The “Heathers” reboot has officially been ordered to series at TV Land, The Hollywood Reporter confirms. The dark comedy will mark the network’s first hourlong original series.
While the pilot was originally ordered as a half-hour series, the final cut had a 40-minute running time. TV Land was so enthusiastic about the pilot, directed by Leslye Headland (“Sleeping with Other People”), that they’ve decided to move forward with it as an hourlong. The first season will feature ten episodes and is scheduled to debut in the fall.
The original 1988 film version of “Heathers,” written by Daniel Waters and directed by Michael Lehmann, starred Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Their destructive romance leads to homicides, with Slater’s character pressuring Ryder’s to rebel against her popular, mean girl friends and dismantle their high school’s social hierarchy.
“TV Land’s take, set in the present day, features a new set of popular-yet-evil Heathers — only this time the outcasts have become high school royalty,” THR writes. “Heather McNamara (originally played by Lisanne Falk) will be portrayed by Jasmine Mathews; Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty in the film) is a male who identifies as gender-queer whose real name is Heath (Brendan Scannell); and Heather Chandler (originally Kim Walker) has a body like Martha Dumptruck and will be played by Melanie Field. Newcomers James Scully and Grace Victoria Cox star as J.D. and Veronica, respectively.” Doherty guest-stars in the pilot.
“Our take on ‘Heathers’ is a cinematic, surprising, and twisted comedy that gives a wonderful nod to the film while also creating something entirely its own,” TV Land president of development Keith Cox said of the project. “We’re really passionate about this show and the satirical storytelling its provocative characters allow.”
Headland didn’t see the teen cult classic growing up, but she felt an immediate connection to “Heathers” when she finally caught it in her 20s. “I related with it so much,” she has said. Headland was impressed by the boundary-pushing film with memorable lines such as, “I love my dead gay son,” and “Dear Diary, my teen angst bullshit has a body count.”
Those familiar with Headland’s work, particularly her underappreciated “Bachelorette,” know that she has a gift for hilarious portrayals of awful, mean-spirited characters.
Based on Headland’s involvement, Cox’s description of the series, and its characters, it sounds as though TV Land’s “Heathers” will be as edgy and controversial as its predecessor (and hopefully just as quotable).
