Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, or simply Heartstrings, is an American anthologydramedy television series that premiered on November 22, 2019, on Netflix.
Premise
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings showcases "the stories, memories and inspirations behind Parton’s most beloved songs."[1]
Production
Development
On June 4, 2018, it was announced that Netflix had given the production, then untitled, a series order for a first season consisting of eight episodes. Executive producers were expected to include Dolly Parton and Sam Haskell. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of Dixie Pixie Productions, Magnolia Hill Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, and Sandollar Productions.[1][2] The New York Times reported that the show was inspired by the WNYC podcast Dolly Parton's America.[3]
In November 2018, it was reported that the series had been titled Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, that it would premiere in 2019, and that Patrick Sean Smith would serve as the series' showrunner and as an additional executive producer. Additionally, it was further reported that episodes would be based upon the songs "Jolene", "These Old Bones", and "If I Had Wings". All of the episodes were set to be written by Jim Strain with Joe Lazarov directing "These Old Bones" and Timothy Busfield directing "If I Had Wings".[4][5][6] On December 19, 2018, it was announced that Terry McDonough would direct an episode based on the song "JJ Sneed" from another script by Strain.[7] On February 11, 2019, it was announced that that other four episodes would be based upon the songs "Two Doors Down", "Down from Dover", "Sugar Hill", and "Cracker Jack". "Two Doors Down" was set to be directed by Wendey Stanzler from a script by Mark B. Perry, "Down From Dover" to be directed by Erica Dunton from a script by John Sacret Young, "Sugar Hill" to be directed by Lev L. Spiro from a script by Thomas Ian Griffith and Mary Page Keller, and "Cracker Jack" to be directed by Liesl Tommy from a script by Lisa Melamed.[8]
Emily (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) befriends attractive young bartender/singer-songwriter Jolene (Julianne Hough) at a local honky-tonk bar and hires Jolene as her son’s guitar teacher. But with her own marriage to Aaron (Dallas Roberts) stuck in a rut and Jolene’s revelation that she doesn't shy away from dating married men, Emily becomes increasingly insecure.
When Tyler Meegers (Andy Mientus) returns to his hometown for his sister’s wedding, he's hiding a secret from his family; he's gay. But Tyler isn't the only family member hiding a secret or struggling and amid the stress of the wedding, tensions start to boil over.
When her partner Tom’s (Gerald McRaney) birthday is around the corner, Ellie (Delta Burke) decides to invite Tom’s estranged children in an attempt to finally reconnect a family that's been broken up for decades. But Tom and his children might not be willing to face their past.
Lucy Jane (Sarah Shahi), Monica (Jessica Collins), Bitsy (Tammy Lynn Michaels) and Scarlett (Rochelle Aytes) have been best friends since childhood. Although they used to share everything, their lives have taken unexpected turns and, over the course of a weekend, the friends find out there is a lot to catch up on.
In 1968, Delilah Covern (Holly Taylor) accepts a marriage proposal from Lincoln Dollarhyde (Shane Paul McGhie), but Delilah’s father (Robert Taylor) cannot accept an interracial relationship; especially after Lincoln voices support for controversial school teacher Helen Cunningham (Mary Lane Haskell). Soon, however, an even bigger challenge presents itself when Delilah discovers she is pregnant.
Logan Cantrell (Timothy Busfield) travels down memory lane, remembering various episodes from his long relationship with Harper Benning (Patricia Wettig). Having met in childhood, Logan and Harper have shared many ups and downs together.
Enchanted by the stories of Calamity Jane, adventurous Maddie Hawkins (Willa Fitzgerald), is desperate to avoid her arranged marriage and lead a life of her own making. Then she meets wanted outlaw J.J. Sneed (Colin O’Donoghue) who provides a way out. Drawn by J.J.’s charm, Maddie becomes his accomplice, but can she ever really trust a thief?
In 1944, Genevieve Carson (Ginnifer Goodwin) is given the chance of a lifetime when she's asked to represent a large timber company in a lawsuit against Miss Mary “Bones” Shaw (Kathleen Turner), a clairvoyant mountain woman. Although Genevieve’s life is about to take a dramatic turn, it is in ways she never would have guessed.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 50% based on critic reviews, with an average rating of 5.94/10.[16] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 72 out of 100 based on reviews from 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[17]