History Series / StillStarCrossed

The series tells the story of what happened after the famous play's ending. Rosaline (Creator/LashanaLynch), the woman who rejected Romeo (Creator/LucienLaviscount) before he met her cousin Juliet and Benvolio (Wade Briggs) are forcibly betrothed by Prince Escalus (Sterling Sulieman) in an effort to put an end to the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets. The two both set out to find a way to end the violence without having to go through with their undesired union.

The series tells the story of what happened after the famous play's ending. Rosaline (Creator/LashanaLynch), the woman who rejected Romeo before he met her cousin Juliet and Benvolio (Wade Briggs) are forcibly betrothed by Prince Escalus (Sterling Sulieman) in an effort to put an end to the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets. The two both set out to find a way to end the violence without having to go through with their undesired union.

* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Rosaline and Benvolio (especially considering the traditional setting) as Rosaline is the more aggressive and outspoken of the pair, while Benvolio is artistic and romantic.

* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Rosaline and Benvolio (especially considering the traditional setting) as Rosaline is the more aggressive and outspoken of the pair, while Benvolio is charming and artistic.

''Still Star-Crossed'' is an ABC series that is based upon ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' and adapted from Melinda Taub's [[{{TheFilmOfTheBook}} book of the same name]]. It is produced by Shonda Rhimes's company Shonda Land with ABC.

** Lord Montague emotionally abuses Benvolio, constantly degrades and manipulates him, uses him for target practice when he's bored and [[spoiler: it turns out ''murdered his father'' in the first place.]] Benvolio even asks why his uncle has always hated him.

* AscendedExtra: Rosaline is the main character of the show. Quite a step up from being TheGhost.
** Benvolio is the main male character, while in the play he was Romeo and Mercutio's {{Sidekick}}.

* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Benvolio/Rosaline compared to Romeo/Juliet in the original play. Romeo and Juliet are romantic idealists and the beloved heirs of their families who get swept away by LoveAtFirstSight, while Benvolio and Rosaline are practical and cynical, overlooked by their relatives and - despite initially disliking each other - develop a longer-lasting relationship.

* NotSoDifferent: Despite being on opposite sides of the Montague/Capulet feud and loathing each other to start with, Benvolio and Rosaline prove to be much more similar than they appear. Both have been orphaned and suffer under abusive guardians (Lord Montague and Lady Capulet), have protective BigBrotherInstinct dynamics with younger family members (Romeo and Livia/Juliet), are far more sensible than their love-struck cousins and two of the few genuinely moral people in Verona.

* RealityEnsues: The Montagues and Capulets' tension didn't go away just because the deaths of Romeo and Juliet were tragic.

* HeroicSacrifice: In the final episode [[spoiler: Benvolio tells Rosaline to let him die so she can be with Escalus and Verona can finally have peace. Rosaline isn't having any of it.]]

* SecondLove: Benvolio and Rosaline to each other, after their [[{{FirstLove}} First Loves]] Stella and Escalus.

* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Livia in the book is a headstrong and lively SpiritedYoungLady, while in the show she's a calm and sweet-natured NiceGirl.

* NotSoDifferent: Despite being on opposite sides of the Montague/Capulet feud and loathing each other to start with, Benvolio and Rosaline prove to be much more similar than they appear. Both have been orphaned and suffer under abusive guardians (Lord Montague and Lady Capulet), have protective BigBrotherInstinct dynamics with younger family members (Romeo and Livia/Juliet), want to marry for love, are far more sensible than their love-struck cousins and are some of the few genuinely moral people in Verona.

* PairTheSpares: The whole premise of the show is Escalus joining the leftover Capulet and Montagues to end the feud.

* AdaptationalSexuality: Isabella in the book is happily married to Don Pedro (yes that [[{{Theatre/MuchAdoAbout Nothing}} Don Pedro]]. In the show, she's a lesbian per WordOfGod and has a close relationship with Helena.

* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Benvolio/Rosaline compared to Romeo/Juliet in the original play. Romeo and Juliet are romantic idealists and the beloved heirs of their families who get swept away by LoveAtFirstSight, while Benvolio and Rosaline are practical and cynical, overlooked by their relatives and despite disliking each other initially develop a deeper, longer-lasting relationship.

* DueToTheDead: Averted. [[spoiler:Someone desecrates Romeo's corpse and writes "Death to All Montagues" on the wall nearby]].

* LoveTriangle: Rosaline is betrothed to Benvolio, but is in a secret romance with Escalus.

