Google, Range Media venture 100 Zeros pushes into microseries with veteran TV talent

100 Zeros, the production joint venture between YouTube owner Google and Range Media Partners, has linked up with seasoned TV creators to make vertical series including microdramas.

Mark Herwick

The Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss, The OC executive producer McG, British entrepreneur Simon Fuller and Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson have been tapped by 100 Zeros to develop a slate of shortform projects for mobile viewing.

The bite-sized content is set to debut on the Google TV app on Android phones before being streamed across various as-yet-unannounced platforms.

Among the projects are Dateable, a self-shot reality romance show from Fleiss, in which singles document their own dating journeys; Newport Beach, in which The OC’s McG will return to Orange County; and a darkly comedic kidnapping thriller from Thompson’s Artists for Artists.

Fuller, creator of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, is developing a slate of microdramas “spanning music, youth culture and breakout talent stories.

“Can’t wait to explore this new format and collaborate with these incredible storytellers to bring a new wave of shortform series to audiences,” said Mark Herwick, Range Media Partners’ president of non-scripted.

Google quietly moved into film and TV production funding through 100 Zeroes last year.

When reports of 100 Zeros emerged, it was suggested Google was seeking to produce content depicting tech and AI in a less nightmarish light than by shows such as Netflix’s Black Mirror.