ABC’s Thirtysomething sequel series has found a new addition in This Is Us‘ Auden Thornton.The new series, titled Thirtysomething(else), will focus on the now grown-up children of the original titular thirtysomethings, consequently now in their thirties as well.
Thornton will play Brittany Weston, daughter of Elliot (Timothy Busfield) and Nancy (Patricia Wettig) Weston from the original cast of characters, and sister to Ethan (Patrick Fugit of Outcast). Other confirmed cast members include Supergirl‘s Odette Annable and Chris Wood as Janey and Leo Steadman, children of Michael (Ken Olin) and Hope (Mel Harris) Steadman.
Thirtysomething(else) comes from the same producers as the original show, Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, who created the series which ran from 1987 to 1991. Focusing on a group of baby boomers in their thirties raising their children during the late 1980s, the show became a staple in pop culture, earning 41 Emmy nominations (as well as 13 wins), and even influencing the Oxford English Dictionary to add the term “thirtysomething” in 1993. The show was also groundbreaking in that it was the first series to show two men laying in bed together, in the 1989 episode “Strangers.”
Wettig, Busfield, Olin, and Harris will reprise their roles from the original series. No announcement has been made of yet as to if Polly Draper will return as local politician Ellyn Warren, a childhood friend of Hope Steadman, in addition to Peter Horton with his role as Gary Sheperd, Michael Steadman’s college roommate turned lifelong friend.
Thorton, best known for her role as Kate Pearson’s future daughter-in-law on NBC’s This Is Us, is set to portray Brittany, a passionate therapist-in-training who may be in need of therapy herself, having just broken up with her on-and-off girlfriend, Angelica. Annable and Wood’s roles as Janey and Leo will see the Supergirl co-stars paired up as brother and sister, and Fugit will play Brittany’s brother Ethan, a touring musician struggling with his mental health in addition to being a new father.
The series is set to begin production in March, with an open writers room helping the producers “[gear] up for series,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Herskovitz and Zwick are set to executive produce the series, with Zwick signing on to direct the pilot.
Only a pilot episode has been confirmed as of yet, but with a writers room already in full swing and a complete slate of cast members rounded up, it may be safe to predict Thirtysomething(else) will see at least a few episodes on air.