January 17, 2020 (2020-01-17) – December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
Little America is an American anthology television series produced for Apple TV+. It premiered on January 17, 2020.[1] The series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on December 9, 2022.
Premise
Little America looks to "go beyond the headlines to look at the funny, romantic, heartfelt, inspiring and unexpected lives of immigrants in America, at a time when their stories are more relevant than ever."[2]
On February 8, 2018, it was announced that Apple was developing a television series based on the true stories collection "Little America" featured in Epic Magazine. The show was set to be written by Lee Eisenberg, Kumail Nanjiani, and Emily V. Gordon, all of whom also executive produced alongside Sian Heder, Alan Yang, Joshuah Bearman, and Joshua Davis. Arthur Spector acted as co-executive producer. The series was showrun by Lee Eisenberg and Sian Heder. Production companies involved with the series include Universal Television.[2][6][7][8] On June 19, 2018, it was announced that Apple had given the production a series order.[9][10][11] The show began filming in New Jersey in early 2019;[12] however, the eighth episode of the first season, "The Son" (which is about a gay asylum seeker from Syria), was shot in the Canadian province of Quebec because the American Executive Order 13780 prevented some of its actors from being able to enter the United States for filming.[13]
The series was renewed for a second season in December 2019, prior to the series premiere.[1] The second season premiered on December 9, 2022, with an eight episode season.[14]
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 95% based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 8.92/10. The site's critics' consensus is, "Joyous, heartfelt, and very human, Little America's thoughtful collection of immigrant tales is as inspirational as it is relatable."[15] The second season has an approval rating of 100% based on 10 reviews.[15] On Metacritic, the series has a score of 85 out of 100 based on 26 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[16]
The Atlantic's Hannah Giorgis wrote of the first season, "Its ambitions aren't flashy, but Little America leads with a clear investment in the kinds of people often relegated to the background of other shows. It's a smart, empathetic choice—one that benefits both Apple and viewers."[17] Brian Lowry of CNN said, "The subjects vary, but almost without exception the stories are quirky yet resonant, emotional and relatable, with a sweet (or occasionally slightly bittersweet) payoff."[18]
Reviewing the second season, Craig Matheson of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote, "Just over a half hour in length, these new episodes have a modest but enduring insight and empathy".[19]RogerEbert.com's Clint Worthington wrote, "in its unassuming nature and casual confidence, not to mention the heartwarming humanism of its stories, it might be one of the streamer's greatest secret weapons."[4]
