Chuck Lorre’s newest sitcom,Leanne, fills the void left by his hit 2013 sitcom, according to the creator, star, and executive producer.Leannestars comedian Leanne Morgan (who also co-created the show with Lorre), as a 50-something mother who has to start life over again when her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman.
Leannehas received positive response for its offbeat humor, emotionally weighty scenes, strong central performance, and mature protagonist. Focusing on an older central character, it marks a departure from the broader and more accessible sitcoms Lorre has made in the past, but it also serves assomething of a spiritual successor to hit sitcomMom, which ran 8 seasons from 2013-2021.
PerTV Line, Lorre, executive producer Nick Bakay, and star Kristen Johnston (Carol)discussed howLeannethematically fills the void left byMom’s cancellation. Bakay talked about bringing in Johnston, who starred inMom, while Johnson discussed how both shows resonate with older women, and Lorre touched on the dramatic elements of both shows. Check out their comments below:
Bakay: Multi-cam is an interesting hybrid form. It’s very strange, and it can be very elusive, so people who are proven in multi-cam are very valuable. To go to war with everything unknown, you need extra kismet. If you have some people you can plant your flag with, it lets you go forth. We knew that with Kristen, in particular, having had many years on Mom with her.
Johnston: “There are women of a certain age who are starved for this kind of [show]. When Mom was cancelled, there was a group of feral women in my mentions on social media that were so mad… and I think [Leanne] fills that hole. I love what it says about sisterhood. At the end of the day, they have each other. They’re very different people, but they come together in the most important way.
Lorre: That’s the dramatic through line [of both shows]. How do you start over? Can you start over? And the answer is yes — with support [from] family and friends who care for you and want you to survive and succeed. Both shows have that element of hope that you can crawl out of the ashes and start again.
What This Means For Leanne’s Future
Leannecould become one of the longest-running and mostsuccessful Lorre TV projects, and the fact it serves as a spiritual successor toMomis cause for optimism.Momwas highly popular during its run, and received acclaim for its combination of drama and comedy, and won two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Leanneis thematically similar toMom, veering into comedy-drama and featuring an older protagonist. As Lorre andLeannecast memberJohnston note,the themes and struggles of the show are true to life and relatable to people who are in their later years. This is one of the things that has made it so popular, drawing similarities withMom.
Our Take On Leanne’s Long-Term Prospects
As well asMom,Leannehas also been compared withReba, meaning that the show is in good company, and there will be hopes it can emulate both of those shows. Sitcoms aimed at an older audience are not too common, but thesuccessful response toLeanneshows there is definitely an audience for this type of show.
What’s more, the fact that the show is on Netflix increases its chances of success, as people can enjoy it via streaming, and can binge-watch the show if they want to. This could makeLeannemore of a success than it would have been if it had aired on network TV, but the comparisons toMombode well for the long-term future of the series.
Leanne
Cast
Leanne is a comedy focusing on a woman whose life changes drastically when her long-time husband leaves her for someone else. As a grandmother facing menopause, she receives support from her family in navigating this unexpected life transition.
