Pen15 is Returning to Hulu with a 40-minute Animated Special
An exciting animated special of Pen15 titled “Jacuzzi” is coming to Hulu on August 27. The Emmy nominated series starring Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine is gearing up for Part 2 of its second season, though “Jacuzzi” will be a stand-alone episode.
It’s Maya and Anna like you’ve never seen them before. Here’s a first look at the #pen15show Animated Special from the #Emmy-nominated comedy series, coming to @Hulu August 27. pic.twitter.com/L5ueSU5okW
— PEN15show (@pen15show) July 22, 2021
During Pen15’s midseason finale, we saw Maya (Erskine) and Anna (Konkle) flee the scene of their school play’s after-party in Anna’s father’s new car. “Jacuzzi” takes place in the immediate aftermath of these events, as our ‘too old for middle school’ leading ladies take on a Florida family vacation.
“Hulu’s ‘Pen15’ Animated Special Follows Maya And Anna To Florida”
— Creative Coach Caroline (@TheWagTeam) July 23, 2021
Pen15 is so clever. Love these talented ladies.https://t.co/xdnQ8JjqGU#screenwritingcoaching #screenplayconsultant #actingcoach #creativitycoach #thewritersandactorsgroup #careercoach #screenwriters #pen15 pic.twitter.com/aaff1tZpyb
“The basic premise was going on vacation in Florida, and it never really being what you thought it was going to be,” Konkle told Vanity Fair. “For me, it was staying at these economical—whatever my parents would call them—hotels and waiting for the fun to start and being like…it’s never going to start.”
The hand-drawn surrealist style will allow Anna and Maya to confront unresolved emotions and underlying insecurities. Fans saw the two become animated in a season 4 crossover episode with Big Mouth last year.
“No, Pen15 hasn’t become animated,” Konkle teased on her Instagram story, noting that the special will just be one episode. “But maybe it should…”
PEN15 ANIMATED SPECIAL???????
— 🤬 (@itsaspirational) July 22, 2021
Although the 40-minute episode was supposed to be live-action, COVID got in the way of filming. The plan was to fit Konkle and Erskine with prosthetics, and utilize digital tools to create a “surreal Sunshine State experience.”
“We had the choice when COVID happened: Should we try to wait and do this when things open up, or should we get this out sooner and just do it animated,” Konkle revealed to Vanity Fair. “We needed to be passionate about it being animated to do it; it couldn’t just be like second fiddle to the ideal. So we started digging in creatively.”
Feel like I manifested this #Pen15 animated special, and I’m SO EXCITED!!!! https://t.co/gEn4J15KfA
— Cameron Scheetz (@cameronscheetz) July 22, 2021
“Jacuzzi” will be the perfect antidote for fans who are anxiously awaiting new episodes of Pen15. As with previous seasons, the episode is inspired by real-life events from Konkle and Erskine’s teenage years in the early 2000s. Read the exclusive about Konkle’s childhood experiences in “reject Florida” and how this will play out in the episode.
Writer | @IlanaDavis24
