In the current age of TV revivals and reboots, it was probably only a matter of time before someone got around to tackling the 1988 dark teen comedy Heathers. After all, a cult classic like Heathers tends to create very loyal followers; followers likely to tune in and give a new take on the material a chance. Also, with viewers now inundated with a multitude of viewing options across broadcast, cable, and streaming, having a built-in audience is is never going to be a bad thing in the eyes of Hollywood.
Directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Daniel Waters, Heathers (1988) centered on Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder), a new addition to Westerburg High School’s popular girl clique. True to the title, the other three girls in the group were all named Heather. Before long, Veronica grew tired of the Heathers’ selfish ways, and fell out with them. The trio then embarked on a smear campaign to ruin her reputation, leading Veronica to enlist the help of rebellious outsider J.D. (Christian Slater). Unfortunately, J.D.’s idea of revenge included homicide, which is not at all what Veronica had in mind when they agreed to join forces.
TV Land’s small screen reboot of Heathers seems to have been on the fast track almost since day one, with a pilot having been ordered by the network back in September, and casting then beginning in earnest. While the lead roles were eventually filled in by mostly unknowns, fans were given quite the pleasant surprise in November when it was announced that Shannen Doherty - who memorably played Heather Duke in the film - had signed on to play a pivotal, as yet unrevealed character. Now, according to TV Line, TV Land has decided to make things official, and grant a 10-eisode first season order to the modernized reboot.
Envisioned as an anthology series with a different cast and setting each season, this updated Heathers flips the script on the original movie a bit by having the titular trio now be composed of a black lesbian, a noticeably overweight girl, and a male student who identifies as queer. Just because their appearance has changed though, one shouldn’t expect these Heathers to be any less ruthless, as TV Land has described the comedy as being “pitch-black” in tone.
One thing that does remain to be seen is just how dark TV Land will allow Heathers to get, as in today’s age of mass shootings happening so often in America, it’s a bit hard to imagine that a student literally murdering his classmates and attempting to blow up his high school will go over too well with the masses. In other words, it wouldn’t be too shocking to see TV’s version of J.D. and Veronica end up seeking revenge that’s a little less drastic. Still, if shows like The Walking Dead have shown the world anything, it’s that basic cable can get away with more gore and violence than one might expect.
Heathers premieres on TV Land sometime in fall 2017.
Source: TV Line
