TV: Netflix Partners With Comedian Maria Bamford For ‘Lady Dynamite’

Netflix has reunited with Maria Bamford for a 13-episode order of a new comedy series entitled Lady Dynamite. The series stars Bamford, who will also serve as an Executive Producer, as a woman who, according to Netflix, “loses — and then finds — her s**t,” according to Dirk Libbey of Cinema Blend.

Bamford is no stranger to Netflix with her self-produced hour long comedy special, The Special Special Special!, originally only available for download from the now defunct Chill platform available on the streaming service, as well as her turn as DeBrie Bardeaux, the love interest of Tobias Funke on the cult favorite comedy series Arrested Development, which was resurrected by Netflix in 2011. Bamford also appeared in the seminal The Comedians of Comedy tour documentary which served as one of Netflix’ first original film offerings.

As Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva points out, Netflix head honcho Ted Sarandos stated back in January that Netflix would be looking to produce as many as 20 original scripted series per year. With the successes of shows like Orange is the New Black, Daredevil, and Arrested Development, Netflix has proven to appear to have their fingers on the pulse not only on production, but also on great talent. Bamford has long been lauded as a terrific and uniquely original comedic voice and was honored as the American Comedy Awards as “Best Club Comic” in 2014.

Lady Dynamite is created by Mitch Hurwitz, who also created Development and cast Bamford in it. It will be a single camera comedy co-written by Hurwitz and South Park’s Pam Brady and will be loosely based on Bamford’s life and her own experiences. The series promises to feature moments of Bamford’s trademark surrealism, prevalent in Bamford’s comedic style and voice.

The announcement follows in a line of comedic offerings already in development with the streaming media giant. In addition to further seasons of Black and Development, Netflix has ordered a season of a single-camera sketch comedy show called, With Bob and David, created by and starring Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad star Bob Odenkirk and Development’s David Cross, as well as a yet untitled vehicle for Parks & Recreation star Aziz Ansari, and the Full House revamp Fuller House. All this in addition to Netflix having established themselves as a go-to outlet for stand-up comedy specials by the likes of Bill Burr and Jay Mohr means that Netflix has positioned themselves as a legitimate alternative to the comedic offerings of Comedy Central.