Cartoon Network’s late night Adult Swim line-up is one of the precious few reasons I still bother having a cable box in my home these days. Within their nightly live-action and animated programming block can be found some of the funniest and imaginative writing and performances to ever be seen on television, along with reruns of Family Guy and American Dad.
The network shrewdly combines more accessible fare like Robot Chicken, Childrens Hospital, and NTSF:SD:SUV with boldly bizarre, short-lived experiments (they really should bring back The Heart, She Holler) to maintain their healthy fanbase and serve as a wonderland of creative freedom. They show no signs of letting up any time soon, and in fact Cartoon Network just released a list of new shows and pilots they have in development for Adult Swim in the coming year.
You can check out the full list here below.
There is a lot of promise contained in this motley assemblage. We get potential new series from the likes of Community creator Dan Harmon and Boondocks overmind Aaron McGruder, a follow-up to Robot Chicken‘s DC Comics special from last year, a new Metalocalypse special, and some sure-to-be-fall-on-your-buttocks hilarious take-offs on reality shows, 1980’s detective dramas and Saturday morning cartoons, and cheeseball entertainment programs. I won’t be surprised if nearly half the characters on these shows are mentally disturbed and have serious drug, alcohol, and sex addictions. Yes sir, I like it.
What has me super stoked is the return to Adult Swim of Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the creators of the surrealistically funny sketch comedy show Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, which ended its run on the network in 2010 (and Adult Swim hasn’t been the same since, at least to me). Their latest effort following last year’s sorely underrated Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie is Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories: Zach’s Haunted House, a half-hour pilot that reunites them with their frequent collaborator Zach Galifianakis and will likely air sometime around this coming Halloween.
For all of you Breaking Bad fans out there, star Bryan Cranston is serving as an executive producer on the pilot Ãœbermansion, which comes to us from the company responsible for Robot Chicken and will be “a glimpse into the mundane humanity of six superheroes all living in the same mansion.”
Insane, alternate humor rules all on Adult Swim. Would we expect any less?
Here is the full list of shows the network has in development currently:
New original series and specials:
RICK AND MORTY – Rick and Morty is about a genius inventor grandfather and his less than genius grandson, and the journeys in life they share. From Dan Harmon (Community, Channel 101) and Justin Roiland. Animated half-hour. (previously announced)
MR. PICKLES – In Mr. Pickles, the urban sprawl of modern society pollutes the old-fashioned town where the Goodman family lives with their lovable pet dog, Mr. Pickles, a deviant border collie with a secret satanic streak. From creators Will Carsola and Dave Stewart (Funny Or Die Presents, Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time). Animated quarter-hour.
MIKE TYSON MYSTERIES – In the new animated comedy series Mike Tyson Mysteries, Mike Tyson is taking the fight from the boxing ring to the streets”¦ by solving mysteries! Armed with a magical tattoo on his face and a trusty associate by his side “” a talking pigeon “” if you have a problem that needs solving, Iron Mike is in your corner. The series incorporates live-action appearances featuring Mighty Mike himself, and the gloves come off as the former heavyweight champ and his fowl-mouthed partner gear up for weekly adventures as they put unsolved mysteries “” like how to defeat a super computer at chess or why a famous author/werewolf can’t finish his novel “” down for the count. Animated quarter-hour from Warner Bros Animation.
KING STAR KING – King Star Kingfeatures a punk rock, modern day he-man who falls from the realm of the gods to land as a fry cook in a slummy waffle joint. King Star King must regain his memory to defeat the evil (and adorable) Spring Bunny and rescue his love, the megababe Princess Snow White. Only then will King Star King regain his rightful place in the heavens. From artist JJ Villard (Monsters Vs. Aliens). Animated quarter-hour.
ROBOT CHICKEN DC COMICS SPECIAL II– Faster than a speeding bullet! Well, maybe not but quality takes time. Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, in partnership with DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, will premiere a sequel to their acclaimed Annie Award-winning Robot Chicken DC Comics Special in 2014.Robot Chicken DC Comics Special II brings you the awesomeness of the DC Comics universe of characters as only Robot Chicken can, with amazing guest stars and the stop-motion sketch comedy you’ve come to love after six seasons of the popular Adult Swim series. Executive producers for the second Robot Chicken DC Comics Special include Stoopid Monkey’s Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, Warner Bros. Animation’s Executive Vice President, Creative Affairs Sam Register, and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios’ John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner.
