Craving a sitcom like “The Golden Girls” but with a bit of Palm Springs flair? The creators of “Will & Grace” and Ryan Murphy will be delivering just that in a new Hulu series, aptly titled “Mid-Century Modern.”
Variety first reported Tuesday that “White Collar” actor Matt Bomer, “The Birdcage” actor Nathan Lane, and “Alice” star Linda Lavin will lead the new series, set to be written by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan of “Will & Grace.” James Burrows, director of famed shows such as “Cheers,” “Fraiser” and “Will & Grace,” will direct “Mid-Century Modern,” and Murphy will executive produce.
“The series follows three best friends — gay gentlemen of a certain age — who, after an unexpected death, decide to spend their golden years living together in Palm Springs where the wealthiest one lives with his mother and a naked Gen Z housekeeper,” Hulu states in a press release. “As a chosen family, they prove that no matter how hard things get, there’s always someone around to remind you it would be better if you got your neck done.”
Variety reported that Lane will play Bunny Schneiderman, a successful businessman ready to retire and in search of love, and Lavin will play his mother, Sybil, who is wise but also critical, caring but also smothering. Bomer will portray Jerry Frank, a former Mormon who left his marriage in his 20s after his wife told him and the rest of the congregation that he was gay. Jerry is described as “pure of heart, hard of body and soft of head. ” There’s no word yet on who will play the naked Gen Z housekeeper.
Fans of “The Golden Girls” are likely already figuring out which “Mid-Century Modern” characters mirror the distinct personalities of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia (the descriptions of Jerry, Bunny and Sybil closely resemble the sweet but naive Rose, the introspective but sarcastic Dorothy and the sharp Sophia, who is also Dorothy’s mother). “The Golden Girls” starred Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty as four older women living together in Miami. The series ran from 1985 to 1992.
“The Golden Girls,” which ran from 1985-92, starred Estelle Getty, left, Bea Arthur, sitting, Rue McClanahan and Betty White.
With the Hulu show’s title being synonymous with Palm Springs’ famed 1960s architecture style, we can only hope the city’s stunning homes and buildings will be showcased throughout the series. And, of course, no Palm Springs-set content is truly complete without a few pool parties, a trip downtown or complaints about the summer heat.
Just recently, an episode of the comedy series “Hacks,” starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, took place in Palm Springs. In the episode, comedian Deborah Vance (Smart) was set to make an appearance at Palm Springs Pride, but accidentally double-booked herself, leaving her righthand man Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkin) to manage an event with her biggest fans. He later heads to a local gay bar and connects with one of Vance’s fans. The Palm Springs sign, scenes from the city’s downtown Pride Parade and exterior shots of the video bar Quadz on Arena Road are seen in the episode.
Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins), left, and Reggie (Tim Bagley) chat in a Palm Springs bar in a season 3 episode of “Hacks.”
Bomer recently starred in the miniseries “Fellow Travelers,” a decades-spanning romance between two men. He previously worked with Murphy on “American Horror Story” and “The Normal Heart,” for which he won a Golden Globe Award. Lane, long known for his work in film, television and Broadway, stars in “The Gilded Age” and “Only Murders in the Building,” for which he won an Emmy Award. He has been cast in next installment of Murphy’s anthology series “Monster.” Lavin is a Tony Award-winning actress who is best known for her starring role in the sitcom “Alice,” which follows the misadventures and trials of an aspiring singer.
There is no word yet on when the series will begin filming or be released.
