Upfronts 2015: Adult Swim Unveils Slate

An uncertain upfront might not be the best time to introduce a show called TV Sucks, but Adult Swim is doing it anyway.

Turner Broadcasting’s top-rated network with 18-24 and 18-34 year olds, released its 2015-16 programming schedule, which includes 30 new and returning series andpilots.

“There is no better environment for an advertiser seeking to engage and connect with this sought-after millennial consumer,” Donna Speciale, president of Turner Broadcasting ad sales, said in a statement. “Through premium top-rated multi-screen programming, custom-produced branded content, on-site media activations and digital engagement, there is limitless return potential for marketers aligning with us and this valuable brand.”

New original shows include TV Sucks, a quarter-hour animated sketch show created by Brad Neely.

“Adult Swim has always been known as a place for taking risks and for great talent trying interesting things,” said Christina Miller, president and general manager, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang. “Mike [Lazzo] and his team continue to raise the bar, always knowing what the Adult Swim fan wants; and this new slate of original programming adds to our growing line-up of successful primetime comedies.”

Adult Swim’s other new series include:

•        Untitled Golf Special: Set in 1966,  professional actors, Jon Daly and Adam Scott go head to head in this televised golf championship. The series is created by Jon Daly, who also serves as executive producer.  Starring Daly (Kroll Show) and Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation), the half-hour live-action special is produced by Alive and Kicking.

•        Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter: Werewolf Hunter is the story of a neon-clad man with a mysterious past and a highly specialized skill set – hunting werewolves. The half-hour live-action mini-series is created by Jon Glaser (Girls, Parks and Recreation) and produced by PFFR.

•        Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories: Tim and Eric are back with two new Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories half-hour live-action specials. They’re created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, produced by Abso Lutely.

•       Untitled Brett Gelman Dinner Special:  Brett Gelman returns to Adult Swim for the third installment of his "Dinner" series of half-hour specials. New guests. New insanity. Created and written by Brett Gelman and Jason Woliner, with Gelman and Woliner serving as executive producers, and produced by Abso Lutely.

•        Robot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Friendship is Magic (working title) – In this special, Batman and Superman’s bromance takes a competitive turn and the fate of the universe somehow hangs in the balance. Cast includes Seth Green, Matt Senreich, Breckin Meyer, Alfred Molina, Nathan Fillion, Weird Al Yankovic, Alex Borstein, Giovanni Ribisi, Jonathan Banks, Mae Whitman, Hugh Davidson, Dee Bradley Baker, Zeb Wells, Kevin Shinick plus Adam West and Burt Ward. The special is executive produced by Robot Chicken creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich and their Stoopid Buddy Stoodios partners, John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner, along with DC Entertainment chief creative officer Geoff Johns, and Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Digital Series president Sam Register. The special is directed by Tom Sheppard (Annoying Orange) and Zeb Wells.

Adult Swim will be part of Turner’s upfront presentation on May 13. It also hosts a popular party that night. This year’s party will feature a performance by Miley Cyrus.

Jon Lafayette

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.