METALOCALPYSE: THE DOOM STAR REQUIEM – In Metalocalypse: The Doom Star Requiem, we pick up directly after the abduction of Dethklok guitarist Toki Wartooth in the season 4 finale. With his life in danger his only salvation can come from the four most selfish human celebrities on earth””his bandmates, extreme metal band DETHKLOK. Will they be able to get past their own egos to help someone besides themselves? Find out in this one-hour heavy metal rock opera special with a completely original score. Created by Brendon Small, Metalocalypse: The Doom Star Requiem airs in October. Animated one-hour special.
HOT PACKAGE – Premiering in October on Adult Swim, Hot Package is a live-action fictional Canadian entertainment news program in vein of “Entertainment Tonight,” “EXTRA,” or “E! News.” Hot Package is created by and stars Derrick Beckles (TV Carnage), produced by Abso Lutely, with Derrick Beckles and Dave Kneebone as executive producers. Live-action quarter-hour.
Pilots:
Aaron McGruder Pilots
Two new live-action pilots from the creator of The Boondocks. Live-action quarter-hour and half-hour:
Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories: Zach’s Haunted House – Tim, Eric and Zach are elated to learn their grandfather has left them each $1,000 in his will. However, there’s a catch. In order to collect the money, they must live in his haunted mansion for the rest of their lives. Are the three of them up for it? This Halloween special is written, directed and stars Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!) with Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover). Live-action half-hour.
Ghostbags– These three frat guys were douchebags while they lived, but now that they’ve died in a horrible car accident, absolutely nothing has changed. Created by Hayes Davenport (Eastbound and Down) and Guy Endore-Kaiser (Allen Gregory). Animated quarter-hour.
Hole to Hole – The fabulous exploits of Ashleigh and Amelia Dangerhole, America’s sexiest billionaire detectives in a parody of “˜80s detective shows. From Pam Brady (South Park, Neighbors from Hell) and Arden Myrin (MADtv, Chelsea Lately). Live-action quarter-hour. (previously announced)
Filthy Sexy Teen$ – Filthy Sexy Teen$ follows the exploits of a group of teens (and one high school principal) as they attempt to climb the social ladder by any means possible, even if they have to use sex, lies, and murder to get there. It won’t be easy in a school where everyone has a dark secret, and one mysterious teen is out to expose every one of them. Created by Curtis Gwinn (Walking Dead), Paul Scheer (The League, Human Giant) and Jonathan Stern (Childrens Hospital, Burning Love). Live-action quarter-hour.
Team Unicorn – Team Unicorn is a modern send-up of Saturday morning kids’ shows featuring a team of four sexy, culture-obsessed heroines who present darkly ironic twists on 80″²s cartoon tropes. From the creators of Space Ghost Coast to Coast. Live-action quarter-hour.
Ãœbermansion – From Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and the creators of Robot Chicken comes Ãœbermansion, a glimpse into the mundane humanity of six superheroes all living in the same mansion. Created by Zeb Wells and Matthew Senreich, executive produced by Wells, Senreich, Seth Green, John Harvatine IV, Eric Towner and Bryan Cranston. Animated quarter-hour.
Untitled Cruise Ship Project – The corrupt employees of a trashy cruise ship are piloted into danger by their insane Scandinavian captain. Created by Matt Harrigan (Space Ghost Coast to Coast). Live-action quarter-hour.
[Source: Splitsider]
The only thing on this list I will watch is the Robot Chicken DC Special.
Tim and Eric SUCK!
Comment by NOBODY — May 14, 2013 @ 11:54 am
Is the new Tim & Eric show just a special, or will it be an actual series?
Comment by Jake Tuhill — May 14, 2013 @ 11:11 pm
The Heart, She Holler is coming back!
Comment by David Marcus — May 28, 2013 @ 5:06 pm