Digman! - What We Know So Far
When it comes to modern television comedy, "Saturday Night Live" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" alum Andy Samberg has played a prominent part in its evolution. His brand of humor is zany and occasionally (yet deliberately) moronic, and heavily rooted in absurdity that incites laughter even after you question if you should be laughing. This was the guy, after all, who helped satirize the "viral video" culture of the 2000s. After his stint on "Saturday Night Live" concluded in 2012, the comedian transitioned into more focused acting a year later on the comedic police procedural. But his career has also seen many projects outside of the two shows that turned him into a household name.
Variety just announced a new animated series called "Digman!," that will feature Samberg voicing the main character Rip Digman in addition to serving as a writer and producer on the project. The half-hour comedy is described as taking place "in a world where archaeologists are massive celebrities and the coolest people on the planet." The series will also reunite the actor with "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" co-stars Melissa Fumero and Neil Campbell. Here is everything we know so far about the project.
Who is starring in Digman!?
In addition to Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero, and Neil Campbell, "Digman!" will also feature the voice talents of fellow former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Tim Meadows, as well as Tim Robinson, Dale Soules, Mitra Jouhari, and Guz Khan (via TVLine). Fumero played Amy Santiago on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" for its entire run. Her character eventually married Samberg's Jake Peralta in the series after years of close friendship. She is also known for her roles in "One Life to Live" and "Gossip Girl." In addition to his long-running stint on "Saturday Night Live," Meadows has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, including a guest starring role on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."
Robinson currently headlines the sketch comedy "I Think You Should Leave" on Netflix and was also a writer for "SNL." Campbell guest starred on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and also wrote several of its episodes. Dale Soules is likely most familiar to audiences for her role as the scheming Frieda Berlin in "Orange Is the New Black." Rounding out the cast is Mitra Jouhari from Cartoon Network's "Three Busy Debras," and Guz Khan, who is known for his role in the heist comedy "Army of Thieves."
What is the plot of Digman!?
With his voice cast in place, Andy Samberg has provided a synopsis of the upcoming series that is characteristically irreverent in its description (per Deadline). His joint statement with Neil Campbell reads, "As kids we were led to believe that archaeologists are all bad-ass, adventure-seeking rock stars, but after spending 20 long years pursuing careers in archaeology we now see that was a lie perpetuated by Big Hollywood." It seems that the actor/writer is tapping into the myth of adventure we all idolize but never completely understand the hard work that goes into it. "So we created Digman! to finally bring our childhood dreams to life," Samberg and Campbell added. "Plus, we noticed a dearth of new TV shows recently and figured it was wholly on us to bring the world what it's missing the most: Content."
The series marks an increased push for more animated comedy by ViacomCBS. Also reported by Deadline was a statement from David Stapf, the President of CBS Studios who commented, "Animation continues to become an even more significant part of our comedy slate. On 'Digman!', we are fortunate to be working with an incredibly talented team of writers, animators, and voice talent, including our fantastic partners at The Lonely Island, MTV Entertainment, and Comedy Central."
The show is set to air on Comedy Central once it finishes production, which for animated shows, can be a time-consuming process. We will update this article as more information becomes available over time.
Who are the showrunners and creatives behind Digman!?
Andy Samberg will be joined in the creative process for "Digman!" by Neil Campbell, who will serve as showrunner. The two writers worked together on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," on which Campbell also served as a producer. He was also an executive producer and scribe for IFC's "Comedy Bang! Bang!," which took on a mockumentary talk show setting throughout its five seasons.
For fans of the 'SNL" digital short auteur, creating and crafting his very own show was long overdue. Samberg also has the backing of Nina L. Diaz, president of content and chief creative officer of Paramount Media Networks & MTV Entertainment Studios. As reported by Variety, Diaz was tapped by MTV Entertainment to head unscripted shows in addition to adult animation for Paramount+ and other studio brands. The executive said of Samberg, "Andy is a singular creative force with a vision to explore bold, genre-shifting, comedic storytelling. We are thrilled to partner with him, the Lonely Island and CBS Studios on 'Digman!' — the first series Andy has written and produced — to Comedy Central's robust animation line-up."
With so much comedic talent at work, "Digman!" is sure to live up to its irreverent potential since archaeology and comedy are a pretty unique combination.