Making of ‘Mid-Century Modern': How comedy legends created Hulu's freshest sitcom starring Nathan Lane and the late Linda Lavin
Crafting a hit comedy is all about collaboration, and Mid-Century Modern proves just that. Hulu's multi-cam sitcom, set against the vibrant Palm Springs aesthetic, benefits from decades of combined expertise poured into every frame by its talented behind-the-scenes team.
Led by co-creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan (Will & Grace), the all-star crew of this freshman series shares their insights in an in-depth discussion about the making of Mid-Century Modern. The panel features legendary director and co-executive producer James Burrows, editor Peter Chakos, cinematographer Gary Baum, and production designer Greg Grande. (Watch the full Making of Mid-Century Modern panel above.)
More from GoldDerby
Mike White, filming 'Survivor,' sends message to 'The White Lotus' FYC event
'St. Denis Medical' creators Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer discuss navigating the 'peaks and valleys of comedy'
Liam Payne confirmed as judge for Netflix singing competition, 'Superman' hits hard, and today's other top stories
In Mid-Century Modern, Nathan Lane plays Bunny, a successful bra designer who invites his pals Jerry (Matt Bomer) and Arthur (Nathan Lee Graham) to spend their golden years living with him in Palm Springs after a close friend dies unexpectedly. Bunny's quick-witted mother, Sybil (played by the late Linda Lavin in her final TV appearance), mixes things up as the fourth roommate.
'As younger people, we always wanted to write about older people, just because they had lived more life and had had more interesting stories to tell. And now as older people, we find ourselves wanting to write about our peer group,' Kohan says. The cocreators revisited an old script they had worked on years ago titled Senioritis, shedding its original retirement home premise but keeping the heart of telling stories about people with lives and relationships spanning decades.
Mutchnick adds, 'We didn't understand why a network, in the glow of the Friends craze, didn't want to make a show about Tony Curtis, Alan Arkin, Sandy Dennis, and Elaine Stritch. But, you know, we put a pin in it, and now we get to kind of visit that world.'
SEENathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Linda Lavin, Pamela Adlon: Here is every 'Mid-Century Modern' Emmy acting submission
One major turning point for the series was bringing in producer Ryan Murphy, whose expertise in casting elevated the show to new heights. Mutchnick recounts, 'Ryan was very clear from the beginning, 'I don't do what you guys do, but there is a thing that I do very well, and it's casting and marketing these shows.' And he really delivered with flying colors.' Murphy had Nathan Lane on board by the end of the day, and sparked the team to rewrite the part of Jerry for Matt Bomer.
The casting process wasn't just about securing big names, but finding the right chemistry. Kohan recalls seeking validation from their director, James Burrows, when considering Linda Lavin: 'Jimmy said, 'She's a heat-seeking missile with a joke. She's the best of the best.' That was basically the end of that conversation.'
Mutchnick notes, 'You put these casts together and you know that when you're done, the show is either going to work or it is not going to work. One weak link on a multi-cam stage can bring an entire show down. We didn't have that here.'
Editor Peter Chakos adds, "Working with [Max and David] is always great because I know the show is going to be hilarious. It goes back to Will & Grace. These are the funniest shows I've ever worked on — Will & Grace and Mid-Century Modern. They're funny shows with endearing characters. It's so important in a sitcom that you like the characters when you're watching them."
Burrows, who has directed some of TV's most iconic sitcoms (Taxi, Cheers, Will & Grace), emphasizes the collaborative process as the core reason he signed on to direct Mid-Century Modern. 'For me, the most important thing is not the cast to begin with; it's the writing and the ability of the collaboration between me and the writers. A lot of times, I'll read a really good script, and I talk to the writers, and there's no flexibility. They're defensive instead of defending their material. This was different.'
Burrows also reveals that the magic truly emerged during the cast table read: 'I think all of us were incredibly and pleasantly surprised when these guys interacted with one another like they had been together forever.'
Production designer Greg Grande echoes the importance of harmony across the team, saying, 'It's not just the chemistry of the cast. It's the chemistry of the entire group of people. Whether it's notes from Jimmy or Max and David, it becomes a beautiful experience. You capture something only so many times in your career.'
Grande also shares his vision for bringing mid-century Palm Springs architecture and design to life. 'Palm Springs is near and dear to me. I had a house out there, so I know it well. Bringing to life that flavor of layering and detail was a joy.' Both he and cinematographer Gary Baum worked to ensure the production design felt like a dynamic character in the show.
