thirtysomething is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
drama about a group of baby boomers in their thirties. It was created by
Marshall HerskovitzMarshall Schreiber Herskovitz is an American film director, writer and producer, and currently the President of the Producers Guild of America. Among his productions are Traffic, The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond, and I Am Sam. Herskovitz has directed two feature films, Jack the Bear and Dangerous...
and
Edward ZwickEdward M. Zwick is an American filmmaker and film producer noted for his sprawling war films. He has been described as a "throwback to an earlier era, an extremely cerebral director whose movies consistently feature fully rounded characters, difficult moral issues, and plots that thrive on the...
for
United Artists TelevisionFor the company that now owns United Artists Television, see United Artists.For the company that was acquired by United Artists Television in 1958, see Associated Artists Productions....
and Bedford Falls Productions, and distributed for
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
by
MGM/UA Television GroupMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television is an American television production/distribution company launched in 1955 and a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc.....
. It premiered in the U.S. on September 29, 1987. It lasted four seasons, with the last of its 85 episodes airing on May 28, 1991.
The title of the show was designed as "thirtysomething" (with a lowercase "t") by Kathie Broyles, who combined the words of the original title,
Thirty Something.
General plot and characters
Thirtysomething depicts the lives of a group of
baby boomerBaby boomer is a term used to describe a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context, and sometimes used to describe someone who was born during the post-WWII baby boom. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve...
yuppies during the late 1980s. They are bonded by their involvement with the peace movement and
counterculture of the 1960sThe counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural protest movement that developed in the United States between 1960 and 1973 as a reaction against the political conservatism and perceived social repression that prevailed during the 1950s. The movement gained momentum during the US government's...
during their youth, a past which is in marked contrast to their current lives in
Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the sixth-most-populous city in the United States.In 2008, the population of the city proper was estimated to be over 1.4 million, while the metropolitan area's population of 5.8 million made it the country's fifth-largest...
.
Although seen as an ensemble drama, the series tended to revolve around Michael (
Ken OlinKenneth Edward "Ken" Olin is an American actor, director and producer. He first became well known for his starring role on the television series Thirtysomething, and is currently a television producer and director.-Career:...
) and Hope Steadman (
Mel HarrisMel Harris is an American actress.-Career:Harris is perhaps best known for her role as Hope Murdoch Steadman on the popular 1980s television show, Thirtysomething . During that time, in 1989, Harper's Bazaar named her one of "America's 10 Most Beautiful Women". She also had a starring role in the...
), who provided the focal point for the group. Michael's cousin is photographer Melissa Steadman (
Melanie MayronMelanie Joy Mayron is an American actress and director. Mayron is well known for portraying the role of photographer Melissa Steadman on ABC's drama Thirtysomething.-Biography:...
), and his business partner is Elliot Weston (
Timothy BusfieldTimothy "Timmy B" Busfield , is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing.-Biography:The son of university professors, Busfield as a boy frequently...
), who has a troubled marriage with his wife Nancy (
Patricia WettigPatricia Wettig is an American actress and playwright. She is best known for her roles in the television series' Thirtysomething, Prison Break and Brothers & Sisters...
). Michael's best friend is Gary Shepherd (
Peter HortonPeter Horton is an American actor and director. He is perhaps best known for his role as Prof. Gary Shepherd on the popular television series Thirtysomething. He left the series in 1991 to pursue an interest in directing.-Career:...
), who eventually married Susannah (
Patricia KalemberPatricia Kathryn Kalember is an American actress. She is best known for playing Georgie on the NBC television show Sisters from 1991 to 1996...
). Hope's best friend is Ellyn Warren (
Polly DraperPolly Carey Draper is an American actress, screenwriter, playwright, producer and director. She first became known for her role on ABC's Thirtysomething. In 1998, Draper made her screenwriting debut for the film The Tic Code, which was inspired by her husband's life, and co-starred Gregory Hines...
).
Character descriptions
- Michael Steadman and Hope Murdoch Steadman: Michael works in the advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to influence individuals to purchase products or services or support political candidates or ideas. Frequently it communicates a message that includes the name of the product or service and how that product or service could potentially benefit the consumer...
business with Elliot (initially in their own business, but later for DAA). Hope is a writer and stay-at-home motherA homemaker handles household responsibilities as his or her main daily activity. While not an occupation in the traditional sense, as it is not usually undertaken for monetary remuneration, a homemaker may work full-time to maintain the home environment...
who struggles between her desire to be at home with her daughter, Janey (and later son, Leo) and her need to work. Due to her feminist views, she sometimes feels like a sellout for having become a homemakerA homemaker handles household responsibilities as his or her main daily activity. While not an occupation in the traditional sense, as it is not usually undertaken for monetary remuneration, a homemaker may work full-time to maintain the home environment...
