10 TV Shows Based On The Creator's Real Life | Screen Rant
Heartbreaking dramas like Euphoria and fan-favorite comedies like Seinfeld share a key similarity - they were all inspired by the lives of people who create, write, and sometimes even star in the series. Relatable television shows can captivate the attention of audiences and create loyal fanbases around the world.
There are so many authentic stories that have not yet been told, but the countless scripts that have ties to real-life people or events strike a chord with viewers. The settings and characters have depth and flaws that can get lost in translation when a show takes place in a fantasy world. While some of these true stories are more well-known, others might surprise the biggest fans of these popular TV shows.
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The 10-time Emmy-award-winning sitcom from the early '90s features storylines based on Jerry Seinfeld's observational stand-up comedy routine, which frames the opening and closing of each episode. In addition to the storylines mirroring Seinfeld's real-life experiences, the characters on Seinfeld are also based on real people.
Jerry was obviously based on Seinfeld himself, and viewers may find similarities between George Costanza and the show's co-creator, Larry David. According to her Slate interview, Seinfeld's former girlfriend and fellow comedian, Carol Leifer inspired Elaine Benes and often wrote for the character. Elaine and Jerry had one of the best friendships in Seinfeld, because they didn't sugarcoat anything, and held each other accountable. Even the most eccentric character, Cosmo Kramer, was based on David's real-life, money-scheming friend, Kenny Kramer, who organizes bus tours to some of Seinfeld's iconic New York City locations.
Stream on HBO Max
Larry David took his satirical and often cynical outlook on life one step further than Seinfeld, with his semi-autobiographical hit show, Curb Your Enthusiasm. In an era before mockumentaries were a popular style of television, this brilliant sitcom for HBO, littered with celebrities playing exaggerated versions of themselves, made viewers almost believe they were watching a reality show about David's life.
The dynamic between Larry David's on-screen persona, and the actress who plays his wife, Cheryl Hines, is so realistic that people often wonder if the two are married in real life. Unfortunately, they are not. But in an ironic twist of fate, according to Grist, David's actual ex-wife, Laurie Lennard ended her career as a TV producer to focus on environmental activism, after a poignant talk with Bobby Kennedy Jr., who is married to David's onscreen wife, Cheryl Hines.
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The socially awkward and palpably authentic brainchild of Paul Feig and Judd Apatow is Freaks and Geeks. Whereas most shows geared towards teens feature oversexualized or aspirational characters with an unattainable standard of beauty, Freaks and Geeks featured a slew of likable characters that were highly relatable, portrayed mostly by newcomers.
According to Vanity Fair, the storylines, setting, and characters are based on real experiences and real people, with the main influence stemming from Feig's high school memories. Although Feig and Apatow cast relative unknowns, they launched the careers of some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including James Franco and Seth Rogen, all from 18 episodes of pure nostalgia.
Stream on ABC or Hulu
One of the most notoriously autobiographical TV shows is The Goldbergs. The creator of the show, Adam F. Goldberg, proudly shares the fact that the main character of the same name is loosely based on him. The rest of the Goldberg family (aside from Erica), the family dynamic, and the show's nods to cinematic masterpieces are all based on Goldberg's actual life.
Growing up in the 1980s and '90s in Pennsylvania, when Goldberg and his brothers Barry and Eric weren't hanging out in the parking lot of the local Wawa, they were filming home movies, which are shown in short clips at the end of most episodes. In real life, his overbearing 'smother' Beverly wore the same colorful sweaters that Wendi McLendon-Covey rocks on the show. The real Goldbergs and some of Adam's childhood friends even make cameos throughout the show's run, which is currently in its 9th season.
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Chris Rock is no stranger to controversy or adversity, and this is apparent in his semi-autobiographical sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. Although the timeline of the show takes place a little bit later than Chris's actual time in junior high and high school, and the fictional version of Chris only has one brother and one sister, and Rock has a total of seven siblings, the storylines were mostly drawn from the comedian's experiences growing up in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn.
