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[Lola Maroun]

The series focuses on a group of baby boomers in their thirties who live in Philadelphia, and how they handle the lifestyle that dominated American culture during the 1980s given their involvement in the early 1970s counterculture as young adults.[2] It premiered in the United States on September 29, 1987, and lasted four seasons. It was canceled in May 1991 because the ratings had dropped. Zwick and Herskovitz moved on to other projects.[3][4][5] The series won 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, out of 41 nominations, and two Golden Globe Awards.

On January 8, 2020, ABC confirmed that a television pilot, which would serve as a sequel to the series, had been ordered. The pilot was never filmed, but was set to be directed by Zwick, written by Zwick and Herskovitz, and have four members of the original cast (Ken Olin, Mel Harris, Timothy Busfield and Patricia Wettig) reprising their roles.[6] In June 2020, ABC passed on the series.[7]

An ensemble drama, the series revolves around husband and wife Michael Steadman and Hope Murdoch and their baby Janie. Michael's cousin is photographer Melissa Steadman, who used to date his college friend Gary Shepherd. Gary eventually marries Susannah. Michael's business partner is Elliot Weston, who has a troubled marriage with his wife Nancy, a painter. Hope's childhood friend is local politician Ellyn Warren.

In Region 2, Revelation Films released the first two seasons on DVD in the UK. Season 3 was briefly released in 2014, but was almost immediately withdrawn from sale for unspecified "contractual reasons" and has, to date, not been rereleased, nor has Season 4.

Thirtysomething was influenced by the films Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980) and The Big Chill (1983).[12] The show reflected the angst felt by baby boomers and yuppies in the United States during the 1980s,[13] such as the changing expectations related to masculinity and femininity introduced during the era of second-wave feminism.[14] It also introduced "a new kind of hour-long drama, a series that focused on the domestic and professional lives of a group of young urban professionals, a socio-economic category of increasing interest to the television industry [...] its stylistic and story-line innovations led critics to respect it for being 'as close to the level of an art form as weekly television ever gets,' as the New York Times put it."[12] During its four-year run, Thirtysomething "attracted a cult audience of viewers who strongly identified with one or more of its eight central characters, a circle of friends living in Philadelphia."[12] Even after its cancellation in 1991, it continued to influence television programming, "in everything from the look and sound of certain TV advertisements, to other series with feminine sensibilities and preoccupations with the transition from childhood to maturity (Sisters), to situation comedies about groups of friends who talk all the time (Seinfeld)."[12]The show also influenced the British television series Cold Feet, which featured similar storylines and character types. The creator of Cold Feet wanted his show to be in the mould of successful American TV series like Thirtysomething and Frasier.[15]

Susan Faludi, in her bestseller Backlash (1991), argues that Thirtysomething often reinforced, rather than dismantled, gender stereotypes. She suggests that it exhibited a disdainful attitude toward single, working, and feminist women (Melissa, Ellyn, and Susannah) while at the same time "exalting homemakers" (Hope and Nancy).[16][17] In this manner, the series was seen as "seemingly progressive but substantially conservative in its construction of reality."[18]

Almost immediately after the introduction of the show, the term "Thirtysomething" became a catchphrase used to designate baby boomers in their thirties. This cultural shift was reinforced by the Oxford English Dictionary, which added "Thirtysomething" in 1993 (under the word "thirty") and defined the term as follows:

A sequel to the series, thirtysomething(else), was pitched in September 2019. The pilot was a co-production between MGM Television and Bedford Falls Productions, which was behind the original series, and ABC Studios, and producers were casting its four original main roles at the time of the announcement.[6]

In February 2020, Chris Wood was cast as Leo Steadman, the show's male lead.[25] Over the next few weeks, Odette Annable was cast as Janey Steadman and Patrick Fugit and Auden Thornton as Ethan and Brittany Weston.[26][27][28] Melanie Mayron and Polly Draper agreed to appear as Melissa Steadman and Ellyn Warren.[29] On June 29, ABC decided not to move forward with the sequel.[30]

I vividly remember hating thirtysomething when it premiered. I was 30-something then and married with two young kids of my own, so I should have loved it. Many of my friends did. But to me, these yuppie characters were either too noble or too whiny, and all of them spent far too much time talking about their feelings.

