truTV, the Turner network that has made a U-turn to a comedy-reality format, says it has greenlit five new series for next season.
The announcement comes before Turner’s upfront presentation next week.
The network said it will launch Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks later this year. The show is designed to provide a new take on stand-up comedy shows.
The four other new truTV shows are At Home with Amy Sedaris, the comedic anthology series Bobcat Goldthwait’s Misfits & Monsters, the scripted comedy I’m Sorry from Andrea Savage, and the recently-announced live call-in talk show The Chris Gethard Show.
truTV, aimed at young viewers who avoid commercials, was also among the first networks to announce it would give viewers more content by cutting back on ad time. Last year the network said it drastically reduced its spot load across its prime premiere schedule. The result was not only a surge in networks across the landscape adopting this new practice but also a significant increase in recall of advertisers’ messages and a meaningful sales lift that increased actual dollars spent by consumers.
truTV remains committed to this initiative and in 2018 will substantially increase its limited-commercial load inventory to 15% across its total prime schedule.
Here are the new truTV series and specials debuting in 2017-18, as described by the network:
At Home with Amy Sedaris – 10 Episodes – Series Premieres in Fall 2017
Comedy icon Amy Sedaris applies her sincere yet distinctive brand of silliness to this one-of-a-kind mash up of hospitality, variety, and talk show formats. Through her imaginative characters and unique point of view, the series will showcase Sedaris’ diverse but necessary homemaking skills, tackling important topics like gift giving, cooking for one, making love, entertaining for peanuts, and murder-cide, among others. Each episode will fuse Sedaris’ humor and talents as a crafter, chef, baker, and hostess. truTV has ordered 10 half-hour episodes of the series, which goes into production this summer. The series is produced by PFFR with Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Alyson Levy, John Lee, and Vernon Chatman executive producing.
Bobcat Goldthwait’s Misfits & Monsters – 8 Episodes – Series Premieres in Early 2018
This genre-hopping, scripted anthology comedy series will bring viewers twisted morality tales from the darkly witty mind of creator and four-time Sundance Award-winning writer and director Bobcat Goldthwait. Each episode will tell a different story in a different genre – including 1970s-era science fiction, psychological thriller, romantic comedy, and reality – and will satirize our social norms and exploit the awkwardness of its flawed characters. The series, which goes into production this summer, is produced by Left/Right with Goldthwait, Banks Tarver, Ken Druckerman, and Olivia Wingate serving as executive producers.
I’m Sorry – 10 Episodes – Series Premieres on Wednesday, July 12 at 10pm ET/PT
Created by comedian and actress Andrea Savage (Veep, Episodes), the series follows seemingly confident, together comedy writer, wife, and mom Andrea (played by Savage), who comically exposes her inner immaturity and neuroses through unexpected life situations. Joining Savage in the first season are series regulars Tom Everett Scott (Southland) as Andrea’s more straitlaced husband Mike and newcomer Olive Petrucci as Andrea and Mike’s inquisitive daughter Amelia. The series is produced by Savage, Joey Slamon, Gloria Sanchez’s Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay and Kablamo’s Jason Zaro, Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and Billy Rosenberg.
Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks – 12 Episodes – Series Premieres in Fall 2017
Launched as part of truTV’s short form comedy series Rachel Dratch’s Late Night Snack, DJ and comedian Cipha Sounds is flipping comedy on its head as the host of Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks, a new half-hour series where the next generation of comedians bring their hilarious personal stories to life with a playful reinvention of standup. The series, which will launch this fall, is produced by American Chainsaws Entertainment with Royal Malloy, Colt Straub, Duke Straub, and Mark Therrien serving as executive producers and Laff Mobb Entertainment with Bob Sumner, Arthur Spivak, Carlos Koustas, and Jamal Dedeaux executive producing.
The Chris Gethard Show – 16 Episodes – Live Series Premieres on Wednesday, August 2 at 11pm ET
This summer, The Chris Gethard Show makes the jump to truTV and, for the first time on national cable – and a first for truTV – it will be broadcast live. In this hour-long call-in talk show, Gethard attempts to ring-lead a panel of comedian friends and oddballs, along with a live studio audience, who participate in games, tackle bizarre stunts, and react to the controlled chaos around them. It’s a totally immersive, interactive experience for all. The series, which will broadcast live from New York City, will premiere on truTV Wednesday, August 2 at 11pm ET. It is produced by Funny Or Die with Zach Galifianakis, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Owen Burke, Chris Gethard, JD Amato, Anna Wenger, and AGI Entertainment Media & Management’s Brian Stern serving as executive producers.
New truTV Pilots & Projects in Development:
Untitled Liza Treyger Project (wt) – Scripted Pilot
Recently seen in Louis CK's Horace & Pete as well as her own half-hour stand up special, Liza Treyger executive produces and stars in this single camera, scripted pilot set in Chicago. Utilizing Treyger's strong point of view, this character-driven project revolves around Liza and her dysfunctional friends who together form their own (somewhat) functional 'framily'. Written by Treyger and Prescott Tolk, the project is produced by Avalon Television with Treyger, Sam Saifer, Jon Thoday, Richard Allen-Turner, David Martin, and Tolk serving as executive producers. Chloe Pisello is a co-executive producer.
Untitled Austin Martinez Comedy (wt) – Scripted Pilot
Molly Austin and Shamikah Martinez – also known as Austin Martinez – star in this scripted comedy pilot in which episodes spark from relatable conflicts and milestones of being an official adult – things like being the one in charge of an actual emergency, babysitting your friend's kid, and getting your first grown ass woman couch. These relatable, everyday situations are taken to into an absurd magical world that includes everything from music videos and sketches to talking cats and noir mysteries. The project is produced by MAD pictures with Adam Donald, Martinez, and Austin serving as executive producers.
End Times Girls Club (wt) – Pilot
End Times Girls Club is your ultimate guide to apocalypse survival. Driven by her personal paranoia, Rose – played by creator and writer Rose Schlossberg – is here to educate girls on how to prepare for the end of the world and stay cute in the process! The hybrid comedy series is produced by Broadway Video with Schlossberg, Stoney Sharp, and Andrew Singer serving as executive producers.
False Advertising (wt) – Presentation
Known for their terrifyingly believable commercials, The Kloons bring competition (and their marketing genius) to a whole new level in this half-hour show. The comedy group pits two hilarious ideas against each other, creating real commercials (of totally fake products) to convince an unsuspecting focus group. Will they believe that Cheez-Its Christ is really being sold on the shelves of supermarkets, or that a Prada body bag is the hot new fashion item of the year? Absurdity ensues as The Kloons attempt see which product the focus group finds more believable, and which goes too far. The project is produced by Studio 71 with Rabih Gholam, Tally Barr, Mitch Lewis, Greg Washburn, and Nick Kazoura serving as executive producers.
Paid Off with Michael Torpey (wt) – Presentation Tape
Student loan debt is out of control and Michael Torpey has the foolish idea he can do something about it. Paid Off with Michael Torpey is a comedic quiz show that will challenge contestants to prove they really earned their college degrees and have their student loan debt completely paid off. The series is co-created by Torpey (Orange is the New Black) and Cowboy Bear Ninja, who will also produce. Torpey, Michael Melamedoff and Adrian Selkowitz serve as executive producers
In addition to the new series, truTV announced new season orders for existing originals Impractical Jokers, The Carbonaro Effect, Jon Glaser Loves Gear, Hack My Life, and Comedy Knockout.
