I’ve been looking forward to the ABC Family premiere of Amy Sherman-Palladino‘s new series, Bunheads, for quite awhile now. Although I am not a dancer, I am a huge fan of Gilmore Girls and am willing to try anything with Sherman-Palladino’s name on it.
Fellow Clacker Ivey has already done a preview post on the new series, which you should definitely read for a quick synopsis as well as his thoughts on the premiere. But first, stay on this page to hear five reasons I’m going to put on my tutu and toe shoes and become a Bunhead for the season:
1. Sutton Foster‘s Michelle reminds me of Lauren Graham‘s Lorelai Gilmore. She’s fast-talking, snarky, quick as a whip, and loves her martinis (maybe a little too much). And she knows how to give unwilling and moody teenagers a good pep talk — or kick in the butt.
2. Kelly Bishop is back on television (another Gilmore alum), as the dance studio director/Hubbell’s live-in mom/Buddhist with tons of kitschy knick-knacks. I foresee a tear-jerking moment (or two, or ten) between Fanny and Michelle this season — especially if the last five minutes of the Pilot are any indication of the conversation they are capable of having.
3. I am looking forward to seeing the dancers’ prototypes (as Ivey mentions in his preview: the mean one, the awkward one, the smart one, etc.) challenged and filled out. I want to be surprised by these girls.
4. I can’t wait to see Michelle prove all the skeptics in Paradise wrong about her (because, of course, there will be judging in a small town such as this one).
5. I need to know if Hubbell died in the accident. (From the looks of next week’s preview, it looks as though he dies, but you never know — he could just be in a coma, paralyzed, or something along that line.)
Honestly– although I hate to be a negative Nancy — I think it might be more interesting for the show if he doesn’t survive. This way, Michelle is stuck in an unfamiliar town with absolutely nobody she knows or trusts. She will have to develop her relationship with Fanny and the dancers, and learning more about Hubbell after his death will make the show more bittersweet. However, I could also see it going the other way — Hubbell survives, Michelle helps him during his recovery, and then actually falls in love with him. Either way, I can see the show’s potential from the premiere’s cliffhanger.
Finally … are the “La La La La”s we hear as Michelle walks through town those same voices as the ones who made their trademark on Gilmore Girls? (I’m not sure how to even look something like that up. Do I google “la la la la Bunheads?”)
Some memorable quotes from tonight’s premiere:
“Michelle! Hi! You’re on time! — Jimmy, greeting Michelle for her Chicago audition
“Jimmy! Hi! I’m ignoring the surprise in your voice!” — Michelle
“If a director can just look at you and say ‘no’ after three seconds, it’s not ‘no’ ’cause you’re so young and hot; it’s ‘no’ ’cause you’re starting to look like an IHOP cashier.” — Michelle, to Hubbell, as she downs several martinis
“You know, there’s an IHOP down the street from my office … the cashier’s name is Julie and she’s a very attractive woman.” — Hubbell
“Check your brothers’ closets. That’s where we found Sleeping Beauty’s costume last year.” — Fanny, warning the dancers that they need to find a missing tutu before their production of The Nutcracker
“Wait. You live with your mother, like a serial killer?” — Michelle, to Hubbell
“I know you don’t love me. I’m not an idiot. But I don’t believe you’re not made that way … you wanna love, you just haven’t found the right person yet. Maybe you don’t trust that anybody’s gonna understand you. But I do. I know exactly what you want. You want to laugh, and you want to travel,and you want to be surprised, and challenged. You want to live an unexpected life. And I intend you give you exactly that.” — Hubbell, to Michelle
“Where’d you learn to kiss like that? (pause) Oh god, don’t say your mother.” — Michelle, to Hubbell
“I once got an audition for a Broadway show — totally last minute. I grabbed my bag, I ran 30 blocks, I walked in the door … it was for Dreamgirls. I was supposed to be black.” — Michelle, to the dancers
“No way! What happened?” — the dancers
“I got a callback … attitude, my friends.” — Michelle
Clacked by Rachel Blum-Jose 
on Jun 11, 2012 @ 22:17 EST5EDT
I did not watch Gilmore Girls beyond a few episodes, no particular reason other than I was in school at the time & was stingy with the watching. So I came into Bunheads without many preconceptions based on the creator.
While I find the opening premise shaky, I concede its merely a way to get to the story. Beyond that I found it really quite engaging. I enjoyed Michelle’s quirky manner & quick wit and, the overall broad strokes of the characters. I, however, did not like the ending leaving Hubble’s fate up in the air. I know that this show is ultimately to be about Michelle, Fanny, and the girls. But I liked Hubble, even if he starts off appearing sweet but simple, and *really* liked him after he talks to Michelle in their bedroom during the party & then when he yells at his mother.
Why not give us at least one more episode, letting Michelle learn more about him personally & the life in Paradise? If he’s dead, then it all feels so completely cliche. If he’s seriously injured or in a coma, then if she is really thinking of leaving (as the promo implies) then she comes off as completely callous.
Huh, I must have liked the show’s premise & the set-up more than I thought otherwise I wouldn’t be so quickly annoyed after one episode.
Liked it VERY much . . . I think, Hubble (what a name, by the way is “Hubble”?) is dead and Michelle is pregnant from their little thing during the wedding party. Not only does Michelle need a reason to stay in town (Fanny for sure wants to see her grandchild grow up and to have a reminder of her beloved “Hubble” around) but the previews also talk about a “four-generation dramedy” and I doubt a great-grandmother or senior aunt or something will appear in the next episode, so there HAS to be a baby somewhere.
*POST AUTHOR*
Ooh, good thinking about Michelle being pregnant. I bet you’re right. And that would mirror Fanny’s life nicely too (she said she retired when she got pregnant).
I wonder if the name Hubble (and actually, I think it is actually spelled “Hubbell” upon looking up Alan Ruck on IMDB, sorry about the error) is an homage to Hubbell Gardner from The Way We Were. Lorelai talks about this movie in detail in an episode of Gilmore Girls. I bet Amy Sherman-Palladino is a fan of the movie.
Wow, you really know your Gilmore Girls — great catch with ,Hubble’ (the only Hubble I could think of was the satellite which, reference-wise, does not make much sense).
Wow, you really know your Gilmore Girls — great catch with ,Hubbel’ (the only Hubble I could think of was the satellite which, reference-wise, does not make much sense but explains the names writing).
This show has “Gilmore Girls” written all over it – the lead even looks like Lauren Graham. Great first episode. I kept giggling like a schoolgirl which is kinda hard without Y-Chromosomes. Loved it. Can’t wait for more. Let’s hope it doesn’t follow Kyle XY or LUX. Five Seasons and a movie! ;-)
I started watching this with my girlfriend and was impressed by Hubbell – he was a different kind of male character and I was interested to see where the marriage was going. I think it was a huge waste to kill him off – I know I am not the target audience for this show but my girlfriend was equally upset and said she was way more engaged by the weird romantic relationship than the ballet/mother-in-law.
I LOVE THIS! I see her becoming pregnant because small town by accident is what happened to lorelai and she ended up and raising rory there.
Sam Phillips does the La La’s on Gilmore. Sounds like she does it on Bunheads as well.
Sounds like the same La La’s for sure. Love Sam Phillips – actually just used “Reflecting Light” as our wedding song!
*POST AUTHOR*
Cool! I need to listen to some stuff by her now…