TBS Gives Straight-to-Series Order to Dramedy From ‘Cobra Kai’ Team
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TBS is adding another one-hour series to its slate.
The cabler has handed out a straight-to-series order to the dramedy “Obliterated,” which hails from the creators of the YouTube Premium series “Cobra Kai” — Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg and Josh Heald.
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The series is focused on an elite special forces team who is tracking a deadly terrorist network hell bent on blowing up Las Vegas. After their raging end-of-mission party filled with alcohol and drug-fueled debauchery, the team discovers that the bomb they deactivated was a decoy. With the clock ticking, the intoxicated team has to fight through their impairments, overcome their personal issues, deactivate the bomb, and save the world.
TBS has ordered 10 episodes.
“As TBS’ brand continues to evolve, our primary focus of late has been for us to find dramas that are as much fun as they are high stakes,” said Brett Weitz, general manager of TNT, TBS, truTV. “We’ve worked with Josh in the past and tried to buy ‘Cobra Kai,’ so letting this series get away from us just wasn’t an option. This incredible team brings heart and absurdity to a situation as serious as saving the world, which makes ‘Obliterated’ a perfect fit for TBS.”
Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald will write and executive produce the new series, with Dina Hiller of the trio’s Counterbalance Entertainment co-executive producing. Sony Pictures Television, where Counterbalance is under an overall deal, will produce.
“Cobra Kai” has proven to be the major breakout hit of YouTube’s push into scripted content. The series, a continuation of the “Karate Kid” film franchise, debuted its second season in April with YouTube ordering a third in May.
News of the series order also comes as questions abound about what identity TBS and TNT will have as parent company WarnerMedia prepares to launch the streaming service HBO Max. TBS had previously been focused on comedy while TNT had been home to dramas. But the drama series adaptation of “Snowpiercer” was moved to TBS earlier this year after having been in the works at TNT for years. TNT also announced yesterday that they have renewed their drama series “Claws” for a final season. The network’s only other current scripted series is the drama “Animal Kingdom,” with three others currently in the works.
TBS also recently canceled its original comedy “The Detour,” one of several shows TBS used to launch in its push into the premium comedy space. Others included “Wrecked,” “Angie Tribeca,” and “Search Party.” The former two of those three shows have all ended while the third season of “Search Party” was announced last year but has yet to debut. Current comedies on TBS include “The Last O.G.,” which is currently prepping its third season, and “Miracle Workers,” which debuted earlier this year.
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