Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino: Curtain up on "Étoile"

Television writers Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino know when they've stumbled on something great – like La Bonbonniere, their favorite New York City diner. "We come here so much," Amy said. "We've talked scripts, we've talked story, we've talked deals. There's been many, many hashing-outs at these tables."

Together, the couple has created award-winning series like "Gilmore Girls" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." This week, their latest show, "Étoile," premieres on Amazon. It's about two struggling ballet companies that swap their top talent.

The show, though fictional, features real ballet dancers and authentic settings, like the studio Steps on Broadway, where the energy among the dancers is palpable. "Yes, they still have youth and hopes," said Amy. "It hasn't been beaten out of them yet!"

I asked, "What is it about the world of ballet that you think deserves to be seen in a TV show?"

"They're such impressive people," said Amy. "And they work so hard. People who think that ballet maybe is not for them – do you like story? Do you like emotion? Do you like power? Do you like athletics? Then, ballet is for you."

To watch a trailer for "Étoile" click on the video player below:

It's a world that's personal to Amy Sherman-Palladino. Born in Los Angeles, she's the daughter of a professional comedian and a dancer. "I was supposed to be a dancer," she said. "I danced my whole childhood. And I actually was still dancing when I got 'Roseanne,' which was my first writing job. And then I had a sandwich. I'm like, 'Oh, this is good, too.'  But I never lost that sort of love of it and appreciation for it."

Did she ever regret her decision to turn from dancing to writing? "No," Amy replied. "I think things turned out the way they were supposed to turn out!"

She wasn't in television for long before she met fellow writer (and now husband) Dan Palladino. "I think the first thing I heard her say out loud was, 'I'm in hell,'" he said. "And I thought, 'That's the girl for me'!"

Amy said, "I thought it was good that he knew exactly what he was getting into."

I asked, "So, in a pie chart of your dynamic, what percentage is non-stop witty banter?"

"And how much is pie?" replied Dan. "'Cause we do like pie."

"Oh, my God! How much coffee did you have this morning?" Amy said.

They soon put that witty banter on screen. "I had just come off of a terrible, terrible job that crushed my soul and made me want to quit the business altogether," Amy said. "And Dan said, 'Why don't you just not take another soul-crushing job? You know, get some therapy, do Prozac, stay at home, and just chill out and write whatever you want to write?' And so, literally I sort of sat on the couch and wrote 'Gilmore Girls.'"

Fast-forward twenty-five years, and "Gilmore Girls' is still one of the most popular shows streaming today.

Asked why the show has meant so much to its fans, Amy replied, "It's about families. And the great thing about family stories is you never reconcile with your family – like, no matter how much counseling there is, you're never gonna fix anything. It's an endless font of stories."

I asked, "I think a lot of fans look to the sister-like relationships in the shows. And they see something there that feels resonant, or something they would love to have. Is that intentional?"

"Yeah - female relationships, I don't think, are focused on enough in shows and in movies," said Amy. "They're always, like, a best friend who's like, Really? You're goin' out with him tonight?"

"I'm gonna write that down. That's good!" said Dan.

"Get that. Get that. That's good. I can charge for that," said Amy. "But if women really band together, you know, there is no girls club. And there should be. I've always wanted to put female relationships forward."

"Is it also personal? Do you have a sister?"

"I had a sister pass away very, very young," said Amy. "And I have a best friend now who I think that we have that kind of bond and that kind of relationship. So, I just think it's more fun also than just romance. Romance is great. But that bond between women is better."

But not everything has been a hit. There was "Bunheads," their first spin at a dance-themed show. It lasted one season. "I'm still mad about it," Amy said.

"Does it feel like a kind of poetic victory to have been disappointed by what happened with 'Bunheads,' and now return with 'Étoile'?" I asked.

"Well, look, there's plenty of chances to be disappointed with 'Étoile,' let's be very clear!" Amy laughed. "It hasn't been on yet, but disappointment's coming!"

"Yeah, don't count that out!" Dan laughed.

      
For more info:

• "Étoile" debuts on Amazon Prime April 24

• Thanks to La Bonbonniere, New York City, and Steps on Broadway

      
Story produced by Sara Kugel. Editor: Steven Tyler.