Attention Earthlings: Syfy has ordered its first original late-night series, “Alien News Desk.” Starring Will Forte and Heidi Gardner, the comedy comes with a very heavy “SNL” pedigree.
“Alien News Desk” is a weekly, half-hour topical animated series set in an extraterrestrial newsroom. The 12-episode series will “cover up-to-the-minute news and commentary about the universe’s most baffling species — the inscrutable Humans of Planet Earth,” per Syfy.
Forte and Gardner’s characters, Drexx Drudlarr and Tuva Van Void, respectively, are pictured above. “Alien News Desk” is set to premiere in 2019.
“The expansion into original animation and late night marks the next step in the evolution of Syfy, and builds on the successes we’ve had bringing new, younger viewers to the network,” said Chris McCumber, president, Entertainment Networks for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “Tackling news, politics and entertainment from the perspective of alien newscasters completely puzzled by our human ways,”Alien News Desk” is a fun, irreverent way to put a uniquely ‘Syfy’ spin on the late night current affairs genre.”
“Alien News Desk” is produced by Broadway Video and Bento Box Entertainment. “Saturday Night Live” creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels serves as executive producer alongside “SNL” producer Erik Kenward.
“Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update” head writer Dennis McNicholas is executive producer and showrunner, with Scott Gairdner (“Moonbeam City”) as co-executive producer. Joel Kuwahara and Scott Greenberg from Bento Box Entertainment serve as executive producers. From Broadway Video, Andrew Singer serves as executive producer, with Katy Jenson as co-executive producer.