truTV Unveils Comedic Series Greenlights and Development Projects in 2018-19 Programming Slate

Cable’s Only All-Original Comedy Network Announces Series Greenlight of
Tacoma FD (wt), Plus New Projects from Ken Jeong and Jo Koy

 

Fueled by Critical Acclaim and Ratings Success, Network Orders More Adam Ruins

Everything, At Home with Amy Sedaris, I’m Sorry and Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks

 

It’s peak Upfront season, so we’ll cut to the chase:

• New series & pilots in development! Tacoma FD (working title) from Super Troopers' Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme gets series greenlight along with pilot commitments of a new comedic medical advice show from Ken Jeong and an animated project from Jo Koy;
• New seasons and episodes! Additional orders of Adam Ruins Everything, Hack My Life, Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks join previously-announced pick-ups for At Home with Amy Sedaris, I’m Sorry, Jon Glaser Loves Gear and Those Who Can’t;
• Ratings success! truTV is one of only three networks with two years of consistent ratings growth and delivers the youngest and richest audience in all of television;
• 100% LCI by 2021! truTV again leads the industry with its commitment to present 100% of its programs with limited commercials by 2021.

 

 

Turner’s truTV continues to bolster its growing roster of wholly-owned, original comedies as the network today unveiled its 2018-19 programming slate ahead of next week’s 2018 Turner Upfront event at Madison Square Garden. The cable network, which since 2014 has transformed into a premium destination for a wide range of distinct, creator-driven scripted, unscripted and hybrid series, announced the greenlight of Tacoma FD (working title), a new scripted series from Super Troopers' Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme about a fire department in the wettest city in America. Also joining the slate are two new pilots – a comedic medical advice show created by Ken Jeong and an animated project from Jo Koy, which are currently in development. The network has also expanded its portfolio of existing original series, with new seasons of Adam Ruins Everything and Hack My Life, along with an additional episode order for freshman series Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks.

 

With today’s announcement, truTV continues to build upon its base of originals slated to premiere in the 2018-19 season, including the previously-announced second seasons of the critical darling At Home with Amy Sedaris, breakout hit I’m Sorry and hybrid sensation Jon Glaser Loves Gear, plus the third season of the network’s inaugural scripted comedy Those Who Can’t. Earlier this year, the network also expanded its partnership with the incredibly successful multiplatform Impractical Jokers franchise, which includes an eighth season of the television series and the brand’s first-ever full-length feature film which is currently in production with director Chris Henchy and Funny Or Die producing.

 

In addition to creating premium programming, truTV also continues to improve the overall viewer experience and provide its advertising partners with unique opportunities that drive significant results. In 2014, truTV was the first network to announce its commitment to more content and in the fourth quarter of 2016, it drastically reduced its commercial load by 50% across its premiere schedule. Now, with more and more networks joining the fray seemingly every day, truTV is going all-in on this initiative and has committed to making 100% of its programming schedule available with limited commercial interruption by 2021. As one of the few networks made up of all-original programming, truTV has both the fortitude and ability to deliver on this promise, which will continue to drive actual business results for its advertising partners. This focus on fans has led truTV to deliver two years of consistent ratings growth among key demographics, along with the youngest and richest audience in all of television with a median age of 34.

 

“We’ve reached a point in our illustrious four-year history as a comedy network where we have a fully-balanced portfolio, proven results and are firing on all cylinders,” said Chris Linn, president of truTV. “Our mix of returning hits, new series, plus scripted and unscripted formats in development, and a wholly-owned library of originals gives us a distinct advantage in the marketplace. Against all odds and in a challenging landscape, truTV continues to deliver premium experiences for our fans and our advertising partners, and combined with our all-in commitment to reduced commercials, we plan to keep raising the bar.”

 

Below is a rundown of truTV’s latest programming news heading into the 2018-19 Upfront season.

 

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New truTV Series Greenlights & Projects in Development:

 

Tacoma FD (wt) – 10 Scripted Half-Hour Episodes – Series Greenlight

On the heels of the breakout theatrical release of Super Troopers 2, co-creators and stars Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme will be donning new uniforms in Tacoma FD, a new half-hour comedy set in a firehouse in the wettest city in America. Light on blazes that need extinguishing, they are fire fighters who are always ready to fight fires… but in this wet city, they find themselves tackling the less glamourous elements of the job. Leading the fire house crew are Chief Terry McConky (Heffernan) and Captain Eddie Penisi (Lemme). The series, which will go into production later this year and will debut in 2019, is co-created and executive produced by Heffernan and Lemme alongside David Miner and Greg Walter from 3 Arts Entertainment and Kyle Clark from Silverscreen Pictures.

