LGBTQ+ Pride 2025: Mid-Century Modern

After the death of their friend George, a group older gay men who had been best friends for more than thirty years mourn his passing. The financially successful Bunny Schneiderman (Nathan Lane); Jerry Frank (Matt Bomer), a flight attendant; and Arthur Broussard (Nathan Lee Graham), a former fashion columnist for Vogue, who is currently unemployed, meet in Palm Springs where Bunny lives for the funeral.  Bunny shares his large home with his mother, Sybil (Linda Lavin), and realizing that life should be spent with those you love, he suggests that Jerry and Arthur move to Palm Springs and share his home.  At first, they are reticent, but eventually they realize that Bunny is right, and the three friends become roommates and even more, family.  They help each other navigate life’s challenges with humor, love and a lot of sarcasm.

Mid-Century Modern is an American comedy series which premiered on March 28, 2025 on Hulu.  The show is a nostalgic homage to The Golden Girls, it blends classic sitcom structure with modern LGBTQ+ themes, celebrating camaraderie and “stories of a chosen family”.  Critics responded warmly: Rotten Tomatoes reports an 88% Tomatometer, commending its blend of classic sitcom charm with risqué, modern humor. The relationship and chemistry between the four main characters is a positive common thread mentioned by most reviewers.  Many also sited Linda Lavin as the breakout star, but sadly this marks the final television role for the actress who passed away after filming seven episodes (many scenes she filmed for the fourth episode were instead used for the eighth).  The show’s multicamera setup, fast-paced jokes, occasional raunchy humor, and dance or musical moments keep the atmosphere both lively and affectionate.

In recent years I have fallen away from watching most sitcoms with a few exceptions and this would be one of them.  As an aging gay man, this show resonates with me both as a nostalgic look back to shows like The Golden Girls and as a commentary of modern life as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. The themes of friendship, aging, selected family and the queer experience all speak to me and with a very accomplished cast the show remains fresh, funny, witty and heartfelt.  The writers have done an amazing job of weaving in poignant messages amongst the zinger jokes and witty dialogue.  Each character has had their own issues over the years and must sometimes face the harsh ramifications of their past actions.  Matt Bomer’s character Jerry, for example, finds out that his ex-wife withheld all his letters and gifts he sent to his daughter, but when a chance encounter allows him to see and talk to her, he allows her to keep believing that Jerry was the one who left and broke off contact.  He does this to keep his daughter from feeling betrayed by two parents, but he is also able to reassure her that he thinks about her every day and loves her deeply. Each character must sometimes learn to lower their shields and allow people in and to accept what happened in the past and create new paths for moving forward. Overall, Mid-Century Modern is a warm, nostalgic sitcom with a fresh queer perspective, combining classic multi-camera style with heartfelt storytelling. With strong leads and emotional moments centered around found-family dynamics.