amc – The Comedy Bureau

Take a Gander at Dark Aussie Comedy “Totally Completely Fine”

April 6, 2023

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When it comes to imported dark comedy, we’ve been very lucky over the last few years with the likes of Fleabag or Daisy Haggard’s Back to Life. Those, however, are just from the UK and they aren’t the only English language country that’s an ocean away that can do gripping dark comedy.

Cue the arrival of Australia’s very dark comedy Totally Completely Fine from creator Gretel Vella starring Thomasin McKenzie (who you probably saw shine in JoJo Rabbit). McKenzie stars as an heir to a seaside house that just happens to be next to a cliff that a lot of people use as, shall we say, a last resort. Her life is already a mess and then she is tasked with helping people that are feeling antithetical to the show’s title.

From the looks of the trailer, this has the makings of the next captivating, binge-worthy, heart-wrenching, darkly funny comedy coming from the other side of the world. If you’re into it, know that it’s coming to AMC+ and Sundance Now soon.

Get a Better Look at Bob Odenkirk’s Latest “Lucky Hank”, Which Will Probably Be the Funniest Series He’s Starred In (in Awhile)

February 15, 2023

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Given that the name of his recently released memoir is Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, Bob Odenkirk has spent his most recent years becoming an iconic dramatic actor (and a bit of a badass in Nobody) in stark contrast in his days making his mark with Mr. Show. That said, Odenkirk still makes time for bits including some pretty great cameos in I Think You Should Leave.

Still, Odenkirk hasn’t had top billing for a comedy series since 2015’s With Bob and David, a long-awaited follow-up to Mr. Show. This AMC adaptation of a Richard Russo novel, Lucky Hank, will be a return to leading comedy role, but one that’s also informed by Bob’s critically acclaimed years on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. It’ll be hysterical as you can see in the first official trailer for Lucky Hank here, but in a much more grounded way than Odenkirk’s sketch comedy days.

Looks like we’ll all have to find a way to get AMC+ access starting Sun. Mar. 19th.

Here’s the Very First Teaser for Bob Odenkirk as ‘Lucky Hank’

January 24, 2023

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There was a whiff of a teaser that we’ve gotten for Bob Odenkirk‘s next big thing AMC, Lucky Hank, but there wasn’t much more to go off of other than seeing Bob’s face as the character and the source material, Richard Russo‘s novel Straight Man. That’s especially intriguing considering whether the split between comedy and drama would be for this show.

Seems like, from this very first teaser, that Odenkirk, as the titular Hank Devereaux, will be falling more into the comedy side of things. That seems explicitly clear as Hank seems inundated with the sort of life that makes his nickname ironic (especially the final moment of the teaser).

It’s just a tiny morsel, but it’s a pretty tasty one and one that is signaling perhaps a third acclaimed show Bob Odenkirk has been in on AMC.

Look for the premiere of Lucky Hank on Mon. Mar. 19th on AMC and AMC+.

See Bob Odenkirk as Unlucky English Chair Dept. Head in His Next AMC Series “Lucky Hank”

January 10, 2023

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Between Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill from Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, Hutch Mansell from Nobody, Bob Odenkirk has taken on a number of career defining characters that wheel and deal with a life of violence for a decade now. Now, standing upon a career that spans him being a celebrated thespian as well as a generation defining comedian/writer, it would seem that he could do whatever he wants (especially if it’s at AMC)

That next thing is just around the corner in the form of a new series, Lucky Hank, that might marry the comedy and drama halves of his life. Set for a March 19th premiere on AMC+, Odenkirk plays the titular character that is the chairman of English department in the Rust Belt that is having a mid-life crisis. While that could be the premise for a character that Odenkirk could play on I Think You Should Leave, Lucky Hank might have a little less absurdity and more pathos as it was developed as a dramedy.

There is plenty to imagine from this teaser here (especially with how off the rails this show might go compared to everything else Bob has done in the last ten years), but it doesn’t change the fact that we’ll have to ponder about how to get AMC+ without increasing our streaming service bill too much before March 19th.

Here’s the First Look of the Second/Final Season of Kevin Can F**K Himself

July 18, 2022

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Perhaps one of the darkest takes on the largely patriarchal universe that multi-cam sitcoms live in, Kevin Can F**K Himself is one of the most audacious, genre bending shows that we’ve seen in some time. That’s probably for the best that they don’t have to figure a season/series are beyond this upcoming second season. The switching gears between two genres/universes/tones is something to marvel unto itself and simply calling Kevin Can F**K Himself a dark comedy doesn’t really do it justice (especially since it feels like a sort of shot across the bow for Kevin Can Wait and anything like it).

