Upfronts 2016: Adult Swim Programs 24 Hours
Adult Swim will be scheduling programming 24 hours a day, with shows airing on its cable channel and streaming online.
The top rated network with those millennials everyone’s talking about is adding new programming from the creators of The Walking Dead, actor John Krasinski, comedian Brett Gelman, creator Dan Harmon and is bringing back Samurai Jack to cable.
Those millennial viewers will be able to find fresh streaming Adult Swim fare online when Cartoon Network occupies the cable channel from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Adult Swim staff has created shows for AdultSwim.com including Stupid Morning Bulls__t, Williams Street Swap Shop, Call of Karaoke and Development Meeting. They join shows that were already streaming: Toonami: Pre-Flight and FishCenter, which has 2 million registered users who can live chat with the show’s hosts.
“Adult Swim is a one of a kind destination that simply knows its audience,” said Christina Miller, president and general manager, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. “Mike Lazzo and his team have always found new and interesting ways to produce and distribute content that can’t be found anywhere else.”
The announcement of the on-air and online slates precedes parent company Turner Broadcasting’s upfront presentation on May 18 in New York. That night, Adult Swim will host a party featuring Nicki Minaj.
“Adult Swim has developed a relationship with millennials like no other media brand,” said Donna Speciale, president of Turner Ad Sales. “That connection is a key access point for advertisers who want to utilize an authentic voice across custom, branded content and partnerships rich with direct to fan experiences."
Here is a description of Adult Swim’s new Original Series and specials from the network:
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Original Series and Specials
Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special
In keeping with the tradition of working with major franchises such as Star Wars and DC Comics universe, the Emmy Award®-winning team behind Robot Chicken joins forces with the executive producers of The Walking Dead to bring fans an all new and extra bloody half-hour special. Robot Chicken creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, their Stoopid Buddy Stoodios partners, John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner, and executive producers/head writers Tom Root and Doug Goldstein, will bring an animated zombie apocalypse to Adult Swim with The Walking Dead’s creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman and showrunner, executive producer and writer Scott M. Gimple.
Montana James
In this half-hour live-action special, adventure has one name, Montana James. Follow our feathered-cap-wearing explorer on another one of his rip-roaring syndicated television odysseys. This time Montana is on the hunt for the coveted Holy Grail Cup, but watch out Montana, the Order of the Red Arm Band is on your tail again! Created by Nick Corirossi and Charles Ingram, and produced by Funny Or Die.
Mr. Neighbor's House
Mr. Neighbor's House is a half-hour, live-action children's show hosted by Brian Huskey (Childrens Hospital, Veep). He's like any other host of kids programming, except that he is barely able to contain the suppressed rage boiling underneath his quiet demeanor. From the safe confines of his home, he throws to various "educational" vignettes: puppets, animation, stop motion, spoken word and mixed medium elements that all blend together into one half-hour special… that is NOT for kids. Mr. Neighbor's House was created by Huskey, Jason Mantzoukas (Childrens Hospital, The League), and Jesse Falcon, who also serve as executive producers with Rob Corddry (Childrens Hospital, Hot Tub Time Machine).
Brett Gelman's Dinner in America
For the third installment in their "Dinner" series of half-hour specials, Brett Gelman and director Jason Woliner present Brett Gelman's Dinner in America, an exploration of the racial problem in this country. The premise is simple: A roundtable discussion in which Brett attempts to engage four distinguished actors – Loretta Devine (The Carmichael Show), Shareeka Epps (Half Nelson), Joe Morton (Scandal) and Mack Wilds (The Wire) – in an open forum on racism. But as his motives are questioned and the guests refuse to respond in the way that he had hoped, this misbegotten exercise in "doing good" soon goes very, very wrong. Subverting and then bounding past the conventions of "awkward comedy" and becoming something wholly unique, Brett Gelman's Dinner in America is unflinching, confrontational and unlike anything previously broadcast on television. Created and written by Gelman and Woliner and produced by Abso Lutely Productions.
Samurai Jack
After 12 years, Jack is back. Original creator and executive producer Genndy Tartakovsky continues the epic story of Samurai Jack with a new season of half-hour episodes.
Dream Corp, LLC
Dream Corp, LLC is an absurd workplace comedy set in a neglected dream therapy facility. Each week, viewers will watch as a rotating cast of desperate patients have their dreams recorded and analyzed by Dream Corp's absent-minded professor, Dr. Roberts (Jon Gries), and his team of unremarkable scientists. Dream Corp, LLC is created by Daniel Stessen (The Gold Sparrow) and executive-produced by alums of both American and British versions of The Office, John Krasinski and Stephen Merchant, as well as Krasinski's Sunday Night partner Allyson Seeger.
Million Dollar Extreme Presents: World Peace
This quarter-hour live-action comedy series features sketch comedy troupe Million Dollar Extreme. A super pure tragicomedy rosary of pious prayers bringing unity, joy and excellent living to the people of all sizes, sexualities and colors, this series stars misandrous comedioterrorists Sam Hyde, Nick Rochefort, Charls Carroll, and is directed by Andrew Ruse. World Peace will unlock your closeted bigoted imagination, toss your inherent racism into the burning trash and cleanse your intolerant spirit with pure unapologetic American comedy. Open your eyes or you'll get thumb goggles, for what naive slob expects hemlock medicine to taste of milkshake? For the record, none of us plan on killing ourselves, and if we do it's CIA or Mossad.
