Don’t be surprised if you bump into cast members of the Showtime series Brotherhood around Rhode Island, starting next week. Filming on season three begins on Monday. From left, Ethan Embry, Fionnula Flanagan, Jason Isaacs, Jason Clarke, Brian O’Byrne and Annabeth Gish.

SHOWTIME / Jim Fiscus

Rhode Island crime and corruption, graft and malfeasance will be caught on film next week, and the next three months.

Brotherhood’s back.

Filming for the third season of the Peabody Award-winning Showtime series starts on Monday. That day’s location has not been disclosed; but the one on Wednesday has: the State House.

The story is set in Rhode Island. And it’s the first television series to be filmed entirely in the state. Politics is at the heart of the program, about brothers on different sides of the law. Jason Isaacs stars as Michael Caffee, the gangster brother. Jason Clarke stars as Tommy Caffee, the politician brother.

In the next season, which is expected to air in early November, the role of the Caffee brothers will be bigger. Blake Masters, the creator of the show, says so, but doesn’t want to say too much more.

“Tom Caffee is rising in the political world,” Masters said on the phone last week. “But I can’t give much away in terms of the show’s creative secrets.”

Soon the Brotherhood presence in the state will be no secret. You’ll see the numerous production trucks. And this weekend, perhaps you’ll see some of its actors. This is when they’re scheduled to arrive in Rhode Island, according to Masters.

Meanwhile, a pre-production crew has been working in the state since late last month. And last weekend, more than 1,000 people attended a casting call in Providence.

“It is amazing how many people are excited about this,” says Steven Feinberg, executive director of the state’s Film and Television Office. “We get phone calls all the time from folks all over the country who are coming to Rhode Island to see the State House because of the adventures of Tom Caffee.”

Because of the adventures of Tom Caffee, in the last two seasons of the show, 300 Rhode Islanders have worked as full-time crew members on Brotherhood, according to Feinberg, 225 Rhode Islanders have landed speaking roles on the show, and about 3,000 served as extras.

“The show creates intrigue for Rhode Island,” Feinberg says. “The locations in Rhode Island are unique, and so is the way people speak. Most people outside Rhode Island don’t know about wieners and coffee milk.”

The first two seasons of Brotherhood had 10 episodes each. This one, for budget and scheduling reasons, will have eight episodes, according to Masters.

“That necessitates we have to be more efficient in our storytelling. I think it will be tight and we’ll do a great job.”

There will be no new recurring characters introduced this season.

“We’re focusing on the characters you already know and love.”

There will be further development of the Caffee characters, according to Masters. “Heroes will confront their demons is the way I put it.”

And while there will still be drama, the next season will also offer more comic moments, Masters says.

“Our goal is to let the natural humor of the characters come out more than in previous years. We have characters — Jimmy and Moe — that are flat-out funny. We’ll allow their humor to flavor the palate.”

It has been a month since the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) contract with studios expired. And there has been some worry about a strike. But Masters isn’t worried.

“The feeling I get is there will not be a SAG strike. They’ll be working under the old contract and we won’t see any effect on Brotherhood.”

Filming for Brotherhood is expected to run through the first week of November, the same week the first episode is expected to air.

“For most television shows that’s not unusual,” Masters says. “For us, we’re used to a little more leisurely post-production schedule than we have this year.”

The precise Brotherhood locations to be used for shooting this summer have not been disclosed. In the past, the show visited several towns, including South Kingstown and North Kingstown, Cranston and Woonsocket, East Providence and Providence.

“If you liked the show before, I think you’ll be excited,” Masters says. “If you haven’t seen the show, this would be a good spot to jump in.”

brourke@projo.com