Cybill
A sitcom about a twice-divorced actress navigating career and family.
Cybill is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre that aired on CBS from 1995 to 1998. The series stars Cybill Shepherd as Cybill Sheridan, a twice-divorced single mother and struggling actress in her 40s. It received critical praise, won a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, and earned Shepherd a Golden Globe for her performance.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Sitcom
- Creator
- Chuck Lorre
- Starring
- Cybill Shepherd
- Christine Baranski
- Alicia Witt
- Alan Rosenberg
- Dedee Pfeiffer
- Tom Wopat
- Theme music
- George Gershwin; Ira Gershwin
- Opening theme
- "Nice Work if You Can Get It" by Cybill Shepherd
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 4
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Set in Los Angeles, Cybill follows Cybill Sheridan, a faded actress in her 40s who now takes character roles, bit parts, and TV commercials. Her daughters Zoey and Rachel, ex-husbands Ira and Jeff, and hard-drinking best friend Maryann are central to the story. Many episodes open with a show-within-a-show format, depicting Cybill in various acting roles. Shepherd stated the character was based on her own life without her major successes.
Cast and characters
Cybill Shepherd plays Cybill Sheridan, a middle-aged actress with a mediocre career in commercials, soap operas, and B-movies. She faces diminishing roles due to age, with inconsistent financial fortunes. A feminist and New Age practitioner from Memphis, Tennessee, her outspoken behavior embarrasses her daughters Zoey (Alicia Witt) and Rachel (Dedee Pfeiffer). She maintains civil relationships with ex-husbands Jeff (Tom Wopat) and Ira (Alan Rosenberg), though she clashes with Jeff over infidelity and Ira over his past control. Her best friend is wealthy alcoholic divorcee Maryann Thorpe (Christine Baranski), whom she supports emotionally. Cybill has a caustic sense of humor but shows strength in supporting family and friends.
Cancellation
CBS canceled Cybill abruptly after the 1997–98 season following a ratings decline. The show was pulled from the schedule after the April 8, 1998 episode, with remaining episodes aired over the summer. The series ends on a cliffhanger with the words 'To Be Continued...' Shepherd alleged the cancellation stemmed from network discomfort with feminist themes and frank female sexuality. In 2018, she claimed Les Moonves interfered with the series and canceled it after she refused his advances.
Awards and nominations
Cybill received twelve Emmy Award nominations throughout its run, winning three. Christine Baranski won an Emmy, an American Comedy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Viewers for Quality Television Award for her performance. Cybill Shepherd won the 1996 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy, and the series won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy that same year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Cybill are there?
Cybill has 87 episodes across 4 seasons.
When did Cybill first air?
Cybill first aired on 2 January 1995.
When did Cybill end?
Cybill last aired on 13 July 1998.
More in Television Series by Carsey-Werner Productions
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