Cecily Strong to Lead Musical Comedy Series at Apple TV+ Produced by ‘SNL’ Boss Lorne Michaels

January 31, 2020

Cecily Strong

Even though Apple TV+ doesn’t seem too keen to share their subscribers numbers after launching last year, the streaming service from the tech giant is showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to creating new content. A new addition to their slate of original programming is in the works from Despicable Me writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio and executive producer Lorne Michaels, the mastermind behind Saturday Night Live, and it will feature SNL cast member Cecily Strong in one of the lead roles. So what’s this Apple TV+ musical comedy series about?

Deadline has news of the Apple TV+ musical comedy series that doesn’t yet have an official title, but it does have a fun premise. A couple heads out on a backpacking trip to help reinvigorate their relationship and they stumble upon a town called Schmigadoon. For some reason, everyone here acts as if they’re in a big studio musical from the 1940s, and very quickly, the couple finds out they can’t leave town until they find “true love.”

That sounds like a lot of fun. It has that feel of a comedic approach to La La Land but with a musical Pleasantville kind of twist. Musical shows can be hit or miss on television, especially when it comes to the quality of the song and dance numbers. The question is whether the couple finds that their true love is for each other or maybe they’ll fall in love with someone else. Perhaps they’ll each learn to love themselves before they can be in a proper relationship. It could go a variety of ways.

Lorne Michaels will executive produce (through Broadway Video) while Paul will be the showrunner. Strong is also producing in addition to her starring role, and Daurio will be a consulting producer. Universal Television is also on board the project.

Apparently this project has been in the works at Apple for nearly an entire year, so they must have been working to get it just right before going into production. Or were they maybe waiting until Cecily Strong decided to leave SNL? Apparently the current 45th season is the last one in her current contract, but she may not necessarily have to leave the sketch series in order to make this Apple TV+ show. After all, it doesn’t sound like it can sustain itself over more than a single season. Plus, SNL cast members Aidy Bryant and Kenan Thompson both have their own shows (Shrill at Hulu and The Kenan Show at NBC, respectively), and they’re not intending to leave SNL anytime soon.

Cecily Strong is one of the more underrated cast members currently at SNL. She’s not always in the spotlight, but when she is, it’s usually hilarious. Since this is a musical series we’re talking about, we’ll leave you with one of her more recent musical exploits on SNL from the holidays last year: