IFC casts starting line for hockey sitcom Benders, debuting Oct. 1, 2015

It may be the Stanley Cup Finals in Chicago and Tampa Bay, but in New York City, it’s only the beginning for the cast of IFC’s new sitcom, Benders.

Lindsey Broad, Chris Distefano, Mark Gessner, Ruy Iskander and Andrew Schulz have been cast as the starting line for the eight-episode comedy about an adult hockey league, which IFC announced will premiere Oct. 1, 2015.

Jim Serpico and Tom Sellitti created Benders and executive produce along with their Apostle partner and hockey fanatic Denis Leary.

“Adding this series to IFC’s programming slate further broadens our ‘slightly off’ brand of comedy,” said Christine Lubrano, IFC’s senior vice president of original programming. “For viewers who love both sports and comedy, Benders is a fresh take on what happens when these two genres collide.”

Well, that didn’t tell us much. Here’s some harder intel:

Benders follows a team of friends bonded by an irrational obsession with their men’s ice hockey team, The Chubbys. Paul Rosenberg (Schulz) is the insecure leader whose involvement with the team causes daily havoc for him and his wife Karen (Broad). Along for the ride are Paul’s best friends Anthony (Distefano), the charmer who schemes his way through life; Dicky (Gessner), the wealthy hedge fund manager whose answer to everything is in his wallet; and Sebalos (Iskandar) the slacker on a misguided search for his purpose in life. While their hockey skills may be limited, their passion is not, as evidenced by the chaos their devotion to the game creates in their everyday lives.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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