 

Untitled Ken Jeong Project (wt) – New Unscripted Pilot

When it comes to medical questions, real life doctor turned comedian, Ken Jeong, is your first, second and funniest opinion. In this half-hour, comedic medical advice show, Jeong dispenses his expertise while also performing related comedy bits in front of a studio audience. Jeong and his team of correspondents tackle all aspects of health and wellness, from general medicine to that weird rash that’s starting to really burn. Created by Jeong, the series is produced by Hazy Mills Productions and Mission Control Media, with Jeong, Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner, Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian and Brett Carducci serving as executive producers. Jeong is represented by ICM and Carducci of Aligned Entertainment.

 

This Functional Family (wt) – New Animated Series in Development

At the center of a fractured, patched-up, multi-racial, dysfunctional family is comedian Jo Koy: a guy who just wants to be a good son, a better dad, a decent brother, and a solid ex-husband. Oh, and maybe get his career and dating life on track if his family would just leave him the hell alone. Drawing upon real-life experiences and characters featured in Koy’s popular stand-up tour, this half-hour animated scripted series asks: what if the most real family on television was also a pretty weird cartoon? Created by Koy and Kirk Rudell, This Functional Family (wt) will be produced by Stun with Koy, Rudell, Jeremy Colfer, Mark Feldstein, and Brad Roth serving as executive producers.

 

Returning truTV Series and Premiere Dates:

 

The Carbonaro Effect – 16 Episodes – Season Four Premieres May 17 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT

Magician by trade but prankster at heart, Michael Carbonaro performs ingenious tricks on unsuspecting people, all caught on hidden camera. Whether posing as a coffee shop barista, museum curator or seemingly unremarkable store clerk, Carbonaro's effect on people leaves fans laughing out loud with his bewildering and thrilling illusions. The series is produced by Fields Entertainment with Simon Fields and Carbonaro serving as executive producers.

 

Paid Off with Michael Torpey – 16 Episodes – Series Premieres July 10 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT

The student loan crisis is ridiculous, so comedian Michael Torpey (Orange is the New Black) is solving it in the most ridiculous way possible – a comedy game show. Paid Off with Michael Torpey gives three lucky college grads – all saddled with student debt – the chance to test the depth of their degrees with fun, fast paced trivia questions. In the end, one lucky winner will get the chance to have their student debt paid off. The series is co-created by Torpey and Cowboy Bear Ninja, who also produces. Michael Melamedoff and Adrian Selkowitz serve as executive producers for Cowboy Bear Ninja alongside executive producers Torpey, Ethan Berlin and Leigh Hampton.

 

Hack My Life – 10 Episodes – Season Four Premieres July 10 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT

In Hack My Life, hosts Kevin Pereira and Brooke Van Poppelen provide comedic step-by-step instructions for eye-popping shortcuts and cheats guaranteed to save today's busy adults a lot of time, effort, and money. The series is produced by Truly Original with Glenda Hersh, Steven Weinstock, Todd Hurvitz and Shari Ortner serving as executive producers.

 

Bobcat Goldthwait’s Misfits & Monsters – 8 Episodes – Series Premieres July 11 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT

From the Sundance award-winning writer-director, Bobcat Goldthwait’s Misfits & Monsters is a genre-hopping scripted anthology comedy series. Each standalone episode delivers a satire of the world we live in and exploits the awkwardness of its flawed characters to tell socially-relevant stories with imaginative twists. Guest stars throughout the season include Michael Ian Black, Bridget Everett, Dave Foley, Seth Green, Melissa Joan Hart, David Koechner, Danny Pudi and more. The series is produced by Left/Right with Goldthwait, Banks Tarver, Ken Druckerman, Olivia Wingate and Michele Armour serving as executive producers.

Impractical Jokers – New Episodes Return with Season 7 Mid-Season Premiere in Summer 2018

Earlier this year, truTV announced a significant extension of its wildly-successful Impractical Jokers franchise with a commitment for an eighth season of the top-rated series, plus the production on the brand’s first-ever feature-length film directed by Chris Henchy and produced by Funny Or Die. One of cable's longest-running and top-rated original comedies, Impractical Jokers centers on James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn, Joe Gatto and Sal Vulcano – collectively known as The Tenderloins – four lifelong friends and comedians who compete to publicly embarrass each other with a series of hilariously outrageous hidden-camera dares and punishments. Impractical Jokers, which is a top-5 cable comedy among adults 18-34 and 18-49, is produced by NorthSouth Productions with Charlie DeBevoise, Pete McPartland Jr., Gatto, Murray, Quinn, and Vulcano serving as executive producers. The series will premiere new episodes from its seventh season this summer, with an eighth season slated for premiere in 2019.

