It's not easy being a period piece in the age of the Internet. Everybody's just waiting for you to slip up and make that one little anachronistic mistake — the wrong dress, the wrong meal, the wrong book. But, someone at Downton Abbey really messed up this week. The show released a promo photo that included a plastic water bottle in the background. Oops.
The snafu forced Downton devotees to confront the truth: The show is not real. It is not a recently discovered 1920s reality show. And, though the '20s had flappers, jazz, and gin, it had neither reality TV nor purified water. To acknowledge the mistake — or rub it in — the show's official Instagram posted a photo of the cast in their real-life clothes holding water bottles. And, it used the snap as an opportunity to link to Water Aid UK, a nonprofit that works to provide access to safe drinking water and sanitation around the world.
While we love the spirit, we have to admit this would've been better if everyone was in costume. Just a thought for next time, DA. (People)