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Work in Progress (TV series)

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Work in Progress is an American comedy-drama television series produced by Showtime that premiered on December 8, 2019.[2][3] The series was created by Abby McEnany and Tim Mason, written and executive produced by McEnany, Mason, and Lilly Wachowski, and directed by Mason. Work in Progress stars McEnany in a semi-autobiographical role alongside Karin Anglin, Celeste Pechous, Julia Sweeney (as a fictionalized version of herself), and Theo Germaine. The entire series was written, filmed, and post-produced in Chicago.

Work in Progress
Official release poster
GenreComedy
Created by
Starring
ComposerEthan Stoller
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes18 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Abby McEnany
  • Tim Mason
  • Lisa Masseur (pilot)
  • Lilly Wachowski
  • Lawrence Mattis
  • Josh Adler
  • Ashley Berns
  • Julia Sweeney
  • Tony Hernandez
Producers
  • Mckenzi Cohen (pilot)
  • Brian McNeely (pilot)
  • Jacqueline "JJ" Ingram (pilot)
  • John Skidmore
Production locationChicago
CinematographyMichael Ognisanti
Editors
  • Mike Berg
  • Joseph Jett Sally
  • Kat Thomas
  • Bettina Z Treviranus
Camera setupSingle-camera[1]
Running time23–30 minutes
Production companies
  • Tessa Films (pilot)
  • Monday
  • Squirrel Soup
  • Circle of Confusion
  • Jax Media
Original release
NetworkShowtime
ReleaseDecember 8, 2019 (2019-12-08) –
October 10, 2021 (2021-10-10)

The pilot episode was shown at the Sundance Film Festival.[4] The first season of Work in Progress, consisting of eight episodes, premiered on Showtime on December 8, 2019.[4] It received positive critical reception.

On January 13, 2020, Showtime renewed the series for a 10-episode second season, to be filmed in Chicago later in the year.[5] The second season premiered on August 22, 2021.[6]

On January 27, 2022, Showtime canceled the series after two seasons.[7]

Synopsis

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A self-identified "fat, queer dyke" enters into a transformative relationship during a time of crisis.

Cast

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Main

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Recurring

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  • Gerard Neugent as Mike, Alison's husband.
  • Echaka Agba as Melanie, Abby's ex.
  • Armand Fields as King, Chris's friend and co-worker.
  • Mary Sohn as Susan, Abby's boss

Special guests

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Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
18December 8, 2019 (2019-12-08)January 26, 2020 (2020-01-26)
210August 22, 2021 (2021-08-22)October 10, 2021 (2021-10-10)

Season 1 (2019–20)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [10]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [10]U.S. viewers
(millions)
11"180 Almonds"Tim MasonAbby McEnany & Tim MasonDecember 8, 2019 (2019-12-08)0.134[11]
22"176, 172, 171"Tim MasonAbby McEnany & Tim Mason & Lilly WachowskiDecember 15, 2019 (2019-12-15)0.131[12]
33"162"Tim MasonAbby McEnany & Tim Mason & Lilly WachowskiDecember 22, 2019 (2019-12-22)0.067[13]
44"161, 153, 137, 122, 106, 104, 102 (We're Still Counting Almonds.)"Tim MasonAbby McEnany & Tim Mason & Lilly WachowskiDecember 29, 2019 (2019-12-29)0.094[14]
55"66, 65, 64, 62"Tim MasonAbby McEnany & Tim Mason & Lilly WachowskiJanuary 5, 2020 (2020-01-05)0.110[15]
66"15, 14 (pt. 1)"Tim MasonAbby McEnany & Tim Mason & Lilly WachowskiJanuary 12, 2020 (2020-01-12)0.085[16]
77"14 (pt. 2), 12, 11, 10"Tim MasonAbby McEnany & Tim Mason & Lilly WachowskiJanuary 19, 2020 (2020-01-19)0.100[17]
88"3, 2, 1"Tim MasonAbby McEnany & Tim Mason & Lilly WachowskiJanuary 26, 2020 (2020-01-26)0.083[18]

Season 2 (2021)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [10]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [10]U.S. viewers
(millions)
91"Life Got In The Way"Blythe HaagaLilly Wachowski & Abby McEnanyAugust 22, 2021 (2021-08-22)0.067[19]
102"Everything’s Fine, Everything’s Okay"Thembi BanksAmanda Blake DavisAugust 22, 2021 (2021-08-22)0.057[19]
113"Two Queens On Two Queens"Thembi BanksBrendan DowlingAugust 29, 2021 (2021-08-29)0.067[20]
124"Apologies And Their Fluctuating Nature"Kris ReySamantha IrbyAugust 29, 2021 (2021-08-29)0.072[20]
135"Take Your Child To Work Day"Kris ReyKate James & Sarah Halle CoreySeptember 5, 2021 (2021-09-05)0.033[21]
146"Eleanor Roosevelt"Mickey R. MahoneyAbby McEnany & Tien TranSeptember 12, 2021 (2021-09-12)0.045[22]
157"Oh Say Can You See"Lilly WachowskiKate JamesSeptember 19, 2021 (2021-09-19)0.064[23]
168"FTP"Yance FordSamantha Irby & Lilly WachowskiSeptember 26, 2021 (2021-09-26)0.057[24]
179"Hey, Dad"Yance FordLilly Wachowski & Abby McEnanyOctober 3, 2021 (2021-10-03)0.062[25]
1810"I Release You"Lilly WachowskiLilly Wachowski & Abby McEnanyOctober 10, 2021 (2021-10-10)0.066[26]

