Archer producers Adam Reed and Matt Thompson are joining forces with Community‘s Megan Ganz for animated comedy Cassius & Clay, which FX has just greenlit for a pilot order in hopes of expanding its animated lineup past Reed and Thompson’s beloved spy riff. Reed and Ganz wrote the series, and all three are exec-producing.
The action-buddy comedy, partially inspired by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, takes place in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic America (not dissimilar to the one seen in Fox’s hit freshman comedy The Last Man on Earth). It centers on two women who team up and live a bandit lifestyle, eking out an existence in the ruins of civilization. Ordwood Cassius (voiced by Kaitlin Olson) is a con artist with a drinking problem, who is heavily in debt but uses her quick-thinking skills to get out of binds. Shopcarter Clay (voiced by Lake Bell) is a skilled gunslinger who doesn’t look for trouble but usually gets pulled into it thanks to Cassius’ antics.
Cassius & Clay will also feature the voice talents of Susan Sarandon as Connie Mack, the ruthless owner of the only saloon and brothel in the small Southern town of Wilke. She rules the area with an iron fist and comes into contact with Cassius and Clay frequently.
Supporting characters include legless, grouchy Doc Benz (JB Smoove), who is in a co-dependent relationship with gentle giant blacksmith Smiffy (Kevin Michael Richardson), who can fix anything Doc tells him to; Waitstill Weeks (Jeffrey Tambor), the ineffectual town mayor; Preacher (Stephen Root), a man of God; “sister-whores” Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey (both Katy Mixon); and tax collector Reever Grint, a nefarious character.
FX has struggled to expand its animated lineup past Archer, as Chozen and Unsupervized were both canceled after their initial 13-episode runs. With the talent behind Cassius & Clay, though, the chances of this effort succeeding seem pretty high – and the premise is just wacky enough to ensure that fans of the irreverent Archer will likely tune in as well.
