MTV is making a renewed play for Generation Jackass.
The network Tuesday announced greenlights for two new stunt-based series aimed at young male viewers who enjoy seeing other guys cheat death through over-the-top pranks and stunts. MTV has wooed the dude demo before with similar shows, both unscripted ("Jackass") and scripted ("Beavis and Butt-head").
MTV has now given the thumbs-up to "Dudesons in America" and "MTV's Parkour Challenge," both of which will debut later this year.
"Dudesons" documents four Finnish friends who hope to become big stars in America by doing "the dumbest things imaginable." Not surprisingly, "Jackass" godfather Johnny Knoxville is an executive producer of the series.
"The Dudesons have balls where there should be brains," Knoxville said.
"Parkour," meanwhile, is a sort of extreme track and field competition held in unlikely settings. A special based on the sport aired in October on MTV.
"There is so much competition for the eyes and attention of young guys these days that we really have to over-deliver and create can't-miss, event television for them," said Tony DiSanto, president of programming for MTV. "These two shows feature physical stunts that are jaw-dropping and unprecedented."
Expanded descriptions for both shows below:
"Dudesons in America"
The Dudesons, four Finnish extreme stuntmen and pranksters, are totally lovable, yet totally lunatic friends from the Arctic Circle who want to live out their American dream – to do even stupider stunts and pranks than they did back home. In “Dudesons in America,” Jukka (the ringleader), Jarppi (the fat funny guy), HP (Mr. Sensitive), and Jarno (the filmmaker) want to take over America as they try to win over local townsfolk and whatever authorities they’ll likely encounter while doing the dumbest things imaginable. In the spirit of the American West, the Nordic knuckleheads try to become cowboys by walking on stilts into a bullring with a very angry bull. And when they’ve conquered enough of what’s on the ground of the U.S.A., they follow the American dream of space exploration; the Dudesons try to reach Uranus in their self-built space rocket.
Dudesons in America is executive produced by Jukka Hilden, Jarno Laasala, Jarppi Leppala and HP Parviainen for Rabbit Films; Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine for Dickhouse Entertainment; and Ross Breitenbach. Liz Gateley and Lauren Dolgen are the MTV executives in charge of production.
"MTV’s Parkour Challenge" (working title)
With cast members from around the world, "MTV’s Parkour Challenge" showcases the world’s fastest growing extreme sport, parkour. In each episode, six athletes will challenge themselves and each another as they put their parkour skills to the test in different urban environments. Each show ends in a thrilling live speed round of which the winner will be awarded a prize. The essence of parkour is as simple as a game of chase. Athletes move as efficiently as possible from point A to point B. However, unlike a regular track and field race, parkour is performed in any and every environment. Athletes must jump, roll, climb, leap, sprint, flip and fly, flowing over walls, cars, stairs, railings, and 10-foot rooftop gaps between 5 story buildings.
Executive produced and created by Francis Lyons and Bob Kusbit of One Louder Productions. Executive produced by Kemp Curley of Transition Productions. Co-executive produced by Victor Bevine and David Thompson of the WFPF. Liz Gateley, Brent Haynes and Amy Emmerich are the MTV executives in charge of production.