Production

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According to Germaine, Lilly Wachowski was frequently on the set as an advisor and helped direct the sex scene of the third episode among others.[27]

Michael Ognisanti served as the series cinematographer. Because the series is inspired by McEnany's life, the challenge for Ognisanti was to capture the authenticity of the story in the look of the show. For this reason, filming took place in real locations, mostly night interiors, and for lighting they used practical light sources augmented with small LEDs, to avoid making it look artificial. Because of the improvisational style of acting, Ognisanti used two Arri Alexa Mini cameras, for a higher chance to capture unscripted moments that could not be recreated after the fact. The cameras were fitted with Zeiss Super Speed lenses. Ognisanti storyboarded the whole series based on input by Mason in Cinema 4D before they went to shoot on location.[28]

Inspired by her participation in Netflix's Disclosure, Executive Producer Lilly Wachowski made an emphatic push for trans representation throughout the cast and crew including the soundtrack.[29] Transgender musicians in the show's soundtrack include Backxwash,[30] Quay Dash,[30] Sateen,[31] SuperKnova,[30][32] and Mel Stone.[33]

Reception

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Critical reception of Work in Progress has been mostly positive. Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator website, reported a 100% critical approval rating with an average rating of 8.00/10 based on 30 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "As radically hilarious as it is relatably uncomfortable, Work in Progress is a stunning debut from co-creator and star Abby McEnany."[34] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the season is assigned a score of 78 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[35]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2022 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Work in Progress Nominated [36]

References

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  1. ^ "Shows A-Z - work in progress on showtime | TheFutonCritic.com". www.thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  2. ^ Pedersen, Erik (May 30, 2019). "'Work In Progress': Showtime Orders Comedy Series Starring Abby McEnany; EP Lilly Wachowski Co-Writing". Deadline. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  3. ^ Petski, Denise (August 2, 2019). "Showtime Sets Premiere Dates For 'Work In Progress' & 'Couples Therapy' – TCA". Deadline. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Rose, Michelle (December 8, 2019). "Abby McEnany is a Witty 'Work In Progress' on Showtime". Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, Pennsylvania). p. T7.
  5. ^ a b Petski, Denise (January 13, 2020). "'Work In Progress' Renewed For Season 2 By Showtime – TCA".
  6. ^ Alexandra Del Rosario (June 29, 2021). "'Work in Progress': Showtime Sets Season 2 Premiere Date & Trailer For Abby McEnany Comedy". Deadline Hollywood.
  7. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (January 27, 2022). "'Black Monday' & 'Work In Progress' Canceled At Showtime". Deadline Hollywood.
  8. ^ "'Work In Progress' Season 1 Episode 3 addresses offensive representations in 80s and 90s pop culture". meaww.com. December 23, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  9. ^ Yankovic, Al (December 23, 2019). "Huge thanks to Abby McEnany and all the wonderful folks at @WiP_SHO for letting me explore an alternate universe where I'm short-haired, extremely boring, obsessed with sangria, and married to Julia Sweeney.pic.twitter.com/cd3UC5nAaf". Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d "Work in Progress – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  11. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 10, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.8.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  12. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 17, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.15.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  13. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 24, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.22.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  14. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (December 31, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.29.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  15. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (January 7, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.5.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  16. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (January 14, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.12.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  17. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (January 22, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.19.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  18. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (January 28, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.26.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (August 24, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.22.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  20. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (August 31, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.29.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  21. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (September 8, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 9.5.2021 Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  22. ^ "Work In Progress: Season Two Ratings". TV Series Finale. September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  23. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (September 21, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 9.19.2021 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  24. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (September 28, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 9.26.2021 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  25. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (October 5, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 10.3.2021 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  26. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (October 10, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 10.10.2021 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  27. ^ Reddish, David (December 8, 2019). "Theo Germaine went from barista to 'The Politician' & 'Work in Progress'". Queerty.
  28. ^ "Race to the Finish". International Cinematographers Guild Magazine. January 14, 2019.
  29. ^ Kumar, Naveen (August 23, 2021). ""Work in Progress" Showed Lilly Wachowski the Joy of Queer Storytelling". them. Condé Nast. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  30. ^ a b c "Music from Work in Progress S1E02". Tunefind. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  31. ^ "Music from Work in Progress S1E03". Tunefind. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  32. ^ "Music from Work in Progress S1E04". Tunefind. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  33. ^ "Music from Work in Progress S1E05". Tunefind. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  34. ^ "Work in Progress: Season 1". Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  35. ^ "Work in Progress". Retrieved August 23, 2021 – via www.metacritic.com.
  36. ^ "The Nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
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