Julia (2022 TV series) explained

Genre:Biographical drama[1]
Creator:Daniel Goldfarb
Theme Music Composer:Jeff Danna
Composer:Jeff Danna
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:16
Runtime:43–49 minutes
Network:HBO Max
Network2:Max

Julia is an American comedy drama television series created by Daniel Goldfarb that premiered on HBO Max on March 31, 2022. It is based on the life of Julia Child in 1960s Cambridge, Massachusetts, during the production of her television cooking show The French Chef. In May 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on November 16, 2023. In January 2024, the series was canceled after two seasons.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Season 1

Season 2

Episodes

Season 2 (2023)

Production

The series entered development at HBO Max in September 2019 after being greenlit for a pilot order, with Chris Keyser showrunning, and Joan Cusack nearing a deal to star in the titular role.[2] By March 2020, Cusack had exited the series, and Sarah Lancashire was cast as Julia. Tom Hollander, Brittany Bradford, Bebe Neuwirth and Isabella Rossellini were added in supporting roles.[3] In March 2020, three days into initial filming of the pilot, production was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

In September 2020, David Hyde Pierce was cast to replace Hollander, who exited the project.[5] In July 2021, Robert Joy, Erin Neufer, James Cromwell and Adriane Lenox were added to the cast.[6]

Filming of the pilot resumed in Boston in October 2020.[7] In January 2021, it was announced that the pilot—written by Daniel Goldfarb and directed by Charles McDougall—had been picked up to series, with an 8-episode order.[8] Filming wrapped in September 2021.[9]

The series premiered on March 31, 2022, with the first three episodes available immediately and the rest debuting on a weekly basis until May 5.[10] On May 4, 2022, HBO Max renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on November 16, 2023.[11] [12] In September 2022, it was reported that Rachel Bloom joined the cast for the second season.[13] In January 2024, it was reported that the series was canceled after two seasons.[14]

Reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 93% approval rating with an average rating of 8.0/10, based on 44 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Sarah Lancashire inhabits Julia Child with infectious joie de vivre in this appetizing valentine to the iconic chef."[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 76 out of 100 based on 20 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.0/10, based on 10 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Understanding its strengths and leaning straight into them, Julias deuxième cours is a delectable trifle that viewers will savor."[17] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 76 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18]

Amy Amatangelo, for Paste, wrote that the "series is billed as a comedy and there are definitely funny moments—notably when people are literally on the floor assisting Julia in the filming of her show—but Julia explores not just how pioneering Child was in showing cooking on TV, but how pioneering she was for television production in general. [...] Ultimately, the series hinges on Lancashire’s transformative performance. [...] The series thrives through its strong female characters".[19] David Cote, for The A.V. Club, gave Julia a B+ and wrote that "each 45-ish-minute episode walks a line between sentimental period drama and high-toned sitcom. [...] Lancashire carries the season on sturdy shoulders".[20] Cote commented that the "season arc is fairly standard" and that "the nearest Julia has to a villain is Feminine Mystique author Betty Friedan (Tracee Chimo), who chides Child at a public television gala for setting back the cause. It's a powerful moment that shakes Julia and complicates her status as female liberator".

Kathryn VanArendonk, for Vulture, called the show a "bracing, comforting hit of competence porn: people who care, doing their jobs well". VanArendonk highlighted that "the effort to loop Child into the cultural and historical context of her time makes Julia a better show than it could otherwise have been. [...] Julia has some flaws, but its good qualities outweigh the missteps".[21] Caroline Framke, for Variety, compared Julia to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as both shows share the producer Daniel Goldfarb; the show "does a remarkable job recreating a specific slice of upper middle class life as anchored by a white woman whose outsized personality comes with similarly notable talent".[22] Framke wrote that "even as the series (from showrunner Chris Keyser) identifies more complex themes at play — Julia's heartbreak at hitting menopause before having a child, her Black producer Alice (Brittany Bradford) struggling to gain the respect she deserves — it's mostly happy to skip along the (admittedly very charming) surface".

Both Framke and VanArendonk praised Bradford's performance as Alice, a fictional character based on the actual producer Ruth Lockwood, but criticized Alice's storyline in the show. Framke commented that "by making her a Black woman, Julia tries to be more inclusive than the reality without fully reckoning with what it would mean for a Black woman to be producing a show made by and catering to well-off white women who might fancy themselves more progressive than they truly are". VanArendonk wrote that while Julia shows Alice experiencing workplace harassment, it does not force the audience "to think about racism all that much. [...] Alice is an invention who feels too neatly invented".

