I hate going to the Hospital (I’m there a lot, unfortunately), but I’m willing to make an exception for Amazon‘s new animated series. Amazon Studios has issued a two-season order to The Hospital, an adult animated sci-fi comedy from Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne’s Animal Pictures. The series, created by Cirocco Dunlap (Russian Doll), stars Rudolph, Lyonne, Kieran Culkin (Succession), Keke Palmer (Alice), Greta Lee (Russian Doll), and singer-songwriter Sam Smith (Spectre).
Written by Dunlap, The Hospital follows daring alien surgeons (and inseparable best friends) Sleech and Klak as they take on the most challenging cases in the galaxy, including anxiety-eating parasites, illegal time loops, and deep-space STIs. Risking their careers to take on a remarkable case, they put existence itself in jeopardy. Although considering their dismal personal lives, oblivion might be an improvement.
Palmer will voice Dr. Klak, a brilliant, multi-eyed surgeon who spends her downtime feeding her sentient plants, obsessively reviewing past failures, and watching the hit show My Lover, My Clone with her best friend, Dr. Sleech.
Lee portrays Dr. Sleech, a reckless, cocky surgeon whose principal saving graces are her genius, well-oiled lizard tail, and unconditional love for her best friend, Dr. Klak.
Lyonne is Nurse Tup, a playful nihilist with chameleon flesh who thrives in the chaos of the Hospital. Nurse Tup expertly navigates every accidental apocalypse created by renegade doctors Sleech and Klak and looks good doing it.
Rudolph portrays Dr. Vlam, a robot intern who has been alive for at least 20,000 years. She’s had every career you can think of—king, thief, stay-at-home mom of 500—and is a true testament to hard work. All you need to succeed is roughly 850 years of free time.
Culkin is Dr. Plowp, a surgeon, an empath, and an adult experiencing puberty. He has a love-hate relationship with Sleech, constantly feels everyone’s feelings, and has four identical brothers with whom he shared an egg.
Smith voices Dr. Azel, a galactically-renowned surgeon with ambiguous morals and six well-manicured feet.
“Working with Animal Pictures, Amazon Studios, and Titmouse to create a show that prominently features unsexy alien sex has been one of the best experiences of my life,” said Dunlap.
“Cirocco is a total original. Brilliant and wildly talented with an utterly singular voice and boundless imagination,” said Rudolph, Lyonne, and Renfrew Behrens of Animal Pictures. “She’s also ridiculously funny and finds the most unexpected ways to make you laugh while exploring complex existential questions! It has been a thrill to watch her nurture the seed of an idea and grow it into two seasons so beautifully.”
“The Hospital is the perfect example of the fresh and unique programming we get so excited to deliver to our global Prime Video customers,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios. “Cirocco’s humor and clever characters will entertain in any galaxy. We are thrilled to have this special project join our growing adult animated slate.”
In addition to writing the series, Dunlap will showrun and executive produce with Rudolph, Lyonne, and Danielle Renfrew Behrens for Animal Pictures. Shauna McGarry (Bojack Horseman, Tuca & Bertie) executive produces with Shannon Prynoski (Fairfax), Chris Prynoski (Freddy Got Fingered, Her), Antonio Canobbio (Arlo the Alligator Boy, The Boys Presents: Diabolical), and Ben Kalina (Big Mouth) will executive produce from Titmouse. Additionally, Robin Eisenberg will co-produce and serve as production designer.
Adult animation has grown by leaps and bounds in the past several years with the addition of shows like Big Mouth, Human Resources, Solar Opposites, Inside Job, Close Enough, Invincible, and more. Setting a mature animated sci-fi series around medical mishaps is sure to be a hoot. I’m anxious to see what Dunlap, Rudolph, and Lynonne have cooking. Beam me up!