The cocreator of 'Reno911!' gives details on the show's Quibi relaunch and the unique viewing formats he wants to experiment with
- "Reno 911!" cocreator and star Thomas Lennon gave Business Insider details about the show getting a relaunch on Quibi, the upcoming mobile-only streaming service.
- The entire original cast is coming back and shooting begins later this month.
- Lennon said episodes will likely have a running time well under 10 minutes.
- Lennon also said that they plan to get creative with the Quibi tech, with which a show can be seen differently if viewed horizontally versus vertically.
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"Reno 911!" fans rejoice: The show is coming back.
And cocreator and star Thomas Lennon is currently getting into the headspace to play the leader of the beloved group of dysfunctional law enforcement officers that make up the Reno Sheriff's Department.
"I actually have the highlights in my hair and have the mustache, so obviously we've very close to shooting," Lennon told Business Insider recently while promoting the upcoming movie he stars in, "VHYes."
After six seasons on Comedy Central and one movie ("Reno 911!: Miami"), "Reno 911!" will be part of the upcoming short-form mobile video platform, Quibi. Lennon said that shooting will begin by the end of the month.
"We have every single member of the cast back with us, so that's super fun," said Lennon, who plays the hot-pants-wearing Lieutenant James Ronald Dangle on the show.
"Reno 911!" - created by Lennon, Robert Ben Garant (who plays Deputy Travis Junior on the show), and Kerri Kenney-Silver (Deputy Trudy Wiegel) - follows the fictional sheriff's department in a mockumentary "Cops" style as they serve and protect Reno. The show has gained a cult following over the years thanks to the outrageous situations the officers get into and the improvised style of the comedy.
Lennon believes that the Quibi format of content being no longer than 10 minutes long is perfect for "Reno 911!"
"We're going to keep it fast and light and punchy," he said.
In fact, Lennon doesn't believe any episode will be close to 10 minutes long.
"I think some episodes will go five minutes long, which would be one scene," Lennon explained. "And others will be seven minutes long that are 20 scenes in that time."
He also thinks the length will lead to some fun creative decisions. Lennon hinted that they are toying with the idea of some episodes being done in a single shot. And because Quibi gives the option to see content differently depending on if your device is being held horizontally or vertically, Lennon said they plan to give the show a unique twist.
"So we're going to try to take advantage of that as much as possible," he said of the tech. "I think there will be times where you're seeing Lt. Dangle and what he's doing and if you flip your phone sideways, you'll get to see what his body cam is filming. Stuff like that."
Quibi is set to launch "Reno 911!" in April.