But I also remember not giving up on the show, and eventually being won over. Not long into the run of thirtysomething, as both the characters and their problems became more substantial, I was hooked: Eventually one of the characters got cancer; another died in a traffic accident; and others went bankrupt and had to work for a satanic boss at a large corporation.

Looking at the first season, after all these years, supports both of my initial impressions. Series creators Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, who went on to have enviable careers in both TV and movies, started awkwardly, but were fast learners. Despite some solid performances and funny scenes, though, the first three episodes of thirtysomething are just as off-putting as I remembered them. Honestly, when one of the big conflicts is having to postpone a reservation to play squash, I don't want to embrace these characters. I want to slap them.

The conflict between Nancy and Elliott, for example, is explored fully rather than solved and tucked away after that one episode. They spend much of the season sniping at each other, subtly but constantly, until they finally decide to go see a marriage counselor. Their sessions play like an '80s version of HBO's In Treatment, with small complaints eventually leading to big observations.

"tropeysomething":

• all lowercase letters: Officially, the show's title is thirtysomething.
• But Not Too Gay: The show got a burst of publicity as being the first program to feature a gay couple in bed together. However, the actors playing the couple were not allowed to touch each other, and the network later refused to rerun the episode due to negative advertising reaction.
• Creator Cameo: Story editor Liberty Godshall (who started out as an actress before turning to writing) has a supporting role in "Advanced Beginners," which she also wrote.
• Killed Off for Real: Gary tragically dies in a car accident a few episodes into the final season.
• Mrs. Robinson: Dating the much younger Lee causes Melissa to feel like this.

Oh Yes! This post brought back memories. Perhaps I might also (some day) give the DVDs a try, but I fear that it might be like going to a class reunion (I have never gone to a class reunion). It might have been the last prime-time major network program that I actually watched (and watched religiously) while it was being broadcast.

I think I enjoyed the comraderie of discussing each episode with friends after it aired almost as much as watching it. I can't think of a show that has aired since that has inspired so much discussion and analysis.

What a thoughtful, well-written review of a much-beloved show. I concur with what you said. I adore the show - I see its occasional flaws and outdatedness, but overall, think it's the finest piece of "art" on t.v. I'm enjoying savoring the episodes on DVD and can't wait for the following seasons. Thanks for your insight!
A new "fan" of your blog,
Traci

Such a fabulous post -- I couldn't have said it better! I'm enjoying watching the DVDs -- hope you are, too.

BTW, I found your blog while trying to do a search for a photo of the Steadmans' front door. I'm in the midst of remodeling, and for 20 years, I've longed for that door minus the giant decorative hinges. If you know of anywhere I can find such a photo, let me know!

Bill,
I watched thirtysomething in the 80s when I was fortysomething. Now, at sixtysomethng, I've watched the DVD of Season 1 and am now in the early weeks of Season 2. The series started out feeling dated but the more you watch the less the date matters. Sublime is a word that often comes to mind as I finish an episode. The Christmas episode in Season 2 when Michael comes back to his faith via fantasies of his family and friends in a fifties sit-com (with laugh track) . . . well, it's the highest form of soap. Do pick this series up again and give us your reactions twenty years on.
You won't be disappointed.

An extremely interesting blog by the way.

You're lucky in your friends. I am a big Sondheim fan. I recently had an opportunity to compare Nathan Lane's 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' with the Mostel original. The Mostel version is superior, especially in Gilford's version of Lovely. Gilford throws himself into being a woman with Jack Lemon-like gusto. It's funny every time one listens and it will always be there.

Check out some of the entertaining movies and TV shows set or shot in the Philadelphia area, below. And click through on the name of each TV show or movie to head to justwatch.com to find out where to stream each film or show.

Upper Darby native Tina Fey stars in this 2008 comedy about an uptight executive in her late-30s and her brassy surrogate from South Philly (Amy Poehler). Look for LOVE Park and Rittenhouse Square in scenes from the film, which is set in Philly but mostly filmed in New York City.

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