When you saw TV Guide acquire and rebroadcast episodes of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, did you wish that someone would do something similar with your favorite critically-acclaimed comedy from the 1990s?
IFC is doing that next month. Starting in the first week of January 2011, the cable network Independent Film Channel — tagline: "Always On. Slightly Off." — will begin airing episodes of HBO's Mr. Show with Bob and David, HBO's The Larry Sanders Show, and FOX's short-lived The Ben Stiller Show. Each of these rebroadcasts will include new interviews and commentary with Comedy Death-Ray's Scott Aukerman, who was a writer and featured player on Mr. Show. Aukerman's first episode will include interviews with Andy Dick and Sarah Silverman.
Aukerman told The Comic's Comic this about his new gig:
"The dictionary defines 'host' as 'a landlord of an inn.' Not sure how this is applicable to my situation at IFC, but I will strive to become the bestest landlord of their inn that I possibly can be."
Late in 2011, IFC also will rebroadcast FOX's short-lived sitcom Action.
The acquisitions of Mr. Show and Larry Sanders represents an expansion of the relationship IFC already has with comedy nerd icons David Cross and Judd Apatow. IFC currently airs Arrested Development, Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, and co-presented Cross' new series, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. No announcement came today of a season-two renewal for Todd Margaret, but it's presumed to be coming.
IFC's comedy programming also already includes rebroadcasts of Monty Python's Flying Circus, as well as current sketch group Whitest Kids U Know, and in January 2011, debuts of new series Portlandia (starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein) and the Onion News Network.
Nitty gritty details…
The Larry Sanders Show (89 half-hour episodes) premieres Monday, January 3 @ 11 pm; New episodes air Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesday @ 11 pm
The Ben Stiller Show (13 half-hour episodes) premieres Wednesday, January 5 @ 10:30 pm; New episodes air Wednesdays @ 10:30 pm
Mr. Show with Bob and David (30 half-hour episodes) premieres Friday, January 7 @ 11 pm; New episodes air Fridays @ 11:30 pm
Now, they should grab “Action!” and “Andy Richter Controls The Universe” and we’ll be set!
Take two: Now they should grab “Andy Richter Controls The Universe” and we’ll be set!