Ending its third season on a note of unfettered joy feels quietly radical.
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But today were in Edgard a small town of less than 3,000 nestled in St. John the Baptist Parish.
Clouds as thick as cotton-candy tufts hang overhead.
The Mississippi River quietly roils to our right.
Sugar cane for miles, only obstructed by long-forgotten homes crackling with vines, nature reasserting her hold.
A cluster of white trailers for the cast are spread across the lot, overlooking the churchs small cemetery.
A gaggle of fans from Maryland are on the road leading to the home when I arrive.
They were on their way to New Orleans and stopped when they recognized Aunt Vis house in the distance.
A crew member lets them take it all in from the side of the road before they move on.
There are women on every level of crew.
Wrapped with the bug spray is a note.
On one side it reads, Nevertheless She Persisted.
On the other is a message from Gardner: Thank you.
For every long night, sweaty brow, encouraging smile, bug bite, and movement of your heart.
This village is simply extraordinary.
So proud of what we created together, counting myself blessed to be among you.
Southern Louisiana has become a character itself, illuminating the notions of familial legacy that course through the series.
Is it any wonder that Aunt Vi and Hollywoods wedding would make use of it?
The relationship between Aunt Vi and Hollywood is perhaps one of the most adult on television.
She looks stunning up close, even under the thick heat that causes most people on set to wilt.
I dont know how that works.
I yelp in panic, but Lifford springs into action, quickly brushing them off.
Aunt Vis home wasnt originally what Hollywood had in mind for their wedding.
He wants to plan this big blowout wedding.
Showrunner Kat Candler says simplicity was the guiding principle for the wedding.
The front lawn is transformed.
The light emanating from the string lights draping overhead, coiled around a tree, is almost golden.
Dusky rose floral arrangements dot the white linen tables stretching across the lawn.
Candles burnish in small lanterns.
Achieving this aesthetic comes with its challenges: namely, navigating the weather.
Its an understatement to say that shooting in these conditions takes a lot out of you.
Everyone has been working since the afternoon, and for the crew, much earlier.
Were approaching midnight, and they wont be done until past 4 a.m.
Between shots, I can see the heat wearing on Lifford and Dorsey.
But when they hear action, their faces soften into a loving repose.
The scene is bumpy at first, with the pastor fumbling his lines.
Hollywood is so humbled by her words, he trips up reading the vows he wrote.
Both Dorsey and Lifford play the moment with quiet understanding and warm companionship.
These are two people who have been through it all, and have dedicated their lives to one another.
Ending its third season on a note of such unfettered joy feels quietly radical.
