In a real “fish out of lake of fire” story, Pam Brady (South Park) and Mireille Soria (Madagascar) are bringing Neighbors From Hell to TBS with an initial 10-episode order.
The setup has potential, but execution is key. I can’t make any guesses about the animation style because we’re looking at two EPs with very different backgrounds, but I’m going to guess this will be structured more like South Park or The Simpsons with a clear narrative throughline in each episode. I’m a bit concerned that too many production companies have a hand in this and we’ll end up with a watered down soup at the end. Click through for the full press release.
Adding a devilish touch to its line-up, TBS has greenlit the half-hour animated series NEIGHBORS FROM HELL, which comes to the network from Fox TV Animation (Family Guy), DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) and Jeffrey Katzenberg (Shrek). Pam Brady (South Park), who wrote the pilot episode, and Mireille Soria (Madagascar) will serve as executive producers. TBS has ordered 10 episodes of the series, marking the network’s first foray into original primetime animation.
NEIGHBORS FROM HELL centers on the Hellmans, a typical, all-American suburban family, with Balthazor; his wife, Tina; their two children, Mandy and Josh; and their dog, Pazuzu. The only thing that distinguishes them from the rest of the folks in the neighborhood is that the Hellmans happen to be from Hell. They have been sent to Earth to pose as normal suburbanites with a mission to keep humans from finding their way to Hell. Their task is made all the more complicated by Balthazor’s growing affection for humans and their odd but endearing qualities.
“Jeffrey Katzenberg, Pam Brady and Mireille Soria are three of the premier talents working in the animation business today, and Fox TV Animation is a giant in the realm of primetime animation,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming, for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “We believe hit television always begins with bringing the right talent to a project. With Pam Brady’s funny and sharp comedic voice, Jeffrey’s one-of-a-kind experience and skill and Fox TV Animation’s production smarts, we’re starting with an ideal foundation. We know they’ll make NEIGHBORS FROM HELL a perfect complement to TBS’s comedy lineup.”
“By depicting everyday American life as seen through the eyes of Balthazor and his family, NEIGHBORS FROM HELL puts a fish-out-of-water twist on the suburban comedy genre,” said Katzenberg. “We’re proud that this unique series will serve as TBS’s first venture into original primetime animation.”
TBS, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television’s top-rated comedy network. It serves as home to such original comedy series as My Boys, The Bill Engvall Show, 10 Items or Less, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Meet the Browns; an eagerly anticipated late-night series starring George Lopez; hot contemporary comedies like The Office, My Name is Earl, Sex and the City, Everybody Loves Raymond, Family Guy, King of Queens, Seinfeld and Friends; specials like Funniest Commercials of the Year; special events, such as TBS Presents a “Very Funny” Festival: Just For Laughs event in Chicago in June; blockbuster movies; and hosted movie showcases.