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire Is Julia Child In New Series Named For The Kitchen Icon . 2022-03-11 . 2022-03-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220309060857/https://www.empireonline.com/tv/news/happy-valley-sarah-lancashire-is-julia-child-in-new-series-named-for-the-kitchen-icon/ . live .
  2. Web site: Julia Child Series Starring Joan Cusack Nears Pilot Order at HBO Max. Variety. Joe. Otterson. September 6, 2019. May 5, 2021. March 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220331172125/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/julia-child-series-joan-cusack-hbo-max-1203326646/. live.
  3. Web site: Julia Child Drama at HBO Max Sets Cast. The Hollywood Reporter. Rick. Porter. March 12, 2020. May 5, 2021. April 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220401160759/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/julia-child-drama-at-hbo-max-sets-cast-sarah-lancashire-star-1284272/. live.
  4. Web site: In 'Julia,' a British Acting Treasure Takes on an American Icon . . 22 March 2022 . 24 April 2022 . 24 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220324170619/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/03/awards-insider-julia-sarah-lancashire-profile-exclusive . live .
  5. Web site: David Hyde Pierce Replaces Tom Hollander In HBO Max's Julia Child Drama Pilot. Deadline Hollywood. Nellie. Andreeva. September 15, 2020. May 5, 2021. May 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210508145225/https://deadline.com/2020/09/david-hyde-pierce-cast-paul-child-julia-replaces-tom-hollander-exit-hbo-max-pilot-julia-child-1234577185/. live.
  6. Web site: 'Julia': HBO Max Rounds Out Cast Of Julia Child Drama With Robert Joy, Erin Neufer, James Cromwell & Adriane Lenox. Deadline Hollywood. Peter. White. July 12, 2021. July 12, 2021. July 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210712170747/https://deadline.com/2021/07/julia-hbo-max-cast-julia-child-drama-with-robert-joy-erin-neufer-james-cromwell-adriane-lenox-1234790724/. live.
  7. Web site: Film crews descend on downtown Boston to film HBO Max pilot 'Julia,' based on legendary chef Julia Child. The Boston Globe. Megan. Johnson. October 29, 2020. May 5, 2021. subscription. January 4, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210104074935/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/10/28/lifestyle/film-crews-descend-downtown-boston-film-hbo-max-pilot-julia-based-legendary-chef-julia-child/. live.
  8. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . HBO Max Orders Julia Child Series 'Julia' Starring Sarah Lancashire & David Hyde Pierce . . February 16, 2022 . January 14, 2021 . January 14, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210114200045/https://deadline.com/2021/01/hbo-max-orders-julia-child-series-julia-chris-keyser-sarah-lancashire-david-hyde-pierce-1234674012/ . live .
  9. Goldfarb . Daniel . DanielGoldfarb3 . 1443038944443129859 . September 28, 2021 . And that’s a wrap! Can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve cooked up. #julia #JuliaChild #HBOMax . en . April 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220216102827/https://twitter.com/DanielGoldfarb3/status/1443038944443129859 . February 16, 2022 . live.
  10. Web site: Julia Child Comedy Series Starring Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire Gets HBO Max Premiere Date. Deadline Hollywood. Matt Webb. Mitovich. February 15, 2022. February 15, 2022.
  11. Web site: Julia Renewed For Season 2 At HBO Max. Deadline Hollywood. Peter. White. May 4, 2022. May 4, 2022. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504160143/https://deadline.com/2022/05/julia-renewed-for-season-2-hbo-max-1235015572/. live.
  12. Web site: Julia Gets Season 2 Premiere Date on Max. TVLine. Vlada. Gelman. August 29, 2023. August 29, 2023. August 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230829220226/https://tvline.com/news/julia-season-2-release-date-max-1235034975/. live.
  13. News: Otterson . Joe . Rachel Bloom Joins Julia Season 2 at HBO Max (EXCLUSIVE) . September 13, 2022 . Variety . September 13, 2022 . September 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220913180057/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/rachel-bloom-julia-season-2-hbo-max-1235371255/ . live .
  14. Web site: Otterson. Joe. Julia Canceled After Two Seasons at Max. Variety. January 10, 2024. January 10, 2024. January 11, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240111010236/https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/julia-canceled-max-1235868178/. live.
  15. julia. Julia. tv. 1. April 1, 2022.
  16. julia-2022. Julia. tv. 1. May 4, 2022.
  17. julia. Julia. tv. 2. June 27, 2024.
  18. julia-2022. Julia. tv. 2. June 27, 2024.
  19. Web site: 2022-03-24 . HBO Max's Julia Is a Delicious Treat . 2022-04-01 . . en . 2022-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331194451/https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/hbo-max/julia-review-1/ . dead .
  20. Web site: Cote . David . March 28, 2022 . HBO Max's Julia is tasty TV comfort food . 2022-04-01 . The A.V. Club . en-us . 2022-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331205828/https://www.avclub.com/julia-review-hbo-max-sarah-lancashire-1848704240 . live .
  21. Web site: VanArendonk . Kathryn . 2022-03-31 . Cozy Up With Julia, a Warm and Welcoming Treat . 2022-04-01 . Vulture . en-us . 2022-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331194217/https://www.vulture.com/article/julia-hbo-max-series-review.html . live .
  22. Web site: Framke . Caroline . 2022-03-30 . HBO Max's 'Julia' Brings 'The French Chef' Icon to Life, But Misses Some Key Opportunities: TV Review . 2022-04-01 . Variety . en-US . 2022-04-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220401050812/https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/julia-review-hbo-max-child-1235218037/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Julia (2022 TV series)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.