Little America (TV series)

Last updated
Little America
Genre
Based onLittle America
by Epic Magazine
Developed by Lee Eisenberg & Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
Starring
Composer Michael Brook
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes16
Production
Executive producers
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
  • Alan Yang Pictures
  • Quantity Entertainment (season 1)
  • Piece of Work Productions (season 2)
  • Epic Magazine
  • Universal Television
Original release
Network Apple TV+
ReleaseJanuary 17, 2020 (2020-01-17) –
December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)

Little America is an American anthology television series produced for Apple TV+. It premiered on January 17, 2020. [1] The series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on December 9, 2022.

Contents

Premise

Little America looks to "go beyond the headlines to look at the funny, romantic, heartfelt, inspiring and unexpected lives of immigrants in America, at a time when their stories are more relevant than ever." [2]

Cast

The Manager

The Jaguar

The Cowboy

The Silence

The Baker

The Grand Prize Expo Winners

The Rock

The Son

The 9th Caller

Episodes

Series overview
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
1 8January 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
2 8December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)

Season 1 (2020)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byTeleplay byOriginal release date  [5]
11"The Manager" Deepa Mehta Rajiv Joseph January 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
22"The Jaguar" Aurora Guerrero Dan LeFrancJanuary 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
33"The Cowboy" Bharat Nalluri Story by : Janicza Bravo & Brian Savelson
Teleplay by : Brian Savelson & Mfoniso Udofia 		January 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
44"The Silence" Sian Heder Sian HederJanuary 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
55"The Baker"Chioke NassorCasallina KisakyeJanuary 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
66"The Grand Prize Expo Winners" Tze Chun Tze ChunJanuary 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
77"The Rock" Nima Nourizadeh Lee Eisenberg & Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani January 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
88"The Son" Stephen Dunn Amrou Al-Kadhi & Stephen DunnJanuary 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)

Season 2 (2022)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byTeleplay byOriginal release date
91"Mr. Song" Deepa Mehta Teleplay by : Sian Heder & Alan Yang
Story by : Jenny Zhang & Sian Heder 		December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
102"The Bra Whisperer"Tara Miele Mfoniso Udofia December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
113"The 9th Caller"Tinge Krishnan Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
124"Camel on a Stick"Sunu Gonera Lee Eisenberg & Idil Ibrahim December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
135"Space Door"Darya ZhukDarya Zhuk & Erika ShefferDecember 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
146"Columbus Starlings LLC" Diane Paragas Naomi Brodkin & Ali Liebegott December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
157"Paper Piano" Aron Gaudet & Gita Pullapilly Brian Savelson December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
168"The Indoor Arm" Patricia Riggen Joe Hortua December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)

Production

On February 8, 2018, it was announced that Apple was developing a television series based on the true stories collection "Little America" featured in Epic Magazine. The show was set to be written by Lee Eisenberg, Kumail Nanjiani, and Emily V. Gordon, all of whom also executive produced alongside Sian Heder, Alan Yang, Joshuah Bearman, and Joshua Davis. Arthur Spector acted as co-executive producer. The series was showrun by Lee Eisenberg and Sian Heder. Production companies involved with the series include Universal Television. [2] [6] [7] [8] On June 19, 2018, it was announced that Apple had given the production a series order. [9] [10] [11] The show began filming in New Jersey in early 2019; [12] however, the eighth episode of the first season, "The Son" (which is about a gay asylum seeker from Syria), was shot in the Canadian province of Quebec because the American Executive Order 13780 prevented some of its actors from being able to enter the United States for filming. [13]

The series was renewed for a second season in December 2019, prior to the series premiere. [1] The second season premiered on December 9, 2022, with an eight episode season. [14]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 95% based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 8.92/10. The site's critics' consensus is, "Joyous, heartfelt, and very human, Little America's thoughtful collection of immigrant tales is as inspirational as it is relatable." [15] The second season has an approval rating of 100% based on 10 reviews. [15] On Metacritic, the series has a score of 85 out of 100 based on 26 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [16]

