Season 1
After Lately is an American mockumentary comedy television series created by Chelsea Handler, Brad Wollack and Tom Brunelle which documents the behind the scenes goings-on at the office of the late-night talk show Chelsea Lately.
The cast is made up of the actual writers and performers of Chelsea Lately, who play themselves as they suffer the indignities and relish the perks of show business, bicker and argue over trivial and petty matters, compete for show air time and personal approval from Chelsea and produce a nightly late-night cable comedy show.
The series premiered in the USA on E! on 6 March, 2011.
After Lately premiered in South Africa on DStv's E! Entertainment channel on Monday 2 May 2011, at 23h15. See Seasons below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 1 aired on E! Entertainment from 2 May to 20 June, 2011, on Mondays at 23h15. New episodes broadcast weekly. There are eight episodes in the first season.
Season 1
Throughout television history, there have been shows about workplaces and even shows that take viewers behind-the-scenes of fictional shows. However, there has never been a show featuring the actual staff of a real late night comedy series... until now.
After Lately gives viewers a hilarious peek at the always unpredictable people and often ridiculous events behind the making of late night television's most unconventional talk show.
Getting the popular late night series Chelsea Lately on the air five nights a week takes a phalanx of comedians, led by Chelsea Handler, along with the show's team of writers, producers, editors and other staffers.
From writing jokes to booking celebrities to developing sketch ideas, the staff is hard at work nearly 24/7. While producing a nightly show is tough, it's keeping on Handler's good side - and avoiding her notorious practical jokes and unsolicited meddling into their personal lives - that proves to be even tougher.
With Handler as the boss, this office is anything but all work and no play and the staff of Chelsea Lately will do whatever it takes to keep pace with Handler.
The cast of characters includes: her trusty sidekick Chuy Bravo; the slutty and sarcastic Sarah Colonna; the red-headed and uber-abused Brad Wollack; playboy comedian Chris Franjola; the will-do-anything-to-be-famous Heather McDonald; the awkwardly Awkward Jeff Wild; the malnourished hipster Johnny Kansas; the bagel-loving Steve Marmalstein; and Chelsea's older live-in brother, Roy.
Comedic to the core, this mocku-series fully exploits the personas and general absurdities existing in and around this late night TV phenomenon.
Each episode draws upon the entirely ridiculous - yet absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt possibly real - stories, events and people which make up the world of Chelsea Lately.
In addition to the regular cast, After Lately storylines utilise a handful of Handler's big-time celebrity friends, other popular roundtable mainstays and additional staff members... whether they like or not.
In the premiere episode The List, the staff starts to resemble the cast of Lord of the Flies when chaos and backstabbing ensue all in the hopes of securing a seat on Handler's private plane to Cabo for the weekend.
Friends turn into foes, groveling hits a biblical proportion and backdoor side deals are all in the works to land one of the last two coveted seats.
All the while Handler basks in the glory of the deplorable lengths these people will sink to in the name of a free trip to Mexico. Additionally, several members of the staff reveal their true colours when a co-worker brings her child to work.
After Lately is executive produced by Chelsea Handler and Tom Brunelle, with Jay Karas and Brad Wollack serving as co-executive producers and Johnny Milord as supervising producer, in association with Borderline Amazing Productions.
Seasons
Series exclusive to E! Entertainment
Season 1 (8 episodes)
Premiere: 2 May 2011 | Finale: 20 June 2011 | Mondays, 23h15
Season 2 (8 episodes)
Premiere: 6 February 2012 | Finale: 26 March 2012 | Mondays, 23h15
Season 3 (8 episodes)
Premiere: 26 May 2013 | Finale: 14 July 2013 | Sundays, 22h30