Documentary Now! (formerly American Documentary) is set to honor the best-told stories about the people and events that have captivated audiences for decades in a six-episode series premiering Thursday, August 20 at 10:00pm ET/PT on IFC. Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and Seth Meyers all serve as creators, executive producers and writers. Documentary Now! is produced by Broadway Video and executive produced by Lorne Michaels.
In half-hour episodes, Armisen and Hader reveal the hardships of an indifferent '70s rock band, unveil eccentric women shut-ins, go behind-the-scenes of the world's first documentary and much more. Documentary Now! will have appearances by
Jack Black (The D Train, Tenacious D),
John Slattery (Mad Men, Wet Hot American Summer), iconic music manager Irving Azoff and SNL's
Aidy Bryant, Mike O'Brien, Paula Pell, and
Tim Robinson.
"We're all fans of documentary film and this allows us to use that love of documentary film and combine it with comedy to present a sort of unique take on the form," said Armisen, Hader and Meyers in a joint statement.
"Having the powerhouse trio of Fred, Bill and Seth putting their spin on documentaries is historic in and of itself," said Jennifer Caserta, president of IFC. "No one else could create such ridiculous authenticity, truth and comedy."
In addition to Armisen, Hader, Meyers and Michaels, Documentary Now! is also executive produced by
Rhys Thomas and Broadway Video's
Andrew Singer. SNL's Thomas and Alex Buono serve as
the show's directors. John
MULANEY (Mulaney, SNL) serves as consulting producer and Erik Kenward (SNL) is supervising producer.
Documentary Now! episodes include:
*Please note episode order and official titles are subject to change.
Sandy Passage: Examination of mother and daughter socialites that create a self-imposed world in a dilapidated mansion.
Dronez: Guerilla-style journalists travel to Mexico to investigate a drug cartel.
Blue Jean Committee: Classic rock n' roll story of fame, fighting and making music history.
Kunuk Uncovered: Exposé on the world's first documentary about the Inuit.
Al Capone Festival in Iceland: Exploration of an Icelandic town's festival celebrating an American gangster.
Under 45 Seconds: Crime mystery about a man sentenced to life in prison for a murder he did not commit.
Photo courtesy of IFC
