Irwin Entertainment Taps into the Power of Comedy & Casting – TVFORMATS

A second season of House of Villains has been airing on E! in the U.S., with comedian Joel McHale as host and a cast of iconic (and infamous) baddies from reality TV. This type of entertainment, with a comedic bend and buzz-generating potential, has become a sweet spot for Irwin Entertainment.

The company has leaned into formats in both competition elimination and comedy, says John Irwin, founder and president. “We also have success selling shows with talent attached and [those] that can be produced at a lower price point,” he adds. “We are continuing to expand in the comedy genre, producing specials with comedians Adam Sandler, Ali Wong, Nate Bargatze and Deon Cole. This all helps to deepen our well of talent to organically attach to various shows.”

With the current state of the marketplace, which Irwin describes as “scattered” and “oversaturated,” a show must generate buzz and become part of the cultural conversation, especially on social media, in order to break out. “The success of House of Villains is due to a combination of having great casting and pushing the boundaries of the genre by pulling back the curtain on the absurdity of the format and largely leaning into the sheer comedy of it all,” he says.

The production company put a lot of time and attention into the second season of House of Villains, “developing bigger and better challenges that resonate with our home audience while also amplifying the conflict and collusion among our cast members,” Irwin says. “Some of the challenges cheekily winked at our cast members and nodded toward the show’s storylines. The first episode, for example, features a Jail Break competition inspired by and playing off of Richard Hatch’s and Teresa Giudice’s real-life time behind bars. We also added a few unexpected twists and turns that we knew would motivate big reactions and story from our cast.”

It all begins with the casting, he says, which is key to a successful season. “We strive to book the most notorious villains from the most popular reality shows and are very deliberate about how we build out each season’s cast. House of Villain’s comedic tone and irreverence play significant roles in its success. Capturing these elements requires the right host and strong comedic storytelling both in the field and during postproduction. Finally, it’s imperative to anchor a show with a strong comedic host, and we delivered in spades with Joel McHale, who gave us some of our best material when he improvised in the middle of scenes.”

The company, which is celebrating 20 years in the industry, has produced many shows for U.S. networks, a market that is known for being quite competitive and demanding of high quality. As for working with an American broadcaster, Irwin says: “It’s important to come prepared to present a compelling pitch that includes a well-crafted concept, potentially attached talent and a sizzle reel. If the network shows interest, you must be ready for a rigorous development process to address any and all notes the network provides. Ultimately, securing a commission often hinges on the network’s confidence in your ability to nail the execution of the show.”

He adds, “It’s no secret that in the last year, the American market has become more challenging, but we have found opportunities with shows that feature talent who are starring in the production and formats that are unconventional and attention-grabbing.”