Clone High

Clone High is a Canadian–American adult animated sitcom created by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Bill Lawrence. The comedy centers on a high school populated by the clones of famous historical figures. The show's central cast includes adolescent depictions of Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Mahatma Gandhi, John F. Kennedy, and Cleopatra. The series also serves as a parody of teen dramas such as *Dawson's Creek* and *Beverly Hills, 90210*; every episode is introduced as a "very special episode".

*Clone High* is set in a high school in the fictional town of Exclamation, USA, that is secretly being run as an elaborate military experiment orchestrated by a government office called the Secret Board of Shadowy Figures. The school is entirely populated by the clones of famous historical figures that have been created and raised with the intent of having their various strengths and abilities harnessed by the United States military. The principal of the high school, Cinnamon J. Scudworth, has his own plans for the clones, and secretly tries to undermine the wishes of the Board,who is programmed to call everyone "Wesley" and speak in two distinct intonations.

## **Controversy and cancellation:**

An article in *Maxim* Magazine depicting Mahatma Gandhi being beaten up by a muscular man sparked outrage in India. *Clone High* was caught in a crossfire when citizens in the country conducted internet searches on the Maxim article but also found out about the show's Gandhi character on MTV's website.

This sparked an outrage in India over the show's depiction of Gandhi. In 2014, he recalled that protestors "basically threatened that they'd revoke MTV's broadcasting license in India if they didn't take the show off the air". Miller would later recall that executives at MTV enjoyed the show, and asked for the duo to pitch a second season without Gandhi. Lord and Miller's two potential versions of a second season included one that made no mention of Gandhi's absence, and another that revealed that the character was, in fact, a clone of actor Gary Coleman all along, and the show continued as normal. "We pitched that, and it went up to the top at Viacom again and it got a big no," he remembered.

## **Future and reboot series:**

Lord and Miller have since stated that they have "considered" a film adaptation of the series. In 2014, they explained that as they at that time were under contract with Fox, Lawrence had a television deal at Warner Bros. Television, and the rights to *Clone High* were owned by Nelvana/Corus Entertainment, Touchstone/the Walt Disney Company, and MTV/ViacomCBS, it would be difficult to resurrect the show.

In a 2014 Grantland article, the two joked that "our entire career has just been about getting *Clone High* back on the air". In the 2018 film *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,* produced by Lord and Miller, a billboard appears promoting a movie titled "Clone College", starring Abe and JFK. On July 2, 2020, it was announced that a reboot of the series was in the works at MTV Studios, and will air on Comedy Central, with the original creators of Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Bill Lawrence returning for the reboot. It was also revealed that original series writer, Erica Rivinoja, will serve as showrunner of the series, while also writing the pilot with Lord and Miller.

## **Broadcast:**

The series has broadcast on both Teletoon Detour and its French counterpart in 2002 and reran until 2010. Clone High no longer air on the channel.