Hulu's 'Mid Century Modern' redefines queer friendship, aging, and sitcom legacy with heart

LOS ANGELES -- For "Mid Century Modern" creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, their storytelling partnership began with a shared love and a friendship rooted in truth. Long before they gave us "Will & Grace" they were two young writers exchanging ideas, jokes and as their relationship cemented, a life-changing moment of honesty.

"Dave Kohan was the first person I ever came out to," Mutchnick shared. "And he was what you want every straight ally to be, kind and non-judgmental and made me feel like I was going to be okay. And it truly affected the way I saw the world moving forward."

Growing amongst personal truths, nurtured under the safe space of friendship has always been the seed of their creative partnership. As they've grown into lives based on these personal truths, their characters have grown with them.

"When we were in our late 20s and early 30s, we wrote about "Will & Grace," Kohan said. "Now that we are significantly older, we're writing about people who are significantly older. It is our experience. That is how we've evolved."

This evolution lives on in their latest endeavor with Hulu and executive producer Ryan Murphy, "Mid Century Modern," a show that honors community, memory, and the radical joy of growing older together. The show, which premiered on Hulu in March, follows three gay best friends played by Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham and Nathan Lane who decide to retire together to Palm Springs after the death of their friend George.

When the project first came about, star Nathan Lane didn't need convincing. He just needed good writing. The writing delivered.

"Ryan Murphy called me and said, 'I have this script written by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan,'" Lane recalled. "And he said the dreaded phrase, 'it's sort of the gay Golden Girls.' So, I said, okay, I'll try not to hold that against it. And then I read the script. And it was as great as he said it was. That's where it begins and ends. It begins and ends with the writing. If you don't have good writing, you have nothing."

Matt Bomer, who stars alongside Lane, sees "Mid Century Modern" as both a well-written comedy and a celebration of chosen family.

"For this group of men, it's really this community that they've built together where they can be their most authentic selves," Bomer said. "Of course, there are trials and tribulations. That's what makes the comedy of the show. But at the end of the day, they love each other deeply for who they are."

That love is felt onscreen. Nathan Lee Graham, who rounds out the central trio with Lane and Bomer, brings a sense of connection to his performance.

"The humanity of this show is amazing," he said. "You'll see yourself in these different situations and how we get out of them. It's exciting to play someone who might help you solve a problem or two. It's a beautiful show that brings the community together. And we are best when we are together, loving on each other, laughing on each other."

At the core of "Mid Century Modern" is life in all its colors: messy, moving and sometimes marked by loss.

Linda Lavin, the multi-hyphenate Hollywood icon who played Sybil on the show, passed away midway through the production of the first season. The loss hit hard, Lavin's kindness, mentorship and talent missed by both her onscreen and offscreen families. For those who loved her, it was important to honor her memory by honoring how she moved through life, with kindness and perseverance.

"Loss happens, death happens, and it happened to us, and it happens to these characters," Kohan said. "And what do you do? What choice do you have? You soldier on. You lament the loss. You bring the people in your life closer to help you, to give you strength and laugh with you. And then you go on living-because that's what you do."

Mutchnick sees the show as a kind of sanctuary, a reminder that stories are both a balm and a beacon.

"There's a lot of very difficult things most of the country is dealing with." Mutchnick said. "And the idea that we can give 25 minutes of grace for people to just escape-that's my hope and prayer. That you just get to enjoy yourself, get away from your life, and laugh."

The full season of "Mid-Century Modern" is now streaming on Hulu. Watch ABC's On The Red Carpet Storytellers Spotlight interview with David Kohan, Max Mutchnick and the cast behind "Mid-Century Modern" on the video player above.

Dean Singleton, Andres Rovira, Vanessa Czworniak Gonzales and Luke Richards contributed to this report.

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