ITV2 and CBS Studios International announced today a licensing agreement for the exclusive, first window broadcast and VOD rights to new CBS comedy, The Great Indoors.
“We are delighted to work with ITV2 to bring U.K. audiences a comedy that spans the generations,” said Stephen Tague, Senior Vice President, Europe for CBS Studios International. “The Great Indoors combines a cast of fresh and experienced talent, with a creative team that has worked on some of television’s best known comedies, for a dynamic take on the modern media workplace.”
Rosemary Newell, ITV’s Director of Digital Channels and Acquisitions said: “The Great Indoors is a smart premise, with a strong cast and we think it’ll be a great addition to the wealth of youth skewing comedy we’re continuing to build on ITV2.”
Sasha Breslau, ITV Acquisitions Manager said: “The Great Indoors was hands down my favourite sitcom pilot for the new US season, successfully treading the line between sweet and sharp, warm and witty. Familiar faces include the inimitable Stephen Fry, the extremely talented Joel McHale and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, but the deadpan delights of Christine Ko and Shaun Brown are a new treat in this brilliant ensemble cast.”
THE GREAT INDOORS stars Joel McHale as Jack, a renowned adventure reporter for an outdoor magazine who must adapt to the times when he becomes the desk-bound boss to a group of millennials in the digital department of the publication.
Jack has led a thrilling “outdoorsy” life exploring the edges of the earth while chronicling his adventures for Outdoor Limits. But his globe-trotting days end when the magazine’s charismatic founder and outdoor legend, Roland, played by Stephen Fry, announces the publication’s move to web-only and assigns Jack to supervise their online team of “journalists.”
Jack’s eager 20-something colleagues include Clark (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a tech nerd who knows everything about surviving on Mars and a zombie apocalypse; Emma (Christine Ko), their social media expert who views Jack as the human version of dial-up; and Mason (Shaun Brown), a hipster-lumberjack who hasn’t spent any actual time outside.
Jack reports to Roland’s daughter, Brooke (Susannah Fielding), an ex-flame who caters to the sensitive staffers by giving them all trophies just for working hard. Jack’s best friend, Eddie (Chris Williams), runs the local dive bar that’s popular with the younger set and helps Jack “decode” his co-workers. Jack is baffled by the world of click-bait and listicles, but if he’s patient, he may be able to show these kids that the outside world is much more than something on a screen, if he doesn’t beat them with their selfie-sticks first.
Mike Gibbons, Chris Harris and Andy Ackerman serve as executive producers. The show is produced by CBS Television Studios and distributed internationally by CBS Studios International.
