Nick Stoller and Carla Kettner's Florida dramedy is finally making its way to television.
Panhandle, originally known as Florida Man, has been greenlit by Spectrum Originals and Roku, with Luke Kirby and Tiana Okoye starring.
Fox previously committed to a put pilot commitment for the show, which comes from Sony Pictures Television, in December 2019.
Panhandle follows a quirky, agoraphobic arm-chair investigator and a reluctant traffic cop in a series that celebrates community, connection, and people that can only be found in Florida. On their journey to cure themselves and their town, Bell Prescott, played by Kirby, best known for playing Lenny Bruce in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Cammie Lorde, played by Okoye, who has been in The Good Place, fight with personal demons, shocking twists, and a few Florida gators.
The series will air exclusively on Spectrum Originals for nine months before transferring to an exclusive free advertising-supported window on The Roku Channel.
It was created and written by Florida native Stoller, director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Neighbors, and former Bones and The Blacklist EP Kettner. Colin Bucksey directs the pilot episode, which they executive produce alongside Conor Welch.
"We're really happy to tell a dark, weird funny narrative about Florida in all its dark, weird funny splendor," Stoller and Kettner said.
"Nick and Carla are a dynamic duo who have created a novel that is a love letter to Florida, encapsulating all that is twisted, passionate, and magnificent about it." "We're happy that Colin Bucksey, Luke Kirby, and Tiana Okoye have agreed to join us in bringing this remarkable project to life," said Liz Varner, Spectrum Originals' Head of Programming.
"We are incredibly happy to join with Spectrum on Panhandle," said Colin Davis, Roku's Head of Scripted Originals. Nick Stoller and Carla Kettner are a dynamic creative team, and we can't wait to see this darkly humorous series come to life."
"When Nick and Carla informed us they wanted to collaborate, we knew they'd come up with something unique." They have developed a joyful and colorful dramedy by combining the finest of comedy with the best of procedural narrative. "We are excited to see Luke and Tiana bring the narrative to life on the big screen," said Jeff Frost, President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, and Jason Clodfelter, Co-President of Sony Pictures Television Studios. "We are also extremely happy about this revolutionary novel arrangement since it allows us to continue our amazing relationship with Spectrum while simultaneously expanding it through our new collective work with Roku, which will significantly augment the audience for the series."
