Faking It (American TV series)

Last updated

Faking It
Faking It US series title card.png
Genre
Created by
  • Dana Min Goodman
  • Julia Wolov
Developed by Carter Covington
Starring
Composer Andrew Dost
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes38 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerCarter Covington
Producers
  • Nellie Nugiel
  • Stefanie Leder
Production location Glendora, California
Cinematography
  • Doug Emmett
  • Massimiliano Trevis
Editors
  • Robin Katz
  • Thomas M. Bolger
  • Gabriel Fleming
  • Brad Katz
  • Robert Lattanzio
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time22 minutes
Production company Viacom Media Networks
Original release
Network MTV
ReleaseApril 22, 2014 (2014-04-22) –
May 17, 2016 (2016-05-17)

Faking It is an American romantic comedy [1] television series that premiered on MTV on April 22, 2014, starring Rita Volk, Katie Stevens, Gregg Sulkin, Michael Willett, and Bailey De Young. [2] The series was created by Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov. Carter Covington developed the series and serves as the executive producer. [3] An eight-episode first season was ordered by MTV in October 2013. [4] MTV announced a 10-episode second season set to premiere on September 23, 2014. [5] [6] In August 2014, the show won a Teen Choice Award for "Choice TV Breakout Show". In October 2014, MTV ordered 10 more episodes, meaning season two would have a total of 20 episodes. [7] The series features the first intersex main character on a television show, [8] and also included television's first intersex character played by an intersex actor (Amanda Saenz). [9]

Contents

In April 2015, it was announced that the second half of season two would air from August 31, 2015, as well as being renewed for a third season which premiered on March 15, 2016. [10] [11] In May 2016, MTV announced that Faking It had been cancelled after three seasons. [12]

Plot

At Hester High School in the suburbs of Austin, being different is popular. After many failed attempts to stand out, Karma Ashcroft (Katie Stevens) and her best friend Amy Raudenfeld (Rita Volk) are invited to a house party hosted by popular gay student Shane Harvey (Michael Willett), who is under the impression that the girls are a lesbian couple.

At the party, they are subsequently outed as the school's first lesbian couple and unwillingly nominated for homecoming Queens. Continuing the charade as their popularity soars, Karma attracts the attention of the popular and handsome Liam Booker (Gregg Sulkin), while Amy becomes aware of her growing romantic feelings for Karma and a rivalry with her new step-sister, Lauren (Bailey De Young), who discovers that they are faking it.

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 8April 22, 2014 (2014-04-22)June 10, 2014 (2014-06-10)
2 2010September 23, 2014 (2014-09-23)November 25, 2014 (2014-11-25)
10August 31, 2015 (2015-08-31)November 2, 2015 (2015-11-02)
3 10March 15, 2016 (2016-03-15)May 17, 2016 (2016-05-17)

Cast

Main cast in September 2014. L to R: Bailey De Young, Rita Volk, Katie Stevens, Gregg Sulkin and Michael J. Willett Bailey De Young, Rita Volk, Katie Stevens, Gregg Sulkin and Michael J. Willett at Paleyfest 2014.jpg
Main cast in September 2014. L to R: Bailey De Young, Rita Volk, Katie Stevens, Gregg Sulkin and Michael J. Willett

Main cast

Recurring cast

Introduced in season 1

  • Rebecca McFarland as Farrah, Amy's mom, a local television reporter who holds conservative views and is shocked to learn of Amy's sexual orientation
  • Senta Moses as Penelope Bevier, the principal of Hester High, later vice-principal after the school drug bust
  • Erick Lopez as Tommy Ortega, Lauren's boyfriend (they later break up in season 2)
  • Courtney Kato as Leila, a friend of Lauren's
  • Breezy Eslin as Elizabeth, a friend of Lauren's
  • Anthony Palacios as Pablo, Lauren's dance partner and Shane's ex-boyfriend
  • Amy Farrington as Molly, Karma's mother
  • Lance Barber as Lucas, Karma's father
  • Dan Gauthier as Bruce Cooper, Lauren's father, who originally tries to hide the fact that his daughter was intersex
  • Courtney Henggeler as Robin Booker, Sqwerkel representative and Liam's sister (later revealed to actually be Liam's biological mother)
  • August Roads as Oliver Walsh, a friend of Amy's, who shows interest in her