As Rock recounts in his interview with the Chicago Tribune, his hard-working, penny-pinching father, Julius really was shorted the big piece of chicken when Chris took it, just like in the pilot episode. Rock was relentlessly beaten up by his school bully, and his best friend stuck with him through all the hard times. While some names were altered in the re-telling of his life stories, Rock really dropped out of high school and earned his GED before making it big in comedy.
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As a comedian and writer, Amy Schumer draws a lot of inspiration from her experiences, and her latest show, Life & Beth is no exception. In her interview with USA Today, Schumer shared that she spent a lot of time looking through her old journals and photos when she was pregnant with her son, which prompted the urge to revisit her adolescent years and learn more about how they affected her as an adult.
Set in Schumer's hometown of Long Island, the Hulu original series focuses on a parallel between Beth's teenage years and adulthood. Beth is Schumer's middle name, and Life & Beth features a lot of important details from Schumer's life, including her divorced parents, younger sister, and love interest who shares a passion for farming like her husband, award-winning chef Chris Fischer. Although Schumer fictionalized quite a few details, the honest tone, genuine characters, and memorable quotes from Life & Beth are undeniably Amy Schumer's style of storytelling.
Stream on Peacock or Amazon Prime Video
At first glance, Psych is a pop culture fanatic's dream series, but at the heart of the show is the struggle between a former police officer, Henry Spencer, who takes investigations very seriously, and his arrogant yet flaky son, Shawn, who pretends to be a psychic detective, as a clever guise to justify the hidden observational talents his father instilled in him at a young age.
The father/son dynamic in Psych is tied to the real one of show creator, Steve Franks, and his father who was a police officer for the LAPD for 20 years. Franks' father taught him a lot of the same observational techniques and survival skills that Henry teaches Young Shawn on the show, including the exercise of recalling how many hats were in the room, which was featured in the pilot episode of Psych.
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Starring SNL's Aidy Bryant as Annie, an up-and-coming journalist, this cutting-edge comedy is based on show creator Lindy West's memoir, Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman. The show focuses on body positivity and a path to finding self-worth, along with other serious topics. The storylines in Shrill have been profoundly moving and healing for West, as she notes in the Seattle Times.
In the show's third and final season, Annie's growth as a character mirrored West's growth in her journey for self-acceptance. The writing on the show moved beyond the discussion of body image and followed Annie's exploration of intimacy in her personal relationships, and how it impacted her self-confidence. Although Annie is a fictional character, it's clear that her thoughts and emotions come from a very real place, as this semi-autobiographical venture is West's first time writing for television.
Stream on Freeform, Hulu, or ABC
Freeform's Single Drunk Female is loosely based on show creator, writer, and executive producer Simone Finch's path to sobriety. The show follows 20-something Samantha Fink, as she re-learns how to do things sober, including writing, reflecting Finch's career. As she mentions in her interview with Collider, the challenges Sam faces as she tries to reconcile with her friends and family, and learns how to behave with her sponsor, are directly influenced by Finch's personal experiences.
Finch previously worked on The Conners, which highlights Becky Conner as a single mom trying to stay sober as she attends college and attempts to find a way out of poverty. Although Becky and Sam are at slightly different stages in life, they are at the beginning of their sober journey.
Stream on HBO Max
HBO's Euphoria shines a dark lens on pivotal issues teenagers may encounter. While this show has spurred a lot of controversy in the media, the most heartbreaking and realistic storyline comes from Zendaya portraying Rue Bennett. Though Rue and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson come from very different backgrounds, according to his interview with Variety, the profound experiences Levinson had in rehab at age 19, and the revelations about how he treated people when he was on drugs, are part of what inspired him to make the show and highlight a complex character like Rue.
The intricate details of what unfolds when Rue is relapsing or going through withdrawals make it obvious to the viewer that this stark truth is coming from a real person. While Zendaya puts on a phenomenal performance, ultimately, it is the vulnerability and sincerity of Levinson's writing, producing, and directing that tells such an honest story.