HBO has officially greenlit a two-season order for Merrick & Treves, a new half-hour animated workplace comedy created by the core team behind FX’s long-running hit series Archer. Announced on October 13, 2026, the series comes from co-creators and executive producers Adam Reed, Casey Willis, and Lucky Yates.
Set inside Queen Victoria’s top-secret Royal Temporal Constabulary, Merrick & Treves follows a team of unlikely heroes as they voyage back and forth through time to stop the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper. The title shares historical names with Joseph Merrick, widely known as The Elephant Man, and Sir Frederick Treves, the surgeon who cared for him at London Hospital during the late 19th century.
The Creative Team Behind Archer Reunites
The series reunites key creative figures from celebrated adult animation projects. Adam Reed previously created and executive-produced Archer, which ran for 14 seasons and 145 episodes on FX and FXX, winning four Primetime Emmy Awards. Reed’s extensive animation credits also include Frisky Dingo, Sealab 2021, Chozen, and 12 oz. Mouse.
Casey Willis served as an executive producer on Archer and worked alongside Reed on earlier projects like Frisky Dingo and Sealab 2021. Lucky Yates was a principal voice-over actor on Archer, notably voicing Dr. Algernop Krieger, and has contributed to projects such as Exploding Kittens, Cake, and Hidden America With Jonah Ray.
Production and Network Details
In addition to Reed, Willis, and Yates serving as co-creators and executive producers, the project stems from TFC Productions. Joel Begleiter is attached to executive produce, while Kelly Wu will serve as co-executive producer.
Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President of HBO Programming and Head of HBO & HBO Max Comedy Series, shared her enthusiasm for the collaboration:
Adam, Casey, and Lucky are exceptional comedic talents whom we have admired for years. We couldn’t be more excited to team up with them to bring the wholly original Merrick & Treves to HBO audiences.
The co-creators also released a joint statement regarding their new home:
The three of us are beyond excited to have found a home for Merrick & Treves at HBO. We can’t wait to start working with the creative team behind so many of our favorite shows. It’s actually quite daunting, now that we think about it. Like, holy s-, y’all. HBO.
A Rare Adult Animation Pickup for HBO
While Warner Bros. Discovery regularly houses adult animated series on streaming platforms like Max-notably titles like Harley Quinn-the main HBO network has historically leaned heavily into live-action programming. Securing an immediate two-season order directly at the network level marks a notable expansion into adult animation for the premium brand.
Production is currently in early development, and HBO has not yet announced an official premiere date for Merrick & Treves.
