Stella (U.S. TV series)

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Stella
Stella season one DVD.JPG
DVD cover for season one of Stella.
Created by Michael Ian Black
Michael Showalter
David Wain
Starring Michael Ian Black
Michael Showalter
David Wain
Opening theme Instrumental theme by Craig Wedren
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 10 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Michael Ian Black
Michael Showalter
David Wain
Producer(s) Jerry Kupfer
Camera setup Single camera
Running time 20–22 minutes (approx.)
Release
Original network Comedy Central
Original release June 29 – August 30, 2005
External links
Website

Stella is a television series that originally ran from June 28, 2005 to August 30, 2005 on the American television channel Comedy Central, created by and starring Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain, the three members of the sketch comedy troupe of the same name and former cast members of MTV's The State . Stella, as a comedy troupe, has existed since 1997. It has a cult following and plays to sold out shows across the USA. The show aired on Tuesdays at 10:30 PM, EST.

Comedy Central American cable and satellite television channel

Comedy Central is an American pay television channel owned by Viacom Global Entertainment Group, a unit of the Viacom Media Networks division of Viacom. The channel is geared for mature audiences and carries comedy programming in the form of both original, licensed, and syndicated series and stand-up comedy specials, as well as feature films.

Michael Ian Black American comedian, actor, writer, and director

Michael Ian Black is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Viva Variety, Stella, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, Michael & Michael Have Issues, and Another Period. He also appeared on Celebrity Poker Showdown several times. He released his first children's book, Chicken Cheeks, in 2009, and has since released six more, in addition to four books for adults.

Michael Showalter American comedian

Michael Showalter is an American comedian, actor, director, writer and producer. He is a member of the sketch comedy trio Stella. Showalter first came to recognition as a cast member on MTV's The State, which aired from 1993 to 1995. He and David Wain created the Wet Hot American Summer franchise, with Showalter co-writing and starring in Wet Hot American Summer (2001), and the Netflix series. Showalter wrote and directed The Baxter (2005), in which he starred with Michelle Williams, Justin Theroux and Elizabeth Banks. Both of the films featured many of his co-stars from The State, and so do several of his other projects. Showalter is also a co-creator, co-producer, actor, and writer for the TV series Search Party. He directed the 2017 critically acclaimed feature film The Big Sick.

Contents

In September, after 10 episodes, Stella's timeslot was filled by Mind of Mencia . On March 8, 2006, the following message was posted on Stella's official website: "The STELLA series was on Comedy Central last summer. The network has officially decided not to renew it for a second season," thus effectively cancelling the series. The first season DVD was released on September 12, 2006. Episodes have also been available on iTunes and Hulu and some episodes on Joost. Stella premiered in Australia on The Comedy Channel on May 3, 2007.

<i>Mind of Mencia</i> television series

Mind of Mencia was an American television comedy series on the cable channel Comedy Central. Hosted by joke thief Carlos Mencia, it aired from July 6, 2005 to July 23, 2008.

iTunes media player and library software

iTunes is a media player, media library, Internet radio broadcaster, and mobile device management application developed by Apple Inc. It was announced on January 9, 2001. It is used to play, download, and organize digital multimedia files, including music and video, on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating systems. Content must be purchased through the iTunes Store, whereas iTunes is the software letting users manage their purchases.

Hulu American provider of on-demand Internet streaming media

Hulu is an American entertainment company that provides "over-the-top media services". It is primarily oriented towards instant streaming of television series, carrying current and past episodes of many series from its owners' respective television networks and other content partners. Hulu is owned by Hulu LLC, a joint venture with The Walt Disney Company, 21st Century Fox, Comcast, and AT&T. Through a proposed acquisition announced in December 2017, Disney is to acquire Fox's partial ownership, giving it a majority stake if the deal closes.

Characters

Main

The "Guys"

  • Michael Ian Black as Michael Ian Black
  • Michael Showalter as Michael Showalter
  • David Wain as David Wain

The Girls Downstairs

Andrea Rosen American actress

Andrea Rosen is an American comedian and actress most notable for her work with comedy troupes Stella and Variety Shac, and for her appearances in numerous television commercials. She is the creator of Take Me to Your Mother, a documentary-style comedy on the Nick Jr./NickMom cable network.

Samantha Buck American actress

Samantha Susan Buck is an American actress.

In the pilot only, the third roommate was played by Rashida Jones.