You can see where this upcoming second and final season of Kevin Can F**K Himself is going here (though there’s a big spoiler for season 1 in this trailer). Then, look for it to premiere on AMC on Aug. 22nd (you can stream the first two eps. on AMC+)

Bob Odenkirk Is Officially Returning to (Kind of) Comedy with ‘Straight Man’ Series Order

April 21, 2022

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(via THR)

For how iconic Bob Odenkirk is as a seminal figure in comedy history, a founder of so-called “alternative comedy”, and the co-star and co-creator of one of the most renowned sketch comedy series, Mr. Show, it’s strange to know that there is a whole generation of people that know him primarily for his work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Odenkirk has been hailed as one of TV’s great characters Saul Goodman in this latest Golden Age of Television (and is pretty damn great in the not-praised-enough Undone), but that doesn’t mean that Bob will go the route of Richard Belzer (a lauded stand-up that is most known now for Law & Order).

Odenkirk has done bits here and there (and even done another round of sketch comedy via Netflix with With Bob & David), but it has been a long time since he has set his sights entirely on comedy. This next project at AMC (smart move on AMC’s part by keeping him in the fold) will be a dramedy that will have Bob at an English Department head at and underfunded rust belt college. Perhaps, a darker, more adult, college version of Abbott Elementary? Maybe, it’ll be a bit like the cameo he had on I Think You Should Leave?

It’s hard to say at this point, but the possibilities given Bob’s path that has wound thoroughly through praise and success in both sides of the comedy/drama spectrum leaves the world wide open. AMC’s penchant for anything comedy is more on the darker/dramatic side as shown by Kevin Can Go F Himself.

We’ll just have to wait for a teaser/trailer to see what Bob has up his sleeve with this project that’ll be called Straight Man, but we’re excited that Bob is coming back to, even partially, to comedy.

Steven Conrad Might Have Just Made Something Weirder Than ‘Patriot’ with Ultra City Smiths

July 16, 2021

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The Kafka-esque tale of espionage that is Patriot remains as one of the more unique series in recent memory. Methodical in its pacing, but twisting and turning at every turn, the sheer absurdity of Steven Conrad’s creation sticks with us to this day.

With that said, he might have just made something even stranger, which is kind of a tall order, with his latest series, Ultra City Smiths. Conrad has woven a noir-ish tale of intrigue that will drive a detective to his limits and past them. Oh, he’s exclusively using refashioned baby dolls and stop motion animation to realize this vision.

It’s wonderfully ridiculous from what we saw in the trailer.

Honestly, we’re still trying to process the possibilities of such a mash-up of stylistic and genre elements, again leaning into somewhat absurdist territory, and how Conrad might have just topped himself. See all of this for yourself here.

If you’re digging it, you can catch Ultra City Smiths on AMC’s streaming platform AMC+ (you didn’t think that there were going to be no more new streaming services, did you?) starting Jul. 22nd.

Finally, the Kevin Can F**K Himself Trailer Is Here

February 18, 2021

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Ever since we heard about the initial development of Kevin Can F**k Himself from Valerie Armstrong, Rashida Jones, and Will McCormack, which seems like decades ago at this point, we were so enthusiastically and completely on board. A satirical meta series about the stock multi-cam sitcom wife gaining her own agency and doing something about the hellish nightmare she has been stuck in with a slacker, overweight, dismissive, yet “lovable” husband? It’s like our subconscious, and, very likely, the subconscious of many who are sick of schlocky formulaic family sitcoms are finally getting realized.

As far as we can see, this is a much needed response to the plethora of outdated multi-cams where wives were one-dimensional and always way out of the league of their husbands (just check out most Kevin James led sitcoms).

Having Schitt’s Creek’s Annie Murphy take on the lead role had us even more excited for what was to come for the show destined for AMC. Now, we all finally get a first look at what’s in store for us all with the first official trailer for KEVIN CAN F**K HIMSELF that just dropped today.

