That Damn Michael Che is an American sketch comedy television series created by and starring Michael Che that premiered on HBO Max on May 6, 2021. In July 2021, the series was renewed for a second season.

That Damn Michael Che
Genre
Created byMichael Che
Starring
  • Michael Che
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producers
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO Max
ReleaseMay 6, 2021 (2021-05-06) –
May 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)

Premise

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Each episode follows a theme or incident (police brutality, unemployment, falling in love, etc.) and uses sketches and vignettes to illustrate what it feels like to experience this from a black vantage point.[1]

Cast

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Main

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Guest

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Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
16May 6, 2021 (2021-05-06)
26May 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)

Season 1 (2021)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byOriginal release date
11"Policin'"Oz RodriguezMay 6, 2021 (2021-05-06)
22"Bourbon & Water"Oz RodriguezMay 6, 2021 (2021-05-06)
33"Dudley Gets Shot"Oz RodriguezMay 6, 2021 (2021-05-06)
44"Sex Worker"Oz RodriguezMay 6, 2021 (2021-05-06)
55"Well Played, Crackers"Oz RodriguezMay 6, 2021 (2021-05-06)
66"Only Built 4 Leather Suits"Oz RodriguezMay 6, 2021 (2021-05-06)

Season 2 (2022)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byOriginal release date [2]
71"Join The Club"Alice Mathias & Gary RichardsonMay 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)
82"Intervention"Alice Mathias & Gary RichardsonMay 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)
93"Black Mediocrity"Alice Mathias & Gary RichardsonMay 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)
104"Higher Power"Alice Mathias & Gary RichardsonMay 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)
115"Your Past, Your Present"Alice Mathias & Gary RichardsonMay 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)
126"Ballad of a Thin Man"Alice Mathias & Gary RichardsonMay 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)

Production

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Development

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On July 14, 2020, HBO Max gave the then-untitled project a series order consisting of 6 half-hour episodes. The series is created by Michael Che, who also executive produces alongside Lorne Michaels and Erin Doyle.[3] Che, speaking about the project, said: "I'm really excited to be working on this show with HBO Max. It's a project I've been thinking about for a while and we have a lot of sketches we want to shoot so please wear your masks so that we can go into production." On April 19, 2021, it was announced that the series was to be titled That Damn Michael Che and would premiere on May 6, 2021.[4] On July 22, 2021, HBO Max renewed the series for a second season.[5]

Casting

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Alongside the initial series order announcement, Che was announced to star in the series.[3] On April 19, 2021, it was announced that Cecily Strong, Heidi Gardner, Colin Quinn, Ellen Cleghorne, and Colin Jost had joined the main cast, with Omari Hardwick, Geoffrey Owens, Godfrey, Billy Porter, and Method Man set to guest star.[4]

Filming

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The first season was shot throughout New York, with filming commencing on November 9, 2020, and wrapping on February 1, 2021.[6]

Music

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The theme song for season 1 was "You Can't Stop Us Now" from Nas's untitled album. In season 2, the theme song was "You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks" from Funkadelic's album Maggot Brain.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Schneider, Caroline (May 11, 2021). "'That Damn Michael Che' Is Topical Humor At Its Finest | HBO Max - Hollywood Insider". Hollywood Insider. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  2. ^ "Shows A-Z – That Damn Michael Che on HBO Max". The Futon Critic. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  3. ^ a b White, Peter (July 14, 2020). "HBO Max Orders Michael Che Sketch Show From Lorne Michaels & Universal Television". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Petski, Denise (April 19, 2021). "'That Damn Michael Che': HBO Max Unveils First-Look At 'SNL' Star's Sketch Show — Watch". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  5. ^ White, Peter (July 22, 2021). "'That Damn Michael Che' Renewed For Season 2 At HBO Max". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  6. ^ "Variety Insight: Entertainment Data • Research Tools • Industry Directory • Film in Development • TV & Streaming Pilots • Ratings & Box Office". Variety Insight. January 22, 2021. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  7. ^ "HBO Max TV Spot, 'That Damn Michael Che'". iSpot. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
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