NBC’s streaming platform Peacock has partnered with Amy Poehler to produce an unscripted series that will follow people’s lives as they prepare for death.
The show, titled “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning,” will feature a “Swedish Death Cleaner” who will help people who “are at a major crossroads [to] organize and demystify [their] homes, lives, and relationships” and thereby “allowing us to prepare for death while we enjoy life,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The series will be narrated by Poehler and produced by her production company, Paper Kite Productions, Universal Television Alternative Studio and Scout Productions- which gave us “Queer Eye.”
“’Queer Eye’ reshaped the way we look at life, and ‘The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning’ will transform the way we look at death,” said David Collins, Scout Productions co-founder and executive producer.
“In this series, viewers will be taken on an honest and emotional journey as they watch everyday people conquer their worst fears and discover who they really are on the inside,” added Rod Aissa, executive vice president of unscripted content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “We hope our compassionate and dynamic series sparks conversation within each household and breaks the stigma around mortality and the tough reality of letting things go.”
The show is based on the 2018 best-selling book of the same name by Margareta Magnusson, who will serve as an executive producer for the series.
The book explains Döstädning, a Swedish phenomenon by which the elderly and their families set their affairs in order as they prepare for death.
“We are so excited to work on such a life-affirming project with the genius creators at Scout,” said Poehler. “Swedish Death Cleaning reminds us to focus on what is truly important, and we couldn’t find a better team to take this journey with than Peacock and the incredible Scout Team.”
While the show has production teams in place, they have not yet cast their “death cleaner” to guide the hourlong episodes.
The announcement comes as Canada prepares to become one of the few countries in the world allowing medical aid in dying, or MAID, for people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.