Getting tinges of Promising Young Woman and Groundhog Day and we’re still very much all in for it. Look for KEVIN CAN F**K HIMSELF this Summer on AMC.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 20: Kyle Kinane & Tranquility (Sort Of)

August 12, 2020

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The brilliant Kyle Kinane hops on Zoom with TCB’s Jake Kroeger for this week’s Field Report with just having released his latest album, a comedic work of grandeur called Trampoline in a Ditch. Jake and Kyle talk the thought behind releasing a 100 minute comedy album and the phenomenon of the podcast fan via Kinane’s shows that he co-hosts, The Boogie Monster and Hey Girl. They get into some quick takes (and some hot tangents) on AMC doing true crime comedy, Judd Apatow doing a George Carlin doc, and Peacock’s latest comedy programming line-up. Also, there’s quite a bit of reminiscing of Kinane’s comedy throughout his career that you really ought to look up when you get the chance.

Follow Kyle @kylekinane and get into the Boogie Monster co-hosted by Dave Stone and Hey Girl co-hosted by Matt Braunger. Support NIVA at saveourstages.com.

Shout outs: Mike Carrozza’s upcoming album Cherubic, Sara Schaefer’s Grand: A Memoir, and Sam Tallent’s Running the Light.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).
Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

Jim Gaffigan to Play Former Controversial Toronto Mayor Rob Ford in AMC Series

May 6, 2020

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(via Variety)

Jim Gaffigan has certainly had an intriguing turn in his career over the last two years. Ostensibly, for such a long time, Gaffigan’s stand-up made him seem like America’s Dad. Then, in 2018, Gaffigan took a dramatic turn that was very much against type in American Dreamer and has since taken on more movie roles that are a far cry from talking about bacon and his big family.

Gaffigan is now set to play the late Rob Ford, the former Mayor of Toronto who infamously got caught smoking crack on more than one occasion. The role is for an untitled AMC dark comedy, which, it would seem, to be the culmination of two of Gaffigan’s worlds that seem so distant from each other. We’re thoroughly curious as to see Gaffigan as Ford and we really think, based off of the path he’s taken in these last two years, it could be a stand out role for him, perhaps an awards worthy one.

Annie Murphy from Schitt’s Creek To Star in Meta AMC Comedy Series ‘Kevin Can F*** Himself’

February 24, 2020

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Annie Murphy from Schitt’s Creek To Star in Meta AMC Comedy Series ‘Kevin Can F*** Himself’

For a show that follows the multi-layered life of a sitcom wife from a poorly wrought and executed multi cam sitcom, series creator Valerie Armstrong and EPs Rashida Jones and Will McCormack might have just perfectly cast their star for Kevin Can F*** Himself.

We were already excited for an AMC series to satirically examine the three-dimensional life of what has historically been an unrealistic one-dimensional character archetype, the sitcom wife. Annie Murphy already stole hearts with Alexis Rose on Schitt’s Creek and, we think, she might have another landmark role here.

‘Kevin Can F— Himself’ from Rashida Jones Ordered to Series at AMC

October 2, 2019

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‘Kevin Can F— Himself’ from Rashida Jones Ordered to Series at AMC

Even when hearing rumblings of Kevin Can F— Himself being in development, we were so excited at what this could be, especially given how formulaic and stiff multi-cam sitcoms still are in 2019.

With Kevin Can F— Himself, Rashida Jones is getting meta by switching between multi-cam and single cam from the perspective of the stereotypical sitcom wife and the breaking away from such a traditionally reductive role. AMC has ordered 10 hour long episodes, which makes us curious of what tone this will strike. Sure, it’ll be satiric, but there’s a lot of range on the dramedy spectrum where this could fall, especially since it’s at AMC.

This is one of the most exciting, daring shows that we’ve heard about coming to TV in the not so distant future as it has so much potential (perhaps to start a paradigm shift in how women are portrayed in sitcoms and TV in general).

AMC’s Latest Comedy Might Be About a 90’s Pyramid Scheme Starring Kirsten Dunst

January 7, 2017

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AMC’s Latest Comedy Might Be About a 90’s Pyramid Scheme Starring Kirsten Dunst

AMC has always bumped up against the edge of dark comedy with all of their critically acclaimed series, but have yet to launch a property that is a comedy before it’s a drama.

Having Yorgos Lanthimos, the man behind the brilliant “The Lobster” from last year, attached as a director and EP with backing from George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures might be that very comedy that AMC is looking for.

A 90’s pyramid scheme set in Florida called “On Becoming a God in Central Florida” certainly fits AMC’s brand.