. Michael (who is Jewish) and Hope (who is ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
) are also an interfaith coupleInterfaith marriage, traditionally called mixed marriage, is marriage between partners professing different religions...
, a fact which was referenced throughout the series. During the third season of the series, Hope is attracted to environmentalist John Dunaway (J. D. SoutherJ.D. Souther is a country rock singer-songwriter and actor, as well as a multi instrumentalist...
) and contemplates having an affair with him but decides against it.
- Melissa Steadman: Michael's cousin and Gary's former girlfriend. Melissa is a photographer whose career includes an album by Carly Simon
Carlene Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work.She is the former wife of another...
and photos in the magazine Vanity FairVanity Fair is an American Hollywood magazine of pop culture, fashion, and politics published by Condé Nast Publications. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1981 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition...
. Melissa becomes involved with a younger man, Lee Owens (Corey ParkerCorey Parker is an American actor and acting coach.-Biography:Corey Parker was born in New York City, the son of acting coach Rochelle "Rocky" Parker...
), a house painter, but the relationship is fraught with problems based largely on the age difference and on Melissa's insecurities.
- Elliot Weston and Nancy Krieger Weston: Elliot works in the advertising business with Michael (initially in their own business, but later for DAA). Nancy is an artist and stay-at-home mother to Ethan and Brittany. Like Hope, she often feels bored and unhappy in her role as a homemaker
A homemaker handles household responsibilities as his or her main daily activity. While not an occupation in the traditional sense, as it is not usually undertaken for monetary remuneration, a homemaker may work full-time to maintain the home environment...
. In addition to coping with Elliot's infidelities, Nancy struggles with and overcomes ovarian cancer during the last two seasons. She also becomes a successful children's author and illustrator.
- Ellyn Warren: Hope's childhood friend. Ellyn works at City Hall
A city hall or town hall is the chief administrative building of a city or town's administration and usually houses the city or town council, its associated departments and their employees...
and is initially involved with Steve Woodman (Terry KinneyTerry Kinney is an American actor and theatre director, and is a founding member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company with Gary Sinise and Jeff Perry. Kinney is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the idealistic unit manager Tim McManus on HBO's prison drama Oz...
), who works at City Hall as well. Later, she has an affair with a married man, Jeffrey Milgrom (Richard GillilandRichard Gilliland is an American television and movie actor.Gilliland was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He appeared onscreen in the 1970s. Notable appearances include Thirtysomething, Party of Five, Little Women, and Designing Women . The couple has one son, Connor...
). During the final season, Ellyn becomes involved with (and marries) Billy Sidel (Erich AndersonErich Anderson is an actor, sometimes credited as E. Erich Anderson, who has starred in film and on television. He is best known for his first film role in the 1984 horror film Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter as Rob Dier...
), a graphic designerA graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
.
- Gary Shepherd and Susannah Hart Shepherd: Gary, Michael's college roommate at the University of Pennsylvania, is a free-spirited professor of English literature at Haverford College. When denied tenure at Haverford College, he thinks about becoming a social worker. It is at this point that Gary meets Susannah, a social worker. Despite the fact that no one else likes her, Gary marries Susannah when they have a baby, Emma. Gary dies during the final season in a chain-reaction car accident (ironic since he is a bicyclist and hates cars), just as Nancy recovers from cancer. Following Gary's death, Susannah moves away with Emma.
- Miles Drentell (David Clennon
David Clennon is an American actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Miles Drentell in the ABC series Thirtysomething. He revived the role in the TV show Once and Again. One of his most recent roles was his portrayal of the U.S...
): Michael and Elliot's boss at DAA. Miles' lack of ethics propels Michael into periods of self-reflection and depression, particularly when he is forced to fire Elliot. David Clennon reprised this role in the series Once and AgainOnce and Again is an American television series that aired on ABC from September 21, 1999 to April 15, 2002. It depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father...
(1999–2002).
Influences and cultural impact
Thirtysomething was influenced by the 1983 film,
The Big ChillThe Big Chill is a 1983 film about a group of baby boomer college friends who reunite after many years and explore the aftermath of the 1960s. It stars Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams. Kevin Costner was cast as the...
