Canada's Funniest Dysfunctional Family Finds a Home on DIRECTV; Hit Comedy ‘Less Than Kind' Makes U.S. Debut Exclusively on the Audience Network
DIRECTV Acquires All Three Seasons of Award-Winning Series from
Mark McKinney and Breakthrough Entertainment
TORONTO & EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
DIRECTV, one of the world's leading video providers, has acquired all
three seasons of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Canadian comedy
series Less Than Kind. Produced and distributed by
Toronto-based Breakthrough Entertainment, the series will make its
exclusive U.S. debut this fall on DIRECTV's Audience Network, joining
fellow Canadian hit Call Me Fitz as part of the network's stable
of comedy programming. UTA, on behalf of Breakthrough Entertainment,
brokered the deal with DIRECTV.
The comedy-drama series follows the trials and tribulations of Sheldon
Blecher (Jesse Camacho), an overweight 15-year-old with a
self-destructive driving instructor father, a pyromaniac mother and a
failed- actor brother who won't get out of his room. The family
business, Blecher's Driving School, is crashing and to add insult to
injury the family lives in Winnipeg. As Sheldon struggles to escape his
family and his family struggles to keep the business running, cars
crash, hearts break, blood pressure boils and corned beef is eaten. Less
Than Kind is a smart, edgy, dysfunctional half- hour comedy that
chronicle's Sheldon's attempts to manage his teenage years and a sharp,
humorous look at the twists and turns that take place between the hugs
and kisses in a "loving" family.
"DIRECTV's Audience Network is connecting with viewers throughout the
U.S. and we are proud to have Less Than Kind as an important part
of its prime-time line-up," said Nat Abraham, Vice President of
Distribution for Breakthrough Entertainment.
"Clever, smart and unpredictable, Less Than Kind is a perfect fit
for the Audience Network," said Patty Ishimoto, vice president
Entertainment DIRECTV and general manager of the Audience Network. "We
are thrilled to add it to our line-up of comedy programming and to
introduce our viewers to the eccentric members of the Blecher family."
Entering its third season January 2012 on HBO Canada and The Movie
Network Canada, Less Than Kind boasts Mark McKinney as its
executive producer. The Canadian actor-comedian is best known for his
memorable work on The Kids in the Hall and Saturday Night Live,
before moving on to write and star in the acclaimed Canadian series Slings
and Arrows.
"This really is a tradition going back to Kids in the Hall," said
McKinney. "We would write the weirdest sketch we could and then try and
make it accessible to the audience. You want your characters to have
afflictions and have to deal with things. In this case, our lead is
overweight but the irony is that he's carrying the burden of this
tremendously dysfunctional family."
After debuting on Canadian television in October 2008, Less Than Kind was
quickly embraced by TV audiences and critics alike. In 2010, the series
earned fifteen Gemini Awards, including Best Comedy Series, Best
Direction, Best Writing, and Best Individual Performances. Less Than
Kind also earned nine individual Canadian Comedy Awards, including
Best Writing, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Individual Performance in a
Comedy Series, as well as multiple Best Comedy Writing awards from the
prestigious Writers Guild of Canada.
Less Than Kind is a production of Breakthrough Entertainment and
Buffalo Gal Pictures. The series is executive produced by Ira Levy,
Peter Williamson, Phyllis Laing, Mark McKinney, Marvin Kaye and Chris
Sheasgreen.
Less Than Kind was created by Marvin Kaye and Chris
Sheasgreen.
About DIRECTV:
DIRECTV (NASDAQ:DTV) is one of the world's leading providers of digital
television entertainment services delivering a premium video experience
through state-of-the-art technology, unmatched programming and industry
leading customer service to more than 30 million customers in the U.S.
and Latin America. In the U.S., DIRECTV offers its 19.4 million
customers access to more than 170 HD channels and Dolby-Digital® 5.1
theater-quality sound, access to exclusive sports programming such as
NFL SUNDAY TICKET™, Emmy- award winning technology and higher customer
satisfaction than the leading cable companies for eleven years running.
DIRECTV Latin America, through its subsidiaries and affiliated companies
in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, and other Latin
American countries, leads the pay-TV category in technology, programming
and service, delivering an unrivaled digital television experience to
more than 10.6 million customers. DIRECTV sports and entertainment
properties include three Regional Sports Networks (Northwest, Rocky
Mountain and Pittsburgh) as well as a 60 percent interest in Game Show
Network. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit www.directv.com.
About DIRECTV's Audience Network
Audience Network, DIRECTV's exclusive entertainment channel, is a unique
television experience available exclusively to DIRECTV subscribers. The
channel first made its mark as in 2008 by partnering with NBC to produce
and air three additional seasons of the Emmy Award-winning series Friday
Night Lights and more recently becoming the exclusive home of the
critically-acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning drama Damages, with Glenn Close
and Rose Byrne. As a result, Audience Network has become the premiere
destination for diverse, quality and critically-acclaimed programming.
Audience Network is a blend of daring, innovative series, hit programs
from across the globe being discovered by US audiences for the first
time, concert specials from A-list artists, and the annual DIRECTV
Celebrity Beach Bowl.
About Breakthrough Entertainment:
Headquartered in Toronto, Breakthrough Entertainment Inc. (BEI) is a
leading global producer and distributor of acclaimed primetime comedy
and drama series, as well as factual entertainment, documentaries,
television movies, family entertainment and children's animation. As one
of Canada 's largest television production and distribution companies,
BEI has licensed programs to major broadcasters in over 200 territories.
With a catalogue of over 2600 half-hours of programming, the company
handles distribution as well as worldwide pre-sales, co-productions and
third-party acquisitions. In addition to its dedicated program
development, production and distribution divisions, Breakthrough's
digital media division ranks among one of the industry's most respected
producers of high quality digital entertainment including websites, and
online, mobile, ITV and iphone games. www.breakthroughentertainment.com
DIRECTV
Cara M. Brugnoli, (212) 205-0887
CMBrugnoli@DIRECTV.com
or
SSA
Public Relations
Steve Syatt, (818) 907-0500
ssyatt@ssapr.com
Source: DIRECTV
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