"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)
James Duff		(unknown episodes)
Wendy MacLeod		(unknown episodes)
Gina Matthews		(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)
Herb Gains	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Phillip M. Goldfarb	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Adam Horowitz	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Gina Matthews	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Ryan Murphy	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Ari Posner	....	producer / supervising producer (unknown episodes)
Eric Preven	....	producer / supervising producer (unknown episodes)
Mike Weiss	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Tom Harriman		(43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Donald Markowitz		(unknown episodes)
Amani K. Smith		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Christopher Baffa		(unknown episodes)
J. Clark Mathis		(unknown episodes)

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

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

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

Series Set Decoration by
Bill Gregory		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Lou Eyrich		(unknown episodes)
Carol Ramsey		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Jennifer Turchi	....	makeup artist (15 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)
Wendy Robin	....	makeup department head (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Sheridan Thayer	....	production supervisor (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Ashley Alden	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Herb Gains	....	unit production manager (unknown episodes)
Phillip M. Goldfarb	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

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

Series Art Department
Chris Call	....	property master (43 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)
Christopher Redmond	....	assistant property master (unknown episodes, 2000)
Curtis Akin	....	property master (unknown episodes)
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)
Walter Anderson	....	production sound mixer (unknown episodes)
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 (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)
Marisa Aboitiz	....	costume supervisor (unknown episodes)
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)
Mary Parker	....	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)
Daniel Quick	....	transportation coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Louis Farah	....	set paramedic (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
Andrea Gruber	....	publicist (43 episodes, 1999-2001)
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)
Jim Carberry	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Jose Chavarry	....	acting coach (unknown episodes)
Eli Golub	....	technician: HotHead (unknown episodes)
Drew Hayes	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Skye Kang	....	assistant to executive producer (unknown episodes)
Ehren Koepf	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Kathleen Mulligan	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Geoffrey R. Smith	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Sheridan Thayer	....	production coordinator (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:

In the show, the main girl's bathroom is called "The Novak" which holds all the pictures of the homecoming queens. The name is inspired by when movie stars would donate money to schools (often an alma mater). The writers found out that 'Kim Novak' actually did donate money to a school in the Santa Monica area (where the school/show is set), so they named this room after her.

Quotes:

Brooke McQueen: Are you spying on me now?
Mike McQueen: Should I be?

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Supermodels

Orginal the first show to make us laugh and cry within five minutes.

Popular is best described as a dramedy, for its 43 episodes it both had its bittersweet moments ones that made you cry to it's repulsive laugh out loud black comedy moments which made us die with laughter. Popular dealt with the issue we all face in high school the divide between the popular people and the unpopular people and for once it shows us that those people arent losers as they were in other stereotypical teen dramas. The cast were first class, the leads were good choices as they did seem like representable teenage girls. Plus the fact that Sara rue (perharps one of the best actresses on the show) represented fat people like me without any difficulty because shewas so honest with the role. I've read on here that people think this season made fun at delicate issues. That is not true it did indeed show that they were done in a new light. not with the same softpading done with other shows. Honest Brutal and touching. Popular dealt with issues truthfully the way we have to in the world and in the world it shows us not everything is peachy. Plus we finally got funny moments admist the sadness which took away the depressing parts of the show. So for all the cast the top acting skills which i plan to continue enjoying i enjoyed after last moments of brooke and co and sam and co as it was good to see something other than stereotypical rubbish when popular broke the boundraries of our modern society