The Detour on TELETOON Pilot Project has given the green light to 10 projects chosen from among more than 200 submitted to the contest from across Canada.
The project, launched last September, solicited new comedy cartoons for its popular evening block aimed at viewers ages 18-34. TELETOON will invest more than $1.5 million to make the pilots, which will air on both the English and French versions of the network in Spring 2009.
The winning titles and their production companies are:
Angora Napkin, Mugisha Enterprises: A unique musical bubble-gum pop trio, Angora Napkin is a band unlike any other composed of three sexy girls Beatrice, Molly, Mallory. Attracting trouble along with the macabre, the girls always seem to come out on top with the help of their impromptu peppy songs and inability to see the dark side of any situation, no matter how menacing.
Celebutard Nation, Nelvana: Celebutard Nation places the undeserved spotlight on the scandalous exploits of four over-exposed 20-something celebrities as they stumble headfirst into the pitfalls of unwarranted fame and unearned fortune. Budding movie-star Paisley, heiress Terra, rock star spawn Kimberly and billionaire Baron, are blissfully unaware that the whole world mocks them, pities them and occasionally, in their darkest moments, wonders what it is like to be them.
Chinatown Cops, Portfolio Entertainment: A crime wave has hit Chinatown, enshrouding everything from the mom and pop laundromat to the dim sum restaurant in a dangerous veil of crime and corruption. Sadly, nobody cares but Officer Jay Walker and his partner Rick Xia (‘Shaw’): sexy, sensitive super cops of the Chinatown beat. They will brave any danger and suffer any humiliation to inflict their specialized brand of Ginseng Justice in order to save their home from the talons of mysterious new crime queen-pin, Honey Moon.
Drop Dead Gorgeous, CINEMARIA: Animated in a distinctive anime-inspired style, Drop Dead Gorgeous is fast-paced morality tale with a bloody, absurdist twist as four luscious, sex-hungry, fashion-gorged college girls moonlight as an elite troop of hired assassins. Into fashion, music, hot guys and tabloid gossip, the girls are as ruthlessly selective about who is in, as they are about who is taken out.
Fugget About It, 9 Story Entertainment Inc.: It’s hard for a quick-tempered goodfella who’s used to always getting his way to settle for suburban life in Canada. Powerful New York under-boss, Jimmy Falcone and his family try unsuccessfully to fit in the suburban life in the witness protection program in sleepy Oakville Ontario.
Nerdland, Cuppa Coffee: Full of sharp pop culture references and with a scathing sense of humour, Nerdland follows the misanthropic adventures of a group of obsessive nerds as they try to achieve pwnage and survive in a decidedly nerd-unfriendly society.
Ninjamaica, Lenz Entertainment: With a cutting edge graphic look and a creative team made up of hot new comedians and musicians, Ninjamaica melds animated action adventure with biting comedy and a bumping musical soundtrack. An amnesiac Rasta with extraordinary fighting powers and an insatiable appetite sets out to rebuild his memory and reclaim his life, all while dodging bullets from his many enemies and possibly making time for a Twinkie.
NUNCHUCKS, Fresh TV Inc.: Ninjas are everywhere, from housewives to school janitors and even nuns. NUNCHUCKS follows the amazing adventures of Sister Mary O’Lary and Sister Catherine Fitzgerald, two undercover ninjas posing as nuns at the impoverished St. Pius X Convent. Between fighting injustice, drooling over the hot instructor at the new karate dojo and dodging the pious sister Anne Sheppard, things get complicated for the girls.
Space Knights, Fatkat Animation: Space Knights is a parody of super hero cartoons of the late 90’s. A group of slightly outdated superheroes who drive Honda Accords that when linked together, can transform into a variety of giant robots, from a pterodactyl, to a giant T-Rex, to a saber tooth tiger, the Space Knights use these and other powers to stop a never ending stream of bizarre creatures and insane villains. The irreverent comedy follows the misshapen adventures of the crime fighting team who must battle bickering and in-fighting almost as much as the external foes they face.
The Wireless Family, Riez Encore: The Wireless Family is your typical dysfunctional and crisis prone suburban family. Ordinary challenges soon develop into extraordinary situations however, as they become unintentional participants in the Middle East peace process, an assassination attempt on the Pope and a character assassination in the NHL.
