HBO orders two seasons of animated comedy 'Merrick & Treves' from 'Archer' team
HBO has ordered two seasons of the half-hour animated comedy 'Merrick & Treves' from Archer alumni Adam Reed, Casey Willis and Lucky Yates, a time-travel series about stopping Jack the Ripper.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2HBO has ordered two seasons of a new half-hour animated comedy, "Merrick & Treves", from Adam Reed, Casey Willis and Lucky Yates, who worked on FX's "Archer". VarietyLC “HBO has given a two-season order to the new half-hour animated comedy “Merrick & Treves,”” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “The network has ordered two seasons of half-hour series Merrick & Treves from Archer trio Adam Reed, Casey Willis and Lucky Yates.” Read at Deadline ↗ Left · 2The series is set inside Queen Victoria's top-secret Royal Temporal Constabulary and follows a team of unlikely heroes who travel back and forth through time to stop Jack the Ripper. VarietyLC “follows a team of unlikely heroes as they voyage back and forth through time in an effort to stop Jack the Ripper.” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “Merrick & Treves is a period animated series, set in Queen Victoria’s top secret Royal Temporal Constabulary.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Mixed · 2The title refers to Joseph Merrick, known as the Elephant Man, who was exhibited in 19th-century Britain, and the surgeon Sir Frederick Treves, who took him in at a hospital in London's Whitechapel. DeadlineN “Joseph Merrick was better known as The Elephant Man, who was exhibited at a freak show in 19th century Britain, before he was taken in by surgeon Sir Frederick Treves” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “Frederick Treves was the young doctor who cared for him at London Hospital.” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 2Reed, Willis and Yates will be co-creators and executive producers. Reed created "Archer", Willis was an executive producer on it, and Yates was a principal voice actor, playing Dr. Algernop Krieger and others; the three also worked together on Adult Swim's "Frisky Dingo". VarietyLC “Reed was the creator/exec producer of “Archer,” while Willis was also an exec producer while Yates was one of the show’s principal voice-over actors” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “Adam Reed, Casey Willis, and Lucky Yates serve as co-creators and executive producers.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Mixed · 2The show comes from TFC Productions, whose Joel Begleiter will executive produce, with Kelly Wu as co-executive producer. DeadlineN “alongside TFC’s Joel Begleiter with Kelly Wu as co-executive producer.” Read at Deadline ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “From TFC Productions, Joel Begleiter will executive produce with Kelly Wu serving as co-executive producer.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Mixed · 2Amy Gravitt, HBO's executive vice president of programming and head of HBO & HBO Max comedy series, called the creators "exceptional comedic talents whom we have admired for years" and the show "wholly original". The Hollywood ReporterLC ““Adam, Casey, and Lucky are exceptional comedic talents whom we have admired for years,” says Amy Gravitt” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ DeadlineN “We couldn’t be more excited to team up with them to bring the wholly original Merrick & Treves to HBO audiences.” Read at Deadline ↗
Left · 2In a joint statement the creators said they were "beyond excited to have found a home" at HBO and that it was "actually quite daunting". VarietyLC ““The three of us are beyond excited to have found a home for “Merrick & Treves” at HBO,”” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “It’s actually quite daunting, now that we think about it.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Mixed · 2Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter put the order in context: Deadline says it is HBO's first animated series in a number of years, after "Animals", which ran three seasons to 2018, and The Hollywood Reporter says HBO itself has only dabbled in animation, making a two-season order unusual. DeadlineN “Merrick & Treves marks the first animated series for HBO in a number of years” Read at Deadline ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “HBO itself has only dabbled in the space over the years, making the two-season order for Merrick & Treves unusual.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1Variety adds that "Archer" ran for 14 seasons and 145 episodes between 2009 and 2023 and won four Primetime Emmys. VarietyLC ““Archer” ran for 14 seasons and 145 episodes between 2009 and 2023 on FX/FXX. The series won four Primetime Emmys” Read at Variety ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Trade-press announcement stressing the Archer pedigree of the creators and the creative team, with Variety adding career credits and The Hollywood Reporter noting the order is unusual for HBO.
- Emphasis
- Creators' credits, executive quotes, and (THR) the unusualness of a two-season animated order at HBO.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither gives HBO's animation history in detail, such as Animals; they don't mention Merrick's reputation as a Ripper suspect online.
- For example
-
““Archer” ran for 14 seasons and 145 episodes between 2009 and 2023 on FX/FXX.” — Variety
“making the two-season order for Merrick & Treves unusual” — The Hollywood Reporter
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Announcement framed as HBO returning to animated comedy, with historical context on its past animated shows.
- Emphasis
- HBO's prior animated series (Animals, The Ricky Gervais Show, The Life & Times of Tim) and the Merrick–Ripper internet theory.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not list Archer's run or awards.
- Charged language
- “freak show”
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- HBO ordered two seasons of the half-hour animated comedy Merrick & Treves.
- It comes from Archer alumni Adam Reed, Casey Willis and Lucky Yates.
- It is set in Queen Victoria's Royal Temporal Constabulary and involves time travel to stop Jack the Ripper.
- TFC Productions' Joel Begleiter executive produces, with Kelly Wu as co-executive producer.
-
HBO has ordered two seasons of the half-hour animated comedy Merrick & Treves.
Reported- Reports 3
- The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline
-
The series is set in Queen Victoria's Royal Temporal Constabulary, with a team time-travelling to stop Jack the Ripper.
Reported- Reports 3
- The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline
HBO organisation
HBO, through Amy Gravitt, says it has admired the creators for years and is excited to bring the 'wholly original' show to its audience.
“We couldn’t be more excited to team up with them to bring the wholly original Merrick & Treves to HBO audiences.” — Deadline
Merrick & Treves other
The creators say they are thrilled to have found a home at HBO, and find it daunting to work alongside the team behind shows they love.
“The three of us are beyond excited to have found a home for Merrick & Treves at HBO,”” — The Hollywood Reporter
Left2 articles
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HBO Gives Two-Season Order to Animated Comedy ‘Merrick & Treves’ From ‘Archer’ Alums
Neutral Announcement emphasising the creators' Archer credits and awards.
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HBO Gives Two-Season Order to Original Animated Comedy ‘Merrick & Treves’ From ‘Archer’ Creator
Neutral Announcement noting that a two-season animated order is unusual for HBO.
Centre1 article
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Animated Comedy Series ‘Merrick & Treves’ From ‘Archer’ Team Lands Two-Season HBO Order
Neutral Straight announcement with historical context on HBO's animation record and the Merrick–Ripper theory.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 13 Oct 16:00 First VarietyLC HBO Gives Two-Season Order to Animated Comedy ‘Merrick & Treves’ From ‘Archer’ Alums
- 13 Oct 16:00 First DeadlineN Animated Comedy Series ‘Merrick & Treves’ From ‘Archer’ Team Lands Two-Season HBO Order
- 13 Oct 16:00 First The Hollywood ReporterLC HBO Gives Two-Season Order to Original Animated Comedy ‘Merrick & Treves’ From ‘Archer’ Creator
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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