THE WB is the latest network to jump into the primetime animation craze with a new show called “Baby Blues.”
The series, expected to debut in December, will be the network’s second animated primetime show, after “The Downtowners” debuts this fall.
“Baby Blues” is a departure for The WB, since most of the network’s current programming is targeted at teens.
“It’s important to us for our shows to cross over and appeal to people who are 18-34. We do that very well with ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Dawson’s Creek,'” said Jordan Levin, The WB’s executive vice president of programming.
But the network also airs several series with family appeal, such as “7th Heaven.” “‘Baby Blues’ falls into that,” Levin says.
Based on the popular comic strip by Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman, “Baby Blues” has been in development at The WB for about three-and-a-half years. The show is about a pair of worn-out young parents named Darryl and Wanda MacPherson adjusting to life with their newborn, Zoe.
The MacPhersons are voiced by Mike O’Malley (ESPN’s “The Rick”) and Julia Sweeney (“Saturday Night Live”).
Other stars include Joel Murry (“Dharma & Greg”) and Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show”).