Move aside Space Force, because there’s about to be a new space-themed workplace comedy in town. Showtime announced today that it’s ordered a new comedy to series titled Moonbase 8, which was first put into development (sans Showtime) back in early 2018. John C. Reilly, Tim Heidecker, and Fred Armisen star in the six-episode series, which centers on “three subpar astronauts living at NASA’s Moon Base Simulator with high hopes of being chosen to travel to the moon.†The starring trio also created and wrote the series alongside Jonathan Krisel (Baskets, Portlandia), who directed all six episodes. Moonbase 8 is produced by A24 alongside Heidecker’s company, Abso Lutely Productions. Here’s the log line:
Set in the isolated desert of Winslow, Arizona at NASA’s Moon Base Simulator, Moonbase 8 follows eager astronauts Skip (Armisen), Rook (Heidecker) and their leader Cap (Reilly) as they attempt to qualify for their first lunar mission. While working vigorously to complete their training, a series of unexpected circumstances forces the astronauts to question their own mental sanity, trust in each other and whether or not they’re cut out for space travel.
“In a year when we have all been forced to come to terms with life in close quarters, we are happy to have landed this offbeat take on life in captivity with dreams of escaping to something grander,†Showtime’s president of entertainment Jana Winograde said of the project in a press release. “While the show was produced before the pandemic, its subject matter is timely — and thanks to Fred, Tim, John and Jonathan, its humor is timeless.â€Â An exact premiere date hasn’t been announced, but the show will debut on Showtime sometime this fall.