Amazon has ordered two seasons of The Hospital, an adult animated sci-fi comedy from Natasha Lyonne and Maya Rudolph's Animal Pictures. The two will also voice the series, along with Keke Palmer (Hustlers), Kieran Culkin (Succession), Greta Lee (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), and singer-songwriter Sam Smith. The Hospital is produced by Amazon Studios and created by Cirocco Dunlap, who served as a writer on Lyonne's Netflix series Russian Doll.
The Hospital has been in development since 2020 and follows the adventures of extraterrestrial besties and surgeons Sleech and Klak. The two "take on the most challenging cases in the galaxy, including anxiety-eating parasites, illegal time loops, and deep-space STIs."
In addition to voicing characters, Lyonne and Rudolph will serve as executive producers under The Animals banner. Showrunner Dunlap, Danielle Renfrew Behrens of Animal Pictures, Shauna McGarry, Shannon Prynoski, Chris Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio, and Ben Kalina also executive produce. Robin Eisenberg, key in creating the visual style of the animated series, will co-produce and serve as production designer. Eisenberg is an artist with a popular social media presence that has previously worked with clients including Vans, Thrasher and Adult Swim.
In a statement with Amazon Prime, Animal Pictures' Lyonne, Rudolph and Renfrew Behrens said:
“Cirocco is a total original. Brilliant and wildly talented with an utterly singular voice and boundless imagination. She’s also ridiculously funny and finds the most unexpected ways to make you laugh while exploring complex existential questions! It has been a thrill to watch her nurture the seed of an idea and grow it into two seasons so beautifully.”
Rudolph, Lyonne and Renfrew Behrens launched Animal Pictures in 2018, and have worked on the second season of Russian Doll, documentary Sirens, film Crush, and the upcoming Apple TV+ series Loot, among others.
A Star-Studded Cast Will Voice the Characters of The Hospital
While we await more casting news, information about The Hospital's wacky crew has been released. Dr. Klak, a multi-eyed surgeon, devoted plant parent and TV enthusiast, will be voiced by Keke Palmer. Dr. Klak's best friend, Dr. Sleech, a cocky genius with a lizard tail, will be voiced by Greta Lee.
The two main characters are joined by Nurse Tup (Lyonne), the go-to nurse with chameleon skin who handles situations with ease; Dr. Vlam (Rudolph), a robot intern whose long life (at least 2000 years) has provided her with experience in a multitude of professions, including stay at home mom of 500; Dr. Plowp (Kieran Culkin), an empathetic surgeon with four identical brothers; and Dr. Azel (Sam Smith) a galactically-renowned surgeon with six feet.
The Hospital will premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories nationwide, but no expected release date has been announced.