For fans of Eastbound & Down, there are a lot of familiar elements to spot in Danny McBride and co-creator Jody Hill’s new series Vice Principals. It even kicks off in a similar way: in a school, and following the low-level (and yet vitally contested) actions of the academic bureaucracy. In Vice Principals, McBride and Justified’s Walton Goggins are two men who end up competing against one another for a vacant principal’s position, but are thwarted when an expert, played by Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Devious Maids), is instead being put forth for the job. From there, the two must buddy up to fight against this outside “threat,” and from the looks of the trailer, it’s going to be incredibly chaotic.
The tone and jokes and visual styling of Vice Principals feels a lot like Eastbound & Down, which will hopefully mean we’re going to have another terribly profane, wonderfully acted, visually rich, and maximally cringe-worthy series on our hands. Check out the trailer below:
The series has already been picked up for two seasons, even before its premiere, so we are guaranteed 18 episodes so far (similar to what Starz did with Blunt Talk). Vice Principals also stars Georgia King, Busy Philipps, Shea Whigham, and Sheaun McKinney, and is set to premiere in July (although those lucky enough to go to SXSW will get a preview there, and we’ll have those first impressions available for you as soon as possible).
Here is the official synopsis,
Created by Danny McBride and Jody Hill, who also created HBO’s EASTBOUND & DOWN, VICE PRINCIPALS is a dark comedy series that tells the story of a high school and the two people who almost run it, the vice principals. McBride and Goggins star as the rival administrators, who are in an epic power struggle, vying for the top spot: to be school principal. The half-hour show is slated for 18 episodes over two seasons. Premieres July 2016.
