Step aside Chris Hardwick, Fred Savage is coming to the world of after-show entertainment, starring in What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage, a talk show dedicated to keeping fans up to date with the latest happenings of the fictional FOX TV series The Flare. Though it technically doesn’t exist, The Flare sounds like it would be exactly the kind of post-apocalyptic series that would attract a large fan base, and, certainly, entice viewers to tune in for an after-show discussion — especially one headed up by the former star of The Wonder Years.
What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage will be the actor-director’s first new project since Friends From College was canceled by Netflix after just two seasons. It’s also something of a homecoming for Savage, who co-starred in the totally unappreciated one-and-done comedy The Grinder, opposite Rob Lowe. Apparently, there’s no ill will between the network and Savage, as he’s stepping onboard a project that’s going to require a great deal more explaining than Rob Lowe is a former actor who thinks he’s a lawyer.
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Created by Savage, along with Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein (Grandfathered), the series intended to be a spoof on the overabundance of TV after-shows, like Talking Dead, Hacking Robot, After Trek, Beyond Stranger Things, and more. And from the sound of it, What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage is prepared to go the extra mile in order to make the fictional fandom around its fictional show as real as possible. Check out a synopsis for The Flare below:
If nothing else, What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage sounds like it will be just weird enough to warrant a summertime watch, as networks add more new series in order to keep up with the onslaught of new content from cable and streaming services. It’s also good to see a TV show that has a sense of humor about itself, the industry, and the fandom that keeps so many shows afloat.
“THE FLARE is based on fictional author TJ Whitford’s sci-fi book series, “The Moon is the Sun at Night,” which has been a favorite of Savage’s since childhood. The book revolves around a solar event and its effects on Earth – specifically, the small, blue-collar town of Milford, IL – and slowly unfolds into a post-apocalyptic battle for human survival.
The after-show will feature multiple segments, including authentic sit-down celebrity interviews, set visits to THE FLARE and interviews with the “cast,” as well as discussions with fans and more.”
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What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage premieres Sunday, June 30 on FOX.
