FX greenlights series order for “Baskets” starring Zach Galifianakis

Zach Galifianakis has his first starring TV vehicle!

FX just ordered Baskets, a half-hour, single-camera sitcom starring Galifianakis, and co-created by Galifianakis, Louis C.K. and Jonathan Krisel. You’ll have to wait until 2016 to see it, though. FX’s announcement today said the first 10 episodes will go into production in 2015, with a launch date the following year.

Baskets follows Chip Baskets (Galifianakis), a guy who just wants to become a respected professional clown in Bakersfield, Calif.

The pilot episode, written by Galifianakis, C.K. and Krisel, finds him enrolling in a prestigious clowning school in Paris, but back home in California, all he can pick up is a gig at the local rodeo.

“Zach Galifianakis, Louis C.K. and Jonathan Krisel have created an absolutely brilliant show,” said Eric Schrier, president of original programming at FX Networks.  “To say Zach’s portrayal of the lead character Chip Baskets is hilarious/unique/riveting/fascinating would be an understatement.  We can’t wait for the world to meet him.”

Louis C.K. just won another Emmy on Monday for the writing on his own FX series, LouieBaskets is the first production under the overall deal he and his production company, Pig Newton, have with FX Productions.

Galifianakis, meanwhile, last showed up on cable TV in a supporting role on HBO’s Bored To Death. He’s also provided voices for Bob’s Burgers and The Simpsons on FOX, TripTank on Comedy Central, and popped up on Comedy Bang! Bang! Galifiankis also won an Emmy this month for his Funny or Die installment of “Between Two Ferns” with President Barack Obama.

Krisel (a Portlandia veteran) will serve as showrunner on Baskets and directed the pilot. Krisel, C.K. and Galifianakis are executive producers on Baskets, along with Blair Breard, Dave Becky, Marc Gurvitz, and Andrea Pett-Joseph.

FX Networks has ordered five comedies so far in 2014 for either FX or FXX. The others: The Tracy Morgan Project (FXX), The Comedians (FX), Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll (FX), and Man Seeking Woman (FXX).

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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