Allen Gregory
Allen Gregory is an American adult animated sitcom created by Jonah Hill, Jarrad Paul, and Andrew Mogel, which aired on Fox for one season from October 30 to December 18, 2011.[1] The series depicts the life of its titular character, a pretentious and self-aggrandizing seven-year-old boy named Allen Gregory De Longpre—voiced by Hill—who transitions from homeschooling to public elementary school amid family financial difficulties, clashing with peers and authority figures due to his inflated sense of superiority.[1] Featuring voice acting from actors including French Stewart, Nat Faxon, and Joy Osmanski, the show portrays Allen's unconventional household, including his two fathers, Richard and Jeremy, and his sister Gina.[2] The program received overwhelmingly negative critical and audience reception, earning a 12% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews citing its lack of humor, reliance on crude and uncomfortable elements, and failure to develop relatable or redeeming characters. Critics highlighted the protagonist's obnoxious demeanor and episodes involving themes such as racial insensitivity and inappropriate fixations, including Allen's obsessive pursuit of his school principal, which evoked discomfort over pedophilic undertones.[3] Low viewership ratings contributed to its swift cancellation, with Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly confirming the end of production after just seven episodes, noting the network's prior positive collaboration with Hill but the series' inability to sustain audience interest.[4] Despite the creative intent to satirize entitlement and family dysfunction—as articulated by showrunner David A. Goodman in discussions about balancing the character's abrasiveness with network standards—the execution alienated viewers, marking it as one of Fox's short-lived animated failures.[5][6]Premise and Characters
Series Premise
Allen Gregory is an American adult animated sitcom centered on Allen Gregory De Longpre, a pretentious seven-year-old boy who views himself as an intelligent, worldly sophisticate rather than a child.[7][1] The series depicts Allen's life with his biological father, Richard De Longpre, a flamboyant and indulgent architect, and Richard's life partner, Jeremy, who serves as a more grounded influence in the household.[8] The family also includes Allen's adopted sister, Gina, an Eastern European orphan with behavioral issues, adding to the domestic dynamics.[9] After experiencing financial hardship, the family relocates to a less affluent neighborhood, prompting Allen to attend a public elementary school for the first time.[1] There, Allen's self-aggrandizing attitude and adult-like pretensions frequently lead to conflicts with peers and authority figures, highlighting the contrast between his insulated upbringing and conventional childhood experiences.[10] The premise explores themes of class disparity, familial dysfunction, and the absurdity of Allen's inflated ego through satirical humor.[11]Main Characters
Allen Gregory De Longpre, voiced by Jonah Hill, is the protagonist of the series, depicted as a pretentious and spoiled seven-year-old boy who views himself as intellectually superior to adults and is compelled to attend public elementary school after his family's financial circumstances change.[7][1] His character is portrayed as self-absorbed, often engaging in manipulative behaviors toward family and peers.[10] Richard De Longpre, voiced by French Stewart, serves as Allen's biological father and a wealthy, eccentric inventor whose inventions fund the family's lifestyle before their downturn.[12] He is in a committed relationship with Jeremy and maintains an overly indulgent parenting style toward Allen.[13] Jeremy De Longpre, voiced by Nat Faxon, is Richard's life partner and co-parent to Allen and Julie, often acting as the more grounded and nurturing figure in the household dynamic.[12] Jeremy works as a professional organizer and frequently attempts to impose structure on the chaotic family environment.[14] Julie De Longpre, voiced by Joy Osmanski, is the adopted teenage sister of Allen, characterized as a typical sullen adolescent who resents her unconventional family setup and clashes regularly with Allen's antics.[12] She represents a more conventional sibling counterpart to Allen's eccentricity.[15] Patrick Vanderweel, voiced by Cristina Pucelli, is one of Allen's classmates and occasional antagonist at school, embodying the everyday child dynamics that contrast with Allen's self-perceived sophistication.[1]Production
Development and Creation
