Premise
Cybill takes place in Los Angeles, California, and focuses on the character of a somewhat faded actress Cybill Sheridan (played by Cybill Shepherd) who, because of her age, had been relegated to playing character roles, bit parts and TV commercials. Also featured are her daughters, headstrong Zoey (Alicia Witt) and uptight Rachel (Dedee Pfeiffer), her two ex-husbands, Ira (Alan Rosenberg) and Jeff (Tom Wopat), and her hard-drinking best friend Maryann (Christine Baranski). Due to the show's premise, many episodes featured a show-within-a-show format, showing Cybill Sheridan playing a variety of other characters in her various film and TV acting roles.
In her autobiography, Cybill Disobedience, Shepherd stated the Cybill character was based on herself—or, at least, what her life as an actress could have been without the successes of The Last Picture Show and Moonlighting. Many the show's details and situations were also mined from her own family, marriages and experiences.
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Famous quotes containing the word premise:
“We have to give ourselves—men in particular—permission to really be with and get to know our children. The premise is that taking care of kids can be a pain in the ass, and it is frustrating and agonizing, but also gratifying and enjoyable. When a little kid says, “I love you, Daddy,” or cries and you comfort her or him, life becomes a richer experience.”
—Anonymous Father. Ourselves and Our Children, by Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, ch. 3 (1978)