TV Hot Spot: News

"Goode" Times at ABC: New Animated Series!

Post by: Sal


Source: The HollyWood Reporter

ABC is venturing into primetime animation with "The Goode Family," a comedy from "King of the Hill" co-creator Mike Judge.

The network has handed out a 13-episode commitment to "Goode," which Judge created with John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky. The project hails from indie production company Media Rights Capital, which has an interim agreement with the WGA.

"Goode" -- which will be co-produced by 3 Arts Entertainment and Judge, Altschuler and Krinsky's still-untitled production shingle -- revolves around a family obsessed with doing the "right" thing environmentally, politically or socially whose efforts often have unintended comedic consequences.

Judge will voice the father and other characters on the series. He also voices two characters on Fox's "Hill" and voiced most of the characters on the earlier hit animated comedy he created, MTV's "Beavis and Butt-head."

"Goode" -- which was also pitched to NBC and Comedy Central, but not to Fox -- is being exec produced by Judge, Altschuler, Krinsky and 3 Arts' Michael Rotenberg and Tom Lassally.

The comedy was picked up off a pitch. While handing out a series order based on a pitch is rare, it has been more common this development season, which was heavily impacted by the writers strike, especially when there have been proven auspices attached. In September, ABC handed out a six-episode order to "Section 8," a sci-fi drama from "X-Men: The Last Stand" writer Zak Penn and producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun.

For ABC, "Goode" marks its first animated series since "Clerks," which had a short run in summer 2000.

MRC is looking to become a major TV player, with about 10 series in the works, including projects at Lifetime, HBO and Comedy Central.

The company has been very active online with production and distribution deals, including a pact with Google to distribute exclusive original digital content from Seth MacFarlane, creator of another Fox animated comedy series, "Family Guy."


Take Care,

Sal