For many young people, seeing the film was their first time seeing themselves represented on screen. For some, Holtzman said, it marked a coming-out moment; for others, it sparked conversations about sexuality. For some, “just watching the movie gave them a confidence boost,” she said. “It makes them feel so happy.”
Danes’ age limited the amount of time he could use her. “I was so impressed with Claire that I wanted her in every scene, which was a very creatively challenging problem,” Holtzman says. That meant he had to give more space to other characters, which led them in interesting directions. See the growing warmth between Sharon and Leigh-Ann (the bubbly Langer who later married into the English aristocracy and became the Countess of Devon) or the growing understanding between Brian and Jordan. As the series progressed, Holtzman gave the character unexpected layers, showing how even Angela’s parents, Patty and Graham, were still struggling to figure things out.
Cancellation and After
Despite critical acclaim and fan love, the show was unfortunately not a big enough ratings winner that it was officially canceled on May 15, 1995. In the final episode, Brian accidentally confesses his feelings to Angela and ends up standing in the street on his motorcycle as she drives off with Jordan. If there had been a second season, Holtzman said he had future storylines in mind: Sharon would have gotten pregnant, Angela’s parents would have divorced, Patty would have fallen into a deep depression, and the Angela/Jordan/Brian relationship would have become even more complicated.
Devoted fans launched the first-ever online campaign, “Operation Life Support,” and sent thousands of letters to ABC in an effort to save the show. Though the campaign ultimately failed, the love for the show persisted. Perhaps because it only aired for one season, the show has come to be considered a cult classic and still appears on critics’ best-of lists. In 2007, Time magazine named it one of the greatest shows of all time.
