Billed as a "coming-of-middle-age story," HBO's 'Somebody Somewhere' is a realistic delight. But is the show based on a true story?
Comedian Bridget Everett stars in HBO's latest dramedy, Somebody Somewhere, which has been described as a "coming-of-middle-age-story" about love, loss, and everything in between. The show's heartfelt and realistic portrayal of life in a small town in Kansas has many fans of the show wondering if it's based on a true story.
So, is Somebody Somewhere based on a true story? Here's everything we know about the HBO show, explained.
Is 'Somebody Somewhere' based on a true story?
Per NBC News, Bridget Everett, who stars as Sam Miller, has been developing the show since 2018. Series creators Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen pitched the idea, and ever since, she and co-producer Carolyn Strauss have been working to bring the show to life. While the show is fictional, the themes of the show have been pulled directly from Bridget's life — including the loss of Bridget's sister Brinton to cancer.
"Losing your voice, feeling like you’re rudderless through life, giving up on yourself — those are all things that hit close to the bone," Bridget told the outlet.
Although themes of loss might seem depressing, the show's wit, self-deprecating humor, candidness, nostalgia, and comedy along the way make it the perfect pick-me-up.
How did Holly die on 'Somebody, Somewhere'?
The plot of Somebody Somewhere follows Sam Miller, who had returned to her hometown of Manhattan, Kansas, to care for her dying sister Holly. Her mother, father, and surviving sister avoid their grief with a host of other problems while Sam and her niece Shannon bond. Holly's character actually dies before the events of the show unfold, so for those who missed it, here's how Holly died.
Much like Bridget Everett's real-life story of grief, Holly dies from cancer. Sam's family deals with the death in different ways, including her mother lapsing into alcoholism and her sister Tricia taking her frustration out on Sam, even accusing her of being lazy and aimless for returning home. Bridget told The New York Post that her real-life connections helped her as an actress.
"Parts of it [are based on my life] [and] some of the themes, liked the dead sister and the love of singing and being from [Manhattan] Kansas. There are differences and similarities, but enough to help me stay emotionally connected as an untrained actor.
We didn’t want to do a ‘Singer goes to New York’ plot,” she said. “We wanted to do, ‘What happened if somebody like me stayed in a town like the place I grew up?’" Everett said.
