Ben Stiller and Mike Judge are teaming up for a new Apple comedy series, and the premise sounds like it could give both of them plenty to chew on. The project, titled Protective Custody, is in development at Apple with an eye towards a series order.
The series is set to star Stiller as a disgraced financier accused of massive fraud who ends up in protective custody while awaiting trial. From there, he has to survive prison politics, try to repair what is left of his public image, and deal with the fallout of whatever landed him there in the first place. So, you know, just a light little reputation-management exercise behind bars.
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Deadline broke the news, reporting that Protective Custody will be co-written, co-showrun and executive produced by Judge, Steve Hely and Dave King, with Judge also attached to direct. The outlet also reported that the project hails from Apple Studios, Red Hour, Propagate Content and 3 Arts Entertainment.
Ben Stiller Takes On His First Lead Scripted Comedy Series Role
If Protective Custody moves ahead, it would mark Stiller’s first lead role in a scripted, non-sketch comedy series. That is a surprisingly specific milestone, considering how long he has been a major comedy presence on screen, but it also makes the project feel like more than just another development headline.
Stiller has already built a strong relationship with Apple behind the camera. He has directed and executive produced Severance, one of the streamer’s biggest critical success stories, and recently released the documentary Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, centred on his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. He is also tied to several other Apple projects, including the pickleball comedy The Dink and the limited series The Off Weeks.
Mike Judge Brings His Satirical Edge to Protective Custody
Judge’s involvement is one of the big hooks here. The creator of Beavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill, Silicon Valley and Office Space has a long track record of finding absurdity in systems, whether it is the workplace, tech culture, suburban life, or two dim-witted metalheads on a couch.
That makes Protective Custody an interesting fit. The idea of a fallen finance figure trying to manoeuvre through prison life gives Judge and company a pretty sharp playground for social satire, especially with Hely and King also involved. Hely’s credits include Veep and The Office, while King’s work includes Parks and Recreation and English Teacher. That is a pretty stacked comedy team on paper.
The project also reunites Judge, Hely and King following their work together on Common Side Effects, the acclaimed adult animated series from Adult Swim.
What We Know About Protective Custody So Far
Behind the scenes, the project reportedly came from a pitch by Ben Silverman and Propagate Content, with the concept described as having a blend of Hogan’s Heroes and The Office. That comparison gives a decent sense of the comic lane Apple may be aiming for here: a contained comedy with ensemble potential, workplace-style tension, and a protagonist who is very much not in control of his surroundings.
Executive producers also include Stiller and John Lesher for Red Hour; Silverman, Howard Owens and Rodney Ferrell for Propagate Content; Michael Rotenberg and Oly Obst for 3 Arts Entertainment; and Nanette Burstein.
For now, Protective Custody has not yet been officially ordered to series. No release date or production timeline has been announced.
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