Author: Lesley Goldberg / Source: The Hollywood Reporter
The end of Broad City is in sight.
The previously announced fifth season of the Comedy Central critical favorite — set to air in early 2019, more than a year after its fourth cycle ended — will be its last. Meanwhile, stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson have signed a first-look television deal with Comedy Central parent company Viacom, with three projects already in development for their soon-to-be former network.
The first-look pact covers Glazer and Jacobson together as well as individually.“Broad City has been our baby and first love for almost 10 years, since we started as a web series. It’s been a phenomenal experience, and we’ve put ourselves into it completely. Broad City’s always had a spontaneous pace and feeling, and ending after season five honors that spirit. We are very excited to bring new voices and points of view to Comedy Central and continue our collaboration together in new ways,” Glazer and Jacobson said in a joint statement.
While none of the three comedies in development are written by or starring either Glazer or Jacobson, Comedy Central president Kent Alterman tells The Hollywood Reporter he’s “taking it as it comes” from the in-demand duo, who now both have film careers and are juggling other projects.
In development at the cable network are:
• Mall Town USA, an animated comedy about a 13-year-old girl navigating puberty and society in American culture at the mall. The comedy is written and created by Gabe Liedman (Broad City), with Jacobson and Glazer exec producing
• Platinum Status, a live-action comedy written by Ilana Glazer’s brother, Eliot Glazer. He stars as a gay man who hooks up with a woman after his boyfriend of 10 years dumps him.
Eliot Glazer will write the script and exec produce alongside Ilana Glazer, Principato Young’s Peter Principato and Brian Steinberg and Electric Avenue’s Will Arnett and Marc Forman.• Young Professionals hails from David Litt, who at 24 became one of the youngest White House speechwriters in history. The comedy is inspired by Litt’s coming-of-age in the nation’s capital and follows five housemates growing up — personally, politically and professionally — in Washington, D.C. Litt will pen the script and exec produce alongside Jacobson and Glazer.
In a larger sense, UTA-repped Glazer and Jacobson’s deal will allow them to develop projects across Viacom’s television portfolio. Unlike similar Viacom pacts with Trevor Noah and Tyler Perry, it is not exclusive and does not include film. Still, the deal sends a message to the town that Comedy Central is willing to do its part to keep homegrown talent as more of its stars have moved on elsewhere.
Below, Alterman talks with The Hollywood Reporter about the decision to end the award-winning show, what to expect from the deal and the future of another tentpole show, Inside Amy Schumer.
Why end Broad City now?
It’s more of a creative thing than anything. It’s a show about two 20-somethings in New York, and Abbi and Ilana are smart about not wanting to overstretch it beyond plausibility. They’re telling a particular story about the post-college era in New York. It’s an organic conclusion to the journey that they’ve been on.
Whose decision was it?
Ultimately it was their decision — where they want to resolve the characters’ stories. We’d never want them to overstay their welcome. It…
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