Toon ‘Clerks’ lurks
Alphabet spelling out latest primetime animation pact
By JENNY HONTZ, February 25, 1999

ABC is finalizing a deal with Miramax and Touchstone TV for six episodes of an animated series based on Kevin Smith’s first film “Clerks” as the latest addition to the primetime cartoon explosion.

The comedy, slated for a midseason or fall 2000 launch, will be executive produced by Smith and former “Seinfeld” supervising producer Dave Mandel, who has a $9 million deal with Touchstone.

“Clerks” is only the second TV series ever produced by Miramax, the other being Kevin Williamson’s upcoming drama “Wasteland,” also for ABC. The film powerhouse hired former CBS exec Billy Campbell as president of its fledgling TV division last August, and the company appears to be getting up to speed quickly.

The TV version of “Clerks,” like the low-budget and raunchy 1994 pic, is about two young slackers, one who works at a Quick Stop convenience store and the other at a video store in New Jersey, and their wacky friends.

The idea to translate the slacker ennui of the pic into an animation skein sprung from the recent success of several “Clerks”-related comic books that Smith did for the Oregon-based indie Oni Press.

Smith’s previous work in TV was limited to a handful of shorts for MTV. The helmer says he wants to “open up” the horizons of the characters in the animated series’ beyond the convenience store setting of the pic.

“For us, it’s not about recreating the movie,” Smith told Daily Variety. “We want to push the edge of the envelope in another direction. We’re talking about being a bit surreal using the animation medium. I mean, why bother doing animation unless you’re going to be wacky with it?”

Although the film was laden with four-letter words and racy exchanges, Smith is realistic about the constraints of the network TV environment.

“What we lack in vulgarity or salaciousness we’ll make up for in flat-out laughs,” he said.

Aside from “Clerks,” which Smith wrote, produced, directed and starred in, Smith’s films include “Chasing Amy” and “Mallrats,” and he was a co-executive producer of “Good Will Hunting.” Mandel also was a writer on “Saturday Night Live.”

“Clerks” will be the first animated series at ABC since the short-lived “Capitol Critters” in 1992, but it’s the latest example of the unprecedented boom in edgy primetime animated fare.

Keep in mind, a lot can change between now and Fall 2000, but with Dogma’s success looming and the popularity of the comics, this looks like a good bet. Hopefully we’ll at least get a sneak peek at a pilot sometime early next year. Stay tuned.