The Atlantic's Hannah Giorgis wrote of the first season, "Its ambitions aren't flashy, but Little America leads with a clear investment in the kinds of people often relegated to the background of other shows. It's a smart, empathetic choice—one that benefits both Apple and viewers." [17] Brian Lowry of CNN said, "The subjects vary, but almost without exception the stories are quirky yet resonant, emotional and relatable, with a sweet (or occasionally slightly bittersweet) payoff." [18]

Reviewing the second season, Craig Matheson of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote, "Just over a half hour in length, these new episodes have a modest but enduring insight and empathy". [19] RogerEbert.com's Clint Worthington wrote, "in its unassuming nature and casual confidence, not to mention the heartwarming humanism of its stories, it might be one of the streamer's greatest secret weapons." [4]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
2020
 Imagen Foundation Awards Best Primetime Program – ComedyLittle AmericaNominated [20]
Best Director – Television Aurora Guerrero Nominated
Best Actress – TelevisionJearnest CorchadoWon
Best Supporting Actor – Television John Ortiz Won
Location Managers Guild Awards Outstanding Locations in a Limited Anthology Television SeriesMichael Hartel, Rocco Nisivoccia and Adrian Knight Won [21]
2021
 British Academy Television Awards Best International Programme Little AmericaNominated [22]
GLAAD Media Awards Special Recognition“The Son”Won [23]
Independent Spirit Awards Best New Scripted SeriesLittle AmericaNominated [24]
Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series Conphidance Nominated
Adam AliNominated
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Lee Eisenberg, Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V, Gordon (for "The Rock")Nominated [25]
Rajiv Joseph (for "The Manager")Nominated
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Aurora Guerrero (for "The Jaguar")Nominated

Related Research Articles

Lee Eisenberg is an American film and television writer and producer. He usually works with Gene Stupnitsky, with whom he founded Quantity Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumail Nanjiani</span> Pakistani-American comedian and actor (born 1978)

Kumail Ali Nanjiani is a Pakistani-American stand-up comedian and actor. He is known for his role as Dinesh in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley (2014–2019) and for co-writing and starring in the romantic comedy film The Big Sick (2017). For co-writing the latter with his wife, Emily V. Gordon, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. In 2018, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role in The Twilight Zone executive produced by Jordan Peele in 2019.

<i>American Crime Story</i> American true crime anthology television series

American Crime Story is an American true crime anthology television series developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who are also executive producers, alongside Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Simpson. The series is the second installment in the American Story media franchise, following American Horror Story. Each season is presented as a self-contained miniseries and is independent of the events in other seasons. Alexander and Karaszewski did not return after the first season, but retain executive-producer credits. In the United States, the series is broadcast on FX. In January 2023, the series was renewed for a fourth season. The fourth season will premiere in 2024.

<i>Truth Be Told</i> (2019 TV series) American drama television series

Truth Be Told is an American legal/crime drama television series. The series was created by Nichelle Tramble Spellman for Apple TV+ and is based on Kathleen Barber's 2017 debut novel Are You Sleeping. Spellman also acts as executive producer and writes for the show. Unlike the book, Poppy Parnell plays the main role, as a podcaster who revisits the case that made her famous with the hope of finally getting to the truth.

<i>For All Mankind</i> (TV series) 2019 American science fiction drama

For All Mankind is an American science fiction drama television series created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi and produced for Apple TV+. The series dramatizes an alternate history depicting "what would have happened if the global space race had never ended" after the Soviet Union succeeds in the first crewed Moon landing ahead of the United States. The title is inspired by the lunar plaque left on the Moon by the crew of Apollo 11, which reads, in part, "We Came in Peace for All Mankind".