Introduced in season 2

  • Yvette Monreal as Reagan, a DJ/waitress and Amy's ex-girlfriend
  • Keith Powers as Anthony "Theo", a friend of Liam and Shane and a love interest for Lauren. He is later revealed to be an undercover police officer.
  • Bruce Thomas as Max Booker, Liam's adoptive father, CEO of Skwerkel who is later revealed to actually be Liam's grandfather
  • Skyler Maxon as Duke Lewis Jr., a MMA fighter and Shane's ex-boyfriend
  • Chloe Bridges as Zita Cruz, a new socialite friend of Liam's
  • Bernard Curry as George Turner, the new principal of Hester High following the school drug bust
  • Parker Mack as Felix Turner, a new student at Hester High and the son of Principal Turner
  • Ed Quinn as Hank, Amy's father
  • Cameron Moulène as Wade, the show's first bisexual identified character
  • Lindsey Shaw as Sasha Harvey, Shane's older sister and a love interest of Liam's

Introduced in season 3

  • Jordan Rodrigues as Dylan, Karma's new laid-back Hawaiian boyfriend, whom she met while lifeguarding over the summer
  • Elliot Fletcher as Noah, the show's first transgender-identified character, who is a member of the band Noah's Arc, and is a love interest of Shane's
  • Sophia Ali as Sabrina, a childhood friend and love interest of Amy's
  • McKaley Miller as Rachel, Liam's coworker and love interest, and the daughter of a rabbi
  • Alice Lee as Keiko Flynn, a friend of Lauren's

Guest cast

Broadcast

Faking It premiered on April 22, 2014, and ran for eight episodes. On June 9, 2014, the series was picked up for a second season of ten episodes, [5] [6] which premiered on September 23, 2014. This was later expanded to a twenty episode season on October 21, 2014. [7]

Reception

Critical response

Faking It received generally favorable reviews from critics, receiving a 71 score on Metacritic, as well as a 71% for season 1 on Rotten Tomatoes based on seven reviews.

CinemaBlend.com said, "About as relevant to the gay lifestyle as Modern Family , Faking It shoots for the stars, but only hits a bunch of brightly colored rainbows on "Vote for Me" posters." [14] The New York Times wrote, "Faking It isn't anything more than a smarter-than-average high school comedy, but there's a freshness to it, perhaps because so many of the key people involved are relative newcomers." [14] New York Daily News said, "The engine driving this show is female friendship, the kind strong enough to get you through even high school. For Amy and Karma, we want that." [14] TV Fanatic said, "It could be an interesting twist for Amy to stop pretending to be gay and suddenly be pretending to be straight." [14] Common Sense Media said, "The coming-of-age-and-coming-out story is certainly a time-honored one in the LGBT cinematic canon, and having both girls playing gay-for-social-cachet is an interesting farcial spin." [14] Hollywood.com said, "Anyone following MTV's Awkward will be sure to love the new series, but even non-fans won't fake their enjoyment of the new show." [14] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said, "While the show's premise seems like it could be difficult to maintain, Faking It holds up in two early episodes sent for review." [15] Boston Globe said, "Faking It is an odd, interesting, lightly subversive, and potentially offensive concoction from MTV. It's a twisted comedy that has charm, but also a premise that could be insulting if not handled intelligently." Boston Herald said, "There's something hilarious and twisted about outcasts and untouchables running a school while making some of the same mistakes their 'normal' peers made. Faking It is the real deal." [15] Entertainment Weekly said, "Credit the winning cast, especially Volk, and executive producer Carter Covington's sweet/snarky tone for a half hour viewers won't have to pretend to love." [15]

In an average review to the show, Philadelphia Daily News said "For Stevens' character, Karma, kissing her best friend, Amy (Volk), is a way --admittedly not the most direct way--of getting closer to Liam, a cute guy (Gregg Sulkin) with commitment issues. For Amy, though, it's more complicated, and that's where Faking It begins to seem less like a joke, as the shift in a relationship stirs up feelings that move her into the "questioning" column of LGBTQ." [15]