Baum brought a cinematic flair to the multi-camera sitcom, saying, 'I try to bring some cinematic values into the show that you normally don't see on a sitcom. With Greg's design, I had complete support from Max, David, and Jimmy. That's the fun part—the vibrant color and the detail.'
The sudden loss of Linda Lavin during production shaped the final few episodes of the season, forcing the writers to pivot with a delicate balance of grief and comedy. Kohan reflects, 'The first adjustment is — this is a big personal loss. We're all grieving. And then you go to this idea that now we have to honor her and the character. Fear hits first—what are we going to do? Then over time, with the collaborators, you come to a place where it's like, yes, this is what I would have wanted for Linda.'
Mutchnick adds, 'We knew very early on that if we didn't deal with it directly, it wouldn't be truthful. So we wrote the experience we just had and infused it with the love we had for her.'
With so many career Emmy nominations (and wins) among them, it's no surprise this team values what awards recognition means for a show's future. Kohan points out, 'Validation from something like an Emmy nomination is significant. It's so fear-based right now for executives, so anything that validates a show is helpful.'
Mutchnick makes his case for Nathan Lane as the standout: 'There's not a performance in the comedy category that will touch male lead in a comedy any better than Nathan Lane did on Mid-Century Modern this year. It's a masterclass in male comedy.'
Burrows sums up what sets Mid-Century Modern apart: 'My dad (Abe Burrows) always said it depends what they say [on a show]. We're not having this discussion if the audience doesn't buy into these characters and these actors. That's the genius that Max and David have — writing characters that are windows into this gorgeous set and incredible world. We wouldn't be talking about the cinematography or editing if these characters didn't say the right words.'
In the full video above, watch the team behind Mid-Century Modern discuss in more detail their favorite episodes, most memorable moments, and biggest challenges.
This article and video are presented by Disney/Hulu.
Best of GoldDerby
TV Hall of Fame: Top 50 best choices who should be inducted next
Carrie Preston on fencing with Matthew Broderick and the heart, humor, and growth of 'Elsbeth': 'She's more than just quirky'
'RuPaul's Drag Race': Onya Nurve and Jewels Sparkles dish their 'ride of a lifetime,' stolen jokes, and turning drag 'inside out'
Click here to read the full article.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
24 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Kardashian-Jenner Red Carpet Personality Quiz
The Kar-Jenner family is known for walking the red carpet with outfits that are *chef's kiss*. And now's your chance to pick your favorite fashion moments to find out who your true style soulmate is from The Kardashians: Stream The Kardashians on Hulu.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Cast Is 'Exposing It All' in Intense First Look at Season 2 Reunion Special
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives castmates and their partners gathered for the show's first-ever reunion special, hosted by Nick Viall The explosive trailer for the reunion special, which debuts on Hulu on Tuesday, July 1, tackles some of the biggest moments fans have talked about since the season 2 debut in May Taylor Frankie Paul, Mayci Neeley, Jen Affleck, Mikayla Matthews, Miranda McWhorter, Layla Taylor, Jessi Ngatikaura and Whitney Leavitt all appear in the trailerThere's no shortage of fireworks in the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reunion trailer! The trailer, released on Monday, June 23, shows the reunion picking up on some of the biggest questions fans were left with after an explosive season 2. Host Nick Viall welcomes the ladies, who share their thoughts on the season's most unforgettable moments. Viall can be heard asking Jessi Ngatikaura whether she had sex with Vanderpump Villa's Marciano Brunette, as her husband Jordan Ngatikaura's face is shown on screen. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The couple isn't the only pair in the hot seat, with Taylor Frankie Paul saying, "I hurt someone I truly cared about," as a tearful Dakota Mortensen is then shown. While Whitney Leavitt and Layla Taylor talk trust issues among friends, Mikayla Matthews asks, "Would your husbands be okay with you doing that?" Absent from the reunion are Demi and Bret Engemann. The two are not absent from the conversation, however, with Zac Affleck saying, "Demi says, 'Jen, how dare you accuse me, I'm a victim.'" Continuing to speak to the drama between Demi and Jen Affleck, the expectant MomToker pulls out her phone and proclaims she has "receipts" regarding her claims that Demi was the one who had a fling with Marciano. At one point, Ngatikaura teases that the cast is "exposing it all." Though rumors briefly swirled about why the two weren't part of the special, Demi addressed it in an Instagram Q&A earlier this month. In her response, Demi confirmed she was invited but declined to attend. 'It was short notice and the only day they could get the location secured was the day that me and my entire family did Disneyland," she said. "We had already booked all of our flights and the Airbnb was nonrefundable or I would've moved the trip to be there. I tried to have production move it to another day and they couldn't swing it sadly.' The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 2 reunion special is on Hulu on Tuesday, July 1. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
This Mom Uncovered What's Really Hiding on Teens' Phones in a New Documentary & It Changed Her Mind on Social Media
After not knowing what her 14-year-old son was doing on his phone, Lauren Greenfield decided it was her mission to find out. The Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker explored the digital lives of 25 teenagers, screen recording their phones and conducting interviews about life behind the screen, and what she found shocked her. The riveting new documentary series Social Studies is the result, and it's a must-see (although slightly terrifying) watch for parents of teens and tweens. This five-part FX documentary, available on Hulu, looks at a diverse groups of LA teens and how they use their smartphones, which was filmed during the 2021-2022 school year. Issues explored include bullying, unrealistic beauty standards, racism, sex, and peer pressure as these teens come of age online. Greenfield's camera catches teens sneaking out of bedroom windows, posting sexually explicit images, tracking their long fasting times, and more, per The Guardian. At one point, she even caught her own teen at a party where she was filming someone else. More from SheKnows Your Teen's Fave Perfume Brand, Sol de Janeiro, Brought Back Its Most Requested Scent: 'Millions of Compliments' 'We had constant battles about screen time,' Greenfield told The Guardian about her inspiration for this series. 'I never could control his access or see the content on his phone. He was super private about his phone, which is probably why I was so obsessed with getting into phones and really seeing what was in there.' After 1,000 hours of documentary footage and 2,000 hours of screen-recorded content, Greenfield learned a lot about teens' relationship with social media. 'I was blaming my son for his screen time,' she told the outlet. 'And I ended up feeling that's like blaming an opium addict for their addiction. Social media is made to be addictive – purposefully, for maximum engagement, and without any concern for the consequences.' She added that this documentary 'brought me together with my teenager.' A study published in JAMA this month found that screen time addiction was linked to internal and external symptoms of mental health problems, like anxiety, depression, rule breaking, aggression, and suicidal behaviors. '[Young people] find a craving for it and cannot stop using it,' Yunyu Xiao, lead study author and assistant professor in the department of population health sciences and department of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, said in a statement. The study found approximately 50% of young people were on a 'high trajectory of addictive use' for mobile phones, and those students were two to three times more likely to engage in suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation than kids on a lower trajectory. With the allure of fame and fortune — one girl in the documentary said, 'I would release a sex tape if it made me viral' — plus the addictive nature of social media apps like TikTok, it's no wonder teens are having a hard time turning off their phones. Greenfield told The Guardian, 'I feel it's a trap to blame the parents. Really, the tech companies could make this completely different if they wanted to. These [apps] are made by humans, engineered to do exactly what they're doing. They know so well what kids love, what will addict kids, they even know brain science, which I think used to be unethical – to use brain science in the creation of products for young people.' Psychologist Yoni Schwab, co-founder of the Shefa School and former psychologist at the Windward School, previously told SheKnows that one thing parents can do is encourage alternative activities for their kids. (Grandma hobbies, like knitting, reading, and crafting, might be a good place to start!) 'The key is not just to take away screens,' he told us. 'but to replace them with meaningful, engaging, empowering alternatives.' Dr. Schwab added, 'When kids are engaged in activities, both structured and unstructured, they are actually much happier than when they are on a device.' The Fast Forward filmmaker believes that this documentary is important for parents to see what their teens are really up to. 'The access we got to the phones was a really important part of the series creatively, narratively, substantively. Just to understand what [social media] is and how it affects teens, we have to see it and read it and watch it,' Greenfield told The New Yorker. 'This is a story that people haven't seen before, and it's a story that needed to be told, and it was important for the kids to tell it, too,' she added. 'They participated with a sense of purpose.' If you need more resources to help your teen, Greenfield partnered with Annenberg Learner to create a complementary guide to Social Studies to provide resources for growing up in the digital age, dealing with social media addiction, and of SheKnows These Are the 36 Celebrities with the Most Kids 15 Celebrity Parents Whose Kids Went to Ivy League Schools Tween & Teen Slang 2025: A Definitive Guide to 'What the Hellyante' Your Kid Is Saying Right Now
