'Thirtysomething' Revival in the Works at ABC
by EG
ABC's 80s drama about white baby boomers, Thirtysomething, is going to get a sequel, or at least a pilot for a new series, starring its original cast. Expect the update to be a little more diverse and woke in keeping with 2020. Also, don't expect the series title to make you eager to tune in. Read on for details.
ABC is returning to the world of Thirtysomething.
The network has handed out a pilot order for a sequel — called Thirtysomething(else) — to its former late '80s/early '90s family drama, featuring many of the show's original cast. The pickup arrives more than three months after producers MGM Television first shopped the project to potential buyers.
From original series creators Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, the new take will focus on the children of the main characters from the initial series, who are now in their thirties themselves. The stars from the original series — Ken Olin, Mel Harris, Timothy Busfield and Patricia Wettig — will reprise their roles in the sequel. Herskovitz and Zwick will co-write the script and executive produce, with the latter set to direct the pilot. Thirtysomething(else) is a co-production between ABC Studios and MGM TV.
The thirtysomething sequel will follow the grown-up, 30-something children of the original cast #thirtysomething https://t.co/QxesiVUhwT
— Vital Thrills (@vitalthrillscom) January 8, 2020
The effort hails from MGM TV, which produced the original series. Thirtysomething, which ran for four seasons on ABC, bowed in September 1987 and went on to become a pop culture sensation thanks in part to its focus on the day-to-day lives of baby boomers and its willingness to push the envelope of cultural stories. What's more, the family series earned an impressive 41 Emmy nominations during its run — winning 13 including for best drama in 1988 and acting honors for Wettig, Busfield and Melanie Mayron. The series marked its 30th anniversary in 2017.
ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke said Wednesday at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour that a writers room is being opened for Thirtysomething(else), which is still a pilot but is already "gearing up for series."
And already a second pilot order for ABC. #Thirtysomething could be back!https://t.co/C0wTTy4jT1
— SeasonZeroCom (@SeasonZeroCom) January 8, 2020
Burke told reporters after the pickup announcement that "Ed and Marshall really have a vision for the narrative and anything's possible, really. ... They know those characters in their bones, and their children are thirtysomething themselves, not just the children on the show, so they are creating characters in that generation that they also know and can relate to. So it's really a true definition of a multigenerational [story]."
Plus, the exec added, "I think you'll find some surprises in the story that you didn't see coming."
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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