The Morning Show, also known as Morning Wars in Australia and Indonesia, is an American drama television series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell that premiered on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019. The series is inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV. The show examines the characters and culture behind a network broadcast morning news program. After allegations of sexual misconduct, the male co-anchor of the program is forced off the show. Aspects of the #MeToo movement are examined from multiple perspectives as more information comes out regarding said misconduct. Subsequent seasons focus on other political topics and current events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racial inequality, the Capitol insurrection, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Little Voice is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson for Apple TV+. The series premiered on July 10, 2020. In August 2021, the series was canceled after one season. It was released with a soundtrack.

<i>Servant</i> (TV series) American psychological horror television series (2019–2023)

Servant is an American psychological horror television series created by Tony Basgallop, with executive producer M. Night Shyamalan acting as showrunner, and produced for Apple TV+. Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free and Rupert Grint star in all four seasons of the series, which premiered on November 28, 2019, and concluded with the end of its fourth season on March 17, 2023.

<i>Home Before Dark</i> (TV series) 2020 American mystery drama streaming series

Home Before Dark is an American mystery drama television series created by Dana Fox and Dara Resnik and produced for Apple TV+. The series is inspired by the life of young journalist Hilde Lysiak and stars Brooklynn Prince, Jim Sturgess, Abby Miller, Louis Herthum, Michael Weston, Kiefer O'Reilly, Kylie Rogers, Aziza Scott, Adrian Hough, Joelle Carter, Jibrail Nantambu, and Deric McCabe. It premiered on April 3, 2020. The second season premiered on June 11, 2021.

Foundation is an American science fiction television series created by David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman for Apple TV+, loosely based on the Foundation series of stories by Isaac Asimov. It features an ensemble cast led by Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell and Leah Harvey. The series premiered on September 24, 2021. In October 2021, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on July 14, 2023. In December 2023, the series was renewed for a third season.

Amazing Stories is an American anthology television series based on the 1985 television series of the same name created by Steven Spielberg. The series is produced for Apple TV+ and its executive producers for the series include Spielberg, Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Darryl Frank, and Justin Falvey. Episodes premiered between March 6 and April 3, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apple TV+</span> American video streaming service

Apple TV+ is an American subscription streaming service owned and operated by Apple Inc. Launched on November 1, 2019, it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service was announced during the Apple Special Event of March 2019, where entertainers from Apple TV+ projects appeared onstage, including Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, and Steven Spielberg.

<i>WeCrashed</i> 2022 American drama television miniseries

WeCrashed is an American drama miniseries that premiered on Apple TV+ on March 18, 2022. The series stars Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway as Adam and Rebekah Neumann, the real-life married couple at the heart of WeWork, a coworking space company which claimed a valuation of $47 billion in 2019, before crashing as a result of financial revelations. The series is based on the podcast WeCrashed: The Rise and Fall of WeWork by Wondery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apple Studios</span> Film and television production company

Apple Studios LLC is an American film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Apple Inc. It specializes in developing and producing television series and films for Apple's digital video streaming service Apple TV+ as well as theatrical releases.

<i>Pachinko</i> (TV series) American drama television series

Pachinko is an American drama television series created by Soo Hugh based on the 2017 novel by Min Jin Lee. The series is directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon and premiered on Apple TV+ on March 25, 2022. It received critical acclaim, particularly for its cinematography, writing, and the performances of the cast. In April 2022, the series was renewed for a second season.

Roar is an American anthology television series from Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, the creators of GLOW. Based on the 2018 short story collection of the same name by Cecelia Ahern, the 8-episode series premiered on Apple TV+ on April 15, 2022.

<i>Them</i> (TV series) 2021 American horror drama anthology television series

Them is an American black horror anthology series, created by Little Marvin and executive produced by Lena Waithe. The series stars Deborah Ayorinde, Ashley Thomas, Alison Pill, and Ryan Kwanten and premiered on Amazon Prime Video on April 9, 2021. A second season, titled Them: The Scare, with Ayorinde returning in a new role, premiered on April 25, 2024.

<i>Extrapolations</i> (TV series) American anthology drama television series

Extrapolations is an American anthology miniseries created by Scott Z. Burns for Apple TV+. The series premiered on March 17, 2023.

