The Denis Leary-produced hockey comedy “Benders” has been ordered to series at IFC, the network announced Tuesday.
The show follows several friends bound by an irrational obsession for their beer-swilling amateur hockey league. Their skills may be limited but their passion is not, as evidenced by the chaos hockey creates in their everyday lives. This isn’t fast-paced, brawler-style hockey; it’s the slow motion, falling-down version.
IFC has ordered eight half-hour episodes that will be produced by Apostle, with Jim Serpico, Tom Sellitti and Denis Leary serving as executive producers. Serpico and Sellitti created and will write the series. Production begins this spring.
In addition to acting, Leary has also served as a producer on the USA show “Sirens” and his own FX series, “Rescue Me.”
“Benders is exactly the type of fresh, original comedy that complements our existing programming slate. Hockey knowledge not required, these guys are all about their beer and their bros,” said Jennifer Caserta, IFC’s president. “We’re also excited to continue our relationship with Apostle; they have been a great creative partner for us on Maron.”
Benders joins IFC’s growing roster of scripted comedies premiering in 2015, which include “Portlandia,” “Comedy Bang! Bang!,” “Maron,” “The Spoils Before Dying” and “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.”
