Everything We Know About FOX’s Trio Of New AniDom Arrivals So Far
Created and executive-produced by Emmy Award winner Emily Spivey and featuring an all-star voice cast of comedy stars, including Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jillian Bell and Ike Barinholtz, BLESS THE HARTS is a new half-hour animated comedy that follows the Harts, a Southern family that is always broke, and forever struggling to make ends meet.
Ike will be voicing the role of the gruff looking “Wayne” while Bell will be voicing teenager “Violet” who creator Spivey says “Violet is more of the adult in the family than the adults in the show. She has a dry-wit, she’s level-headed. She’s the eyes-in. I feel like she’s really the one that is going to go far” noting Emily shares a lot of personality traits with herself at a young age.
In Bless The Harts, the family hopes to achieve the American dream, but they’re already rich – in friends, family and laughter. Notable recurring guest voices throughout the first season include Fortune Feimster, Holly Hunter (“Here and Now”) Mary Steenburgen (“The Last Man on Earth”) and Drew Tarver (“The Other Two”).
From Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation,” “Saturday Night Live”) and Emmy Award winners Mike and Julie Scully (THE SIMPSONS, “The Carmichael Show,” “Parks and Recreation”) comes DUNCANVILLE, an animated family comedy centered around a spectacularly average 15-year-old boy with a rich fantasy life, and the people in his world.
Like most 15-year-olds, DUNCAN (Poehler) can see adulthood on the horizon: money, freedom, cars, girls…but the reality is more like: always being broke, driving with your mom sitting shotgun and babysitting your little sister. He’s not exceptional, but he has a wild imagination in which he’s never anything less than amazing. Duncan’s mom, ANNIE (Poehler), a parking enforcement officer who dreams of someday being a detective, lives in perpetual fear that her teenage son is one bad decision away from ruining his life and will do anything to stop him from doing so. Amy says that her inspiration for the mother is her own while Duncan more-or-less is the smart alek of the group, not unlike a Bart or Stewie-esque character with producer Mike Scully noting a Malcolm in the Middle/ That 70’s Show vibe.
Duncan’s father, JACK (Emmy Award winner Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”), husband to ANNIE, is a classic-rock-obsessed plumber who’s determined to be a better dad than the one he had. He’s constantly posting wonderful things about his family on Facebook and annoyed that his kids won’t friend him. Producer Mike Scully notes that while Ty loves embracing current tech and that the show will touch upon it, don’t expect the kids to just be buried in their phones all episode long. For fans of “Randy” from South Park, this guy is gonna be right up your alley.
Duncan’s 12-year-old sister, KIMBERLY (Riki Lindhome, “Garfunkel and Oates: Trying to be Special,” “Another Period”), is awkward, emotional and can hold grudges forever, while waiting patiently for revenge. She’s all emotions all the time and nobody’s problems are bigger than hers.
Duncan confides in his friend and class clown, BEX (Betsy Sodaro “Another Period,” “Disjointed”), so much so, he sometimes he even forgets she’s a girl. His stylish and swaggy friend, YANGZI (Yassir Lester, “Making History”), is proud to be a cool trend setter. Yangzi has learned that if he promotes companies on social media, they’ll always send him awesome free swag. Duncan’s next-door neighbor, WOLF (Zach Cherry, “You,” “Crashing”), is a bit reckless, having very little parental supervision.
Guest voices in the series are Emmy nominee Rashida Jones (“Parks and Recreation,” “Angie Tribeca”) as MIA, Duncan’s on-again, off-again crush, who never met a cause to which she wouldn’t dedicate her life; and Golden Globe nominee Wiz Khalifa (“American Dad!,” “BoJack Horseman”) as MR. MITCH, the universally loved teacher/guidance counselor, and occasional gym coach and school nurse, due to budget cuts. Joy Osmanski (“Santa Clarita Diet”) voices JING, Duncan’s six-year-old sister, who likes to shout “Watch me!” before executing the world’s slowest cartwheel.
DUNCANVILLE is produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Universal Television and FOX Entertainment. Mike Scully, Julie Scully and Amy Poehler co-created and executive produce the series with executive producer Dave Becky. The series is animated by Bento Box Entertainment (BOB’S BURGERS).
Also premiering in 2020 is new animated comedy THE GREAT NORTH, from BOB’S BURGERS creator Loren Bouchard. The series follows the Alaskan adventures of the Tobin family, as a single dad does his best to keep his weird bunch of kids close, especially as the artistic dreams of his only daughter lead her away from the family fishing boat and into the glamorous world of the local mall. Featured voices on the series include Nick Offerman (“Parks and Recreation”), Megan Mullally (“Will & Grace”), Jenny Slate (BOB’S BURGERS), and Will Forte (“The Last Man on Earth”).
I hope this turns out to be another Gravity Falls-type show with an overarching storyline.