With the workplace sitcom "Animal Control" and the animated satire "Grimsburg," starring Joel McHale and Jon Hamm, respectively, the Fox network continues to cement itself at the forefront of comedy television, even in the age of streaming.
Both Hamm and McHale were at New York Comic Con promoting their respective shows on FOX and did a hilarious panel full of playful jabs at each other and clips from both "Animal Control" and "Grimsburg." This reporter was able to catch up with both actors after the panels to talk about their shows.
"Animal Control" stars McHale as Frank Shaw, a senior animal control officer who is known for his bitter, sarcastic personality, who learns to appreciate his job and colleagues as the show goes on. The show is currently airing its fifth season.
"I like playing damaged people that are constantly trying to cover that damage with jokes and defense. And because that allows us to get to whatever broken thing is in them. Eventually you can reveal it," McHale told me.
"Grimsburg" is a satire on the hard-boiled detective genre that stars Hamm as Detective Marvin Flute, a middle-aged brooding detective who returns to his hometown of Grimsburg to solve the humorous mysteries that plague the town. The show is currently airing its third season.
Both McHale and Hamm are veterans of television and have starred in numerous network TV shows, and Hamm believes there is room for both network and streaming in the TV landscape.
"I think we've kind of had an amazing run on both sides of that equation. The amazing thing about what Fox has been able to do is pivot off of that onto what they do on Hulu. So it's really kind of the best of both worlds. And it's nice that people are able to find our show if they want to watch it, as it airs on linear television; they can do that. And if they want to watch it the next day, they can dial up Hulu and go to town," Hamm said.
The "Grimsburg" star has also made his love of comic books very public and has made various light forays into the genre as the voice of Iron Man in the Marvel Hulu animated series "M.O.D.O.K." and a deleted scene where he played the X-Men villain Mr. Sinister from the 2020 film "The New Mutants."
However, despite his vocal interest and numerous fancasts, a consistent comic book role for Hamm has yet to materialize. In the past, he has spoken at length about wanting to adapt the "Elektra: Assassin" story written by legendary comic book creator Frank Miller and artist Bill Sienkiewicz.
Given that Hamm was attending New York Comic Con just days after Marvel Television & Entertainment revealed the first look at "Daredevil: Born Again" season 3, we took the opportunity to ask Hamm about the status of his efforts.
"Kevin [Feige] is a friend of mine and I've met him and done some stuff with him. I love his work. I love Frank Miller's work, obviously as well. I always keep my ear to the ground, so... never say never. I hope that comes to fruition. It's one of my favorite comic book and I hope it has a chance to be seen."
When asked about what he's seen at New York Comic Con that he geeks out about, McHale gave one appropriately off-kilter and brief answer: "Emperor Palpatine." You can watch episodes of "Grimsburg" and "Animal Control" on Sundays on Fox and on Hulu the next day.
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