Woody Allen’s Amazon Series ‘Crisis In Six Scenes’ Debuts September 30 — A Full Look At Amazon’s Fall Line Up

In addition to announcing the name of Woody Allen’s new comedy series, starring Allen, Miley Cyrus, Elaine May, and Rachel Brosnahan, Amazon also revealed what it’s all about. Here’s the official log-line:

“Crisis in Six Scenes is a comedy that takes place in the 1960s during turbulent times in the United States when a middle class suburban family is visited by a guest who turns their household completely upside down.”

Amazon head Roy Price (seen above — because Amazon didn’t release photos from Allen’s upcoming project) revealed that September is going to be Amazon’s first ever “month of comedy.” The streaming service is aiming to roll out a whopping four comedies in a row: One Mississippi, Fleabag, the new season of Transparent, and Crisis in Six Scenes. 

Crisis in Six Scenes debuts September 30.

Tig Notaro was on hand to promote her brand new Amazon half hour One Mississippi — read our review of the pilot here —  and revealed that the show is actually way more progressive than we initially thought. Apparently it’s the first sitcom led by an openly gay woman, ever.

Executive Producer Kate Robin also took a moment to celebrate Amazon’s commitment to diversity. She explained that Amazon is dedicated to finding female showrunners who want to tell stories about real women. She said, “Amazon is actually the only place that is welcoming and supporting and nurturing and producing shows written and created and about women. Adult women, complicated, layered women.”

One Mississippi debuts September 9.

[Watch the One Mississippi pilot on Prime Video]

Season three of Mozart In The Jungle moves much of the action to Venice, Italy and will introduce Monica Bellucci as a demanding opera diva. It’s also the show’s first season since it won two Golden Globes, but got snubbed by the Emmys. I asked the cast and producers what they make of that critical disparity and it kind of threw them through a loop. Executive producer Paul Weitz blanked on stage, “Um, well, I think we were thrilled to get noticed at the Golden Globes and, um, it’s probably something to aspire to, getting nominated for an Emmy. I think that it’s a show, on some level, of pointing towards your aspirations so, I…I don’t know…I’m fumbling.”

The rest of the cast and creative team all chimed in to reiterate that they are proud to be recognized by the Golden Globes, but they don’t aim for awards.

Mozart In The Jungle returns on December 9.

[Watch Mozart In The Jungle on Prime Video]

During the Red Oaks panel, the cast and creative team were repeatedly asked about last season’s brilliant high concept body swap episode. The executive producers confirmed that there will be no more body swaps this season, but there will be homages to other ’80s comedy tropes.

The cast also said that we’ll see a lot of evolution and exploration this year. David’s trying to figure out his future, his mother is exploring her lesbian desires (with a “new friend” played by Beth Stelling), and Nash is divorced and dealing with gonorrhea. “I think everyone’s out of their comfort zone this season,” said Alexandra Socha.

Red Oaks returns on November 11.

[Watch Red Oaks on Prime Video]

Throughout the event Amazon’s Head of Half Hours Joe Lewis talked up the new comedy Fleabag. The series is the brainchild of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, a British actress who created a one-woman show centered around a “naughty, dark-hearted character” named “Fleabag.” She explained that the character emerged from a “rage-y” time in her mid-twenties where she was dealing with the frustrations of modern feminism. 

The show breaks the fourth wall by employing a storytelling device where Fleabag constantly shares her internal monologue and reactions in real-time with the audience. Waller-Bridge explained that she opted for that over a traditional voice over because she wanted to have more control over the storytelling.

Fleabag premieres on September 16. 

During the Transparent panel, we learned that next season will go back to dealing with the rest of the Pfefferman clan. As Amy Landecker put it, “I think this year we go even farther into the tentacles of the family.”

Jeffrey Tambor also came to the defense of the kids on the show. He seemed dismayed that some viewers thought Sarah, Josh, and Ali were selfish, but explained that the characters have evolved from there: “They’ve righted themselves in the writing.”

Nevertheless, Maura still is the beating heart of the show. Transparent writer Our Lady J revealed that we’ll flash back to Maura’s childhood as a closed transperson. Alexandra Billings jumped in at one point to sing Jeffrey Tambor’s performance

“What Jeffrey does cannot be hung up in a closet. That he reveals a part of himself that is so true and that is affecting a part of society in such a way that it’s changing the political climate when we talk about gender. That’s not just a television show. It’s a movement of sorts and it’s adding to the revolution,” she said. “This isn’t about an actor who puts on a wig; This is about somebody who holds our community

Transparent returns on September 23.

[Watch Transparent on Prime Video]

The Man In The High Castle made headlines earlier this year when Executive Producer and showrunner Frank Spotnitz left suddenly. Today the producers wanted to be clear that his departure was not acrimonious, but they wiggled out of answering who the new showrunner is. When directly pressed, executive Producer David Zucker said, “We’re working as a republic.”

The Man In The High Castle returns on December 16.

[Watch The Man In The High Castle on Prime Video]

The new drama Good Girls Revolt tackles the real life struggle of 1960s newsroom researchers to push back against workplace sexual harassment and to stand up for their rights as writers. Naturally, questions about how much or how little has changed came up.

Actress Erin Darke said, “Now there’s a language for it.” 

Co-star Genevieve Angelson added that she was told by producers that “You can’t be a feminist before feminism.”

After one journalist expressed that she’s growing tired of ’50s and ’60s shows depicting the inequalities for women then so as to make women feel “lucky” now, Darke argued that working on the show had the opposite effect on her. “It’s made me realize as a woman that it’s okay to get angry again…we maybe have to fight again.”

Good Girls Revolt premieres on October 28.

[Watch the Good Girls Revolt pilot on Prime Video]

For years, David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro ruled legal drama. Now they’re bringing their talents to Amazon’s new drama Goliath. The series will focus on one major case, that will pit Billy Bob Thornton’s underdog attorney against a big corporate law firm run by a menacing (and hugely scarred) William Hurt.

Shapiro said, “This was an idea that we tried to do on The Practice; we just didn’t have time.” 

The title came from the idea that the little guy can no longer beat Goliath in American law. Shapiro shared some figures about the drop in legal cases that are tried in front of a jury and Kelley name-dropped Bernie Sanders and railed, “The system is rigged.”

Kelley added: “Truth just isn’t high on the priority list.”

Goliath debuts on October 14.