“Better Call Saul” Set Record Cable Debut

February 10, 2015

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(via Deadline)

The series premiere of Better Call Saul last night on AMC scored the highest ratings in key demos (18-49) on cable ever. 6.9 million total viewers and 4.4 million in key demos is what overnight ratings report, despite the shift away from dependence on Nielsen ratings.

We’d bet that the ratings over a month are probably going to be even more astounding if all the positive response from critics and fans alike keeps building.

“Last Week Tonight” Returns and “Better Call Saul” Premieres Tonight

February 8, 2015

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Sure, plenty of you will be wanting to sincerely or ironically watch The Grammys tonight, but we’re sure there’s plenty of you that will want to watch the premiere of Better Call Saul on AMC and the return of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on HBO.

Luckily, Better Call Saul is at 10PM and Last Week Tonight is at 11PM if you were planning to watch it live or set your DVR.

Otherwise, you can check Twitter to see who won/did something weird at The Grammys.

AMC Giving Comedy Another Go With “Fast Boys” Now In Development

February 4, 2015

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(via The Hollywood Reporter)

There was some excitement with AMC last year when they were perhaps dipping their toe into comedy waters with We Hate Paul Revere. Eventually, they passed on it after the pilot was shot.

Now, a new comedy project “Fast Boys” from Anthony Pucillo might have hope. It’ll follow “the great American hamburger boom” in Post-WWII America.

If Sterling Cooper were to pitch comedy series at AMC, this would definitely be in the running.

AMC Comedy Pilot ‘We Hate Paul Revere’ Casts Scott Adsit as Sam Adams

August 20, 2014

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(via Deadline)

AMC’s only comedy pilot currently in contention, We Hate Paul Revere, keeps getting more enticing. Not only is the premise of the folks hating American folk hero Paul Revere incredibly intriguing, but they already have Ron Livingston cast as Paul Revere and Spoils of Babylon’s Matt Piedmont directing.

Now, 30 Rock’s Scott Adsit has now been added to the cast as Sam Adams. Fingers crossed that this gets picked up so we can, at the very least, all just see what this looks like.

Ron Livingston To Play AMC’s Comedy Pilot “We Hate Paul Revere”

July 29, 2014

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(via The Hollywood Reporter)

AMC is dipping its toe into the waters of cable network comedy with their one and only comedy pilot, We Hate Paul Revere from Ethan Sandler and Adrian Wenner. Sandler and Wenner will play two brothers that are jealous of such heroes of the American Revolution as Paul Revere, who will be played by Ron Livingston.

Given how hard it is to hate Livingston’s face along with the premise, this could be a lot of fun at AMC, a place where period pieces normally turn very dramatic.

Spoils of Babylon’s Matt Piedmont To Direct AMC Comedy Pilot ‘We Hate Paul Revere’

July 23, 2014

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(via Deadline)

AMC is moving forward with their potential foray into comedy as the comedy pilot We Hate Paul Revere has just got itself one fine director in Matt Piedmont. Piedmont co-created, co-wrote, and directed the fantastic mini-series Spoils of Babylon on IFC.

Given AMC branding and Piedmont’s pedigree, we’re incredibly curious to see what the end product is here and how great, like Spoils of Babylon, it will look.

Jerry Seinfeld Drives a Gremlin (Even Though He Hates It) and Gets Coffee with Jon Stewart

July 20, 2014

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On the latest episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Jerry Seinfeld pays tribute to his esteemed guest Jon Stewart from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart by picking him up in the car he used to drive in high school, which was the notoriously cheap AMC Gremlin.

They relive Stewart’s memories of having such clunker and compare doing Seinfeld to The Daily Show. Watch it here. They also go over the episode when Jerry stops by Jon’s show.

AMC Getting Into Comedy

March 26, 2014

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It was only matter of time before AMC, who made an amazing transformation from just playing classic movies to making its own landmark original programming, would get into comedy.

They’ve already ordered a project about two Echo Park female contract killers who are also friends, a pilot called We Hate Paul Revere, a project from Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg as well a project from Wyatt Cenac.

We’re very curious where they’ll fall between the likes of network sitcoms, Comedy Central, FXx, TBS, IFC, etc.

Anchorman 2 ‘Superticket’ Will Allow You to See the Film Two Days Early

November 4, 2013

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Anchorman 2 ‘Superticket’ Will Allow You to See the Film Two Days Early

If you can’t wait until the official release date of Anchorman 2, Dec. 20th, have played those Dodge Durango commercials way too much, and, in general, are checking a Google alert for Anchorman 2, this deal might just be for you.