TBS Orders Family Comedy From ‘Daily Show’s’ Jason Jones and Samantha Bee
Jones stars alongside Natalie Zea; 10 episodes will premiere in 2015’s fourth quarter
Tony Maglio | February 24, 2015 @ 9:00 AM
Last Updated: February 24, 2015 @ 9:02 AM
Load up the family truckster: TBS has placed a 10-episode order for a new untitled family vacation comedy series from “The Daily Show’s” Jason Jones and Samantha Bee, who are married in real life.
Jones stars in the series, which is inspired by his and Bee’s own experiences with family getaways. Also starring are Natalie Zea (“Justified”), Ashley Gerasimovich (“Louie”) and Liam Carroll (“The Neighbors”). Production is slated to begin this summer, with the premiere scheduled for fourth quarter of this year.
The dark comedy will follow a couple and their two young kids as they take a road trip to Florida. Jones plays unfiltered dad Nate, who packs his wife Robin (Zea) along with their rebellious daughter Delilah (Gerasimovich) and simpleton son Jared (Carroll) into the family car for what Nate is convinced will be the adventure of a lifetime. Every leg of their trip, however, is fraught with unforeseen disaster as they encounter one hellish turn after another.
Plans call for each season of the show to chronicle a different family adventure.
Jones and Bee are executive producers on the project and wrote the pilot, which was directed by Steve Pink (“Hot Tub Time Machine”).
“This show delivers on exactly the direction we are taking our TBS comedies – honest, smart and provocative,” said Brett Weitz, executive vice president of original programming for TBS. “We couldn’t be happier to be in business with Sam and Jason on what we hope will be the first of many more projects together. Watching them step into the creator/executive producer role on the pilot really allowed the characters and the show to find solid footing from the very first frame. We can’t wait to see where they take this mildly dysfunctional family.”
Counting this series, TBS now has four scripted comedies set to debut in 2015, including “Angie Tribeca,” starring Rashida Jones and created by Steve Carell and Nancy Carell; “Your Family or Mine,” a domestic comedy starring Kyle Howard, Kat Foster, Richard Dreyfuss, Ed Begley Jr. and Cynthia Stevenson; and “Buzzy’s,” a workplace comedy with Ashley Tisdale, Mike Castle, Lauren Lapkus, Ryan Pinkston, Matt Cook and George Wendt.
Jon Stewart's 'Daily Show' Replacement? 13 Funny, Topical and Talented Picks (Photos)
JEFFREY ROSS Dubbed Comedy Central's Roastmaster General, Jeffrey Ross is one of the wittiest stand-up comedians around. He's best known for his stinging insults, but the 49-year-old is intelligent enough to dish on a daily dose of news.
Getty Images
KRISTEN SCHAAL Often Billed "The Daily Show's" Senior Women's Issues Correspondent, Schaal has been contributing to Comedy Central's flagship satirical news program since 2008.
Getty Images
AZIZ ANSARI He's young, charming and has a huge following. Comedy Central has aired several of his stand-up specials, but would they give the "Parks and Recreation" star a chance behind the anchor desk?
Getty Images
JOHN MULANEY The "Saturday Night Live" veteran is a prolific stand-up comedian as well as the star and creator of his own Fox sitcom, appropriately titled "Mulaney."
Getty Images
LEWIS BLACK The veteran standup has been delivering his own uniquely aggressive brand of news on "The Daily Show" for even longer than Stewart. His bold, abrasive recurring segment "Back in Black" originated in 1996 when Craig Kilborn hosted the program.
Getty Images
JOEL MCHALE McHale has been "The Soup's" hilarious host since 2004, so he certainly has the chops for a satirical series. But his E! show airs weekly, making "The Daily Show" a decidedly more demanding commitment for the busy actor, who also stars on "Community."
Getty Images
CRAIG KILBORN Craig Kilborn hosted "The Daily Show's" first three years before Jon Stewart was even a twinkle in Comedy Central's eye -- who's to say he couldn't retake the reins? Sadly, sources tell TheWrap it's not in the cards.
Comedy Central
PAUL F. TOMPKINS Could Tompkins be "The Daily Show's" first ever mustachioed news anchor? His resume includes topical comedy shows like "Real Time With Bill Maher," "Best Week Ever" and "Comedy Bang! Bang!" and he also has his own critically adored podcast, "The Pod F. Tompkast."
Getty Images
DANIEL TOSH Between "Tosh.0" and "Brickleberry," it's clear Comedy Central and Daniel Tosh have a good working relationship. But is the controversial comedian up to tackling daily news?
Getty Images
CHELSEA HANDLER The late night landscape is pretty devoid of a female presence right now, but maybe Comedy Central will take a close look at Handler, who finished her run on E!'s "Chelsea Lately" in August.
Getty Images
CRAIG FERGUSON Craig Ferguson ended his nine-year run behind the desk at CBS's "Late Late Show" in December, so there's a good chance he's available. But is he willing to step back into the treacherous waters of late night so soon?
CBS
BRIAN WILLIAMS Why not Williams? The NBC News anchor was suspended for six months just minutes after Stewart dropped the bomb. Maybe he wants to try satire?
NBC
1 of 13
Following the Comedy Central host’s announced departure on Tuesday’s episode, TheWrap offers up its recommendations to fill the satirist’s seat