Apple’s original TV series Dickinson made its debut at the Tribeca TV Festival this weekend. The series is about the life of poet Emily Dickinson.
This is the first time the public has seen one of Apple’s new TV+ shows. The show will officially debut on November 1 when Apple TV+ launches.
Deadline writes that Dickinson mixes “drama, comedy and romance steeped in literary history.” The show is likened to Baz Luhrmann’s film Romeo + Juliet by mixing historical and contemporary styles. It will feature songs by artists like Billie Eilish and rapper Wiz Khalifa in the role of Death.
Creator Alena Smith says that she was trying to show a person with a, “modern consciousness trapped in a pre-modern time.” She also said that the show plays fast and loose with real events. “Look, folks, let me break it to you — spoiler — her life was boring.”
Dickinson: Coming soon
Dickinson stars Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, Bumblebee) as the 19th-century American poet. Apple showed off its first trailer for the show in late August. At the time, I commented on the contemporary style and the show’s punky, feminist aesthetic:
“With its hip 21st century take on a historical drama, Dickinson reminds me of Sofia Coppola’s 2006 movie Marie Antoinette. Coming shortly after Apple’s #MeToo-era trailer for The Morning Show, it suggests that Apple TV+ will embrace social issues in a big way.”
The first Dickinson teaser trailer showed the young writer rebelling against societal norms as words from her poem Wild Nights scrawl across the screen.
The show will be one of several shows that will launch on Apple TV+. The streaming service will cost $4.99 per month, making it considerably cheaper than rivals like Netflix. Customers who buy a new Apple devices will also get a one year subscription thrown in for free.
