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When Fox first dipped its big toe into the relatively unknown waters of primetime animation back in the late 1980s with their Simpsons skits baked into episodes of The Tracy Ullman Show, few could have guessed that the upstart network would one day be known as one of the last bastions for traditional hand-drawn cartoons (with an adult flair, natch). Disney long ago gave up on any desire to bring forth to viewers old school animation yarns, having decided to put all of their Magical Kingdom eggs into the computer animated basket. Outside of The House That Uncle Walt Built, one would be hard-pressed to locate any other major studios pushing money into a regular and ongoing cartoon initiative. And thus it has fallen to aforementioned Fox to pick up the slack, carving out its own niche with a steady stable of adult-themed hand-drawn shows such as The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers. For all of us long-in-the-tooth Saturday morning exiles that’s good news, as is today’s item from our The Flinstones admirers over at The Hollywood Reporter announcing yet another traditionally drawn cartoon headed our way from Fox.
Brothers Adam and Craig Malamut – the wunderkinds who staked an animation flag at their prior gig with Warner Bros. Discovery – will be bringing an all-new animated series to Fox. Tentatively titled Universal Basic Guys/The Hoagie Bros., the traditionally animated show will focus on Mark and Hank Hoagies, two brothers who find themselves in the unemployment line after losing their respective jobs at the hot dog factory when it goes the way of full-on automated production. In a concept that parrallels our own wonky times, the two brothers are quickly rescued from financial oblivion by a universal income program which allots all residents in Mark and Hank’s hometown a guaranteed $3,000 smackers a month. Faster than you can say “juvenile delinquents,” the duo are revisiting their days of youth when every minute of every hour was nothing short of relaxed bliss.
“Adam and Craig are two of the boldest and most irreverent voices I know,” Fox Entertainment President and all-around Big Wheel Michael Thorn said in a press release announcing the new series. “This series’ distinct point of view could only come from a talented multi-hyphenate team that writes, animates and voices their work like no one else. And in the tradition of the incredible creators who have been a part of our storied Animation Domination lineup, the Malamuts have an intrepid DIY mentality that has allowed them to create some of the funniest and most surprising characters we’ve seen in a long time.”
Universal Basic Guys/The Hoagie Bros. is set to premiere on FOX in 2024.
