Period costumes, modern slang: Emily Dickinson series on Apple TV+ repackages 19th century US poet’s life for today’s audiences
- ‘A coming-of-age story about a young radical artist,’ says its writer. ‘An incredibly contemporary story ... about a young queer poet,’ says one of its stars
- Apple TV+ series starring True Grit’s Hailee Steinfeld as Dickinson focuses heavily on the poet’s more-than-friendly relationship with her sister-in-law
Apple’s new streaming service is taking a 21st century look at the life of 19th century poet Emily Dickinson, and hoping it will strike a chord with America’s youth. The series, Dickinson, stars 22-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, and hums with updated language and music from teen idol Billie Eilish and rapper Travis Scott.
“It’s a great opportunity for younger people to look at Emily Dickinson’s life and work in a very new way and a modern way,” says Jane Krakowski, who plays the poet’s mother. “If we could do all history this way, I think kids would love history in school,” she adds.
The series has already created some buzz among critics who previewed the show, with The Washington Post calling it “a delicious surprise”.
Apple is not the first broadcaster to tackle the enigmatic life of Dickinson, who only became famous after her death in 1886 at age 55. A Quiet Passion hit movie screens in 2016 and Wild Nights with Emily came out in 2018. Both received glowing reviews but failed to connect with viewers at the box office. The new Apple series, created by Alena Smith, takes a different approach.
The black comedy focuses on Dickinson’s rebellious youth during an upbringing in a conventional middle-class New England household. While the costumes and props make it look like a period drama, some of the slang used in conversation and popular music is distinctly modern.
“I see this as a coming-of-age story about a young radical artist who was ahead of her time,” says Smith. “I use modern language and modern music to show the way Emily’s inner consciousness is bursting at the seams against the corseted repressive rules and norms of the 19th century that she’s living in.”