Mark McKinney to Develop New Comedies for Breakthrough Entertainment

TORONTO -- Breakthrough Entertainment is expanding its relationship with Mark McKinney of The Kids in the Hall and Saturday Night Live fame.

our editor recommends

Canada's Breakthrough Acquires Foreign Sales Rights to Jason Priestley's 'Cas & Dylan'

Diane Boehme Leads Breakthrough Entertainment Into Global Dramas

The indie producer has inked an exclusive development deal with the Canadian comedic actor and writer.

McKinney will develop new comedies for Breakthrough after voicing the role of Lord Peel in the cartoon series Rocket Monkeys, recently acquired by Nickelodeon for its global network, and serving as writer and executive producer on the HBO Canada sitcom Less Than Kind.

McKinney is also in the writers room on Breakthrough’s Eva Longoria-starring animated primetime comedy Mother Up!

Breakthrough executive producer Ira Levy said the producer is targeting American broadcasters with homegrown comedies written and produced by Canadian expats in Los Angeles, while also tapping lucrative production subsidies and tax breaks back home.

After Canadian talent is repatriated to produce homegrown comedies, Breakthrough then sells the series back into the U.S. market.

“We’re trying to make something that works in Canada and the U.S.,” he said. "That’s the ring that we’re chasing. And that’s quite possible with the talent around."

Breakthrough used that model on Crash Canyon, an animated primetime adult comedy developed by Joel Cohen, a veteran writer and associate producer of The Simpsons.