Overlord and the Underwoods
- Mark J.W. Bishop
- Matt Hornburg
- Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy
- Ryan Wiesbrock
- Sean Gorman
- Ian Lambur
- Diane Rankin (SVP Rights)
- For CBC Television
- Michael A. Dunn and Andra Johnson Duke
- Sally Catto
- Trish Williams
- Sandra Picheca
- Greig Dymond
Cloudco Entertainment
Canfro Productions
present
Overlord and the Underwoods is a Canadian television family sitcom co-created by Anthony Q. Farrell and Ryan Wiesbrock, and is a co-production between MarbleMedia and Cloudco Entertainment.
The series first premiered in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2021 on Nickelodeon, while it premiered in Canada on October 29, 2021 on CBC Gem.[1] In the US the first 10 episodes were made available on November 8, 2021 on the BYUtv app.
Premise
The series focuses on a North American family called the Underwoods, whose life is flipped upside down when the second most wanted criminal in the world, their distant cousin Overlord - who is an alien, seeks refuge in their home after being forced into intergalactic witness protection after he snitches on his boss and is made to live with the Underwoods.[2]
Cast
- Darryl Hinds as Jim Underwood
- Patrice Goodman as Flower Underwood
- Ari Resnick as Weaver Underwood
- Kamaia Fairburn as Willow Underwood
- Troy Feldman as Overlord
- Jann Arden as the voice of R0-FL, Overlord's robot sidekick
- Jayne Eastwood as the Underwoods' neighbour
- Constant Bernard as Reginald
Episodes
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Overstaying Your Welcome" | April Mullen | Anthony Q. Farrell | TBA |
2 | 2 | "Overthrowing the Underscores" | April Mullen | Kate Hewlett | TBA |
3 | 3 | "Undersized" | Casey Walker | Ryan Belleville | TBA |
4 | 4 | "Slime and Understanding" | April Mullen | Amanda Joy | TBA |
5 | 5 | "Into the Underbush" | Casey Walker | Anthony Q. Farrell | TBA |
6 | 6 | "Game Over!" | Casey Walker | Ryan Belleville | TBA |
7 | 7 | "Three Easy Overpayments" | Casey Walker | Jay Vaidya | TBA |
8 | 8 | "Not Under My Roof!" | Joyce Wong | Richard Young | TBA |
9 | 9 | "Thirteen Going on Overlord" | Steve Wright | Kate Hewlett | TBA |
10 | 10 | "Undercover LARP" | Joyce Wong | Jay Vaidya | TBA |
11 | 11 | "Overshooters" | Casey Walker | Ryan Belleville | TBA |
12 | 12 | "Overdue Update" | Steve Wright | Amanda Joy | TBA |
13 | 13 | "Overexposed" | Melanie Orr | Amanda Joy | TBA |
14 | 14 | "Family Over Frabjleplarm" | Joyce Wong | Angelica Mendizabal | TBA |
15 | 15 | "Overpiece Theatre" | Steve Wright | Anthony Q. Farrell | TBA |
16 | 16 | "Overlock Holmes and the Undercooked Pie" | Lisa Rose Snow | Anthony Q. Farrell | TBA |
17 | 17 | "Do-Over and Over and Over" | Joyce Wong | Kate Hewlett | TBA |
18 | 18 | "Under the Sea Land" | Melanie Orr | Ryan Belleville | TBA |
19 | 19 | "One Year Over-versary" | Melanie Orr | Jay Vaidya | TBA |
20 | 20 | "Over the Moon" | Melanie Orr | Anthony Q. Farrell | TBA |
Development and broadcast
The series was announced on March 16, 2021, and was pre-sold by Nickelodeon International, BYUtv in the United States, CBC in Canada and ITV in the United Kingdom on the same day.[3]
Production on the series began in June 2021 in Oakville, Ontario.[4]
BYUtv began airing the series on their app and at byutv.org on November 8, 2021. On October 3, 2022 BYUtv began airing season 1 on television. That same day they made the second batch of 10 episodes available on their app and website.
Production concerns
The series was a topic of some controversy in the Canadian television industry after its production was announced in April 2021, when a newspaper article on the premiere of series creator Anthony Q. Farrell's contemporaneous The Parker Andersons included the statement that BYU TV series "couldn’t feature characters who are clearly identified as queer", due to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' views on LGBTQ sexuality, along with those of Brigham Young University, which owns the network itself.[5]
Within days, the network responded with a statement that "As a young network committed to bringing together religious and non-religious audiences, BYUtv is learning and exploring ways to partner with diverse content creators, writers and talent to implement meaningful co-viewing experiences for our target audience (children 8-15 and their parents). While BYUtv has not referenced LGBTQ+ topics and characters in the five original scripted series it has aired to date, we desire to address subjects – including LGBTQ+ – that are important to our growing and diverse audience. There are no policies that would exclude the network from including characters who identify as LGBTQ+, and BYUtv is exploring ways to do so," and Marblemedia confirmed that Overlord and the Underwoods will include LGBTQ characters.[6]
References
- ^ "'Overlord and the Underwoods' showrunner hopes it will 'make way for more diversity'" Archived November 2, 2021, at the Wayback Machine. The Coast Reporter, October 28, 2021.
