Hulu makes Shrill call with Aidy Bryant

US streamer Hulu has made a straight-to-series order for a six-part single-camera comedy co-written by Saturday Night Live (SNL)’s Aidy Bryant, who also stars.

Aidy Bryant (photo: Behind the Velvet Rope TV)

Shrill is based on Lindy West’s memoir Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, which follows her attempts to become a journalist while juggling a complicated personal life and facing discrimination over her weight.

The show is being produced by Broadway Video, the prodco owned by SNL chief Lorne Michaels, along with Brownstone Productions and Warner Bros Television, where Brownstone is based.

Alexandra Rushfield is attached as showrunner and will adapt the show with West and Bryant, who will also write the first episode.

Hulu has been ramping up its originals recently, agreeing a deal with Bruce Miller, creator, executive producer and showrunner of the streamer’s acclaimed drama The Handmaid’s Tale, in May.

Its expanded originals strategy has hit the bottom line, however, with the SVoD service reporting losses of US$920m for 2017 as it increased its content spend to keep up with competitors.

Hulu parent companies Disney, 21st Century Fox, Comcast and Time Warner invested US$1bn in the platform last year, according to a filing by Comcast. In 2016, the streamer posted losses of US$531m.