February 17

Animal Control: Series Premiere (Fox)

The single-camera series will follow a group of local Animal Control workers whose lives are complicated by the fact that animals are simple, but humans are not. Joel McHale stars as Frank, an opinionated, eccentric Animal Control officer who may not have gone to college but is still the most well-read person in the room. A former cop, Frank tried to expose corruption in his department, but his efforts got him fired, which may explain why he's so cynical and curmudgeonly. He has an almost superhuman ability to understand animals. Humans...not so much. Frank is assigned a new partner, Fred "Shred" Taylor (newcomer Michael Rowland), an optimistic rookie Animal Control officer. They both report into their sweet-natured and endearingly awkward boss Emily Price (Vella Lovell, "Mr. Mayor"). Amit Patel (Ravi Patel, "Master of None") and Victoria Sands (Grace Palmer, "Shortland Street") are also partners in the Animal Control office - though they could not be more opposite. Rounding out the precinct is veterinarian Dr. Summers (Alvina August, "The Boys"), receptionist Dolores Stubb (Kelli Ogmundson, "Cavendish") and Templeton Dudge (Gerry Dee, "Mr. D"), an Animal Control officer from a neighboring precinct with a real chip on his shoulder.