<i>Lessons in Chemistry</i> 2023 television miniseries based on the novel by Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry is an American historical drama miniseries developed by Lee Eisenberg, based on the novel of the same name by Bonnie Garmus. It stars Brie Larson as chemist Elizabeth Zott who begins hosting her own feminist cooking show in 1960s America.

References

  1. 1 2 Thorne, Will (December 12, 2019). "'Little America' Scores Early Season 2 Renewal at Apple". Variety . Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (February 8, 2018). "'Little America' Immigrant Anthology Series In Works At Apple From 'The Big Sick' Writers, Lee Eisenberg & Alan Yang". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  3. ↑ Tumwesigyeq, Joseph. "Uganda's Kemiyondo is "The Baker" in Apple TV+'s "Little America"". NTV Uganda. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  4. 1 2 Worthington, Clint (December 9, 2022). "Little America Returns For More Heartwarming Stories In Its Second Season". RogerEbert.com . Retrieved 2024-03-25.
  5. ↑ "Little America – Listings". Apple TV+ . 16 January 2020. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  6. ↑ Otterson, Joe (February 8, 2018). "'Big Sick' Pair, Lee Eisenberg to Shepherd Immigrant Anthology Series 'Little America' for Apple". Variety . Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  7. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (February 8, 2018). "'The Big Sick' Writers Plot Immigration Anthology Series for Apple". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  8. ↑ Wright, Megh (February 8, 2018). "Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon Developing 'Little America' Anthology Series at Apple". Splitsider. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  9. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (June 19, 2018). "Apple Orders 'Little America' Immigrant Anthology Series From 'The Big Sick' Writers, Lee Eisenberg & Alan Yang". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  10. ↑ Otterson, Joe (June 19, 2018). "Apple Orders 'Little America' Anthology Series From 'Big Sick' Duo, Lee Eisenberg". Variety . Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  11. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (June 19, 2018). "Immigration Anthology From 'Big Sick' Writers Ordered to Series at Apple". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ Katzban, Nicholas (April 17, 2019). "'Silicon Valley' star shoots Apple TV series in Lyndhurst on immigrant experience stories". Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  13. ↑ Daniel Reynolds, "Apple's Little America Spotlights Gay Muslims & Found Family's Power" Archived 2020-11-16 at the Wayback Machine . The Advocate , January 17, 2020.
  14. ↑ Nemetz, Dave (September 29, 2022). "The Mosquito Coast, Mythic Quest and More Get Fall Release Dates at Apple". TVLine . Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  15. 1 2 "Little America: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Little America". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  17. ↑ Giorgis, Hannah (2020-01-23). "Finally, Apple Has Made a Great TV Show With 'Little America'". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
  18. ↑ Lowry, Brian (2020-01-16). "'Little America' brings a warm look at immigrant stories to Apple TV+". CNN. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
  19. ↑ Mathieson, Craig (2022-12-28). "Billie Piper returns in I Hate Suzie Too, and it's a punch in the guts". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
  20. ↑ Evans, Greg (August 5, 2020). "Imagen Awards For Latinx Representation Sets Nominees: 'One Day At A Time', 'I Carry You With Me' On Roster – Complete List". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  21. ↑ Giardina, Carolyn (October 24, 2020). "Spike Lee at Location Manager Guild Awards: "God Willing We'll All Be Back Working Together"". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  22. ↑ "BAFTA TV 2021: Nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards". BAFTA. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  23. ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (April 8, 2021). "GLAAD Media Awards Winners List: 'Schitt's Creek', 'Disclosure', 'Star Trek: Discovery', 'We're Here' Among Honorees; Deadline's New Hollywood Podcast Receives Special Recognition". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  24. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 26, 2021). "Spirit Awards Nominations: 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always', 'Minari', 'Nomadland' & 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' Lead Field". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  25. ↑ Davis, Clayton (February 2, 2021). "Viola Davis, Tyler Perry and Regina King Up for Entertainer of the Year at 2021 NAACP Image Awards". Variety . Retrieved February 11, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.