Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/AP. (L to R) John C. McGinley, Hank Azaria, and Seth Meyers.
At the Upfront presentation, IFC announced it has eight new comedies in development. The projects hail from talent including Bryan Cranston, Steven Weber, Allison Anders, Above Average, and Sharon Horgan. These projects join previously announced development series Jon Benjamin’s 100 Erotic Nights and The Jim Norton Project (working title).
The new comedy TV shows in development at IFC are: Todd Barth Can Help You, Canterbury Tales, Detective Lady, How to Rig an Election, Grand Lake, Laughs in Translation, Living With Yourself, and This Land Is Ours.
Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/AP. (L to R) John C. McGinley, Seth Meyers, President of IFC Jennifer Caserta, Hank Azaria, and CEO of AMC Networks Josh Sapan.
Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/AP. (L to R) John C. McGinley, Seth Meyers, President of IFC Jennifer Caserta, and Hank Azaria.
Get more information from this IFC press release.
April 21, 2016
IFC UNVEILS DEVELOPMENT SLATE OF EIGHT “SLIGHTLY OFF” NEW SERIES
Top Talent Attached Including Bryan Cranston and Steven Weber
New York, NY – April 21, 2016 – IFC revealed today at their upfront press event in New York [see above photos], eight smart new comedies from their robust development slate for 2017 series consideration. The projects, which hail from top talent including Bryan Cranston, Steven Weber, Allison Anders, Above Average, and Sharon Horgan, join previously announced development series Jon Benjamin’s 100 Erotic Nights and The Jim Norton Project (working title).
“These projects reflect our mission to make great content with cool people,” said IFC president Jennifer Caserta. “At IFC, we are driven by developing smart comedy that is ‘Slightly Off’ and working with the very best creative forces, both in front of and behind the camera.”
IFC’s upcoming development slate includes:
TODD BARTH CAN HELP YOU
A conservative insurance adjuster completely changes his path in life when he starts to believe he has what it takes to become a new age, self-help guru. Steven Weber (Wings) is attached to star. Produced by Moonshot Entertainment, Todd Barth Can Help You is created and executive produced by Bryan Cranston, Clay Graham (Santa Clarita Diet) and Weber. James Degus (SuperMansion) is also executive producing with Graham writing the series.
CANTERBURY TALES
The 1970s punk scene comes to rough and fumbling life when Terry, a young music aficionado flees Texas and moves into the run-down, cockroach-infested Canterbury Apartments, in the heart of Hollywood. Terry and his rowdy female musician roommates sleep all day and make music and mayhem all night at Hollywood’s first punk rock club, as they try to break into the music industry. Created by Allison Anders (Mi Vida Loca, Grace Of My Heart) and Terry Graham (drummer for seminal punk band The Bags, Gun Club and author of Punk Like Me).
DETECTIVE LADY
A film noir inspired comedy following female detective, Annie, who solves crimes in the hamlet of Sicily, USA. She is a rebel crime solver with a bit of a drinking problem, a new partner to contend with, and some family history to unravel before it tears her apart. Created by Kelly Galuska, who has worked on Bojack Horseman and Mom, and was recently nominated for a WGA Award for her individual episode of Bojack Horseman.
HOW TO RIG AN ELECTION
Based on the book “How to Rig An Election” by former political consultant Allen Raymond, the series explores the astonishingly dark underbelly of political campaigning. Written and executive produced by Tom Ruprecht (Late Night with David Letterman, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore).
GRAND LAKE
A dark comedy about two female best friends who wish nothing but the worst for each other. They share a murderous secret that most days takes a back seat to the everyday drama of their disappointing adult children, small town politics and an annoying, yet charming, ex-husband. Grand Lake is created by WGA award-winning Gretchen Enders (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street) and produced by the Academy Award-winning A24 (Room, Amy).
LAUGHS IN TRANSLATION
Based on the Above Average webseries that starred SNL alum Brooks Wheelan, this series is a fish out of water travel show that explores what different people around the world find funny and why. With local comedians as guides, the host will travel the world to find out if anything is universally funny or if some humor is just lost in translation.
LIVING WITH YOURSELF
A burned-out copywriter undergoes a novel treatment to become a better person, only to find his worst enemy is himself. Told through multiple perspectives and intersecting storylines, this inventive philosophical comedy asks: do we really want to be better? Created by Emmy and Peabody award-winning Tim Greenberg (Daily Show) and executive produced by Anthony Bregman (Foxcatcher, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and Jeffrey Stern of Likely Story. Jeff Blitz (Review, The Office) is attached to direct and executive produce.
THIS LAND IS OURS
Set in present day New York, this series follows a group of anarchist squatters who take over an unoccupied Harlem Row House with every intention to keep it for themselves. They are forced to defend themselves against the fat cat developers who they discover have sold the property for near billions. The bizarre collective of activists, artists and hippies form a strong bond while waging war to bring back the gritty city they love. Written and created by Vicki Pepperdine and Joanna Scanlan (Creators of Getting On and Puppy Love). Produced by Merman (Todd Margaret, Catastrophe), the production company founded and run by Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford, together with George and George Co, the production company owned by Pepperdine and Scanlan.
As previously announced, IFC is developing the scripted series Jon Benjamin’s 100 Erotic Nights that is also under 2017 series consideration. Jon Benjamin (Archer, Bob’s Burgers) stars in and narrates this “deadpan erotica” series wherein he finds himself overcome by comedic confessions of secret passion and ruthless betrayal. The network also previously announced development with comedian Jim Norton for a late-night talk show.
IFC’s recently greenlit two new series Brockmire and Stan Against Evil which premiere in early 2017 and late 2016, respectively. Brockmire is produced by Funny Or Die and stars Hank Azaria (Ray Donovan, The Simpsons) as a major league baseball announcer who tries to rebuild his life after a very public meltdown. Comedic horror genre series Stan Against Evil is created by Dana Gould (The Simpsons, Parks and Recreation) and follows an unlikely duo who team up to fight a plague of demons that have been haunting their town since the witch burnings of the 17th century. John C. McGinley (Scrubs) and Janet Varney (You’re the Worst) are confirmed to star.
Brockmire and Stan Against Evil join IFC’s current lineup which includes the upcoming seventh season of the award-winning comedy Portlandia, the second season of the critically acclaimed Documentary Now! in the fall, the fourth season of podcaster Marc Maron’s Maron on May 4 and the fifth season of the surreal talk show Comedy Bang! Bang! on June 3.
What do you think? How do you like the sound of IFC’s new TV show development slate? Which potential shows do you hope IFC will order to series? Tell us.
