"Popular" (1999) TV series 1999-2001

Creators:

Gina Matthews
Ryan Murphy
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

29 September 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Two girls who despise each other, due to being on opposite sides of the "popularity fence", are forced together upon learning that their parents are getting married.

Plot Keywords:

High School | Rivalry | High School Athlete | Transvestite | Gay Rights

Awards:

5 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Leslie Bibb	...	Brooke McQueen (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Carly Pope	...	Samantha 'Sam' McPherson (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Tamara Mello	...	Lily Esposito (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Christopher Gorham	...	Harrison John (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Sara Rue	...	Carmen Ferrara (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Bryce Johnson	...	Josh Ford (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Tammy Lynn Michaels	...	Nicole Julian (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Ron Lester	...	Michael 'Sugar Daddy' Bernardino (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Leslie Grossman	...	Mary Cherry (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Lisa Darr	...	Jane McPherson (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Scott Bryce	...	Mike McQueen (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Diane Delano	...	Miss Roberta 'Bobbi' Glass / ... (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Adria Dawn	...	April Tuna (19 episodes, 1999-2001)

Series Directed by
Jamie Babbit		(8 episodes, 1999-2001)
Lev L. Spiro		(4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Craig Zisk		(4 episodes, 2000-2001)
Arvin Brown		(unknown episodes)
Marc Buckland		(unknown episodes)
Randall Miller		(unknown episodes)
Lawrence Trilling		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Ryan Murphy		(43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Oliver Goldstick		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)
Adam Horowitz		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)
Edward Kitsis		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)
Gina Matthews		(1 episode, 1999)
James Duff		(unknown episodes)
Wendy MacLeod		(unknown episodes)
Tim Wollaston		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Michael M. Robin	....	executive producer (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Greer Shephard	....	executive producer (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Jamie Babbit	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Adam Horowitz	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Ari Posner	....	producer / supervising producer (unknown episodes)
Eric Preven	....	producer / supervising producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Tom Harriman		(42 episodes, 1999-2001)
Donald Markowitz		(1 episode, 1999)
Amani K. Smith		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Christopher Baffa		(1 episode, 1999)
J. Clark Mathis		(1 episode, 1999)

Series Film Editing by
Tim Boettcher		(14 episodes, 1999-2001)
Lisa Bromwell		(1 episode, 1999)
Lance Luckey		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Eric Dawson		(43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Carol Kritzer		(1 episode, 1999)
Robert J. Ulrich		(1 episode, 1999)

Series Production Design by
Lauren Crasco		(43 episodes, 1999-2001)

Series Art Direction by
Lauren Crasco		(1 episode, 1999)

Series Set Decoration by
Bill Gregory		(1 episode, 1999)

