SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE Premiere at NewFest 2024
by Jason Godbey
This past weekend the HBO/Max dramedy series Somebody Somewhere premiered at the Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn as part of the 36th edition of NewFest. Stars Bridgett Everett, Jeff Hiller, Mary Catherine Garrison, Murray Hill and Tim Bagley were on hand along with the creators of the show, Hannah Boss and Paul Thureen. This is the third and final season of the show which gave the event a bitter/sweet feeling. Both cast and creators were extremely proud of the show they’ve created and were sad to bid farewell to it.
Somebody Somewhere began with the powers-that-be wanting to work with Bridgett Everett and approaching show runners Boss and Thureen. Their collaboration with Everett has been extraordinary creating a series that captures a slice-of-life in middle America unlike any other that has come before. For Everett, the story is quite personal. The series is set in her hometown in Kansas where she grew up, but it’s really a show for everyone, a tale of human struggle, survival and relationships presented without car chases, explosions, or fist fights. It is quite simply a story about people living their lives as best they can.
The first two seasons have been compelling, as funny as they are moving. On the red carpet of NewFest stars Hiller and Everett who play best friends on screen, spoke about their use of improv not as a way of being over-the-top to get laughs but as a means of getting down to the truth of the scene, to strip away anything that feels like they’re acting. It’s no easy task to create such realism and still have it be funny and entertaining, but it’s worked as the show has been loved by its loyal fans and critics alike.
Somebody Somewhere screened at NewFest because the film showcases the talents of performers in the LGBTQIA+ community. Performers like Murray Hill who was thankful for the opportunity to play a trans-man who is not a victim, “just a normal guy living his life,” a rare sight on television. It’s a special show in that regard, but there are so many more reasons to watch.
To put it plainly, Somebody Somewhere is one of those rare lightning-in-a-bottle series that is the result of great writing and great acting combined with great direction. Although it is sad to see it go, as both cast and creators expressed, it’s a miracle to have been made. If you haven’t seen the first two seasons of Somebody Somewhere, I highly recommend them. The third and final season will premiere this weekend on October 27th on HBO and Max.
Originally published at http://behindtherabbitproductions.wordpress.com on October 25, 2024.
