Good morning, Baltimore! Yes, that song’s stuck in my head after reading the news that Hairspray star Nikki Blonsky has been cast as the lead in ABC Family’s upcoming new series Huge. From the looks of it, this new series has a lot going for it already.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Huge will center on a group of teens and the staff at a weight-loss camp. Blonsky’s set to play Will, a “funny, opinionated overweight girl,” who is at the camp because her rich parents (who make their living as owners of a chain of fitness centers) want her to shed a few pounds. Also among the cast is Hayley Hasselhoff (daughter of “The Hoff” himself), who will play Amber, a curvy girl who’s the thinnest and best looking girl at the camp. Zander Eckhouse has been cast to play a college student working as an assistant fitness counselor at the camp. If you’re wondering why his last name sounds familiar, you’re probably a fan of the original Beverly Hills, 90210. Eckhouse’s father, James played the role of Jim Walsh (Brenda and Brandon’s dad) for quite a few seasons on 90210.
The plot of Huge sounds decent but over all, the series has a lot going for it. Blonsky’s talent is a definitely plus, added to the fact that ABC Family has put out some fantastic original programming over the past few years (among their worth-watching shows are Greek and 10 Things I Hate About You). To add on to that, while Huge is based on a book by Sasha Paley, the series is written by Winnie Holzman and her daughter Savannah Dooley. Holzman’s probably best known for creating one of the best teen drama series of the genre (“In my humble opinion” - Angela Chase reference!). I am of course referring to the short-lived but brilliant My So Called Life. Holzman is exec-producing the premiere episode and will serve as a consultant for the later episodes.
Huge is set to start production in April. ABC Family gave the series a 10-episode order and is looking to get the show on the air in late June.