Awards

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef
2014 AfterEllen Visibility AwardsEditor's Pick for Favorite Tweeter Yvette Monreal Won [16]
Favorite Fictional Lesbian Couple Rita Volk / Yvette Monreal (Amy and Reagan)Nominated [17]
Favorite Lesbian/Bi Character Rita Volk (Amy Raudenfeld)Won
Favorite TV Actress Rita Volk Won
Favorite TV ComedyFaking ItWon
Teen Choice Awards Breakout Show Faking ItWon [18]
2015 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy SeriesFaking ItNominated [19]
People's Choice Awards Favorite Cable TV ComedyFaking ItNominated [20]
Teen Choice Awards Choice Summer TV Show Faking ItNominated [21]
Choice Summer TV Star: Male Gregg Sulkin Nominated
2016 AfterEllen March Madness 2016 Best Actress in a Queer Role Rita Volk Nominated [22]
The Girl Crowd — LGBT+Favorite LGBT ShipKarmy (Karma Ashcroft / Amy Raudenfeld)Won [23]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy SeriesFaking ItNominated [24]
People's Choice Awards Favorite Cable TV ComedyFaking ItNominated [25]

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References

  1. ↑ "Faking It: Official website". MTV. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  2. ↑ "MTV Announces Premiere Dates for Returning and New Comedy Series at Winter TCA Presentation". The Futon Critic. January 10, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  3. ↑ Hale, Mike (April 21, 2014). "Their Surprise Route to Popularity". The New York Times. Retrieved April 24, 2014. Correction: April 22, 2014 - An earlier version of an information box with this review misidentified the creators of the show "Faking It." As the review stated, they are Dana Goodman and Julia Lea Wolov; not Carter Covington. (Mr. Covington is the show's executive producer.)
  4. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (October 18, 2013). "MTV Picks Up Comedy Pilots 'Happyland' & 'Faking It' To Series". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Lesley Goldberg (June 9, 2014). "'Faking It' Renewed for Second Season at MTV". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Ossad, Jordana (July 11, 2014). "'Catfish' Is Returning For Season Four — Plus More Premiere Dates Announced!". MTV. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "MTV Orders 10 More Episodes of 'Faking It' for Season 2 | Variety". Variety. October 21, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Meet Television's Groundbreaking Intersex Character". BuzzFeed . September 24, 2014.
  9. ↑ ""Faking It" Breaks New Ground With First Intersex Actor To Play Intersex Character On TV". NewNowNext. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  10. ↑ Petski, Denise (April 21, 2015). "MTV Greenlights New Late-Night Talk Show, Renews 'Faking It', More — Upfronts".
  11. ↑ Swift, Andy (January 12, 2016). "MTV Sets Premiere Date for Awkward's 'Final' Run and Faking It Season 3". TVLine. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  12. ↑ Swift, Andy (May 13, 2016). "Faking It Cancelled After 3 Seasons".
  13. 1 2 3 Goldberg, Lesley (August 23, 2013). "'Wizards' Alum Gregg Sulkin, 'Bunheads' Star Headline MTV's Carter Covington Comedy (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Faking It: Season 1 - TV Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Critic Reviews for Faking It (2014) Season 1 - Metacritic". metacritic.com. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  16. ↑ "The 2014 AfterEllen Visibility Award Winners". afterellen.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  17. ↑ "10th Annual AfterEllen Visibility Awards".
  18. ↑ "MTV Teen Choice Awards". MTV . Archived from the original on August 12, 2014.
  19. ↑ "2015 GLAAD Media Awards". September 15, 2021.
  20. ↑ "2015 People's Choice Awards".
  21. ↑ Johnson, Zach (July 8, 2015). "Teen Choice Awards 2015 Nominees: Wave 2 Revealed!". E! Online . Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  22. ↑ "VOTE NOW! AfterEllen March Madness 2016: Round One - AfterEllen". AfterEllen. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  23. ↑ "March Bracket TGC #lgbt". Woobox. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  24. ↑ "GLAAD Media Awards Nominees #glaadawards". GLAAD. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  25. ↑ "People's Choice Awards: Fan Favorites in Movies, Music & TV - PeoplesChoice.com". www.peopleschoice.com. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
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