Hulu has announced its 2017 Summer Slate, with two returning series – Casual and Difficult People – and three documentaries – Batman and Bill (the story of how Batman’s other creator gained official co-creator status); Becoming Bond (the story of George Lazenby became the one-hit wonder of the Bond films), and Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine (the rise and fall of the original series that spawned the likes of Jackass).
HULU 2017 SUMMER SLATE
BATMAN & BILL
Premiere Date: Saturday, May 6th
Crew: Directed and executive produced by Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce.
Principal Subjects: Marc Tyler Nobleman, Michael Uslan, Athena Finger, and Alethia Mariotta.
Synopsis: Everyone thinks that Bob Kane created Batman, but that’s not the whole truth. One author makes it his crusade to seek justice for Bill Finger, a struggling writer who was the key figure in creating the iconic superhero, from concept to costume to the very character we all know and love. Bruce Wayne may be Batman’s secret identity, but his creator was always a true mystery.
BECOMING BOND
Premiere Date: Saturday, May 20th
Crew: Written, directed and produced by Josh Greenbaum. Produced by Rafael Marmor and Christopher Leggett.
Principal Cast: George Lazenby, Josh Lawson, Kassandra Clementi, Jane Seymour, Jeff Garlin, Jake Johnson, and Dana Carvey.
Synopsis: A unique documentary/narrative hybrid chronicling the stranger-than-fiction true story of George Lazenby, a poor Australian car mechanic who, through an unbelievable set of circumstances, landed the role of James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), despite having never acted a day in his life. Then after being offered the next six Bond films and a $1 million signing bonus, he turned it all down…
CASUAL
Season Three
Premiere Date: Tuesday, May 23rd
Episode Count: 13
Cast: Michaela Watkins, Tommy Dewey, Tara Lynne Barr and Nyasha Hatendi.
Crew: Casual comes to Hulu from Lionsgate and is created, and executive produced by Zander Lehmann. Executive produced by Jason Reitman, Helen Estabrook and Liz Tigelaar.
Synopsis: The surprising consequences following Charles’ death and Valerie’s decision to move out propel the trio to rebel, exploring different jobs, partners, and unfulfilled passions. As they adjust to a new normal, can they maintain boundaries or will they revert to the comfort of codependency?
DUMB: THE STORY OF BIG BROTHER MAGAZINE
Premiere Date: Saturday, June 3rd
Crew: Directed by Patrick O’Dell. Executive produced by Jeff Tremaine and produced by Sean Cliver.
Appearances and Interviews: Spike Jonze, Johnny Knoxville, Steve Rocco, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Tony Hawk and Chad Muska.
Synopsis: Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine charts the rise and fall of the irreverent, boundary-pushing Big Brother Magazine, whose taboo-breaking stunts and unapologetically crass humor spawned MTV’s Jackass and a generation of skaters. Featuring a trove of original footage and interviews with the magazine’s major players, “Dumb” celebrates the lowbrow legacy of this touchstone of 90’s counterculture. With Spike Jonze, Johnny Knoxville, Steve Rocco, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Tony Hawk, Chad Muska.
DIFFICULT PEOPLE
Season Three
Premiere Date: Tuesday, August 8th
Episode Count: 10
Cast: Julie Klausner, Billy Eichner, Andrea Martin, James Urbaniak and Cole Escola with Gabourey Sidibe, Derrick Baskin, Shakina Nayfack and John Cho.
Crew: Difficult People is created and executive produced by Julie Klausner. Executive Producers also include Amy Poehler (Paper Kite Productions), Dave Becky (3 Arts), Tony Hernandez (Jax Media), Brooke Posch (Paper Kite Productions), Jeffrey Walker and showrunner Scott King. Difficult People is produced by Universal Cable Productions.
Synopsis: Season 3 of Difficult People finds Julie (Julie Klausner) and Billy (Billy Eichner) remaining each other’s best friends while still their own worst enemies. Julie embarks on a season long quest for happiness, after she learns if she tries to up her anti-depressants anymore her blood will be a Slurpee, trying in the process everything from meditation to ayahuasca. Meanwhile, Billy begins to sour on New York, just as he begins to fall for his first real boyfriend (John Cho). Marilyn (Andrea Martin) lands a book deal, and Arthur (James Urbaniak) is forced to commute to the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre in Jupiter Florida, where PBS has moved all of its productions.