April 26, 2007

Adult Swim Says T.G.I.F.

Cartoon Network's rude, crude and fun wee hours persona—Adult Swim—expands to Fridays and unveils new programming and returning faves at its Manhattan upfront for advertisers

By Shirley Brady

Adult Swim, the animated channel that Cartoon Network morphs into overnight, unveiled its upcoming programming slate at an upfront ad sales event tonight in New York. But in bigger news for night owls, the network goes to seven nights a week by adding Fridays starting July 6 at 11pm.

The Turner-owned network didn't throw the typical upfront-style presentation of execs introducing video clips and charts touting ratings growth as the crowd grows antsy. Instead, the 500 or so media buyers, executives and journalists each received a digital, virtual upfront presentation—loaded onto a 30-gig Microsoft Zune player, featuring full episodes of Adult Swim's new and returning series, as presented by the erudite Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne.

Here's what they get to watch at their leisure, starting with Adult Swim's new original programming:

• Robot Chicken: Star Wars, a special that premieres June 17, is being produced in partnership with Lucasfilm and in a nice casting coup, it also uses the voice of Star Wars creator George Lucas.

• Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil (above) is—yep—Satan's daughter, a San Franciscan with a meddling Dad who uses her love life as an excuse to hasten the apocalypse; the series premieres this summer.

• Fat Guy Stuck In Internet is just that: a computer programmer is accidentally sucked into the Internet, and finds himself on a quest of epic proportions. Based on a cult hit on the Web, this live action series premieres this fall.

• Superjail is a series set in "the most violent prison complex in the universe." The psychedelic jail features a sadistic warden, uber-criminals, wacky creatures and, of course, frequent riots; it debuts next year.

Returning:

• Slated for this summer: Frisky Dingo, which debuted last year; and Robot Chicken for season three.

• Coming back this fall: The Boondocks, Metalocalypse, The Venture Bros. and Squidbillies.

• Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, returns for his final episodes, likely in the 4th quarter.

• Returning in 2008: Assy McGee and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, now in cinemas with its first feature movie—and none the worse for ratings wear despite its Boston marketing brouhaha.

• Moral Orel, which starts Sunday, has been greenlit for a second season; Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job, which debuted in February, also got a second season green light; and Saul of the Mole Men is coming back.

Adult Swim is coming off a record first quarter, posting the highest quarterly total day delivery in its key demo of Adults 18-34 of any basic cable network.