Season One (Sheets)

The **first season** of NBC's musical comedy-drama *Sheets* premiered on April 10, 2016 and concluded after six episodes on May 15. The season averaged 8.76 million U.S. viewers, making it the forty-seventh most-watched series of the 2015–16 and the eleventh most-watched freshman series.

## Plot

South Central High School in Los Angeles, California receives a new drama teacher when the former Mrs. Corben quits. The new teacher, Mr. Ben Renton breathes life into the drama department once again, reigniting the love for theater by writing a musical alongside choir director Mrs. Ellen Carlson to perform for the end of year celebration. Many students, including Stella, Colin, Ethan, Max, Diane, Olivia, and Felicia audition. Stella gains the lead role of "Tracee", while Stella's crush Ethan is cast as Tracee's love interest and the male lead, "Adam", while Max is his understudy. Throughout the audition process, rehearsals, and eventually the show, several developments occur, including Stella and Ethan's boiling romance, until the finale when Max performs as Adam and he and Stell become a couple, due to Ethan having to drop out last minute when his ill mother has a stroke. Colin and Olivia also develop feelings for one another, while Diane consistently fails to upstage Stella, and Felicia tries to prove herself as more than a rich heiress.

## Cast

### Starring

* Madison Iseman as Stella Braun
* Tye Sheridan as Colin Foster
* Noah Centineo as Ethan McKenzie
* Dylan Minnette as Max Sander
* Lana Condor as Diane Worthington
* Angela Kinsey as Lorelei Braun
* Thomasin McKenzie as Olivia Evans
* Madison Pettis as Felicia Johnson
* Alex Wolff as Nick Holderman
* Rhys Matthew Bond as Alex Evans
* Nicholas Hamilton as Jake Anderson
* Laura Linney as Ellen Carlson
* Luke Perry as Ben Renton

### Guest Starring

#### Students

* as Derrick Edwards
* as Martha Pring
* as Debbie Lang
* as Patrick Reed
* as Jenn
* as Simon

#### Faculty

* as Xavier Bolton; the science teacher.
* as Andrew Dane; the math teacher.
* as Lucille Granger; the gym teacher.

#### Family

* as Irena McKenzie; Ethan's ill mother.
* as Kelli Foster; Colin's mother.
* as Michael Johnson; Felicia's unemployed father.
* as Tim Sander; Max's uncle and guardian.
* as James Worthington; Diane's businessman father.
* as Emily Worthington; Diane's stay-at-home mother.
* as Heather Evans; Olivia and Alex's mother.
* as Carl Evans; Olivia and Alex's father.
* as Sara Evans; Olivia and Alex's younger sister.
* as Ricky Evans; Olivia and Alex's younger brother.
* as Chelsea Foster; Colin's younger sister.
* as Freddie Braun; Stella's older brother.

## Music

The series released several singles, many of which are original songs written for the series. *Sheets: The Album* was released on May 16, 2016 and peaked at number 8 on the *Billboard 200*, while original songs "I Still Love You", "(How Did We) Get This Far", and "Left Thinking" peaked at number 75, 98, and 23, respectively on the *Hot 100*.

## Reception

### **Ratings**

*Sheets*premiered with 5.44 million viewers and a 1.3/6 in the 18-49 rating/share, which was considered a "low" and "dooming" start by multiple sources. The low ratings continued with the second episode, which saw a decrease to 5.25 million viewers and 1.1/5. The series was quickly labeled "a long shot" to be renewed by TVLine. However, the third episode saw a surprising and unusual uptick to 5.90 million viewers and a 1.5/6, a new series high. By the season finale it was garnering 8.59 million viewers and a 2.1/8 rating/share, which made it the twelfth most-watched and the third highest-rated program of the week, compared to not making the top twenty-five in either measure the week of its premiere.