Aug 6, 2020

Viacom CBS Revives Vintage Shows as Part of New Adult Animation Strategy

ViacomCBS's Entertainment Youth Group has come up with a solution to stand out in a "crowded situation." At the heart of the program is the division's new Adult Animation Unit, now led by Grant Gish.

Effective August 31, Gish will officially become the media conglomerate's senior vice president, adult animation, entertainment, and youth brands. He moved from Disney's Marvel Studios, where he launched the Adult Comedy Animation Group and developed the upcoming series M.O.D.O.K. and Hit-Monkey. Prior to that, he worked at Fox Animation, where he developed "Bob's Burgers" and "American Dad."

At ViacomCBS, Gish will spearhead the company's burgeoning original adult animation for channels such as Comedy Central and MTV, as well as its streaming platform, CBS All Access. In practice, this means reviving old brands. To quote Entertainment & Youth Group President Chris McCarthy: "In this super-crowded landscape, having an IP that people feel passionate about brings in that audience."

Gish elaborated on this vision in comments to CNBC: "As long as we're doing something new, it could be anything from a new style to a new tone to a new voice by a particular writer. [The centerpiece of this strategy is Comedy Central's signature show, "South Park," and ViacomCBS is in discussions with the show's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, about ideas for new movies and specials for the show, which CNBC CNBC reports that details will be finalized by the end of next year.

Other projects include "Beavis and Butt-Head," which will be written and produced by original creator Mike Judge; "Clone High," which will bring back fellow creators Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Bill Lawrence; MTV's hit "Daria. spin-off "Jodie," and the revival of "Ren and Stimpy," which is certain to not involve original creator John Kricfalusi, who has been accused of sexual abuse and harassment.

Most of these shows are for Comedy Central and MTV. But behind this flurry of new content is the development of CBS All Access, which will be rebranded and relaunched as a full-fledged SVOD competitor next year.

Executives are pitching the new service as a "brand home" rooted in a portfolio of channels such as Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV. The reboot is central to that plan. (Note: "South Park" will not appear on CBS All Access for some time, as it is currently under a multi-year licensing agreement with HBO Max.)

ViacomCBS is well aware of how valuable established adult animation brands are to streaming platforms. It also acknowledges that anime is a "pandemic-proof" product. Even today, when there are far more options for adult animation, he hopes that shows loved by Generation X will still attract viewers. The key to success may lie in "something new," Gish promises.