The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy

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***The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy*** (formerly known as ***The Hospital***) is an adult animated sci-fi comedy-adventure series created by Cirocco Dunlap for Prime Video. It is set to debut on February 23, 2024 on Prime Video.

## Premise

From creator, showrunner and executive producer Cirocco Dunlap (Netflix's "*Russian Doll*"), the series follows Dr. Sleech (Hsu) and Dr. Klak (Palmer) —aliens, best friends, and intergalactically renowned surgeons—as they tackle anxiety-eating parasites, illegal time loops, and deep-space STIs.

## Press Information

On November 18, 2018, Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne signed a first-look television deal with Amazon Studios. Under the pact, the Emmy-nominated duo will create original series for the studio via their new Animal Pictures shingle for Amazon Prime Video. The deal extends Rudolph’s relationship with Amazon: “I’ve had an incredible experience working with the team at Amazon Studios on Forever, where they have given us true creative freedom. “I’m excited to extend this relationship and to have the opportunity for Natasha and myself to continue to develop new shows for a global audience.” said Rudolph. “Maya and Natasha are proven talents in front of and behind the camera, and we are so excited to tap into this powerful creative brain trust and be in business with these fiercely funny and phenomenally smart women,” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios.

The earliest concept for *The Hospital* was in January 2020 when Amazon Studios announced it was in development. The darkly comic animated series that marks the first project for Natasha Lyonne and Maya Rudolph’s Animal Pictures stemming from the first-look deal it signed with Amazon in November. Lyonne, Rudolph and Animal Pictures president Danielle Renfrew Behrens are executive producing along with Dunlap, the latter of which also wrote for Netflix’s *Big Mouth* and FXX’s *Man Seeking Woman*. “Cirocco is an incredibly gifted and hilarious talent and we can’t wait to share her irreverent and existential point of view: a sci-fi world so deep and so strange and so animated!” the Animal Pictures team said.

News of the series was first announced on May 23, 2022, with Amazon Studios handing a two-season order to *The Hospital*, an adult animated sci-fi comedy from Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne‘s Animal Pictures. Rudolph and Lyonne also are set to star in the series, created by Cirocco Dunlap (*Russian Doll),* along with Kieran Culkin *(Succession)*, Keke Palmer *(Alice)*, Greta Lee *(Russian Doll)* and singer-songwriter Sam Smith (*Spectre)*. Produced by Amazon Studios, *The Hospital*, which has been in development at Amazon since 2020, was set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

“*The Hospital* is the perfect example of the fresh and unique programming we get so excited to deliver to our global Prime Video customers. Cirocco’s humor and clever characters will entertain in any galaxy. We are thrilled to have this special project join our growing adult animated slate.” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios.

Dunlap also serves as showrunner and executive produces with Rudolph, Lyonne and Danielle Renfrew Behrens for Animal Pictures. Shauna McGarry (*Bojack Horseman, Tuca & Bertie)* executive produces with Shannon Prynoski (*Fairfax*), Chris Prynoski *(The Legend of Vox Machina),* Antonio Canobbio *(Arlo the Alligator Boy),* and Ben Kalina *(Big Mouth)* will executive produce from Titmouse. Artist Robin Eisenberg will co-produce and serve as production designer.

On December 18, 2023, Prime Video set February 23 for the premiere of *The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy*. Additionally, Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu (*Everything Everywhere All At Once*) has joined the cast as a series regular, replacing Greta Lee.

## Cast and characters

* Keke Palmer as Dr. Klak, a brilliant, multi-eyed surgeon who spends her down time feeding her sentient plants, obsessively reviewing past failures, and watching hit show My Lover, My Clone with her best friend Dr. Sleech.
* Stephanie Hsu as Dr. Sleech, a reckless, cocky surgeon whose main saving graces are her genius, her well-oiled lizard tail, and her unconditional love for her best friend Dr. Klak.
* Natasha Lyonne as Nurse Tup, a playful nihilist with chameleon flesh who thrives in the chaos of the Hospital. Nurse Tup expertly navigates every accidental apocalypse created by renegade doctors Sleech and Klak, and looks good doing it.
* Maya Rudolph as Dr. Vlam, a robot intern who has been alive for at least 20,000 years. She’s had every career you can think of—king, thief, stay-at-home mom of 500—and is a true testament to hard work. All you need to succeed is roughly 850 years of free time.
* Kieran Culkin as Dr. Plowp, a surgeon, an empath, and an adult experiencing puberty. He has a love-hate relationship with Sleech, constantly feels everyone’s feelings, and has four identical brothers with whom he shared an egg.
* Sam Smith as Dr. Azel, a galactically-renowned surgeon with ambiguous morals and six well-manicured feet.

## Broadcast

*The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy* is set to debut the eight-episode first season on Friday, February 23, on Prime Video. The second season is in development.

## Trivia

* The series was announced on May 23, 2022.
* The series' title was changed between May 2022 and December 2023.

## External links

* *The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy* on its Official website
* *The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy* on the Internet Movie Database

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 ‘The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy’ Animated Comedy Starring & EP’ed By Maya Rudolph & Natasha Lyonne Gets Premiere Date At Prime Video
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Amazon Orders Animated Comedy ‘The Hospital’ EP’ed & Starring Maya Rudolph & Natasha Lyonne With Kieran Culkin, Keke Palmer, Greta Lee, Sam Smith
3. ↑ Maya Rudolph & Natasha Lyonne Ink First-Look TV Deal With Amazon Studios
4. ↑ Amazon Eyeing ‘The Hospital’ Animated Series From Natasha Lyonne And Maya Rudolph’s Animal Pictures