That Damn Michael Che
{{Short description|2021 American sketch comedy television series}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| image_upright =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| alt_name =
| caption =
| genre = {{Plainlist|
}}
| creator = Michael Che
| developer =
| creative_director =
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Michael Che
}}
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 2
| num_episodes = 12
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Michael Che
- Erin Doyle
- Lorne Michaels
- Oz Rodriguez
}}
| producer =
| cinematography =
| animator =
| editor =
| camera =
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = {{Plainlist|
- Broadway Video
- Leather Suit Inc.
- Irony Point
- Samana Pictures
- Universal Television
}}
| budget =
| network = HBO Max
| first_aired = {{Start date|2021|05|06}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2022|05|26}}
| related =
}}
That Damn Michael Che is an American sketch comedy television series created by and starring Michael Che that premiered on HBO Max on May 6, 2021. In July 2021, the series was renewed for a second season.
Premise
Each episode follows a theme or incident (police brutality, unemployment, falling in love, etc.) and uses sketches and vignettes to illustrate what it feels like to experience this from a black vantage point.{{cite web |last1=Schneider |first1=Caroline |title='That Damn Michael Che' Is Topical Humor At Its Finest {{!}} HBO Max - Hollywood Insider |url=https://www.hollywoodinsider.com/that-damn-michael-che-review/ |website=Hollywood Insider |access-date=21 December 2023 |date=11 May 2021}}
Cast
=Main=
=Guest=
Episodes
=Series overview=
{{Series overview
| color1 = #1F574C
| link1 = #Season 1 (2021)
| episodes1 = 6
| released1 = {{Start date|2021|05|06}}
| color2 = #F8F035
| link2 = #Season 2 (2022)
| episodes2 = 6
| released2 = {{Start date|2022|5|26}}
}}
=Season 1 (2021)=
{{Episode table |background=#1F574C |overall= |season= |title= |titleR= |director= |directorR= |airdate= |airdateR= |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = Policin'
|DirectedBy = Oz Rodriguez
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|06}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1F574C
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = Bourbon & Water
|DirectedBy = Oz Rodriguez
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|06}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1F574C
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = Dudley Gets Shot
|DirectedBy = Oz Rodriguez
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|06}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1F574C
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = Sex Worker
|DirectedBy = Oz Rodriguez
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|06}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1F574C
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|EpisodeNumber2 = 5
|Title = Well Played, Crackers
|DirectedBy = Oz Rodriguez
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|06}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1F574C
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|EpisodeNumber2 = 6
|Title = Only Built 4 Leather Suits
|DirectedBy = Oz Rodriguez
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|06}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 1F574C
}}
}}
=Season 2 (2022)=
{{Episode table |background=#F8F035 |overall= |season= |title= |director= |airdate= |airdateR={{cite web |title=Shows A-Z – That Damn Michael Che on HBO Max |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/that-damn-michael-che/listings/ |website=The Futon Critic |access-date=May 13, 2022}} |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 7
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = Join the Club
|DirectedBy = Alice Mathias & Gary Richardson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|5|26}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 8
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = Intervention
|DirectedBy = Alice Mathias & Gary Richardson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|5|26}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 9
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = Black Mediocrity
|DirectedBy = Alice Mathias & Gary Richardson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|5|26}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 10
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = Higher Power
|DirectedBy = Alice Mathias & Gary Richardson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|5|26}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 11
|EpisodeNumber2 = 5
|Title = Your Past, Your Present
|DirectedBy = Alice Mathias & Gary Richardson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|5|26}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 12
|EpisodeNumber2 = 6
|Title = Ballad of a Thin Man
|DirectedBy = Alice Mathias & Gary Richardson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|5|26}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = F8F035
}}
}}
Production
=Development=
On July 14, 2020, HBO Max gave the then-untitled project a series order consisting of 6 half-hour episodes. The series is created by Michael Che, who also executive produces alongside Lorne Michaels and Erin Doyle.{{cite web |title=HBO Max Orders Michael Che Sketch Show From Lorne Michaels & Universal Television |url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/michael-che-sketch-show-hbo-max-1202985279/ |last=White |first=Peter |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=July 14, 2020 |access-date=January 23, 2021 |archive-date=July 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200714180722/https://deadline.com/2020/07/michael-che-sketch-show-hbo-max-1202985279/ |url-status=live}} Che, speaking about the project, said: "I'm really excited to be working on this show with HBO Max. It's a project I've been thinking about for a while and we have a lot of sketches we want to shoot so please wear your masks so that we can go into production." On April 19, 2021, it was announced that the series was to be titled That Damn Michael Che and would premiere on May 6, 2021.{{cite web |title='That Damn Michael Che': HBO Max Unveils First-Look At 'SNL' Star's Sketch Show — Watch |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/that-damn-michael-che-hbo-max-unveils-first-look-at-snl-stars-sketch-show-watch-1234739396/ |last=Petski |first=Denise |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=April 19, 2021 |access-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419160338/https://deadline.com/2021/04/that-damn-michael-che-hbo-max-unveils-first-look-at-snl-stars-sketch-show-watch-1234739396/ |url-status=live }} On July 22, 2021, HBO Max renewed the series for a second season.{{cite web|title='That Damn Michael Che' Renewed For Season 2 At HBO Max|url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/that-damn-michael-che-renewed-for-season-2-hbo-max-1234798203/|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Peter|last=White|date=July 22, 2021|access-date=July 22, 2021}}
=Casting=
Alongside the initial series order announcement, Che was announced to star in the series. On April 19, 2021, it was announced that Cecily Strong, Heidi Gardner, Colin Quinn, Ellen Cleghorne, and Colin Jost had joined the main cast, with Omari Hardwick, Geoffrey Owens, Godfrey, Billy Porter, and Method Man set to guest star.
=Filming=
The first season was shot throughout New York, with filming commencing on November 9, 2020, and wrapping on February 1, 2021.{{cite web |title=Variety Insight: Entertainment Data • Research Tools • Industry Directory • Film in Development • TV & Streaming Pilots • Ratings & Box Office |url=https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=180227 |work=Variety Insight |date=January 22, 2021 |access-date=January 23, 2021 |archive-date=January 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123122949/https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=180227 |url-status=live}}
Music
The theme song for season 1 was "You Can't Stop Us Now" from Nas's untitled album. In season 2, the theme song was "You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks" from Funkadelic's album Maggot Brain.{{Cite web |title=HBO Max TV Spot, 'That Damn Michael Che' |url=https://www.ispot.tv/ad/bjEt/hbo-max-that-damn-michael-che |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=iSpot}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|tt12762460}}
{{Max (streaming service)}}
Category:2020s American sketch comedy television series
Category:2021 American television series debuts
Category:2022 American television series endings
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:HBO Max original programming
Category:Television series by Broadway Video