Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain gave us a glimpse of her singing abilities in The Eyes of Tammy Faye but she will now get to place her voice front and center alongside that of her costar Michael Shannon in George and Tammy. The limited series follows the tumultuous marriage between country music duo Tammy Wynette and George Jones, featuring their struggles with fame, alcoholism, and alleged abuse. Created by Abe Sylvia, the show is an adaptation of the book entitled The Three of Us: Growing Up with Tammy and George, which was written by the couple's only child Georgette Jones. Given that the series is now about to come out, here is a guide to all the information you need to know to binge and sing along to their memorable hits.
When Is George and Tammy Coming Out?
Believe it or not, you will get to watch George and Tammy starting this weekend. The show will release simultaneously on TV and on streaming, premiering on Sunday, December 4, 2022, at 9 PM ET. After the first episode premieres, the following ones will drop every Friday on streaming and air on TV every Sunday night.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Chastain revealed that she was offered the role of Wynette back in 2011 and was responsible for reaching out to Shannon about joining the project. The actors have worked together before in a film called Take Shelter. It is nice to know that the wait is almost over and that we will finally get to witness the portrayal of these two real-life superstars.
Watch the George and Tammy Trailer Here
Chastain belts out Tammy Wynette's iconic tune "Stand By Your Man" at the beginning of the trailer, displaying the country twang ambiance that drives the limited series. This was the country singer's first number 1 hit, and it was written during the time of her relationship with her third husband George Jones. The couple was known in the '70s as the Queen and King of country music and they were notorious for their duets. However, as implied in the trailer, addiction and the demand for maintaining their popularity in the music scene were determining factors in their downfall. Juggling family and fame wasn't an easy road for them, but despite it all, the series looks set to capture the love that the singers had for one another. After all, the last quote featured in this sneak peek is "this love I have for you is so big, it's gonna be forever".
Where Can You Watch George and Tammy?
As previously mentioned, the series will release a new episode every week both on streaming and on cable. In case you prefer to follow along at your own pace, you can watch it through the Showtime and Paramount+ streaming platforms. For those who aren't subscribed to either option, here is some good news. Showtime is currently offering a 30-day free trial as well as a deal for new subscribers of $3.99 per month for the first six months after you subscribe to the app. Without this special discount, the usual charge for Showtime content is $10.99 per month. If you already have a Paramount+ subscription, you can upgrade your plan for $11.99 per month with the Showtime bundle. Those who are just now subscribing to the streaming platform will be granted a 7-day free trial.
If you are looking forward to catching up every week when episodes air on Sundays, you just need to make sure that you have access to Showtime in your cable plan. In the same way that the first episode will come out at 9 PM, the following chapters of the series will air at that same time.
Country Music Films That You Can Watch Next
The ideal movie to watch if you're interested in George and Tammy would be Stand by Your Man (1981). While George and Tammy is an on-point introduction to one of Nashville's "It" couples, if you are looking for a deep dive into the true story, this biopic is pretty much the best suggestion to watch next. Instead of only addressing a period of Wynette's (played by Annette O'Toole) life, Stand by Your Man details the star's journey to becoming the First Lady of country music and the challenges that she faced in her three doomed marriages. Although it is centered on Wynette, Jones (played by Tim McIntire) also has a fair share of the time on screen when the film addresses their relationship. Unfortunately, Stand by Your Man isn't available for streaming, rent, or purchase anywhere at the moment so here are two other movies you could check out instead:
Walk the Line (2005): Wynette and Jones were an iconic pairing, but there was another country music duo that was equally well-known and suffered through thick and thin. Johnny Cash and June Carter were both popular acts in the late '60s, who crossed paths and developed a bond in the long run. In this depiction of their story, Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon play the memorable singer-songwriters as their relationship progresses from a true friendship to marriage. Similarly to Jones, Cash also suffered from addiction and this issue played a pivotal role in his career and love life. Despite Jones and Wynette not making it, these two worked it out until the very end.
Country Strong (2010): Deviating from real-life personalities, Country Strong is another production that has country music at its forefront. In it, we see Gwyneth Paltrow portraying fictional country music sweetheart Kelly Canter. After leaving rehab, she is ready to clean up her public image by smiling at the cameras and showing that she still has what it takes to be a star. Although she didn't completely recover from her constant alcohol consumption, Carter is led back to the studio to record new music and is scheduled to go back on tour. As she tries to rebuild her fallen career, the singer befriends emerging country artist Beau Hutton (Garrett Hedlund) and convinces her business manager/husband (played by Tim McGraw) to hire him as her opening act. He agrees to this deal, with the condition that another country prodigy and beauty queen named Chiles Stanton (Leighton Meester) joins them on the road too. When Beau and Chiles begin to draw closer ties with Kelly and her husband, they begin to question whether love and fame can coexist.