Will no one stop Greg Berlanti? His realm keeps growing and growing, devouring network after network, genre after genre. His latest conquest adds to the carnage: he’s joined the Zoom fundraiser fray, joining fellow producer Ben Blacker (Thrilling Adventure Hour) and writer Adam Mallinger (former “Bitter Script Reader”) in throwing together several titans of teen drama in tonight’s Crisis On Infinite Teen Dramas.
An obviously affectionate sendup of the CW-dominating crossover events in Berlanti’s own Arrowverse, this reading—available tonight beginning at 8 p.m. ET, with a stream that will remain viewable through November 8—sees a group of legendary TV teens join forces. The call of “Avengers, assemble” comes from two of their number, Kevin Arnold and Dawson Leery, who put out the call to characters from Veronica Mars, Everwood, Riverdale, One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, and 13 Reasons Why. What could possibly go wrong?
While this will not give us the Dawson’s reunion of our dreams, Berlanti did manage to squeeze in a mini-Everwood reunion, as both Gregory Smith and Emily VanCamp will be along for the ride. But the cast is top-notch, with or without the nostalgia factor. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Vella Lovell plays Veronica Lodge! Emmy Raver-Lampman (The Umbrella Academy), Nick Weschler (Revenge), Jaime Moyer (A.P. Bio), and others join her. Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Melissa Fumero and One Day At A Time’s Isabella Gomez play the Gilmores! And playing The Flash is a young up-and-coming performer named, ah, Greg Berlanti.
It’s all in support of a good cause (Hollywood Support Staff Relief Fund) and seems likely to be totally surreal in a way few, if any, of these Zoom readings have managed. If you’re interested—and if you’re of a certain age and/or are A.V. Club contributor and noted WB teen drama expert LaToya Ferguson, you’re definitely interested—tickets are $8 plus a $2 fee. Let your brain melt, sing some Carole King, start some fan-fiction about Rory and Archie, and enjoy the show.
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