HBO Orders Two Seasons of 'Merrick & Treves' From 'Archer' Alums

HBO has ordered two seasons of "Merrick & Treves," a half-hour animated comedy from three veterans of FX's "Archer": Adam Reed, Casey Willis and Lucky Yates.

The commitment is the hard fact worth noting first. A two-season order for an untested animated series is a large bet by HBO's standards — the network more often takes a single season and waits. HBO has not announced a premiere date, an episode count or a cast beyond the creators themselves.

What is the show about?

The logline reads: "Set inside Queen Victoria's top-secret Royal Temporal Constabulary, 'Merrick & Treves' follows a team of unlikely heroes as they voyage back and forth through time in an effort to stop Jack the Ripper."

The title carries a specific historical reference. Joseph Merrick — the "Elephant Man" — was exhibited as a deformed curiosity in the late 1800s; Frederick Treves was the young doctor who cared for him at London Hospital. How the two figures fit into a Victorian time-police premise, the logline does not say. That gap is the open question any viewer will bring to the pitch.

Who is making it?

Reed created "Archer" and ran it as executive producer. Willis also served as executive producer. Yates was one of the show's principal voice actors, playing Dr. Algernop Krieger among other roles. The three previously worked together on Adult Swim's "Frisky Dingo."

On "Merrick & Treves," all three will serve as co-creators and executive producers. TFC Productions' Joel Begleiter will executive-produce; Kelly Wu joins as co-executive producer.

"Adam, Casey and Lucky are exceptional comedic talents whom we have admired for years," said Amy Gravitt, HBO's programming executive VP and head of HBO & HBO Max comedy series. "We couldn't be more excited to team up with them to bring the wholly original 'Merrick & Treves' to HBO audiences."

Gravitt's praise is standard network language; it commits HBO to nothing beyond the order itself. No budget figure was disclosed.

The creators responded in a joint statement: "The three of us are beyond excited to have found a home for 'Merrick & Treves' at HBO. We can't wait to start working with the creative team behind so many of our favorite shows. It's actually quite daunting, now that we think about it. Like, holy shit, y'all. HBO."

What does this change for the creators?

It marks Reed's first series since "Archer" ended its run in 2023, after 14 seasons and 145 episodes on FX and FXX. That series won four Primetime Emmys, including outstanding animated program. Reed's other credits include "Chozen," "Sealab 2021," "12 oz. Mouse" and acting in "Robot Chicken." Willis voiced roles on "Frisky Dingo" and "Sealab 2021" before moving into producing. Yates' credits include "Exploding Kittens," "Cake" and "Hidden America With Jonah Ray."

For the audience, the practical question is scheduling: HBO named no premiere window, no episode count and no additional cast. A two-season order guarantees the show room to develop; it guarantees viewers nothing yet, not even a date. Reed is repped by UTA, TFC Management and Yorn Levine.