HBO Max is currently developing a Head of the Class reboot series. The upcoming streaming platform has given a pilot production order, along with five additional scripts. The original series ran from 1986 to 1991 on ABC and focused on a group of gifted students in an honors program at the fictional Millard Fillmore High School in Manhattan, led by their history teacher Charlie Moore (Howard Hesseman). HBO Max is set to debut at the end of this month.
HBO Max's Head of the Class reboot is written by Amy Pocha and Seth Cohen of American Vandal and it is about a group of overachieving high school students who meet their greatest challenge - a teacher who wants them to focus less on grades and more on experiencing life. Basically, the reboot sounds like it will be very similar to the original premise, though it will have a modern twist since a lot has changed in the high school environment over the past few decades. A cast has not been announced, as of this writing.
The original series was more or a less a vehicle for actor Howard Hesseman who had just come off of the successful WKRP in Cincinnati as DJ Johnny Fever. Hesseman went on to leave Head of the Class in 1990 and was replaced by Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, who went on to star in the short-lived spin-off titled Billy. The show also starred Robin Givens as Darlene Merriman, Dan Frischman as Arvid Engen, Leslie Bega as Maria Borges, Brian Robbins as Eric Mardian, Tony O'Dell as Alan Pinkard, Rain Pryor as Theola June "T.J." Jones, Kimberly Russell as Sarah Nevins, Dan Schneider as Dennis Blunden, Khrystyne Haje as Simone Foster, and Tannis Vallely as Janice Lazarotto.
Head of the Class has never been released on DVD or Blu-ray, but it has run in syndication many times over the years on TBS and Nick at Nite. Earlier this year, the sitcom started streaming on the Roku Channel, so if anyone needs a refresher before the reboot hits HBO Max, Roku is the place to go for now. It is unclear is the new streaming service will take control of the reruns too, or if it will solely focus on the new version of the show.
HBO Max's Head of the Class reboot comes to us from Doozer Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television. American Vandal alums Amy Pocha and Seth Cohen serve as writers, co-showrunners and executive producers on the prospective half-hour, multi-camera family comedy. Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley are also co-showrunners and exec producers. As of now, there is no release date or production start. Things are up in the air for most of the entertainment industry at the moment, so we'll just have to wait and see. The Hollywood Reporter was the first to announce HBO Max's upcoming Head of the Class reboot series.