All About Apu, More Comedian Hosted Shows Coming to truTV Plus Find Out Which Shows Are Coming Back
Cable’s truTV, once a bastion of stuffy courtroom drama and panic-inducing Nancy Grace rants, has proven its commitment to its re-branding effort today with the announcement of several comedy renewals and a host of new shows in the works.
The network currently plays host to a number of comedy shows that have been renewed for the 2016-2017 season: David Spade’s improv/prank comedy hybrid Fameless, life hack showcase Hack My Life, scripted comedy Those Who Can’t, Comedian Billy Eichner’s Billy on the Street, Impractical Jokers starring NYC comedy troupe The Tenderloins, the magical prank show The Carbonaro Effect, and the myth busting Adam Ruins Everything, starring CollegeHumor’s Adam Connover.
In addition to these already-established shows, the network announced that they have green lit additional episodes for the first seasons of game show Comedy Knockout and sketch comedy show Rachel Dratch’s Late Night Snack, hosted by SNL alum Rachel Dratch.
Most of these shows have received decent ratings and reviews so far, so their renewals aren’t exactly surprising. The more exciting news for comedy fans is that on top of their renewals, truTV also has a deep bench of new pilots and projects in development with some seriously funny people.
The network currently has four untitled projects that are coming to fruition, from technology showcases to sketch and political comedy shows, starring folks like Hari Kondabolu, Jena Friedman, Olivia Lee, and Kevin Pereira. Another two projects are a little further along, though still under working titles: Melissa Hunter and Debbie Liebling’s Small Victories, a scripted comedy that follows protagonist Margot as she gets disbarred from practicing law, moves back in with her parents, and starts a vigilante justice squad with her friends, and The Lonely Island produced I’m Sorry, written by/starring comedian Andrea Savage, which follows a seemingly happy and healthy comedy writer whose life starts to crumble after a series of unforeseen circumstances.
Another five shows have received names and release schedules, including a documentary and a two-hour live special:
The Problem with Apu: A documentary created by and starring comedian Hari Kondabolu, addressing the cultural permeance of the iconic Simpsons character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the show’s token Indian convenience store owner. Kondabolu will use comedy as a lens to look at how this controversial character has become so ingrained in American culture, even 26 years after the show originally introduced him. Premieres Fall 2016.
Impractical Jokers Live Event Special: The Tenderloins comedy troupe, featuring Sal, Murr, Q and Joe, looks to one-up their live 100th episode special from last year, in which they did a high-wire tight rope walk over NYC’s South Street Seaport. Premieres Fall 2016.
Greatest Ever: Comedian Amanda Seales hosts this new pop-culture showcase, which will feature the comic running through the do’s and don’ts of various cultural topics, like politicians, weddings, animal videos, informercials and whacky inventions. Premieres Tuesday, July 5th.
Jon Glaser Loves Gear: Jon Glaser (of Trainwreck and Parks and Rec fame) hosts this docu-series that delves into the comedian/actor’s love of/obsession with gear. What is gear, you ask? Well, I think it’s technology gear. But it could be clothes, I don’t know. The show’s description is pretty vague, so this one’s a (potentially hilarious) wildcard. Premiering Fall 2016.
Lifescaping: This show, hosted by Abbi Crutchfield and Matthew Latkiewicz, features the comedian/author duo teaching viewers about the various (and small) life skills that can help make one’s life just a little easier, like how to plan a road trip, how to get a bartender’s attention, and how to gauge when lying is the best course of action. Premiering Summer 2016.
Needless to say, truTV has rounded up a roster of tried and true comics and writers to help take their network forward and progress their mission of becoming a name synonymous with comedy. So far, their doing a pretty good job.
