Book-Based Variety Series The Who Was? Show Set for Netflix

Netflix has ordered The Who Was? Show, a new family variety program based on Penguin Workshop’s best-selling Who Was? series.

Slated for release in 2018, the 13 half-hour episodes of The Who Was? Show will offer a combination of comedy and history featuring key leaders, creative trendsetters and innovators. It will showcase live action, animated shorts, improvisation, sketches, musical performances and guest appearances. Comedy writers attached to the show include Brian McCann (Conan), head writer Elliott Kalan (The Daily Show), Eric Gilliland (Roseanne), Delaney Yeager (The Daily Show) and Tami Sagher (Inside Amy Schumer).

The Who Was? Show is being developed by Penguin Workshop and producers FremantleMedia Kids & Family (FMK), with Matador Content (Lip Sync Battle) co-producing and Bento Box Entertainment (Bob’s Burgers) on board as the animation studio. Comedy producer Rich Korson (Those Who Can’t, Great Minds with Dan Harmon) has been tapped as the showrunner and executive producer. Bob Higgins, Jay Peterson, and Penguin Workshop’s president and publisher, Francesco Sedita, will also executive produce.

Launched in 2002, the New York Times best-selling biography series Who Was? tells the stories of trailblazers, legends, innovators and creators throughout history and today. The Who Was? series generated two spin-off series, What Was? and Where Is? All three series are now published under the Who HQ brand. There have been 185-plus titles published to date and more than 20 million copies sold