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Amazon to let users vote on first slate of original shows from Garry Trudeau, 'The Onion,' and more

Amazon to let users vote on first slate of original shows from Garry Trudeau, 'The Onion,' and more

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Amazon Instant Video iPhone
Amazon Instant Video iPhone

Amazon Studios, a relatively new branch of Amazon.com that produces original TV and movies with extensive community input, has announced a slate of six comedy shows that could end up on Amazon Instant Video and the UK's Lovefilm. A pilot from each show will be produced and posted on Amazon Instant Video, where users can give feedback. That feedback will determine whether Amazon should invest in a full season.

The first fruits from Amazon's extensive TV and filmmaking sideline

While a few of the show writers are unknowns found through Amazon Studios, most have prior comedy successes under their belts. Garry Trudeau, best known for Doonesbury, will write Alpha House, about four senators living together in Washington, DC. Daily Show writer David Javerbaum and 30 Rock director Don Scardino will work on musical comedy Browsers, and Big Bang Theory stars Kevin Sussman and John Ross Bowie will write Dark Minions, an animated workplace comedy about "working an intergalactic warship." The Onion will also contribute a spinoff of its own news network, called The Onion Presents: The News. On the lesser-known side, there's animated comedy Supanatural (not to be confused with the series Supernatural, though we wouldn't blame you) and a show about teachers called Those Who Can’t.

Amazon previously announced a development slate of TV shows, as well as one for movies. This, however, marks the first time we've actually seen hard plans to make a show, even if only the pilot. The company has not announced a timeline for the shows, which will compete with original content like House of Cards and a new season of Arrested Development on Netflix.