Heathers, the 1986 dark comedy, used to air on HBO constantly when I was in high school and I can still recite most of the lines. It’s a commentary on the brutality of high school social life, but it’s also about a teenage girl escaping from an abusive relationship. Regardless someone made the really asinine decision to reboot this cult classic as a television show because money. That announcement was made back in 2016. (Spoilers for rebooted Heathers, which may never air anyway.) Apparently the outcasts, including a gay character and a woman of color, are the dominant clique in the new Heathers and the leads JD and Veronica, who are still white and heterosexual, exact revenge on them. People had thoughts about that. Executives at Paramount (Spike TV was going to air this show) realized that the Heathers reboot was a bad idea and have scrapped it, not because marginalized groups were going to be victimized but because school shootings keep happening and they realized it was bad optics.
Months after the new Heathers TV show’s premiere date was pushed back following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, the series will no longer have a home at Paramount Network.
Explaining the reasoning behind the decision, Paramount Network president of development and production Keith Cox told The Hollywood Reporter, “We were going to air in March and hit pause and then had Santa Fe,” referencing the mass shooting in Texas last month, during which 10 people died and 13 more were injured when a 17-year-old student opened fire at the Santa Fe High School.
“This was a very difficult decision. We had multiple meetings, and in the end, we didn’t feel comfortable right now airing the series and I’m not sure when there might be a time that we as a youthful brand at Viacom would feel comfortable,” he told the outlet. “This is a bold move and we stand behind it.”
The new Heathers series was based on the cult-classic 1998 film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, but featured an entirely new cast of characters.
The updated series was going to feature a body-positive Heather Chandler with short, dyed hair, chokers and gold rings. Additionally, one of the Heathers is gender non-binary.
“This is a high school show, we’re blowing up the school, there are guns in the school, it’s a satire and there are moments of teachers having guns,” Cox explained to THR. “It’s hitting on so many hot topics. This company can’t be speaking out of both sides of its mouth, saying the youth movement is important for us and we’ve done all these wonderful things to support that and at the same time, we’re putting on a show that we’re not comfortable with.”
While THR noted that this iteration of Heathers will not air on a Viacom-owned channel or platform, the show is reportedly being shopped elsewhere.
Was anyone except a bunch of TV executives excited for this reboot? It’s not like it was going to be the next Riverdale. Doesn’t it sound like they threw a bunch of ideas together to make this? I’m all for inclusion and representation but this sounds shoehorned in and poorly thought out. Also, how did they not know that it would be a bad idea to show school shootings and explosions? Its not like those things are new or like thousands of children hadn’t experienced school shootings prior to this. I don’t know if this new Heathers would have portrayed that in a thoughtful way, but given the Paramount president’s comments that’s doubtful.
Dear diary, why is this Banana Republic clearance rack wearing a monocle? #Heathers pic.twitter.com/8BbWrqVeSI
— Heathers (@Heatherstv) February 26, 2018
I saw the pilot and really liked it. Guess it was just me… 🙁
I hope this gives producers everywhere pause to realize that school shootings are not a good idea for entertainment in any context.
I saw the pilot and liked it too! Especially how they changed it up. Oh well, I guess it wasn’t for everyone.
WTAF?
That movie is a classic. We used to go around
saying “F@ck me gently with a chainsaw, do I look like Mother Theresa to you??”
Not going to miss it. The reboot seemed to miss the entire point of exactly why those students felt so entitled to their violence and abuse. Taking marginalized characters who are most often the victims of systemic prejudice and placing them in a position of bullying power is just tasteless and beyond tone deaf given the state of the country.
Word! It was like a bunch of writers got together and put every fantasy/ fad idea that always got shot down and loaded it to this show. These characters were not oppressed, they were the bullies from the start. That nixes the whole idea of the movies.
Very well put. Especially in this day and age when things seem to be going backwards instead of forwards I had a really hard time wrapping my head around the concept.
Also, Heathers was from 1988, not 86 or 96 like stated in the article and quotes. Sorry to be nitpicky but it’s one of my favorite films. It’s almost 90’s but not quite.
Season one of American horror story showed a school shooting which was extremely graphic and horrifying. I was in tears when I watched it and in a way as much as it terrified me I’m glad they showed it the way they did. It showed not just how scary the idea of a gunman opening fire in a school looked, but it also showed the victims and how scary it was for them. Season one was probably their best and although many people like myself were terrified of the school shooting scene it still has remained to be one of the best seasons and it hasn’t deterred anyone from watching. The thing is people are going to be violent with or without violent tv or video games, so sensitizing tv isn’t going to change that. I really enjoy Riverdale and it seems this show is kind of the same concept in a way, but with a different storyline. I think we should show school shootings in shows, but not for entertainment or ratings, but for awareness. If I could be so affected by witnessing one play out on screen, then many others would have that same reaction. It breaks your heart and makes you want to reform and try to change things. You fall in love with characters and seeing them gunned down in a fictious show still leaves you feeling affected as if it was real. I saw the show and my ideas on gun laws and how we educate youth in mental health and gun violence. I think if they were tactful with it, warned in the beginning of the show, and made it obvious they were doing this to show the horror of what school shootings are like, they might be successful. I think as a nation we’ve become too easily offended and if we ever want to progress and become stronger we have to grow a backbone.
I haven’t seen American Horror Story, but I do agree that there is a place for stories and media centered on school shootings, particularly the victims and aftermath. The “survivors club” is sadly growing exponentially and they need to feel remembered and understood.
However, I disagree (as does research) about violent media. No, everyone who sees a violent act doesn’t reenact it, but unstable or vulnerable audiences are affected by it, to various degrees. It desensitizes them to violence, glorifies violent acts and fuels retribution fantasies. The “bully revenge” narrative is especially harmful because it perpetuates the false impression that most shooters were bullied, when in fact many were bullies themselves (or isolated because of their unhinged personalities).
I’ve studied school shootings since the 90s and all experts agree that there is a contagion effect similar to suicides, largely driven by media coverage. These shooters are “failed joiners” who think they are achieving ultimate popularity through violent infamy. Playing into their fantasies with this kind of media is irresponsible.
Personally, I’d like us to go back to the days of tranquilizer gun violence and Pac-Man video games. They are not the sole cause of these shootings – I’m looking at you, lax gun laws – but to pretend they play no role is naive at best and blatant ignorance at worst.
I think it would be a better fit for HBO or Showtime, but I personally never cared for the movie so this doesn’t interest me at all.
They needed it pointed out to them that this might not be such a good idea?
Um, I was going to check this out.
And I’m FABulous.
#WasAuchImmer
#JealousMuch?