TruTV is doubling down on its first-ever scripted comedy by renewing the Denver-based sitcom “Those Who Can’t” for a second season — two months before the first season has even aired.
Created by and starring Denver’s Grawlix comedy trio, “Those Who Can’t” got its Feb. 11, 2016, first-season release date on truTV last week. In conjunction with the premiere, stand-ups Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl and Ben Roy will also host a series of shows at Comedy Works downtown to celebrate the launch.
But Tuesday’s announcement of a second, 13-episode season for “Those Who Can’t” underlines the hopes truTV has for the show as it continues rebranding itself from a true-crime network to a comedy-focused one.
“We love ‘Those Who Can’t’ so much we literally couldn’t wait to make more,” Chris Linn, president of truTV, said in a news release.
The second season will air sometime later in 2016, truTV said.
“Those Who Can’t” began as a pilot for Amazon Studios, which was passed over and then later picked up, rewritten and re-shot for truTV. Owned by Turner Broadcasting, truTV has been promoting “Those Who Can’t” with ads (and articles) in Variety and other publications, as well as an appearance from the cast at the New York Television Festival last month with director Bobcat Goldthwait.
The show follows a trio of immature teachers — played by the Grawlix members — at the fictional Denver-based Smoot High. Due to budgetary and logistical constraints, filming was limited to Southern California. Denver-bred directors the Nix Bros. and various comics with local ties are expected to be part of the first season.
“Those Who Can’t,” which was given its 10-episode first-season order last year, will include Maria Thayer as the school librarian and guest stars such as Kyle Kinane, Susie Essman, T.J. Miller, Kate Berlant and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Sarah Michelle Gellar. The show is executive produced by Tracey Baird (“Flight of the Conchords”) and Krysia Plonka (“Mind of Mencia”) of Thank You, Brain! Productions, with Dean Lorey (“Arrested Development”) as showrunner.
Denverites can celebrate the show’s arrival with a series of live sets at Comedy Works on Larimer Square timed to the show’s broadcast premiere. The Grawlix, which formerly ran a popular monthly showcase at the Highland neighborhood’s Bug Theatre, will perform multiple sets at Comedy Works Feb. 11-14 including packaged Valentine’s Day sets, said Comedy Works owner Wende Curtis.
Cayton-Holland, Orvedahl and Roy have headlined Comedy Works in the past and continue to tour nationally, although only Cayton-Holland and Orvedahl remain Denver residents after Roy decamped to Los Angeles this summer to shoot and produce “Those Who Can’t.”
“Simply having our show be seen is going to be an incredible feeling, but to have our show come out on TV and be able to headline our home club around that premiere is incredible,” Cayton-Holland told The Denver Post via e-mail. “Comedy Works has been our home since each of the three of us started doing comedy; to be able to celebrate there with all the people in Denver who’ve supported us all these years is, well, it’s perfect.”
“Those Who Can’t” premieres at 10:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 11, and Comedy Works will host The Grawlix for a single show on Feb. 11, two shows each Feb. 12-13 and one on Feb. 14.
Tickets are available at www.comedyworks.com.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642, jwenzel@denverpost.com