* {{Nephewism}}: Rosaline, Livia, and Benvolio are all orphans who were raised by their aunts and uncles, but none of the relationships are exactly loving. Lady Capulet forces her nieces to work as servants while Lord Montague is overly critical of his nephew.
* NotSoDifferent: Despite being on opposite sides of the Montague/Capulet feud and loathing each other to start with, Benvolio and Rosaline prove to be much more similar than they appear. Both have been orphaned and suffer under abusive guardians (Lord Montague/Lady Caputlet), have protective BigBrotherInstinct dynamics with younger family members (Romeo and Livia/Juliet), want to marry for love, are far more sensible than their love-struck cousins and are some of the few genuinely kind and moral people in Verona.

** Book!Rosaline still loses her parents and fortune, but she and Livia are still treated as respectable noblewoman and able to live independently. In the show, they're forced to become servants for their wealthier relatives and are abused by Lady Capulet.

* AdaptationalSexuality: Isabella in the book is happily married to Don Pedro (yes that [[{{MuchAdoAboutNothing}} Don Pedro)]]. In the show, she's a lesbian per WordOfGod and has a close relationship with Helena.

** Book!Benvolio, while he loses Romeo and Mercutio, still has a loving mother and uncle and is generally well-regarded by Verona. In the show, he's orphaned, bullied by his Lord Montague [[spoiler: who killed his father]], viewed as an irresponsible drunkard and has his heart broken by CanonForeigner Stella.
** Book!Rosaline still loses her parents and fortune, but she and Livia are able to live independently and are treated as respectable noblewomen. In the show, they're forced to become servants for their wealthier relatives and are abused by Lady Capulet.

* AdaptationalSexuality: Isabella in the book is happily married to Don Pedro (yes that [[{{MuchAdoAboutNothing}} Don Pedro). In the show, she's a lesbian per WordOfGod and has a close relationship with Helena.

* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Benvolio/Rosaline following on from Romeo and Juliet in the original play. Romeo and Juliet are romantic idealists and the beloved heirs of their families who get swept away by LoveAtFirstSight, while Benvolio and Rosaline are practical and cynical, overlooked by their relatives and despite disliking each other initially develop a deeper, longer-lasting relationship.

** Book!Benvolio, while he loses Romeo and Mercutio, still has a loving mother and uncle and is generally well-regarded by Verona. In the show, he's orphaned, bullied by his Lord Montague [[spoiler: who actually killed his father]], viewed as an irresponsible drunkard and has his heart broken by CanonForeigner Stella.
** Book!Rosaline still loses her parents and fortune, but she and Livia are able to live independently and are still respectable noblewoman. In the show they're forced to become servants for their wealthier relatives and are abused by Lady Capulet.

''Still Star-Crossed'' is an ABC series that is based upon ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''. It is produced by Shonda Rhimes's company Shonda Land with ABC.

The series tells the story of what happened after the famous play's ending. Rosaline (Creator/LashanaLynch), the woman who rejected Romeo before he met her cousin Juliet and Benvolio (Wade Briggs) are forcibly bethrothed by Prince Escalus (Sterling Sulieman) in an effort to put an end to the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets. The two both set out to find a way to end the violence without having to go through with their undesired union.

* AbusiveParents: Lady Capulet raised her two nieces, Rosaline and Livia, but treated them more like servants than family. Rosaline believes this is because Lady Capulet is jealous of their late mother.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Lord Montague in the book has his faults but is a kind guardian to Benvolio and genuinely trying to heal the family feud, here he's an abusive EvilUncle, continues to antagonize Lord Capulet and [[spoiler: murdered his own brother.]]
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Subverted and then inverted with the LoveTriangle of Escalus, Rosaline and Benvolio. At first Benvolio fits the "bad boy" label what with his irresponsible drinking and brawling -- and Rosaline holds him in contempt, much preferring the straightlaced Escalus. But as the episodes proceed, it becomes clear that Benvolio has integrity and compassion, while Escalus is a much more morally ambiguous character than first appears -- and Rosaline's feelings toward the two men change accordingly.

* [[BigBrotherInstinct Big Sister Instinct]]: Rosaline is shown to be very protective towards her younger sister Livia. She wants to arrange a good marriage for her sister, to a man who loves and can take care of her. When the riot breaks out at Romeo and Juliet's funerals, Rosaline gets separated from Livia and risks her life to get her to safety.