. It reflected the angst felt by baby boomers and yuppies in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the 1980s, such as the changing expectations related to
masculinityMasculinity is manly character. It specifically describes men and boys, that is personal and human, unlike male which can also be used to describe animals, or masculine which can also be used to describe noun classes. When masculine is used to describe men, it can have degrees of comparison—more...
and
femininityFemininity refers to qualities and behaviors judged by a particular culture to be ideally associated with or especially appropriate to women and girls....
introduced during the era of
second-wave feminismThe "second-wave" of the Women's Movement, Feminist Movement, or the Women's Liberation Movement in the United States refers to a period of feminist activity which began during the early 1960s and lasted throughout the late 1970s. Whereas first-wave feminism focused mainly on overturning legal ...
. It also introduced "a new kind of hour-long drama, a series which 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." 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." 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 (
SistersSisters is a television drama which aired on NBC for six seasons, from 1991 to 1996. The show debuted on May 11, 1991 for a seven-episode test run and was subsequently renewed for the 1991 fall schedule.-Synopsis:...
), to situation comedies about groups of friends who talk all the time (
SeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. The eponymous series was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, with the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
)."
Some were particularly critical of the show.
Susan FaludiSusan C. Faludi is an American journalist and author. She won a Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism in 1991, for a report on the leveraged buy-out of Safeway Stores, Inc., a report that the Pulitzer Prize committee thought showed the "human costs of high finance".-Biographical...
in her 1991 bestseller,
BacklashBacklash: The Undeclared War Against American Women is the title of a 1991 nonfiction book by Pulitzer Prize winner Susan Faludi, which argues for the existence of a media driven "backlash" against the feminist advances of the 1970s...
, argues that the show exhibited a disdainful attitude towards single, working, and feminist women (Melissa, Ellyn, and Susannah) while at the same time "exalting homemakers" (Hope and Nancy).
Oxford English Dictionary
Almost immediately after the introduction of the show, the term "thirtysomething" became a
catch phraseA catch phrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through a variety of mass media , as well as word of mouth...
used to designate
baby boomerBaby boomer is a term used to describe a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context, and sometimes used to describe someone who was born during the post-WWII baby boom. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve...
s in their thirties. This cultural shift was reinforced by the
Oxford English DictionaryThe Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press , is a comprehensive dictionary of the English language...
, which added
thirtysomething in 1993 (under the word
thirty) and defined the term as follows:
- [popularized as a catch-phrase by the U.S. television program thirtysomething, first broadcast in 1987], an undetermined age between thirty and forty; specifically applied to members of the ‘baby boom’ generation entering their thirties in the mid-1980s; also attributed as an adjective phrase (hence, characteristic of the tastes and lifestyle of this group).
Twentysomething
Thirtysomething was also responsible for the coinage of the word "twentysomething," to describe
Generation XGeneration X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is a term used to refer to the generation born after the baby boom ended, extending from the early 1960s to late 1970s. The term Generation X has been used in demography, the social sciences, and marketing, though it is most often used in popular...
. This was reflected in
Douglas CouplandDouglas Coupland is a Canadian novelist. His fiction is complemented by recognised works in design and visual art arising from his early formal training. His first novel, the 1991 international bestseller Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, popularised terms such as McJob and...
's 1991 text,
Generation X: Tales For An Accelerated CultureGeneration X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, published by St. Martin's Press in 1991, is the first novel by Douglas Coupland. The novel popularized the term Generation X, which refers to Americans and Canadians who reached adulthood in the late 1980s...
.
DVD release
On August 25, 2009,
Shout! FactoryShout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2002 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
and
MGM Home EntertainmentMGM Home Entertainment is the home video and DVD arm of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.-History:The home video division of MGM started in 1973 as MGM Home Video, releasing all the movies and TV shows by MGM...
released the first season of
Thirtysomething on DVD in Region 1.
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/thirtysomething-Season-1/11784 The audio in a number of scenes was re-dubbed for this release, at times making the dialogue out of synch with lip movements.
| DVD Name |
Ep# |
Release Date |
| The Complete First Season |
21 |
August 25, 2009 |
Emmy Awards
Thirtysomething won numerous Emmy Awards and nominations for:
1988 Winners:
- Drama Series
- Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Patricia Wettig
Patricia Wettig is an American actress and playwright. She is best known for her roles in the television series' Thirtysomething, Prison Break and Brothers & Sisters...
