Testees

Last updated
Testees
Genre Comedy
Created by Kenny Hotz
Starring
  • Steve Markle
  • Jeff Kassel
  • Joe Pingue
Country of origin Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Running time19-21 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseOctober 9, 2008 (2008-10-09) 
January 1, 2009 (2009-01-01)

Testees is a Canadian television series created by Kenny Hotz, and written and produced by Kenny Hotz and Derek Harvie. It originally aired on FX and ran from October 9, 2008, to January 1, 2009. [1] It debuted on October 14, 2008, on Showcase in Canada. The show was filmed in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario. After one season, Testees was not renewed by FX. [2] [3]

Contents

Premise

The series follows two friends (Steve Markle and Jeff Kassel) as they work as human test subjects at Testico, a product testing facility. Besides being an obvious play on testes, including the descended double "e" in its logo, the show's title plays up the vulnerability of test subjects, which is the source of much of the humor in the series. Two close friends are employed as guinea pigs for a pharmaceutical company. Each episode deals with the different "Research Products" given to the "Test Subjects". There are other stories playing throughout the seasons. [ citation needed ]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Gas Pills" Samir Rehem Kenny Hotz October 9, 2008 (2008-10-09)
Peter and Ron are best friends and roommates who make a living as guinea pigs for "Testico", a drug and product testing facility. After being the test subjects for a new pill, it seems Peter is pregnant. Meanwhile, testee Larry displays his condition to convince the reluctant receptionist Amy into having sex, but premature ejaculation makes her question if it was worth it.
2"Pill For Men"Samir RehemKenny HotzOctober 16, 2008 (2008-10-16)
After going through a gender reassignment procedure Ron and Peter become women for three days; Nugget tries to impress his father by letting him meet his new fiancée. Peter, his father, then makes an indecent proposal; and Ron runs into one of his ex's after Kate introduces him to a group of lesbians.
3"Forget Me Nugget"Samir RehemKenny HotzOctober 23, 2008 (2008-10-23)
After losing their memory testing new method of brain washing, Nugget convinces Ron and Peter that they are gay, so he can get revenge on the two for getting him a male stripper for his birthday party; Kate runs for the city's zoning commissioner, as a hard right wing conservative, so she can get a patio for her bar.
4"Vac Attack"Ben WeinsteinKenny HotzOctober 30, 2008 (2008-10-30)
Ron and Peter get to test out a new military-grade vacuum. After getting it, it begins attacking them for their messy lifestyles. After finding graffiti in the bathroom of her bar, Kate asks Nugget to watch out to find out who's doing it, instead he turns her bathroom into a five-star restaurant.
5"Über-Glued"Samir RehemKenny HotzNovember 6, 2008 (2008-11-06)
Ron and Peter test out a new super glue and a prank goes horribly wrong, resulting in Peter being super-glued to Ron's backside, which Ron ends up using to his advantage, by taking Amy out on a date; Nugget opens up his own sperm bank in Kate's bar.
6"Her Fume"Samir RehemKenny HotzNovember 13, 2008 (2008-11-13)
Ron and Peter test an experimental new pheromone spray that makes them irresistible...only to old, fat, unattractive women who are turned into zombies who try to rape Ron, Peter and Nugget.
7"Kicking the Bucket List"Samir RehemKenny HotzNovember 20, 2008 (2008-11-20)
Facing death, Ron and Peter realize they've never really lived. Meanwhile, Larry traps and sexually harasses a testee in an elevator, only to get turned on by her aggressive refusal fueled by an injected super strong PMS.
8"Abstinence Underwear"Samir RehemKenny HotzNovember 27, 2008 (2008-11-27)
Ron and Peter test out new chastity belts that emit an electrical charge when they get erections, after getting control of their erections and days left to go with the experiment they both meet women out of their league, so they must find a way to get the chastity belts off.
9"Jelly Bean Omelettes" Ian MacDonald Kenny Hotz & Derek Harvie December 4, 2008 (2008-12-04)
Ron takes care of Peter after he is paralyzed by testing out a new muscle relaxant; Nugget sets up an art gallery show, for a painting he found in the dumpster and then says a quadriplegic Peter painted them.
10"Mr. Pain and Danger Lad"Samir RehemKenny Hotz & Derek HarvieDecember 11, 2008 (2008-12-11)
When the doctors at Testico tell Ron and Peter they've lost the ability to feel pain, they turn into daredevils.
11"Pineapple Shampoo"Ian MacDonaldKenny Hotz & Derek HarvieDecember 18, 2008 (2008-12-18)
A new shampoo leaves Ron and Peter blind, and Nugget sees the perfect opportunity to live rent free.
12"Project X"Ian MacDonaldKenny Hotz, Derek Harvie & Jason BellevilleDecember 25, 2008 (2008-12-25)
When Testico doesn't tell Ron and Peter what they are testing, the guys start to imagine symptoms everywhere. Meanwhile, Larry convinces Amy to become a testee for one day.
13"Truth Serum"Samir RehemKenny Hotz & Derek HarvieJanuary 1, 2009 (2009-01-01)
Ron and Peter test out a new truth serum for Testico, which unravels Peter's past and puts his friendship with Ron in jeopardy.

