Dolly Parton's Heartstrings
Anthology series inspired by Dolly Parton's songs.
Netflix · via Wikipedia: Dolly Parton's Heartstrings · Fair use
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings is an American anthology series blending drama and comedy. It debuted on Netflix on November 22, 2019. The show explores the stories, memories, and inspirations behind some of Parton's most famous songs.
Netflix ordered an eight-episode first season in June 2018, when the project was still untitled. Dolly Parton and Sam Haskell were set as executive producers, with production companies including Dixie Pixie Productions, Magnolia Hill Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, and Sandollar Productions. The New York Times noted that the series was inspired by the WNYC podcast *Dolly Parton's America*. By November 2018, the series had its title, a 2019 premiere date, and Patrick Sean Smith as showrunner and additional executive producer. Episodes were based on the songs "Jolene," "These Old Bones," and "If I Had Wings." Jim Strain wrote all episodes; Joe Lazarov directed "These Old Bones," and Timothy Busfield directed "If I Had Wings." In December 2018, Terry McDonough was set to direct an episode based on "JJ Sneed" from another Strain script. In February 2019, the remaining four episodes were announced, based on "Two Doors Down," "Down from Dover," "Sugar Hill," and "Cracker Jack." Wendey Stanzler directed "Two Doors Down" from a script by Mark B. Perry; Erica Dunton directed "Down From Dover" from a script by John Sacret Young; Lev L. Spiro directed "Sugar Hill" from a script by Thomas Ian Griffith and Mary Page Keller; and Liesl Tommy directed "Cracker Jack" from a script by Lisa Melamed.
Dolly Parton was confirmed to appear in the series from the start. In November 2018, casting was announced for "Jolene" (Julianne Hough, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Dallas Roberts), "These Old Bones" (Kathleen Turner, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kyle Bornheimer), and "If I Had Wings" (Gerald McRaney, Brooke Elliott, Ben Lawson, Michele Weaver, Delta Burke, Tim Reid).
- Field
- Television
- Nationality
- American
- Known for
- Anthology dramedy series based on Dolly Parton's songs
Lore & Background
The series was announced on June 4, 2018, when Netflix gave the production a series order for a first season of eight episodes. Executive producers included Dolly Parton and Sam Haskell, with production companies including Dixie Pixie Productions, Magnolia Hill Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, and Sandollar Productions. The New York Times reported that the show was inspired by the WNYC podcast Dolly Parton's America. In November 2018, the series was titled Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, with Patrick Sean Smith serving as showrunner and additional executive producer. Episodes were based on the songs 'Jolene', 'These Old Bones', 'If I Had Wings', 'JJ Sneed', 'Two Doors Down', 'Down from Dover', 'Sugar Hill', and 'Cracker Jack'.
Reader's Guide
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings represents a unique intersection of music and television, adapting Parton's iconic songs into standalone dramatic episodes. The series received mixed critical reception, holding a 50% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes but a weighted average score of 72 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating generally favorable reviews. Its cultural impact is notable through awards recognition: the episode 'Two Doors Down' received a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Individual Episode at the 31st GLAAD Awards, while 'These Old Bones' was nominated for a 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie and won the Faith & Freedom award at the 2020 MovieGuide Awards. The series featured a large ensemble cast across its episodes, including Julianne Hough, Kathleen Turner, Gerald McRaney, Melissa Leo, and Sarah Shahi, among others. Filming took place in Georgia from September 2018 through January 2019, utilizing locations such as Cartersville, Stone Mountain, Kennesaw, and various other sites across the state.
Did You Know?
- Principal photography commenced in September 2018 in Georgia.
- The episode 'Two Doors Down' won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Individual Episode.
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