Allen Gregory was created by Jonah Hill, Andrew Mogel, and Jarrad Paul, the latter two of whom had previously co-written the 2008 film Yes Man.[9] The concept originated from Hill's interest in voicing a precocious 7-year-old character in an animated series, drawing from his lifelong fandom of The Simpsons and a desire to produce original animated content.[16] After abandoning a planned live-action feature with Mogel and Paul, the trio developed the central premise of a delusional, pretentious child prodigy whose adult-like sensibilities and behaviors create comedic tension, balanced by an intentionally adorable design to mitigate audience alienation.[16] Hill has described the initial spark as exploring "the most adorable 7-year-old ever" to enable the character's exaggerated flaws without evoking outright dislike.[16] In January 2011, Hill launched his production company and signed a first-look television deal with Fox, at which point Allen Gregory had already advanced to a full series order following a 10-minute pitch presentation in the spring.[17][9] Hill declined an earlier Fox offer to voice a character in another animated pilot, opting instead to focus on this project, where he served as executive producer alongside Mogel and Paul.[9] David A. Goodman, formerly of Family Guy, was brought on as showrunner to oversee the writing staff, which included newcomers like Michael Colton and John Aboud.[9] Hill maintained extensive creative control, participating in scriptwriting, table reads, and decisions on visual aesthetics, such as adopting a New Yorker-inspired style evoking mid-20th-century sophistication to contrast the protagonist's immaturity.[18][16] The series was positioned within Fox's Animation Domination block, with its pilot emphasizing character-driven humor rooted in realistic family dynamics rather than fantastical elements.[18]Animation and Voice Production
The animation of Allen Gregory was handled by Bento Box Entertainment, a Burbank-based studio founded by former Film Roman executives, which managed the production pipeline for the seven-episode series. The show utilized Toon Boom software for its creation in Burbank, with physical animation outsourced to Yeson Animation studio in South Korea, representing an early implementation of a fully digital Toon Boom-based workflow for a Fox animated series.[9] Voice production featured a ensemble cast led by Jonah Hill, who voiced the protagonist Allen Gregory De Longpre, drawing from his experience in live-action and prior voice work.[14] French Stewart provided the voice for Richard De Longpre, Allen's father, while Nat Faxon voiced Jeremy De Longpre, Richard's partner.[12] Joy Osmanski lent her voice to Julie De Longpre, and Cristina Pucelli voiced Patrick, the family dog.[14] Additional recurring roles included Will Forte as various characters such as Ian and Superintendent Harter, and guest appearances by actors like Alanis Morissette and Elaine Stritch.[15] The voice recording was typical for Fox's Animation Domination block, emphasizing comedic timing and character exaggeration to suit the sitcom's satirical tone.[11]Episodes
Episode Guide
Allen Gregory consists of seven episodes that aired on Fox from October 30, 2011, to December 18, 2011.[19][13]- Pilot (October 30, 2011): When pretentious 7-year-old Allen Gregory begins the first grade in a public school, he struggles to fit in with his peers; Allen has an interesting first meeting with his principal.[19]
- 1 Night in Gottlieb (November 6, 2011): After discovering that his rival Joel Zadak has a girlfriend, Allen Gregory sparks a sex-tape scandal. Meanwhile, to help Allen Gregory's adopted sister appear "normal," Richard hires cool-looking kids to hang out with her.[19]
- Gay School Dance (November 13, 2011): Allen Gregory and his comically malevolent dad Richard are furious when popular Joel Zadak invites Allen Gregory's trusty friend Patrick to a dance but not Allen Gregory. Meanwhile, Richard's life-partner Jeremy gets a job as a DJ at Kirby's Roller Bowl.[19]
- Interracial McAdams (November 20, 2011): When Joel Zadak stays home from school because he's sick, the always presumptuous Allen Gregory steps in to help his popular "friend" by keeping tabs on the clique. As Allen Gregory gains some ground with the exclusive group, Zadak loses more than his friends. Meanwhile, Richard hits the boardroom at his father's company.[19]
- Full Blown Maids (November 27, 2011): Allen Gregory's teacher, Gina, seeks to teach him a lesson after he mistakes his schoolmate for a janitor. Much to Gina's dismay, Allen Gregory produces a play to depict his point of view of the incident. Meanwhile, Richard hires Jeremy as his new maid.[19]
- Mom Sizemore (December 4, 2011): Allen Gregory enlists the help of a friend to find his biological mother. Though Allen Gregory initially dreams of his mother and father falling in love and starting a life together, he soon realizes that this new "family" is not all it's cracked up to be.[19]
- Van Moon Rising (December 18, 2011): In the season finale, the persistent and pompous Allen Gregory bribes Principal Gottlieb into a romantic situation that he hopes will bring them closer together. Meanwhile, Richard uses Julie to compete with his frenemy's adopted child.[19]