- Writing in a Drama Series — Paul Haggis
Paul Edward Haggis is a Canadian-American screenwriter, producer and film director who spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.-Personal life:...
and Marshall HerskovitzMarshall Schreiber Herskovitz is an American film director, writer and producer, and currently the President of the Producers Guild of America. Among his productions are Traffic, The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond, and I Am Sam. Herskovitz has directed two feature films, Jack the Bear and Dangerous...
(episode: "Business as Usual")
- Guest Performer in a Drama Series — Shirley Knight
Shirley Enola Knight is an American stage, screen, and television actress. She has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, in 1960 for The Dark at the Top of the Stairs and in 1962 for Sweet Bird of Youth.-Career:Knight's feature films include Sidney Lumet's The...
It also received the following nominations in 1988:
- Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Timothy Busfield
Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield , is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing.-Biography:The son of university professors, Busfield as a boy frequently...
- Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Polly Draper
Polly Carey Draper is an American actress, screenwriter, playwright, producer and director. She first became known for her role on ABC's Thirtysomething. In 1998, Draper made her screenwriting debut for the film The Tic Code, which was inspired by her husband's life, and co-starred Gregory Hines...
- Editing for a Series — Single Camera Production
- Achievement in Main Title Theme Music
- Achievement in Costuming for a Series
1989 Winners:
- Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Melanie Mayron
Melanie Joy Mayron is an American actress and director. Mayron is well known for portraying the role of photographer Melissa Steadman on ABC's drama Thirtysomething.-Biography:...
- Writing in a Drama Series — Joseph Dougherty (episode: "First Day/Last Day")
- Editing for a Series — Single Camera Production
- Achievement in Costuming for a Series
It also received the following nominations in 1989:
- Drama Series
- Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Timothy Busfield
Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield , is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing.-Biography:The son of university professors, Busfield as a boy frequently...
- Guest Actor in a Drama Series
- Directing in a Drama Series
- Writing in a Drama Series
- Art Direction for a Series
- Sound Mixing for a Drama Series
- Achievement in Special Visual Effects (episode: "Michael Writes a Story")
- Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series
1990 Winners:
- Lead Actress in a Drama Series — Patricia Wettig
Patricia Wettig is an American actress and playwright. She is best known for her roles in the television series' Thirtysomething, Prison Break and Brothers & Sisters...
- Directing in a Drama Series (tied with Equal Justice).
It also received the following nominations in 1990:
- Drama Series
- Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Timothy Busfield
Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield , is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing.-Biography:The son of university professors, Busfield as a boy frequently...
- Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Melanie Mayron
Melanie Joy Mayron is an American actress and director. Mayron is well known for portraying the role of photographer Melissa Steadman on ABC's drama Thirtysomething.-Biography:...
- Guest Actor in a Drama Series
- Guest Actress in a Drama Series
- Writing in a Drama Series
- Art Direction for a Series
- Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series
- Achievement in Costuming for a Series
1991 Winners:
- Lead Actress in a Drama Series — Patricia Wettig
Patricia Wettig is an American actress and playwright. She is best known for her roles in the television series' Thirtysomething, Prison Break and Brothers & Sisters...
- Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Timothy Busfield
Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield , is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing.-Biography:The son of university professors, Busfield as a boy frequently...
- Achievement in Costuming for a Series
It also received the following nominations in 1991:
- Drama Series
- Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Melanie Mayron
Melanie Joy Mayron is an American actress and director. Mayron is well known for portraying the role of photographer Melissa Steadman on ABC's drama Thirtysomething.-Biography:...
- Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — David Clennon
David Clennon is an American actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Miles Drentell in the ABC series Thirtysomething. He revived the role in the TV show Once and Again. One of his most recent roles was his portrayal of the U.S...
- Writing in a Drama Series
- Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Further reading
- "Thirtysomething." The Museum of Broadcast Communications
The Museum of Broadcast Communications is located in Chicago, Illinois. Its mission is "to collect, preserve, and present historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform, and entertain through our archives, public programs, screenings, exhibits, publications and...
.
- Hanke, R. (1990). "Hegemonic masculinity in Thirtysomething." Critical Studies in Mass Communication, 7, 231-248.
- Heide, Margaret J. Television Culture and Women's Lives: "thirtysomething" and the Contradictions of Gender (ISBN 0-8122-1534-6).
External links