Of the current crop of US TV comedy stars, I don’t think there’s anyone that I’m rooting harder for than Will Arnett. Perennial favourite and spectacular supporting cast member, his multiple swings at the starring vehicle piñata have all managed to come up short – and largely through no fault of his own.
Despite having its moments, The Millers never really found its footing and faced an up-hill battle as a multi-cam sitcom in an increasingly single-cam world. And despite opening like a house on fire with a principal cast that could bash the sun, Up All Night unfortunately fell victim to network indecision and got subsequently tinkered into oblivion.
That’s not to say that the intervening years since Arnett’s name-making turn on Arrested Development haven’t been kind to him, career-wise (the less said about his love-disproving split with Amy Poehler the better – it’s still too raw, I… I just can’t). TV found him some wildly memorable supporting roles in shows like The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret and Bojack Horseman, whilst picking up the odd film role here and there like in The LEGO Movie or his gutbustingly funny turn in Hot Rod. But still, that one successful leading role remains elusive.
But hopefully not for much longer. Arrested Development’s creator Mitch Hurwitz has come on board to executive produce a series of Arnett’s own (co) creation entitled Flaked. Online streaming giant, and great mate of AD, Netflix has already come on board with an eight episode order.
The series is “set in the insular world of Venice, Calif., it’s the serio-comic story of a self-appointed “guru,” Chip, who falls for the object of his best friend’s fascination. Soon the tangled web of half-truths and semi-bullsh*t that underpins his all-important image and sobriety begins to unravel.“
Arnett and former Todd Margaret writer Mark Chappell created the series, and will write all eight episodes together. Netflix expects the series to premiere across “all Netflix territories” (YOU GUYS, THAT MEANS AUSTRALIA TOO NOW!) at some point in 2016.
Colour me cautiously optimistic that hopefully this means the end of Arnett’s leading role glut. Because if not, I just… I don’t… I mean…
…and I simply cannot deal with that, y’know?
via Uproxx.
