LOS ANGELES (UltimateTV.com) - Filmmaker Kevin Smith met critics Saturday during the annual TCA press tour to
discuss the conversion of his independent hit "Clerks" to the small screen -- as an animated series for ABC.
"ABC first approached us about doing a game show," Smith joked, before explaining that his natural love of comics
has always made him interested in doing an animated show.
The series is centered around characters introduced in the 1994 film, and is set in the same locale: the Quick Stop in
Leonardo, New Jersey. Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith lend their voices to the series,
which follows slacker Dante Hicks (O'Halloran) and his friend Randal (Anderson) as they work at their respective stores.
Mewes and Smith voice Jay and Silent Bob, characters Smith has carried through his films "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy"
and last year's "Dogma."
The original film's dirty humor was a major stumbling block, Smith admitted, explaining they are, "trying to be funny
without being crude."
When asked about the show's similar theme to the twentysomething animated show "Mission Hill," which briefly
appeared on The WB earlier this season, Smith admitted a link.
"We wanted to model ourselves after the least successful animated show," he joked. "'Mission Hill' was a no-brainer."
Smith managed to get in a few digs at his own network, at one point pretending to read a statement by the net
describing the show. "It's a family show," he read, "...featuring a lot of ethnic diversity."
He also discussed the advantage of working with animated characters instead of live actors, explaining it was easier to
direct them and get usable takes.
"We're trying to get to a place where you don't need actors at all... Like 'The Practice.'"
The show is expected to launch in March, and if successful, may return next December. Smith is optimistic about the
future, even thinking about a possible follow-up if "Clerks" is a hit.
"If this takes off, believe me -- there will be a 'Mallrats' half-hour."
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