Rashida Jones actress, model, musician

Rashida Leah Jones is an American actress, filmmaker and producer. She is known for starring as Ann Perkins on the NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation, for which she received critical acclaim.

Recurring

Plot

Stella is an adaptation of the Stella comedy troupe's stage show and short films. The series follows Michael, Michael, and David, three infantile men who always dress in suits, live together in a New York apartment, and apparently have no jobs. The show is a mix of sketch comedy and a sitcom; there is a central plot for each episode and recurring characters, but the show ignores continuity and is often surreal.

Stella is a comedy trio consisting of Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, and David Wain. The group formed in 1997 as a weekly nightclub comedy attraction, performing at New York City nightclub Fez from 1997 until the club's closing in February 2005. Stella soon gained a wider cult following after a series of self-produced shorts were released in limited quantities on DVD. Now known for their unique blend of potentially mainstream comedy and surrealist humor, Stella has garnered a small but dedicated fanbase.

The trio made 28 short films between 1998 and 2002, which were shown as part of the live show. The shorts cover various topics such as searching for Santa, mustache growing, pizza eating, and other absurd situations. The group cleaned up much of its material for the show, as much of the humor in the sketches and short films was often derived from taboo or adult topics like necrophilia and dildos.

The show employs absurdist humor. Notable guest stars include Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, Sam Rockwell, Topher Grace, Tim Blake Nelson, Alan Ruck, Janeane Garofalo, Elizabeth Banks, and Edward Norton.

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"Pilot"June 28, 2005 (2005-06-28)101
The guys are kicked out of their apartment after finally pushing their landlord too far.
2"Campaign"July 5, 2005 (2005-07-05)102
When Michael Ian Black decides to run for president of the resident's board, David is left on the outs doing menial internship work.
3"Office Party"July 12, 2005 (2005-07-12)105
The guys get invited to one of their neighbors' office party and run afoul of a couple of stereotypical office jerks. They plot their revenge at the next company picnic.
4"Coffee Shop"July 19, 2005 (2005-07-19)103
When the girls downstairs have a fight, the guys tell them the story of the time their friendship was almost destroyed by their competing coffee shop jobs.
5"Paper Route"July 26, 2005 (2005-07-26)104
After running over the paperboy, Kevin O'Malley, the guys take over his paper route, but get discouraged after getting beaten up by bullies. They set out to teach the bullies about the power of friendship.
6"Meeting Girls"August 2, 2005 (2005-08-02)107
The guys dance in a bar and become popular. While they are there, Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter get dates and David does not. Problems ensue, and soon, Michael and Michael move out, and David is forced to replace them with new roommates as they begin their lives with their new significant others. David's new roommate Jeremy in this episode is played by Josh Charles, Michael Ian Black's girlfriend Tamara is played by Elizabeth Banks, and a scene from this episode was filmed at Alfred Lerner Hall.
7"Camping"August 9, 2005 (2005-08-09)106
Tired of working, the guys take a vacation to the forest, where they quickly get lost.
8"Novel"August 16, 2005 (2005-08-16)108
Inspired by famous author Jane Burroughs (who is played by Janeane Garofalo), the trio tries their hand at writing. They show their manuscript to Jane, who steals it, with the intention of publishing it under her own name.
9"Vegetables"August 23, 2005 (2005-08-23)109
The guys decide to grow their own vegetables on their apartment floor to save money.
10"Amusement Park"August 30, 2005 (2005-08-30)110
The guys are excited to go on a trip to the amusement park to alleviate their irritation with each other, but the trip is ruined by rainy weather. The girls downstairs recommend visiting a psychiatrist, who commits them after they have a fight in his office.

Allusions

Stella is riddled with allusions to the creators' earlier works. The most prominent of these are to the movie Wet Hot American Summer . Some of these include:

Recurring elements

Although the series lasted only one season, the trio had been working together honing their act for years (through the live show and the original, more vulgar Stella short films). As such, by the time the TV show came to be, the trio had a strong sense of who the 'characters' were and a unique comic sensibility.

Recurring elements in the show include:

Home media

Season Releases

DVD NameRelease DateEp #Additional Information
Season OneSeptember 12, 200610"History of Stella" documentary, "Comedy Central Presents – Stella", Deleted scenes, Extended takes, Bloopers, Easter eggs (see below).

Easter Eggs

The DVD also contains three Easter eggs:

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References

  1. ↑ Eliot Glazer (October 11, 2007). "Inside With: Andrea Rosen". The Apiary.
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