SYFY announced new original projects for its late-night adult animation block, TZGZ, including a new original animated series and three original pilots. Airing every Saturday at midnight-ish, TZGZ is a 90-minute block of adult comedic, animated, genre-based programming of varying lengths. Since its 2019 debut, TZGZ has grown +7% in the 18-49 demo vs. prior year, and continues to bring younger viewers to the network.
Devil May Care, TZGZ’s second internally developed pilot greenlit to series, has earned a 7 x 15′ series pickup. The concept sees the Devil (Alan Tudyk, SYFY’s Resident Alien) hires a social media coordinator (Asif Ali, BoJack Horseman) to rebrand Hell as the ultimate place to live, and the two form the most unlikely of friendships. Recurring roles are played by Fred Tatasciore, Pamela Adlon and Stephanie Beatriz.
Created and executive produced by three-time Emmy winner Douglas Goldstein (Robot Chicken), the series is developed and executive produced by Amanda Miller at PSYOP in partnership with Emmy-award winning independent animation production company Titmouse. Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski and Ben Kalina from Titmouse are also executive producers.
Cast & characters include:
- Alan Tudyk as DEVIL – Impulsive and excitable, Devil needs to impress and be liked and just wants everyone in there to be happy in his rebranded Hell. Tudyk’s voice-over credits include Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
- Asif Ali as BEANS – Inexperienced yet opinionated, Beans has no idea why he’s in Hell as Devil’s social media coordinator. Ali’s credits include the comedy special Goatface and The Mandalorian.
- Pamela Adlon as REGINA – Conflicted with old succubus ways and new domestic position, Regina has no limits sexually and uses that seductively to get what she needs from men. Adlon’s credits include Better Things, King of Staten Island, Californication and animation’s King of the Hill.
- Fred Tatasciore as PRESIDENT MCKINLEY – A man with no patience for fools, McKinley is the “Devil’s Advocate,” doing anything Devil needs to get done. Tatasciore has voiced roles for Family Guy, American Dad!, Robot Chicken, and plays Hulk in Marvel animated series.
- Stephanie Beatriz as GLORIA – Here to serve, Gloria is the Head Demon of Hell who’s helpful to those she likes and condescending to those she doesn’t. Beatriz’s credits include Brooklyn Nine-Nine, In The Heights and animated features The LEGO Movie 1 & 2.
The three pilots greenlit by SYFY for TZGZ are:
From ShadowMachine (Final Space, BoJack Horseman), Chronicles of Frank follows an overzealous squirrel that kidnaps an exterminator from the Bronx, transporting him to a magical realm where he must conquer the forces of evil and maybe win back his girlfriend. Ordered for a 15-minute pilot, Chronicles of Frank is created and executive produced by Chris Osbrink (writer/director, TripTank, Campus Law), with ShadowMachine executive producers Corey Campodonico and Alex Bulkley.
In a galaxy far, far away there’s an epic war of the worlds where countless alien species will fight to the death – and The Black Hole is about the crappy dive bar where they drink. Picked up for a 15-minute pilot, The Black Hole from Starburns Industries (Rick and Morty, Moral Orel) is written and executive produced by Dino Stamatopoulos (creator, Moral Orel) and Michael Waldron (producer, Rick and Morty). Paul Young (EP, Key & Peele), James A Fino (EP, Rick and Morty), Duke Johnson (director, Anomalisa) and Nick Weidenfeld (President of Programming, Viceland) also executive produce.
Heavy is the belly that wears the suit in The Pole, a twisted, edgy comedy about the struggle for power on the North Pole. From Yeti Farm Creative (Hotel Transylvania: The Series Season 2, Pete the Cat Season 2), The Pole has been ordered for a 15-minute pilot. Created and executive produced by Matthew Bass (writer, Future Man) and Theodore Bressman (writer, Future Man; writer/EP, Jungleland). Mark Gordon (producer, Grey’s Anatomy, Ray Donovan) also executive produces, as well as Frank Saperstein and Jay Surridge from Yeti Farm Creative.
TZGZ’s originals slate also includes apocalyptic clip-riffing comedy Hell Den Season 2 (6 x 15′), produced by Shout! Studios and Rafael Raffaele Entertainment; Magical Girl Friendship Squad (6 x 15′), a female-driven, anime-inspired comedy about two young women who are destined to save the Universe … as soon as they figure out how to pay their rent (produced by Cartuna); and the block’s first internally developed pilot, Wild Life (6 x 15′), about animal friends trying to survive (and stave off boredom) on post-apocalyptic Earth, produced by Valparaiso Pictures and Octopie.
Previously announced pilots (see slate link above) include Plutonians (Brave Media/Yeti Farm Creative) and Psycho Psalms (Open the Portal/Jacob Robinson of Tractor Pants).
Acquired series include Alien’s Guide to Earth (10 x 1’30”, Mondo Media), Brogan: Master of Castles (6 x 5′, Mondo Media), Cyanide and Happiness (120 minutes’ worth of 1-4 min. episodes, Explosm Entertainment), Don’t Feed the Humans (17 x 5′, Look Mom!/Mondo Media), Dr. Havoc’s Diary (30 x 6′, New Form), Gary and His Demons (16 x 11′, Mondo Media), Purgatony (8 x 12′, Explosm Ent. /Blackpills/Studio71), Science! (6 x 4′, Cartuna), Hell Den S1 (6 x 11′, Shout! Studios/DrinkTV/Dr. God) and Magical Girl Friendship Squad: Origins (6 x 4′ Cartuna).
