Comedian Hank Azaria is best known for the various characters he voices on The Simpsons, but he also has a busy career in front of the camera. He’s latest series, Brockmire debuts on IFC tonight, Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 10:00 p.m. ET. Read on for a preview of the baseball-themed sitcom and to watch the trailer.
Brockmire stars Azaria as Jim Brockmire, a longtime baseball announcer who became one of the first viral stars thanks to an on-air meltdown about his wife’s extramarital affair. A decade later, he’s trying to put his career back together by calling minor league games in a small town.
The series has its roots in an episode of the Funny Or Die show Gamechangers, in which Azaria played Jim Brockmire, a legendary broadcaster whose career was ruined by his on-air meltdown about his wife’s affair. Azaria kept the character alive by appearing as Brockmire on Rich Eisen’s podcast in 2012. Azaria toyed around with the idea of making a movie, but he had to sue actor Craig Bierko, who claimed he co-created the character, first. In February 2014, Azaria won the copyright lawsuit and could move forward with projects about Brockmire.
“This is a character I created as a teenager in one way, shape, or form. Then, I did it as a Funny Or Die short about seven or eight years ago with the idea of like, ‘Well, maybe if it’s funny and it’s good, you develop it into something else,’ but that’s always your plan in show business, and it never actually works out that way. But this one did,” Azaria told the AV Club. “Deep love of baseball and a deep love of baseball announcers. I’m a vocal guy, so [in announcer voice] this kind of voice always fascinated me. What are these guys like in real life?”
Instead of a movie, he decided to go to IFC, who ordered a series about Brockmire. The first season will run eight episodes, with the first two airing on April 5. You can watch the entire first episode on YouTube here.
PREMIERE DATE: April 5, 2017
TIME: 10:00 p.m. ET
CHANNEL: IFC (Click here to go to TVGuide.com’s channel guide. To find out what channel The CW is for you, change “provider” to your cable/satellite provider.)
EPISODE DESCRIPTION: “Rally Cap” & “Winning Streak” – “Premiere of a comedy about a disgraced pro-baseball announcer who, after an on-air meltdown, tries to resurrect his career. Later, his new team wins a game the day after he and the team’s female owner hook up, and they decide to keep the lucky streak going on and off the field.”
CAST:
Hank Azaria as Jim Brockmire
Amanda Peet as Jules
Tyrel Jackson Williams as Charles
Hemky Madera as Pedro Uribe
Paul Rae as Dale
Adan Martin Rocha as Danny Cruz
CREDITS:
Directed by Tim Kirby
Executive Producers: Hank Azaria, Tim Kirby, Joe Farrell, Mike Farah, Joel Church-Cooper
Production Companies: Funny Or Die, How 2 Pictures