Series Costume Design by
Carol Ramsey		(1 episode, 1999)
Lou Eyrich		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Jennifer Turchi	....	makeup artist (14 episodes, 1999-2000)
Carol Collini	....	additional makeup artist / makeup artist (7 episodes, 2000-2001)
Cynthia Hernandez	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Selina Jayne	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Sheri Knight	....	additional makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Rela Martine	....	makeup department head (unknown episodes)
Carey Martine-Wareham	....	additional makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Sheridan Thayer	....	production supervisor (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Ashley Alden	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frederic B. Blankfein	....	first assistant director (1 episode, 1999)
Kelly Cantley	....	second assistant director (1 episode, 1999)
Steve Day	....	second assistant director (1 episode, 1999)
Jeff Rafner	....	first assistant director (1 episode, 1999)
Ronald Chong	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Ryan Craig	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Jody Spilkoman	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Chris Call	....	property master (42 episodes, 1999-2001)
Howard Fannon	....	props (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Tomas Sallvin	....	general foreman (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
dooner	....	art department coordinator (21 episodes, 2000-2001)
Jennifer Alisa Kornkosar	....	set dresser (7 episodes, 2000-2001)
Rick Osako	....	art department coordinator (5 episodes, 2000)
Curtis Akin	....	property master (1 episode, 1999)
Christopher Redmond	....	assistant property master (unknown episodes, 2000)
Bryan Hill	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)
Carmen Roderique	....	construction accountant (unknown episodes)
Macie Vener	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Mike Wells	....	construction coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Todd Murakami	....	sound effects editor (25 episodes, 1999-2001)
Mark Cookson	....	sound effects editor (16 episodes, 1999-2000)
Stephen Grubbs	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes, 1999)
Bob Newlan	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes, 2000)
Jesse K-D. Dodd	....	foley mixer (unknown episodes)
Pete Elia	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Stephen Fitzmaurice	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
Thomas Giordano	....	sound technician (unknown episodes)
Patrick Giraudi	....	additional sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Walter Hoylman	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Stacey Michaels	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
Chris Ostler	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Tim Jacobsen	....	visual effects producer (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Trey Freeman	....	digital compositor: Encore Visual Effects (unknown episodes)
Craig Kuehne	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)
Sean Mullen	....	digital compositor: Encore Visual Effects (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Mike Gunther	....	stunt coordinator (3 episodes, 1999)
Andy Gill	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Caryn Mower	....	stunt double: Leslie Grossman (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Andrew Glover	....	chief lighting technician (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Greg Hewett	....	key grip (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
John Scott	....	first assistant camera (32 episodes, 1999-2000)
Samuel Buddy Fries	....	camera operator: "a" camera (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Andrew Mogel	....	assistant camera (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Michael Dronge	....	grip (6 episodes, 1999)
Patriq Luo	....	electrician (6 episodes, 1999)
Brooks Robinson	....	Steadicam operator / steadicam operator (2 episodes, 1999)
Dan Ayers	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Bryan Booth	....	best boy electric (unknown episodes)
Marc Carter	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Cheli Clayton	....	second assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Jamal J. Farley	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Dominik Feller	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Coby Garfield	....	camera loader (unknown episodes)
Eli Golub	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Wayne Kosky	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Paul McCallum	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)
David Palmieri	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Dylan Rush	....	rigging gaffer (unknown episodes)
Michael Stumpf	....	additional assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Caroline Liem	....	casting assistant (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Sasha Adkinson	....	extras casting (unknown episodes)
Sandi Logan	....	casting associate (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tyra Youland	....	set costumer (6 episodes, 2000)
Jeannie H. Kelly	....	additional costumer (unknown episodes, 2001)
Augusta	....	set costumer (unknown episodes)
Cathie Filian	....	costumes (unknown episodes)
Jill Korengold	....	key set costumer (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Chris Jacobson	....	colorist (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Victoria Jensen	....	assistant editor: avid (unknown episodes)
Nicola Scaramuzzo	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Robert C. Wertman	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Tom Harriman	....	music producer (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Kevin J. Edelman	....	music supervisor (unknown episodes, 2000)
Jon Ernst	....	composer: additional music (unknown episodes)
Tass Filipos	....	music editor (unknown episodes)
Andrea von Foerster	....	music coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Glenn Midcap	....	driver (21 episodes, 2000-2001)
Michael Coady	....	transportation captain (unknown episodes)
Brad Quick	....	transportation captain (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Louis Farah	....	set paramedic (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Andrea Gruber	....	publicist (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Skye Kang	....	assistant to executive producer / assistant: R. Murphy and G. Matthews (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Trevor O'Neil	....	writing assistant (21 episodes, 2000-2001)
Jenny Siff	....	assistant production coordinator (7 episodes, 1999)
Shelley Marie Brown	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1999)
Jose Chavarry	....	acting coach (unknown episodes)
Eli Golub	....	technician: HotHead (unknown episodes)
Drew Hayes	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Ehren Koepf	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Sean Whitler	....	set production assistant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Murphy/Matthews Productions
• Shephard / Robin Productions
• Touchstone Television

Distributors

• Buena Vista Television
• WB Television Network, The

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies

Also Known As:

Popular (France) [fr]
Suositut (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

60 min (43 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Murphy/Matthews Productions

Trivia:

The producers didn't know the show was going to get cancelled. In fact, they claim that the WB executives told them to do cliffhangers, and they did, keeping in mind that they wouldn't be cancelled and had several storylines planned for a third season.

Quotes:

Police Officer: I'm gonna have to give you a ticket
Cherry Cherry: And I'm gonna have to give you the finger.
Police Officer: That's it. I'm booking you! Spread 'em!
Cherry Cherry: Only after a wedding proposal and a credit check!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Grosse Pointe: Mommy Dearest (#1.6)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Highschool Highway

Great!

I thought that this show would be somewhat stereotyped when I first tuned in. The only person who is really stereotyped is Nicole, but I don't really like her anyway. I do think that casting Sara Rue as Carmen was a great choice. More casting directors should take a tip and cast more curvy girls! Leslie Bibb and Carly Pope are great as Brooke and Sam, and I really like the character of Lily, played by Tamara Mello, she is so underrated and deserves more attention. Leslie Grossman and Ron Lester are hilarious as Mary Cherry and Sugar Daddy. And before we go into a debate over whether Josh is cuter than Harrison, let me answer HARRISON hands down! So just watch this show, and enjoy it as much as I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!