Heathers is one of the mandatory cult films of the 1980s. The film is a dark, satirical spoof of high school hierarchies that has become known as one of the essential comedies of its decade. Its popularity even spawned an Off-Broadway musical back in 2014. If that didn’t help cement its place in pop culture, maybe this new television series will.
Yes, Heathers has just gotten the green light over at TV Land. The pilot is scheduled to shoot this fall. The interesting wrinkle in this adaptation? Heathers is going to be an anthology show much like American Horror Story. Each new season would be set at a different school with a different set of Heathers. Naturally, the show will maintain the film’s wickedly black sense of humor. However, this anthology element sounds like it could be a divisive one.
Even more potentially controversial are the first season’s group of Heathers, the elitist trio of women who practically run the school. As of the last update, the three Heathers included a black lesbian, an overweight woman, and a male who identifies as a woman. This could certainly work if handled correctly – and could also be extremely funny – but it sounds a little volatile for the sake of being volatile. Besides, the plot of the original Heathers was plenty controversy with its juvenile homicide and plot to blow up the school. It will be intriguing to see how much of the film’s elements will make its way into the television version. Will we have comparable characters to Veronica and J.D.? Will there be Corn Nuts?
Bravo originally passed this pilot up, but it looks like TV Land is really trying to enter the fray. Producing a show that has a guaranteed fanbase is a smart move on their part. Still, if the material is a little too far removed from the source, fans might not be as willing to give the show a chance.
We’ll find out when Heathers likely premieres next year. Until then, enjoy one of the best funeral scenes in movie history.
