Everything We Know So Far About Standing By, Dan Levy's Animated Comedy For Hulu
Over the course of its five-season run, "Schitt's Creek" grew from a quiet sitcom with a sizable following to a full-blown cultural phenomenon. It's become impossible to remember life before Annie Murphy first uttered the words "Ew, David" and hardly a day goes by that I don't see a gif of Dan Levy looking absolutely disgusted as David. While the series will no doubt hold up as a heartwarming and hilarious rewatch until the end of time, the door has (mostly) closed on the Rose family hijinks, leaving audiences to wonder: what comes next for writer, co-creator, and star Dan Levy?
The answer is, unsurprisingly, a lot. Given the massive success of "Schitt's Creek" — which includes setting the Emmy record for most wins in a single season for a comedy series — the rush to produce Levy's next project was very real. He was courted and eventually signed a TV and movie deal with Netflix. But that doesn't mean he can't still brainstorm new projects elsewhere.
If you crave something new from the sardonic stylings of Dan Levy, then you'll be glad to hear that he's got a new series brewing and it already boasts an all-star cast. Co-created with Ally Pankiw, the animated comedy series "Standing By" has been ordered to series at Hulu.
What we think Standing By is about
Heartwarming hilarity with a bucket load of empathy seems to be the common thread for Levy's projects, and "Standing By" is no exception. According to the logline, the series is a "satirical look into the lives of a group of eternally bound, disgruntled guardian angels and the lessons they'll eventually learn from not only the dysfunctional humans they're in charge of protecting but also each other." As it turns out, the angels who float above the clouds are no more perfect than the humans they observe. In the press release, Levy described the main gang as "a team of judgmental, gossip-starved guardian angels."
"Standing By" will be putting that dysfunction on display, exploring the melodrama of their everyday lives as they themselves learn what it means to become better. Based on that premise, I'm expecting a biting, satirical edge with a gooey, warm center beneath all the snark. The series is part of Hulu's push into adult animation, a slate that also includes the 20th Century-produced hit, "Solar Opposites."
What we know about the cast and crew of Standing By
"Standing By" is created, written, and executive produced by Dan Levy and Ally Pankiw, who first joined forces when Pankiw became part of the "Schitt's Creek" writer's room in its third season. Pankiw has since made her directorial debut, helming episodes of "Feel Good," "Shrill" and "The Great," in addition to her first feature film (which she also wrote), "I Used To Be Funny."
In a joint statement (via Variety), Levy and Pankiw said:
"We are very excited to bring this world to life with the help of Hulu, 20th Television Animation, and Bento Box Entertainment. Not to mention an insanely brilliant cast of actors."
Levy himself will head the voice cast of the series as Carey, described as "the newly deceased, cynical spotter to the group who had a lonely, isolated life in New York City." Rounding out the cast, expect to hear David Tennant ("Doctor Who," "DuckTales"), Natalie Palamides ("The Powerpuff Girls," "The Owl Huse"), Poppy Liu ("Hacks," "Dead Ringers"), Samira Wiley ("The Handmaid's Tale," "Blade Runner: Black Lotus"), and eight-time Academy Award nominee, Glenn Close. Danielle Uhlarik ("Solar Opposites") will serve as showrunner.