Palm Springs Just Got Hotter And Weirder, Thanks To “Unconventional”
If you’re tired of the same clean-cut coming-out tales, get ready for a hilarious, sometimes chaotic, and refreshingly honest look at queer life after the rainbow glitter settles. Set against the sun-soaked, complex world of Palm Springs, this is one show that nails it.
Kit Williamson, known for the Emmy nominated EastSiders, returns with Unconventional, streaming now on the LGBTQIA+ platform Revry. This sharp comedy gets real about queer life today, starring Williamson as Noah, a man questioning his marriage to Dan (James Bland) just as he becomes a sperm donor for his sister Margot (Aubrey Shea) and her wife Eliza (Briana Venskus). Following a month of the pregnancy per episode, Unconventional is, as Williamson told Variety, “unapologetically queer.”
Doubling Down Not Quieting Down
In what Williamson calls a “really interesting inflection point” he pushes back against pressures to be less visible. “I’m not going to quiet down. I’m going to double down, because we’re already on the enemies list,” Williamson says in Variety, referencing the tough political climate. “At this point, there’s no going back in the closet.”
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Starring @kitwilliamson, @jrbland, @aubreypeeples, and Briana Venskus.
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While the show isn’t solely about politics, Williamson acknowledges, “unfortunately, our lives have been politicised, right?” he adds in Variety. This view is shaped by experiences like managers advising him to hide his sexuality. He tells Variety he’s now focused on visibility for the future: “we’re burning down the closet door so in the future, we don’t have to, hopefully, worry about doors and windows closing because we’ve made sure that they stay open for the next generation.”
Beyond Happily Ever After in Palm Springs
Following EastSiders, Williamson wanted Unconventional to explore the nuances of queer life for people in their thirties – tackling family, relationships, mental health, and parenthood as siblings Noah and Margot start families. Developed at Sundance Labs, the show’s setting shifted to Williamson’s home turf: the Palm Springs and Joshua Tree area.
Filming locally had its perks and pains. “The best part is getting to share places that I truly love with the world,” Williamson shared with Queerty, including his own restored homestead featured in the show. The challenge? “The worst part was the heat,” he admits to Queerty. Despite a lengthy shoot due to protocols, the team remained dedicated.
Getting Real Roller Discos and Tough Talks
Unconventional embraces both drama and wild comedy. Williamson explains to Queerty that episode three is when “the roller coaster really gets going,” featuring a desert roller disco hosted by a drug-dealing drag queen (played by Willam). Starting as a “sexy, psychedelic romp,” things take an emotional turn. “Sh*t gets real, basically,” Williamson notes to Queerty.
He’s thrilled with his collaborators: “I’m obsessed with this cast, they all bring so much authenticity and emotion,” he tells Queerty, praising powerful scenes from the core cast. The guest list is equally stellar, featuring Kathy Griffin (recruited via Twitter bonding, Williamson tells Variety), Beau Bridges, Willam, Jenna Ushkowitz, Tuc Watkins, Laith Ashley and others.
From Sundance Lab to Revry Finding a Home
Getting Unconventional to audiences took time. After an Outfest LA premiere in 2022, it eventually landed on Revry nearly three years later – perhaps reflecting Hollywood’s occasional lag with authentic queer stories. Revry provided the “perfect home.”
"Can I watch?… 👀" – @willam | Stream new episodes of Unconventional every Tuesday, only on Revry.#Unconventional #Willam #UnconventionalSeries #Revry pic.twitter.com/d8OALx8rcP
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What’s next? Williamson told Queerty a potential second season would explore life after the baby arrives, focusing on the pressures of parenting, following season one’s look at “life after happily ever after.”
For now, Unconventional delivers a mix of humour and honesty about contemporary queer lives. It’s complex, funny, and streaming its first season on Revry.