* GoneHorriblyRight: Escalus organises the ArrangedMarriage between Rosaline and Benvolio to enforce peace between houses Montague and Capulet despite being in love with Rosaline himself -- and then has to watch as they slowly start developing genuine feelings for one another. By the final episode, circumstances have created a situation in which he can legally MurderTheHypotenuse ''and'' create peace between the warring houses with Benvolio's death, only for the girl he loves to come begging for his rival's life. Rosaline even points out to him that a Capulet defending a Montague was ''exactly what he wanted'' when he arranged the betrothal in the first place.

* PeriodPiece: Set in 16th Century Verona, just like the original play rather than a SettingUpdate.

* RichesToRags: After the death of their parents, Rosaline and Livia were taken in by their uncle and aunt, the Lord and Lady Capulet, and made to work as servants (though this happens out of Lady Capulet's personal jealousy towards their mother, and Lord Capulet is unhappy about the situation).

* SelfMadeMan: The Montagues' forefathers started off as nothing more than a shepherds who managed to make themselves into one of the two richest, most powerful families in Verona.

* ShownTheirWork: Tha Capulet cathedral has been under construction for over two generations, appropriately reflecting the the sheer length of times such projects took in the real world.

* ShoutOut: To [[TheTamingoftheShrew another of Shakespeare's well known works]] when Lord Montague is criticizing Benvolio for breaking his engagement to "Minola's daughter". Then there's Truccio, which could easily be a shortened form of [[Theatre/TheTamingoftheShrew Petruchio]]. Not to mention Tessa Montague's "[[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} time in Scotland]]" and all that business. One of the Doge's serving girls is named [[Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream Helena]] and even something as simple as Princess Isabella telling the Doge the story of [[{{Coriolanus}} Coriolanus]] is a reference. Also just take a look at the episode titles. They're rife with shout-outs.

* PosthumousCharacter: Romeo and Juliet [[CaptainObvious of course]], but also Tybalt and Mercutio, all of whom die in the first episode, but continue to drive the plot afterwards.

The series tells the story of what happened after the famous play's ending. Rosaline (Lashana Lynch), the woman who rejected Romeo before he met her cousin Juliet and Benvolio (Wade Briggs) are forcibly bethrothed by Prince Escalus (Sterling Sulieman) in an effort to put an end to the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets. The two both set out to find a way to end the violence without having to go through with their undesired union.

* ShoutOut: To [[TheTamingoftheShrew another of Shakespeare's well known works]] when Lord Montague is criticizing Benvolio for breaking his engagement to "Minola's daughter". Then there's Truccio, which could easily be a shortened form of [[TheTamingoftheShrew Petruchio]]. Not to mention Tessa Montague's "[[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} time in Scotland]]" and all that business. One of the Doge's serving girls is named [[AMidsummerNightsDream Helena]] and even something as simple as Princess Isabella telling the Doge the story of [[{{Coriolanus}} Coriolanus]] is a reference. Also just take a look at the episode titles. They're rife with shout-outs.

* NotSoDifferent: Despite being on opposite sides of the Montague/Capulet feud and loathing each other to start with, Benvolio and Rosaline prove to be much more similar than they appear. Both have been orphaned and suffer under abusive guardians (Lord Montague/Lady Caputlet), have protective BigBrotherInstinct dynamics with younger family members (Romeo and Livia/Juliet), want to marry for love, are from more sensible than their love-struck cousins and are some of the few genuinely kind and moral people in Verona.

* OrphansOrdeal: Both Benvolio and Rosaline (and by extension Livia). Benvolio's parents died when he was a child and he's been raised by his uncle ever, while Rosaline and Livia were orphaned a few years before the show began when Montagues killed their father and their mother subsequently passed away from grief and sickness.

* AdaptationalVilliany: Lord Montague in the book has his faults but is a kind guardian to Benvolio and genuinely trying to heal the family feud, here he's an abusive EvilUncle, continues to antagonize Lord Capulet and [[spoiler: murdered his own brother.]]

* NotSoDifferent: Despite being on opposite sides of the Montague/Capulet feud and loathing each other to start with, Benvolio and Rosaline prove to be much more similar than they appear. Both have been orphaned and suffer under abusive guardians (Lord Montague/Lady Caputlet), have protective BigBrotherInstinct dynamics with younger family members (Romeo and Livia/Juliet), want to marry for love, are from more sensible than their love-struck cousins and are two of the few genuinely kind and moral people in Verona.