Murder, Mulch, and Mayhem: Inside “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” with Showrunners Jenna Bans & Bill Krebs

#GrossePointeGardenSociety is a new Peacock series that follows four members of a suburban garden club - Alice, Brett, Catherine, and Birdie - whose lives become intertwined by scandal, mischief, and a shared secret - a murder they all wish to forget. The showrunners, #JennaBans and #BillKrebs, have worked together before and wanted to create a series that had the tone of shows like Desperate Housewives, with a mix of drama, comedy, and heart.

The series explores the challenges and dynamics of the characters, who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds but are brought together by their shared passion for gardening.

The murder at the center of the story serves as a "great equalizer" for the group, as they all struggle to cover up their involvement. The series also uses the garden and flowers as a metaphor for the dark underbelly of the seemingly perfect suburban community of Grosse Pointe.Bans and Krebs discuss the importance of balancing the tone, with both dramatic and comedic elements, and the process of weaving the mystery and murder storyline throughout the 13 episodes. They drew inspiration from 80s sitcoms and the challenges of writing for broadcast television, where each episode had to be written and shot in a short timeframe.

1. What is the central premise of Grosse Pointe Garden Society?

2. How do the showrunners, Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs, describe the tone and inspiration for the series?

3. How does the murder at the center of the story serve as a "great equalizer" for the group of friends?

4. What metaphorical significance do the gardens and flowers hold in the series?

5. What were some of the challenges the showrunners faced in balancing the tone and pacing the mystery storyline for a broadcast television format?

Read the entire interview HERE.