Home releases

Paradox Entertainment released the entire series on DVD in Region 1 (Canada only) on February 22, 2011. [4]

On April 26, 2011, Entertainment One released the entire series on DVD in the US. [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Married... with Children</i> American television sitcom (1987–1997)

Married... with Children is an American television situation comedy created by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt for the Fox Broadcasting Company, broadcast from April 5, 1987 to June 9, 1997. It is the longest-running live-action sitcom ever aired on Fox. Married... with Children was the first primetime series broadcast on the new Fox network. The series' run ended with the episode broadcast on May 5, 1997. Two previously unaired episodes were broadcast on June 9, 1997 and June 18, 2002.

<i>South Park</i> American animated sitcom

South Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys—Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick—and their exploits in and around the titular Colorado town. South Park also features many recurring characters. The series became infamous for its profanity and dark, surreal humor that satirizes a large range of subject matter.

<i>Seinfeld</i> American television sitcom (1989–1998)

Seinfeld is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of 180 episodes. The show's ensemble cast stars Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself and focuses on his personal life with three of his friends: best friend George Costanza, former girlfriend Elaine Benes, and neighbor from across the hall, Cosmo Kramer.

<i>The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends</i> American animated television series

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC television networks. Produced by Jay Ward Productions, the series is structured as a variety show, with the main feature being the serialized adventures of the two title characters, the anthropomorphic flying squirrel Rocket J. ("Rocky") Squirrel and moose Bullwinkle J. Moose. The main antagonists in most of their adventures are the two Russian-like spies Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, both working for the Nazi-like dictator Fearless Leader. Supporting segments include "Dudley Do-Right", "Peabody's Improbable History", and "Fractured Fairy Tales", among others. The current blanket title was imposed for home video releases more than 40 years after the series originally aired and was never used when the show was televised; television airings of the show were broadcast under the titles of Rocky and His Friends from 1959 to 1961, The Bullwinkle Show from 1961 to 1964, and The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show in syndication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Broflovski</span> Fictional character in South Park

Kyle Broflovski is a fictional character in the adult animated sitcom South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Matt Stone. Kyle is one of the series' four central characters, along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman. He debuted on television when South Park first aired on August 13, 1997, after having first appeared in The Spirit of Christmas shorts created by Stone and long-time collaborator Trey Parker in 1992 and 1995.

<i>Rockos Modern Life</i> American animated television series (1993–1996)

Rocko's Modern Life is an American animated television series created by Joe Murray for Nickelodeon. The series centers on the surreal life of an anthropomorphic Australian immigrant wallaby named Rocko and his friends: the eccentric steer Heffer Wolfe, the neurotic turtle Filburt, and Rocko's faithful dog Spunky. It is set in the fictional town of O-Town. Throughout its run to present day, this show was infamously laden for its adult humor, including double entendre, innuendo, and satirical social commentary, similar to The Ren & Stimpy Show. The series has gained a cult following.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FX (TV channel)</span> American cable television network

FX is an American pay television channel owned by FX Networks, LLC, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment business segment and division of The Walt Disney Company. It is based at the Fox Studios lot in Century City, California. FX was originally launched by News Corporation on June 1, 1994, and later became one of the properties that was included in the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney in 2019. The network's original programming aspires to the standards of premium cable channels in regard to mature themes and content, high-quality writing, directing and acting. Sister channels FXM and FXX were launched in 1994 and 2013, respectively. FX also carries reruns of theatrical films and terrestrial-network sitcoms. Advertising-free content was available through the FX+ premium subscription service until it was shut down on August 21, 2019.

Kenny vs. Spenny is a Canadian reality comedy television series starring Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice, where they face against each other in competitions. The loser of each episode performs an act of humiliation, usually selected by the winner. Hotz and Rice created the series in addition to serving as executive producers, and it was typically shot in their hometown of Toronto, based mostly out of the house they shared. As of November 2008, the show aired on CBC, Global and Showcase in Canada, Comedy Central in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, The Comedy Channel in Australia, Animax and later, Sony MAX, in South Africa, Italia 2 in Italy, FX in Portugal, on Jim in Finland. The series concluded with an hour-long Christmas special that aired on December 23, 2010, at 9 pm ET/PT on Showcase. It aired in Latin America on Sony Spin for a short time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derek Harvie</span> Canadian TV and film writer and producer (born 1971)

Derek Kevin Harvie is a Canadian TV and film writer and producer. Harvie grew up in Ottawa and graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in film and literature.

