TV Creators Discuss Romance as Escape from Doomsday Headlines
7 reported
Television creators are focusing on love-themed shows as audiences seek escape from upsetting news, according to a Variety report. “Nobody Wants This” creator Erin Foster said it makes sense that people are drawn to things that make them feel good, and romance makes people feel good. The report examines how shows like “Bridgerton” Season 4, “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette,” and “Nobody Wants This” approach romance, intimacy, and character development. Showrunners and producers discussed the importance of addressing power differences, using intimate moments to set tone, and grounding romance in real relationship struggles. Intimacy coordinators were described as vital, with love scenes compared to choreographed pieces that show character growth. The concept of the “female gaze” was also discussed, focusing on building yearning and rooting attraction in who characters are as people rather than explicit physical acts.
What’s reported
“Nobody Wants This” creator Erin Foster said romance makes people feel good and it makes sense audiences are drawn to it amid upsetting headlines.
“Bridgerton” Season 4 showrunner Jess Brownell said it was important to show Benedict stepping outside his privilege and helping Sophie feel safe.
“Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette” executive producer Brad Simpson said Ryan Murphy’s idea was to make love scenes tasteful and classical, evoking classic love stories from the 1970s and 1980s.
Intimacy coordinator Lizzy Talbot, who worked on “Love Story,” said love scenes are physical dialogue that show character growth in vulnerable moments.
Foster said Noah’s desirability in “Nobody Wants This” stems from being a good partner, such as buying a bedside table, which she called the kind of romance every woman wants.
Brownell described the “female gaze” as building yearning and rooting attraction in who characters are as people, not just physical acts.
“Love Story” co-boss Nina Jacobson said the obstacles between John and Carolyn were genuine and authentic, and the show chose to have them find a way back to each other with optimism and earnestness.
Key figures
Erin Foster, creator of “Nobody Wants This”
Jess Brownell, showrunner of “Bridgerton” Season 4
Brad Simpson, executive producer of “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette”
Lizzy Talbot, intimacy coordinator on “Love Story”
Nina Jacobson, co-boss of “Love Story”
Luke Thompson, actor playing Benedict in “Bridgerton”
Yerin Ha, actor playing Sophie in “Bridgerton”
Adam Brody, actor playing Noah in “Nobody Wants This”
Ryan Murphy, producer of “Love Story”
Sources: Variety
