The CW has officially greenlit Glamorous - an hour-long drama about a gender non-conforming teen and the makeup company where they intern - from Damon Wayans Jr.'s production company.
Glamorous marks another expansion of the CW's horizons in terms of LGBTQ+ representation, especially as it comes on the heels of Batwoman's pilot pick-up and Supergirl's first transgender superhero. While network television has been incorporating more diversity than ever, genderfluid characters who are not specifically transgender have yet to be seen as protagonists - so this show would mark another first. The potentially historic pilot will be produced by CBS TV Studios in conjunction with Damon Wayans Jr. and Kameron Tarlow's Two Shakes Entertainment, which was established as part of Wayans' two-year first-look deal with CBS.
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This latest addition to the CW family is written Jordon Nardino, who has previously served as a co-executive producer on Star Trek: Discovery and Quantico. Nardino will also serve as an executive producer on Glamorous alongside Damon Wayans Jr. The story will revolve around a non-binary high school graduate who winds up working at the very cosmetics company they previously bashed on Youtube. Variety notes that this is the sixth pilot picked up by CW thus far, including Batwoman, Jane The Novela, Katy Keene, The Lost Boys, and a Nancy Drew project from Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.
The new line-up of programming - which is full of contemporary reinventions of classic tales or spin-offs from recent popular series - reaffirms CW's commitment to reaching a younger audience via social media buzz and water cooler conversations rather than focusing on traditionally linear ratings. (It seems to have worked so far, if their Netflix deal is anything to go by.) As the world becomes more aware and understanding of the fluidity of sexual and gender identity, it's also inspiring to see a network aimed at youthful markets helping to normalize differences. Considering that Two Shakes Entertainment specifically has characters who aren't usually at the center of stories as part of their mandate, there may be plenty more diverse series in store from them if all goes well for Glamorous. Perhaps Nardino and Wayans will join the ranks of Greg Berlanti, Schwartz and Savage, or Rob Thomas when it comes to producing content for The CW.
For those viewers who may not be looking for entertainment with a message attached, Glamorous is certain to also have some of Wayans' signature brand of humor - not to mention, Nardino has also previously written for underrated comedies such as ABC's GCB and 10 Things I Hate About You. There's plenty of drama, suspense and hilarity to be derived from the high-stakes beauty industry, as well as the downsides of Youtube fame. Fans will get a chance to judge for themselves when the Fall 2019 season rolls around.
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Source: Variety