisers are important, and any top-notch TV show will have someone of this variety on set.
Season 3 in America premieres on Sunday, March 6 on PBS. If you want to check out a recent “Downton Abbey” season 3 exclusive from here at the site, you can do so over at the link here.
Photo: ITV
