Freeform, I have just one question regarding your upcoming, COVID-19-inspired rom-com, Love in the Time of Corona: Why?
According to Deadline, The Fosters and spin-off Good Trouble co-creator Joanna Johnson will unleash this four-part series upon us in August. The series, the trade notes, “takes a look at the search for love, sex and connection during this time of social distancing” through the intertwining stories of characters sheltering in place.
Freeform is not the first programmer to announce its plans to release coronavirus-themed content. Jenji Kohan is already working on Social Distance, an anthology series for Netflix, while Jeff Pope brought Isolation Stories to ITV.
In a statement regarding Love in the Time of Corona, Freeform Executive Vice President, Programming and Development Lauren Corrao told Deadline, “This is the perfect show for a generation who is learning to love and be loved in a time when the entire world is telling them to stay six feet apart. Although the constraints have been difficult during this time, immense creativity has flourished and we could not be more grateful that Joanna brought this series to Freeform.”
I, meanwhile, would like to return to a world in which I can pretend I never saw this news.
But then again, maybe I’m being too cynical. Perhaps this new series, which sounds like it was inspired by the quarantine romances spreading throughout social media, fanfiction, and literary spheres, will be a sweet and welcome break from our dour situation. And if it catches on, we could have another spin-off on our hands. One Hundred Years of Quarantine, anyone? Autumn of the Pandemic? If any network execs need more suggestions, I’ll be here... indefinitely.
