MADtv is making a comeback.
The CW is reviving the former Fox late-night series for primetime, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The eight new episodes will feature new castmembers, as well as special appearances from returning cast members who will host the new hourlong installments.
There is no premiere date for the new episodes, which will hail from Telepictures and executive producers David E. Salzman, Mark Teitelbaum and John Montgomery.
“The MADtv franchise is as vibrant as ever, thanks largely to social and digital media appealing to a fan base numbering in the millions that relates to the show’s brand of authentic and irreverent cross-cultural comedy,” Salzman said Monday in a statement. “We will continue to present the hard-hitting, laugh-out-loud, wall-to-wall pop culture parody our fans expect, but in a fresh, new way.”
The sketch show enjoyed a 14-year run on Fox from 1995-2009, airing on Saturday nights. The series helped launch the careers of comedians including Alex Borstein (Family Guy), Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Jordan Peele (Key & Peele), Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) and Orlando Jones (Sleepy Hollow), among others.
Most recently, The CW celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Emmy-winning show with a primetime reunion special that aired in January.
The decision to resurrect MADtv also comes after its longtime home, Fox, launched a new sketch show in March. Party Over Here, from The Lonely Island, also airs on Saturdays like longtime stalwart Saturday Night Live.
Revivals have been a hot trend in TV due to the success of resurrected series like The X-Files and Fuller House, among others.
