Underdeveloped offers satirical look at the film industry — and a secret jab at Chris Evans
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Upcoming comedy series Underdeveloped may be debuting at exactly the right time with all eyes on the interworkings of Hollywood amid SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
The mockumentary-style show, which premieres Sept. 8 on Tubi, offers a satirical behind-the-scenes look at a production company run by a group of failed and inexperienced producers and their dealings with execs, actors, agents, and other insiders. Although the show is parody, Underdeveloped also offers a lens for the audience to learn more about the entertainment industry.
"You don't have to know about the business to enjoy this show," creator Brian A. Metcalf, who stars as an unqualified slacker given the opportunity to run a production company at his brother-in-law's studio, tells EW. "My character scans as an idiot who doesn't even understand anything. So when we talk about pay-or-play offers, my character doesn't understand that. He's the audience in a certain way who doesn't understand the film industry."
Black Jellybeans (2) Thomas Ian Nicholas and Tom Arnold in 'Underdeveloped'
Underdeveloped also stars Metcalf's fellow not-so-inexperienced producers Thomas Ian Nicholas (American Pie) and Kelly Arjen (Adverse), as well as Tom Arnold (True Lies), Mark Pellegrino (Supernatural), David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place), David Koechner (The Office), Samm Levine (Freaks and Geeks), Shelley Regner (Pitch Perfect), Jason Faunt (Power Rangers Time Force), and Charlene Amoia (How I Met Your Mother). The cast was granted permission to promote the series amid the actors' strike as it is an independent production and agreed to the guild's terms for actor equity.
Metcalf shares that he drew from some of his own industry experiences in making the show. "When you go into a pitch meeting with an executive and then they throw out something like, 'Let's add a dog into this project,' and you're like, Wait a minute, this is a horror film. Why are we adding a dog into this?," he says. "Being independent producers, we've had a lot of pitfalls in terms of trying to get talent, trying to get distribution, raise the financing. So it's just kind of a fun way to take those experiences and put them into a show and do it in a comedic way."
Although most of the stars say their characters are also amalgamations drawn from various showbiz encounters over the years, actor Luke Edwards (Newsies) reveals he took inspiration from a very specific source.
"My character was an action movie hero. One of my old buddies is Chris Evans and so I based some of the choices on some of the s--- that he did," Edwards tells EW.
Although he won't reveal any specific character choices based on the Captain America star, Edwards says he's not worried about his old pal getting upset by his portrayal. "Oh I hope he does. I hope he feels specifically called out."
"That's how you know they're real close — or you just burned a massive bridge in Hollywood," costar Lulu Jovovich jokes.
Underdeveloped premieres Sept. 8 on Tubi. Watch the trailer above.
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