Gilmore Girls writers penning sitcom about gay senior citizens
GILMORE GIRLS
Two of the writers behind Gilmore Girls are behind a new show focusing on an elderly gay couple.
Stan Zimmerman and James Berg, who were writers and consulting producers on Gilmore Girls, are reportedly working on the new project.
According to Variety, the show – titled Silver Foxes – is about “two older gay men and one twink (their buddy’s young lover) that rescue a friend who’s been forced-back-in-the-closet at his homophobic assisted living facility”.
The blurb adds: “After they bring him back to their mid-century Palm Springs house, the foursome creates a fabulous family of friends”
No big names are publicly attached to the project, which is looking to find a home on the cable network or streaming platform.
However, Variety adds that a table read of the pilot included Will & Grace’s Leslie Jordan, George Takei, Bruce Vilanch, Todd Sherry, Melissa Peterman, Daniele Gaither and Cheri Oteri.
Actor Leslie Jordan (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
The half-hour sitcom has been likened to UK series Vicious, which starred Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi as an elderly gay couple entertaining their younger friend Ash (Iwan Rheon).
Asked why he thinks the couple are so nasty, McKellen replied: “Perhaps they liked being vicious to each other because the world has been vicious to them.”
Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi on Vicious
As well as Gilmore Girls, Zimmerman and Berg previously wrote for TV classic The Golden Girls.
Speaking about the show previously, Zimmerman said: “It is not a rumour.
“James Berg and I did write a pilot script called ‘Silver Foxes.’ It is NOT a reboot of ‘The Golden Girls.’ But it is inspired by the show, a show that we were lucky enough to have written on during the first season of the show.”
According to reports, the show draws inspiration from the Golden Girls, but also on the 2013 documentary ‘Before You Know It’.
It is estimated there are three million LGBT+ senior citizens across the US, but they are rarely shown on screen.
Netflix comedy series Grace and Frankie has earned praise for portraying an older gay couple, with Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston playing gay couple Robert and Sol.