<i>Ghost Whisperer</i> American supernatural drama TV series (2005–2010)

Ghost Whisperer is an American supernatural television series, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005, to May 21, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Showcase (Canadian TV channel)</span> Canadian television channel

Showcase is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. Launched on January 1, 1995, the channel primarily airs scripted and dramatic television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Hotz</span> Canadian comedy writer and television personality

Kenneth Joel Hotz is a Canadian comedy writer, filmmaker, entertainer and television personality. He is best known as the star of the reality comedy show Kenny vs. Spenny alongside Spencer Rice. Hotz is the creator of the FX series Testees, and Kenny Hotz's Triumph of the Will. Between 2004 and 2006, he served as a staff writer for South Park. Hotz has directed a number of films, including Pitch, It Don't Cost Nothin' to Say Good Morning, The Papal Chase and Subscribe. He also co-directed the music video for the song "Monophobia" by Deadmau5. Hotz is a regular contributor for Vice Media and began his career as a war correspondent and photojournalist during the Gulf War.

<i>Johnny Test</i> Animated television series

Johnny Test is an animated television series created by Scott Fellows, originally produced in the United States by Warner Bros. Animation and later produced in Canada by Cookie Jar Entertainment. It premiered on Kids' WB on September 17, 2005, which continued to air the series through its second and third seasons. The series aired on Cartoon Network on January 7, 2008, in the United States, and ended its run on December 25, 2014. In Canada, the show premiered on Teletoon on September 3, 2006.

<i>The Land Before Time</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

The Land Before Time is an American animated musical television series, based on The Land Before Time film series created by Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss. It was developed for television by Ford Riley for Cartoon Network and was produced by Universal Animation Studios and Amblin Entertainment, and animated by Wang Film Productions in Taiwan and Toon City in the Philippines. It premiered on YTV in Canada for a test on January 5, 2007 and premiered on Cartoon Network in the United States on March 5.

<i>Murdoch Mysteries</i> Canadian television series

Murdoch Mysteries is a Canadian television drama series that premiered on Citytv on January 20, 2008, and currently airs on CBC. The series is based on characters from the Detective Murdoch novels by Maureen Jennings and stars Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch, a police detective working in Toronto, Ontario in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The series was titled The Artful Detective on the Ovation cable TV network in the United States, until season twelve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Rice</span> Canadian filmmaker and television personality

Spencer Nolan "Spenny" Rice is a Canadian screenwriter, filmmaker and television personality. He was the co-star of the reality comedy series Kenny vs. Spenny along with Kenny Hotz.

Archer is an American adult animated sitcom created by Adam Reed for FX that aired from September 17, 2009, to December 17, 2023. The show follows the exploits of bumbling secret agent Sterling Archer and his dysfunctional colleagues. The show is set in an anachronistic Cold War–esque universe and caricatures espionage, Western culture and society, and the human condition. Archer is distinguished by artistic reinvention in contemporary episodes, foregoing the standard setup of a workplace sitcom for self-contained anthologies. It returned to its spy parody roots after the tenth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Gray (comics)</span>

Tony Gray is the owner of GlassMonkey Studios Inc. and co-owner of its subsidiary, Legacy Comics Publishing. He is the artist and writer of The Incredible Conduit and white plastic.

<i>Kenny Hotzs Triumph of the Will</i> Canadian television series

Kenny Hotz's Triumph of the Will is a Canadian reality comedy television series created, co-written, co-directed by, and starring Kenny Hotz. The series follows Hotz as he attempts to undertake a series of difficult challenges that are socially or morally questionable. It debuted on Action July 22, 2011, and ran for one season of six episodes.

Adult Swim is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Showcase Television, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily airs animated and live-action comedies targeting a teenage and young adult audience. Its branding is licensed from the Adult Swim programming block broadcast by Warner Bros. Discovery's Cartoon Network; it is the first full-time television channel to use the "Adult Swim" brand.

References

  1. FX Picks Up New Comedy Series "Testees" (working title)
  2. Toomey, Jonathan, June 30, 2009, FX sets premieres for Sons of Anarchy, Always Sunny, and Nip/Tuck, tvsquad.com
  3. Tim Goodman, April 20, 2009, Networks to burst bubbles after dreadful season San Francisco Chronicle
  4. "Testees: The Complete Series". 22 February 2011.
  5. "Testees DVD news: Announcement for Testees - the Complete Series | TVShowsOnDVD.com". Archived from the original on 2011-02-19. Retrieved 2011-06-10.