Comedy Central Orders ‘Sword Of Fire’ Series For 2009
Development Slate Includes Projects From Snoop Dogg, Andy Richter, David Alan Grier
By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 3/12/2008 4:02:00 AM MT
Comedy Central, which is the midst of presenting a week of fresh fare, is ramping up development, ordering a new live-action series and a handful of specials.
The network, which this week is debuting Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil and new seasons of South Park, Lil’ Bush and Kenny vs. Spenny, has ordered Krod Mandoon and The Flaming Sword of Fire, which tracks the escapades of a clueless freedom fighter, the last refuge in a medieval struggle. The series, written by Peter Knight and executive-produced by Knight, Keith Samples, Brad Johnson, Courtney Conte and Flody Juarez, is expected to debut in the first quarter of next year.
In the meantime, Comedy Central will present a series of one-hour stand-up specials, showcasing John Oliver, Carlos Mencia and Brian Regan. John Oliver: Terrifying Times is slated for April 20 at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), while Carlos Mencia: Performance Enhanced is scheduled for May 18 at 10 p.m. The Regan show will air in the third quarter.
Comedy also has a number of shows in the pilot/presentation stage, including:
*an untitled animated Snoop Dogg project giving viewers perspective of the 15-year-old growing up in the hood of 1980s Long Beach, Calif.;
* a sketch show from Andy Richter;
*America’s Biggest Idiot, in which three guys compete in off-the-wall physical challenges;
*David Allen Grier’s Chocolate News, a fake magazine show in which the In Living Color alum covers urban pop culture topics;
*Gay Robot, an animated, scripted series, comprising two 11-minute stories per episode about a gay robot, voiced by Nick Swardson (Reno 911!, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry).
*The Scariest Show On Television, which has twisted comedy writers helming an Alfred Hitchcock Presents-type show in which host Julius Darkshaft, played by Paul F. Tompkins (Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil), takes watchers through a vault of hilarious morality tales and gorefests;
* Search and Destroy, a no-holds-barred scavenger hunt, executive-produced by Troy Miller (Viva La Bam, Flight of Conchords); and
*Speed Freaks, a scripted show about two small town losers who blow up a local meth clinic and are now on the run from a redneck mafia hit man.
Other projects in various stages of development is an untitled show from MadTV’s Bobby Lee; Gypsy Cab, an animated series in which a well-known comedian will serve as the voice of one of the passengers; Michael and Michael Have Issues, (Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter), featuring disputes Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter have with each another and the world; and Reality Bites, a spoof on reality shows.
“This year's development slate features an incredibly diverse and versatile array of talent and concepts,” said Lauren Corrao, president, original programming and development, Comedy Central, in a statement. “Our core viewers expect nothing short of the best comedy options and continue to connect with the brand we've built. We're confident that these ideas will resonate with them and will continue to grow the network's success into the coming year.”
Comedy Wields 'Flaming Sword’
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