'Dickinson' Adds John Mulaney As Henry David Thoreau

John Mulaney will wax poetic as Henry David Thoreau in Dickinson, the new Apple TV+ series that asks: "What if Emily Dickinson was a wild party animal who got rowdy with all her hot friends?" Specific details about Mulaney's part are non-existent at this point, but Thoreau, the author of Walden (among other things) was Dickinson's 5th cousin once removed (I looked that up), so there's that to consider.

While Emily Dickinson and Henry David Thoreau were related, there's no indication that the two transcendental writers ever actually met. But that shouldn't be a problem for Dickinson, Apple TV+'s upcoming series that appears to be giving a very modern, and historically questionable, spin to the life and times of Emily Dickinson. Here's the trailer.

The idea of seeing John Mulaney play Henry David Thoreau is too good to pass up, because I can only imagine how wonderfully silly that will be. Mulaney is funny as hell (he's my personal favorite comic working right now), and I'm sure his appearancein the show will be memorable, no matter how it ultimately turns out. Thoreau, who lived from 1817 until 1862, was a leading transcendentalist fond of the concept of returning to nature and living a simple life free of the corruption of an unjust state. He was also fond of growing a crazy neckbeard.

Dickinson stars Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson, leading a cast that includes Toby Huss, Jane Krakowski, Adrian Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov, and Ella Hunt. The show is described as a "half-hour comedy series starring Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld. Created by Alena Smith, Dickinson audaciously explores the constraints of society, gender, and family from the perspective of rebellious young poet Emily Dickinson." The show will also bring viewers into "Emily Dickinson's era with a modern sensibility and tone. It takes viewers into the world of Emily, audaciously exploring the constraints of society, gender, and family from the perspective of a budding writer who doesn't fit in to her own time through her imaginative point of view. Dickinson is Emily's coming-of-age story – one woman's fight to get her voice heard."Dickinson is one of several high-profile shows coming from Apple TV+, as the company strives to launch their own big streaming service to compete with the likes of Netflix and the upcoming Disney+. Dickinson premieres November 1, which is also the launch date for Apple TV+.