Claire Danes(Homeland) is re-teaming with herMy So-Called Lifecreator and producer for a new HBO TV series, perVariety.The Applebaum Cursewill star Danes, whileWinnie Holzman (Wicked) will write and act as showrunner. Both she and Danes are executive producers on the show, which is in early development. The logline says the show is an “ongoing one-hour drama series about a dysfunctional family with Claire Danes as the lead role.”
When recently asked why no one has tried to reboot or remakeMy So-Called Life, Holzman replied:
“It’s interesting that you’re asking me that. I am writing something that I’m hoping to do with Claire.It’s not a reboot in the traditional sense, but I think Claire Danes and I back together would be a kind of version of that. … It’s a completely different story, but we’re hopeful that we’re gonna work together again.”
While it would be great ifThe Applebaum Cursefeatured Dane’s Angela Chase character fromMy So-Called Life, set 30 years later, that’s not the case. But it sounds like the show will be completely original, and judging by Holzman’s comment that “it’s kind of a version of that,” it mayhave its roots set in the mid-90s when many in Generation X were teenagers or in their 20s, and navigating life with plenty of angst and sarcasm.
‘My So-Called Life’ Was an Authentic Gen X TV Show
The “slacker generation,” as Gen X was often described, really came of age in the early- to mid-1990s, as grunge and alternative music, along with legendary hip-hop and R&B artists Public Enemy and TLC, were dominating the radio. AndMy So-Called Lifehelped capture an authentic look at the generation of latchkey kids, and it was nothing like any other teen show on the air at the time, such as90210.
The show premiered on ABC in August 1994 and ran until January 1995 and then was canceled by May. It featured Danes as Angela and her friends as they attend Liberty High in the fictional town of Three Rivers near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Those friends includedJared Leto in a breakout role as Jordan Catalano, along with Wilson Cruz (Star Trek: Discovery) as Rickie Vasquez.
My So-Called Lifetackled heavy-duty topics such as bullying, addiction, sex, binge-drinking, and more. It was highly acclaimed and beloved by viewers, but despite it having up to 10 million viewers, it was canceled after its first season.Danes also won a Golden Globe for her role as Angela. Over the years, it grew into a cult favorite and currently sits at a tremendous94% critical and 91% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.My So-Called Lifeis currently streaming on Hulu.
30 Years Later, Ben Stiller Directly Responds to a ‘Reality Bites’ Sequel
Ben Stiller’s directorial debut ‘Reality Bites’ was 30 years ago and yes, there’s been talk of a sequel. Meanwhile, he stars in ‘Nutcrackers’ on Hulu.
Also in 1994,Ben Stiller’s feature film debut hit theaters,Reality Bites, and was another look at Generation X. It starredWinona Ryder as a documentary filmmaker andEthan Hawkeas a recently unemployed guitarist, while they navigated life post-college.
The film was written by Helen Childress (Good Girls), and it also starred Janeane Garofalo as Vickie, Steve Zahn as Sammy, and Stiller playing Michael, a producer.While it’s a romantic comedy-drama, it touches upon the lives of Gen X as they navigate a post-college world, also with heavy sarcasm. The soundtrack also featured several popular alt-rock acts, including Lisa Loeb and Dinosaur Jr.
My So-Called Life
