HBO has picked up Crashing, a new comedy series from longtime network collaborator Judd Apatow (Girls, Knocked Up) which was previously announced to be in development.
The new show will starring comedian Pete Holmes, and features a plot that is loosely based on his life; Holmes plays a sweet, wholesome comic who is forced to crash on the couches of friends — who also happen to be some of the funniest people in New York City — after his wife leaves him.
Aside from acting as the series’ lead writer, Holmes will also executive produce with Apatow. The two have a long history of working together, and Apatow has previously guest-starred on Holmes’ podcast, You Made It Weird.
A former TBS late-night host, Holmes has been something of a jack-of-all-trades in the comedy community, with a well-established career as a standup comedian, voice-over artist, writer, and cartoonist for The New Yorker.
Apatow himself has a long history in TV comedy, having co-created The Ben Stiller Show in the 1990s, his short-lived star launcher Freaks and Geeks, as well as numerous other comedy series throughout his career.
Provided the new show is successful, the pick up means that Apatow will stay on as a producer at the network for a while after his current com-dram, Girls, finishes its sixth and final season on HBO this year.
HBO has increasingly relied on comedies to drive viewership, and currently has a highly-rated roster of shows including Girls, Silicon Valley, Togetherness, and Veep, with several new series in development.
Given Apatow’s success in the genre in the past and his history working with Holmes, it’s safe to say that Crashing should be an interesting and quirky effort — a cult-style comedy which will likely appeal to divorcees everywhere.
The new show does not have a set release date, but will likely premiere in late 2016. You can check out a sneak peek at the show’s spiritual pilot below.
