New US comedy service launches with Fringe showcase
A comedy series recorded live at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been named as a key commission of a new US streaming service.
SeeSo is a new comedy-specific on-demand service being launched in January by media giant NBC Universal.
Alongside a range of original commissions, SeeSo will be the first US on-demand provider of Monty Python's Flying Circus, exclusively remastered to HD quality where available.
The service also promises all four Python films, and every Python-related documentary and special.
SeeSo will also offer the likes of Alan Partridge, The Office, The IT Crowd, The Mighty Boosh, Nathan Barley and The Young Ones to its customers, alongside a raft of American programming, including 30 Rock and the complete Saturday Night Live archive.
Additionally, new Olivia Colman and Julian Barratt sitcom Flowers, which begins on Channel 4 in 2016, will join the platform's catalogue.
SeeSo has also announced a range of original comedy commissions, including Before The Morning After, a series recorded post-midnight at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Made by Brown Eyed Boy, the ten-part series "features a host of the world's best comedians, all getting drunk in a diner at 2am at the world's largest comedy festival".
Recorded at Leith's Biscuit Factory, each episode is hosted by a well-known US comic, who is in turn joined in the diner by a panel of three international comedians and an off-beat guest waiter.
Producers explain: "Together they go through the diner's menu, comprised of various courses of controversial discussion topics, expletive-filled games like 'F*cked Up Films', and surprising, shocking cabaret acts who appear literally sitting on top of the bar's jukebox."
A wide range of comedians and speciality comedy acts from across the globe appear during the series, including recent Funny Women award-winner Desiree Burch, Mark Watson and Jason Byrne.
Across the series, hosts include Greg Proops, Sean Cullen, Scott Capurro, and Alex Edelman, with guest waiters including Twisted Loaf, Paul Foot and Penny Arcade.
The rest of the line-up is as follows: Desiree Burch and Beardyman; Nish Kumar, Glenn Wool, Lou Sanders and David Hoyle; The Pajama Men, Tom Stade, Tatz Nkonzo, Gina Yashere and Jayde Adams; Papa CJ, Shazia Mirza, Imaan Hadchiti, Ed Aczel and Kinsey Sicks; Mae Martin, Tony Law, Sam Simmons and Fills Monkey; Reginald D Hunter, Sofie Hagen, Nathan Caton and Pete Johansson; Jena Friedman, Stephen Tobolowsky, Ronny Chieng, Jamali Maddix, Womanz and Dusty Limits; Russell Hicks, Tanya Lee Davis, Nick Cody, Dave! and East End Cabaret; Jason Byrne, Tim Renkow and Bourgeois And Maurice; Mark Watson, Richard Gadd, Brendon Burns, Colt Cabana and Kunt And The Gang.
Before The Morning After is produced by Gina Lyons and executive produced by Gary Reich. Jeanette Goulbourn is the director.
SeeSo is expected to launch in the US in January 2016, priced $3.99 per month. No announcement has been made on whether the platform may be expanded internationally.