 

Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks – 12 Additional Episodes – Season One Continues in Fall 2018

Prolific DJ and comedian Cipha Sounds hosts Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks, an inventive series that flips stand-up comedy on its head and introduces viewers to the next generation of great comedians. In each half-hour episode, Cipha welcomes a rotating cast of comedians who perform hilarious stand-up routines. In a playful reinvention of the standard stand-up format, each joke is heightened with actors bringing them to life in over-the-top visual recreations. At the end of each episode, Sounds introduces the “Joke of the Night,” with one final comedian bringing down the house with the biggest laughs of the episode. The series, which premiered on truTV earlier this year, will return this fall for an additional 12 episodes of its first season. It is produced by Rotten Science with executive producers Matthew Vaughan and Eric Abrams, along with Laff Mobb Entertainment’s Bob Sumner and Arthur Spivak.

Adam Ruins Everything – 10 Episodes – Season Three Premieres in Fall 2018

In Adam Ruins Everything, creator and host Adam Conover embarks on a comically inventive and relentlessly factual quest to reveal the hidden truths about everything we know and love. Tackling a broad range of topics in the upcoming third season, Conover delivers both fun facts and compelling information, encouraging viewers to see the world in a whole new way. Created by Conover, the series is produced by Big Breakfast, an Electus company, with Conover, Sam Reich, Jon Cohen, and Jon Wolf serving as executive producers.

 

I’m Sorry – 10 Episodes – Season Two Premieres in Late 2018

Created by and starring Andrea Savage, the half-hour scripted comedy I’m Sorry follows seemingly confident comedy writer, wife and mom Andrea who comically exposes her inner immaturity and neuroses through unexpected life situations. Delivering consistent ratings growth, social buzz and critical praise in its premiere season, the breakthrough series – which also stars Tom Everett Scott and Olive Petrucci –  was 2017's fastest growing ad-supported cable comedy. I’m Sorry is executive produced by Savage, Joey Slamon, A24's Ravi Nandan, Gloria Sanchez's Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, and Lonely Island’s Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer.

 

Jon Glaser Loves Gear – 10 Episodes – Season Two Premieres in Late 2018
Actor and comedian Jon Glaser (Parks and Recreation, Girls) still loves gear – and this one-sided love affair continues with the debut of the second season of this half-hour comedy. Season two picks up where season one left off, as Jon conquered his demons and unraveled the meaning of what gear truly meant to him. Thankfully there's an endless amount of new gear out there for Jon to love, all while being supported by his real family, his fake family, his phone, and his 'Spurt. The series is produced by PFFR with Vernon Chatman, John Lee, and Alyson Levy executive producing alongside Glaser, Dave Becky, Richard Korson and David Miner.

 

Those Who Can’t – 13 Episodes – Season Three Premieres in Late 2018
Later this year, truTV’s first scripted series Those Who Can’t returns for a third season that is more unhinged and hilarious than the last. Denver-based comedy troupe The Grawlix (Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl and Ben Roy) return as three trouble-making teachers who, joined by librarian Maria Thayer, are more inept than the kids they teach and are out to beat the system as they struggle to survive each day on their own terms. The series is executive produced by Tracey Baird and Krysia Plonka of Thank You, Brain! Productions; Michael Rotenberg and Josh Lieberman of 3 Arts Entertainment; Richard Korson, and Andrew Weinberg, who also serves as this season’s show runner.

 

At Home with Amy Sedaris – 10 Episodes – Season Two Premieres in 2019

In variety sketch series At Home with Amy Sedaris, actress and comedian Amy Sedaris cordially invites viewers into her delicious world, showcasing her unique, distinctive brand of hospitality and homemaking in weekly themed episodes which feature imaginative characters, how-to demonstrations, special guests, and more. Co-created by Sedaris and Paul Dinello, the series' second season is executive produced by Sedaris and A24's Ravi Nandan.

 

About truTV

 

truTV is the home for original, creator-driven comedy series with a distinct point of view. With millions of engaged fans across linear, digital and social channels, the cable network features a growing roster of critically acclaimed and fan-favorite premium scripted, non-scripted and hybrid series, such as Adam Ruins Everything, At Home with Amy Sedaris, I’m Sorry, Impractical Jokers, Paid Off with Michael Torpey, Tacoma FD, The Carbonaro Effect, and more. As a division of WarnerMedia, truTV is also a partner in airing the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship each year.

WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others.