- ^ Greg David, "Overlord and the Underwoods enters the atmosphere with live action series order from CBC". TV, eh?, March 16, 2021.
- ^ Greg David, "Overlord and the Underwoods enters the atmosphere with live action series order from CBC". TV, eh?, March 16, 2021.
- ^ Nathan Sager, "CBC-Nickelodeon series is filming in Oakville". InSauga, June 26, 2021.
- ^ Johanna Schneller, "BYUtv deal exposes truth about queer representation". The Globe and Mail, April 15, 2021.
- ^ Radheyan Simonpillai, "BYUtv has a come to Jesus moment on LGBTQ characters". Now, April 9, 2021.
External links
- Overlord and the Underwoods at IMDb
- v
- t
- e
- Arctic Vets (since 2021)
- Allegiance (since 2024)
- Bollywed (since 2023)
- Back in Time for Dinner (since 2018)
- Black Life: Untold Stories (since 2023)
- CBC Docs POV (since 2017)
- CBC Music Backstage Pass (since 2013)
- Canada's Smartest Person (since 2012)
- Canada's Ultimate Challenge (since 2023)
- Coroner (since 2019)
- Diggstown (since 2019)
- The Detectives (since 2018)
- Dragons' Den (since 2006)
- Endlings (since 2020)
- Exhibitionists (since 2015)
- Extraordinary Canadians (since 2017)
- Fakes (since 2022)
- The Filmmakers (since 2017)
- The Great Canadian Baking Show (since 2017)
- Halifax Comedy Festival (since 1995)
- Heartland (since 2007)
- High Arctic Haulers (since 2020)
- Hockey Night in Canada (since 1952)
- Humour Resources (since 2021)
- The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down (since 2024)
- In the Making (since 2018)
- Moonshine (since 2021)
- Murdoch Mysteries (since 2012)
- The Nature of Things (since 1960)
- Northern Rescue (since 2019)
- One More Time (since 2024)
- Plan B (since 2023)
- Push (since 2023)
- Race Against the Tide (since 2021)
- Run the Burbs (since 2022)
- SkyMed (since 2022)
- Son of a Critch (since 2022)
- Sort Of (2021-23)
- Still Standing (since 2015)
- Stuff the British Stole (since 2023)
- This Hour Has 22 Minutes (since 1993)
- True North Calling (since 2017)
- Under New Management (since 2019)
- Winnipeg Comedy Festival (since 2002)
- Wild Cards (since 2024)
- You Can't Ask That (since 2019)
- The Art Show (since 2017)
- Aunty B's House (since 2023)
- Beat Bugs (since 2016)
- Becca's Bunch (since 2018)
- Big Block SingSong (since 2012)
- Big Blue (since 2021)
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (since 2012)
- Dino Ranch (since 2021)
- Dot. (since 2016)
- Holy Baloney (since 2018)
- Jessie & the Gumboot Kids (since 2018)
- Kingdom Force (since 2019)
- Lazoo (since 2017)
- Molly of Denali (since 2019)
- PJ Masks (since 2015)
- Remy & Boo (since 2020)
- Scout & the Gumboot Kids (since 2015)
- The Studio K Show (since 2017)
- Super Agent Jon Le Bon! (since 2018)
- The Thrillusionists (since 2018)
- True and the Rainbow Kingdom (since 2017)
- Ukulele U (since 2022)
- Wandering Wenda (since 2017)
- Will's Jams (since 2014)
- You & Me (since 2014)
- Canadian Reflections (since 1978)
- Absolutely Canadian (since 2012)
- CBC News Network (simulcast; 2016)
- The Fifth Estate (since 1975)
- Marketplace (since 1972)
- The National (since 1954)
- The Passionate Eye (since 1993)
- Rosemary Barton Live (since 2020)
- 21 Black Futures
- The 410
- Best in Miniature
- Bit Playas
- Broad Appeal: Living with E's
- Canada's a Drag
- The Communist's Daughter
- Decoys
- Detention Adventure
- For the Record
- Good People
- Hey Lady!
- How to Buy a Baby
- How to Fail as a Popstar
- I Hate People, People Hate Me
- Ming's Dynasty
- The New Wave of Standup
- Overlord and the Underwoods
- Queens
- Revenge of the Black Best Friend
- Save Me
- Telling Our Story
- Undisrupted
- Utopia Falls
- You're My Hero
- Zarqa