Brad Neely's Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio
A new quarter-hour animated sketch show created by Brad Neely (China, IL), Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio features a collection of frenetic one-off bits, shorts and songs, all filtered through Neely's signature visual style. Beware however, as this show hates you. Neely and Daniel Weidenfeld serve as executive producers, with Dave Newberg as co-executive producer and Titmouse, Inc. producing.
Decker: Unclassified
A successful web series and an action-packed powerhouse, Decker: Unclassified follows Agent Jack Decker as he subverts terrorist plots against his beloved America. Joined by ally and master code breaker Agent Jonathan Kington, the two navigate evils both foreign and domestic threatening a once great nation. The series was created by and stars Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington, and is produced by Abso Lutely Productions.
FLCL
Created in 2000, FLCL told the tale of Naota, a 12-year-old boy who met a woman that would forever change his life…whether he liked it or not. Sixteen years later, Adult Swim and legendary animation studio Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell) are creating two new six-episode seasons to continue the tale, which will premiere in Adult Swim's Toonami block. In the new season of FLCL, many years have passed since Naota and Haruhara Haruko shared their adventure together. Meanwhile, the war between the two entities known as Medical Mechanica and Fraternity rages across the galaxy. Enter Hidomi, a young teenaged girl who believes there is nothing amazing to expect from her average life, until one day a new teacher named Haruko arrives at her school. Soon enough, Medical Mechanica is attacking her town and Hidomi discovers a secret within her that could save everyone, a secret that only Haruko can unlock. Back for the new season is FLCL series creator Kazuya Tsurumaki, serving as supervisor with director Hideto Iwai (Last Dinner).
Pilots
Art Prison
In this half-hour live-action pilot, talented convicts vie for one last shot at success inside a Prison for the Performing Arts because they have to. Created by Tom Kauffman (Rick and Morty) and Paul Isakson, who serve as executive producers with Dan Harmon (Community, Rick and Morty), this pilot is being produced by Starburns Industries.
Lazor Wulf
This quarter-hour animated pilot follows a wolf who carries a laser on his back and believes that love has no limit, that wearing do-rags gives you power and that Gawd is a lie. It was created by Henry Bonsu and written/executive-produced by Bonsu and Daniel Weidenfeld (China, IL).
Chuck Deuce
A half-hour animated masterpiece written by Lars Kenseth about Chuck, Chuck Deuce is about a NorCal slacktivist/surfer who paddles out to carve mavericks, when – GAH-DOOSH! – a giant wave crushes him. Three weeks later, he walks ashore with no idea where he's been, how he survived, or why his brain is now ravaged by hallucinations – everything from conjoined CIA agents, talking sex dolls, and sock puppet headed freaks. Like his herpes, Chuck ignores it and returns to his daily grind of violating nudity bans, protesting decency laws and skirting home-yak-milking statutes in his native Santa Cruz. But the question persists, what happened to Chuck out there... and is it really over? Chuck Deuce is executive produced by creator Chioke 'Stretch' McCoy and Matt Iles, with Jenn Tolman serving as producer.
AdultSwim.com Streaming Shows
Stupid Morning Bull__it – Weekdays at 11 a.m. (ET)
Hosts field calls and break down current events in pop culture while occasionally setting things on fire in an otherwise relaxed, morning show environment.
Williams Street Swap Shop – Weekdays at 1 p.m. (ET)
Trade goods with other viewers or sit back and enjoy the fellowship of this live, daily community call-in swap meet.
Crosswords – Weekdays at 2 p.m. (ET)
Novices and experts alike are encouraged to call in to help solve a variety of challenging daily puzzles,
FishCenter – Weekdays at 4 p.m. (ET)
Fourteen enchanting and colorful fish are the stars of this live, daily interactive comedy and game show based around the Adult Swim aquarium.
Call of Karaoke – Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. (ET)
Call in and sing along with your golden-throated, game-playing hosts who are happy to take requests while attempting to annihilate the enemy in a variety of shoot-em-up games.
Daytime Fighting League – Thursdays at 5 p.m. (ET)
Sixteen amateur fighters enter the ring to compete in ridiculous battles for a shot at the ultimate prize.
Sports Bitches – Thursdays at 6 p.m. (ET)
A couple of alpha males confront each other in various sports-themed video games while debating callers and showing clips of the biggest national sports stories of the week.
Development Meeting – Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Adult Swim fans are invited to call in and pitch their ideas to actual Adult Swim development execs, who also provide sneak peeks at new and never before seen clips.
Game Humpers – Fridays at 5:30 p.m. (ET)
Call in live to impress the experts with your best tips and tricks for a variety of games and challenges.
Toonami Pre-Flight – Fridays at 6:30 p.m. (ET)
A deep dive into all things Toonami, including an in-depth look at shows and an interactive Facebook Question of the Week that gives fans a chance to join in the conversation.
Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.