Studio C
Studio C is an American family-friendly sketch comedy television series produced by BYUtv that premiered on October 8, 2012.[1] Created by alumni of Brigham Young University's improv troupe Divine Comedy, Matt Meese and Jared Shores, the show features original, short-form sketches performed by an ensemble cast, focusing on relatable, clean humor accessible to viewers of all ages without crude or offensive content.[2][3] Since its debut, Studio C has grown into a cultural phenomenon, airing 21 seasons as of 2025 and accumulating over 3 billion views across platforms, with its official YouTube channel boasting more than 3.4 million subscribers as of November 2025.[4][3][5] The series originated as an extension of the university's longstanding Divine Comedy group, which had been entertaining BYU audiences since 1994, but was adapted for television to reach a broader, national family audience.[6] Early seasons highlighted recurring characters and viral sketches like "Joseph Smith: The Musical" parodies and everyday absurdities, contributing to its rapid popularity on social media and streaming services.[2] The show's cast has evolved significantly over the years. The original ensemble, including Matt Meese, Mallory Everton, Jason Gray, Natalie Madsen, Stephen Meek, James Perry, Stacey Harkey, Jeremy Warner, Whitney Call, and Adam Berg, performed through the first nine seasons until 2018, when they departed to launch independent comedy ventures under the collective "JK! Studios."[7] BYUtv then introduced a new generation of performers starting in season 10, with recurring members like Garet Allen and Dalton Johnson anchoring later lineups; select original cast members, such as Matt Meese, have returned for recent seasons including 19–21.[8] As of season 21 in 2025, the cast includes Garet Allen, April Rock, Arvin Mitchell, Austin Williams, Dalton Johnson, Ike Flitcraft, Jessica Drolet, Jetta Juriansz, and Tori Pence, alongside guest appearances from celebrities like Josh Peck.[3][9][10] Beyond television, Studio C has expanded through live tours, including sold-out shows in New York City and nationwide, and digital content that has influenced the landscape of wholesome entertainment.[11] Its commitment to positive, inclusive comedy has earned it a dedicated fanbase, critical acclaim for broadening clean humor's appeal, and a lasting impact on faith-based media production.[12]Overview and History
Origins and Creation
Studio C originated within the vibrant comedy scene at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, drawing directly from the university's student-run sketch comedy troupe, Divine Comedy, which was founded in 1994 by students Sprigg Davis and Mike Rasmussen.[13] Key figures in its creation, including performer and writer Matt Meese and producer Jared Shores, honed their skills in this environment during the mid-to-late 2000s. Meese joined Divine Comedy in 2007 during his sophomore year at BYU, quickly becoming a core member who wrote, produced, and performed in the troupe's original sketches, often selling out shows in the 350-seat Tanner Building auditorium.[14] Shores, a 2010 BYU economics graduate, encountered the troupe's work as an audience member and recognized its potential for broader television appeal.[15] The concept for Studio C as a dedicated television series took shape in 2011 when Shores, working as a producer for BYUtv, attended a Divine Comedy performance featuring Meese and was inspired to adapt the troupe's format for broadcast. Meese pitched the idea of expanding the live sketches into a half-hour program, leveraging the group's growing YouTube popularity and live attendance to secure BYUtv's support.[14][15] The show was named after Studio C, the specific production facility within BYU's Broadcasting Building where early episodes were filmed, reflecting its roots in the university's media infrastructure.[16] At its core, the initial vision emphasized clean, family-friendly sketch comedy designed to resonate with audiences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) through wholesome, uplifting humor, while aiming for national accessibility by focusing on universal themes rather than overt religious or cultural specifics.[14] The creators sought to produce content free of crude language or innuendo, targeting viewers across generations—from teens and college students to parents—with short, relatable skits that provided stress relief and positive entertainment.[15] This approach was heavily influenced by established sketch comedy programs like Saturday Night Live, which the team parodied in structure and style, but reimagined with subtle Mormon cultural perspectives to maintain broad appeal without alienating non-LDS viewers.[14] Meese and Shores drew on the troupe's tradition of clever, character-driven humor to differentiate Studio C as a "G-rated" alternative in the genre.[17]Premiere and Early Development
Studio C premiered on BYUtv on October 8, 2012, with each episode simultaneously uploaded to the show's YouTube channel to broaden accessibility beyond traditional television audiences.[1][18] The series adopted a half-hour format featuring approximately seven to eight original sketches per episode, transitioning the group's prior university-based performances into a structured television production.[15] Creators Matt Meese and Jared Shores assembled the initial cast of ten recent Brigham Young University graduates, primarily from the campus improv troupe Divine Comedy, to form the core ensemble responsible for writing, performing, and producing the content.[15] Early development presented challenges in crafting humor that maintained broad comedic appeal while adhering to BYUtv's family-friendly standards, explicitly avoiding crass or obscene elements common in contemporary sketch comedy.[15] This approach emphasized creative, relatable scenarios to engage viewers across generations, from teens to parents.[15] The show's rapid ascent was fueled by viral YouTube sketches, which propelled online engagement; by late 2014, the channel had surpassed 400,000 subscribers and 100 million total views, with the "Top Soccer Shootout Ever With Scott Sterling" sketch alone achieving 10 million views within 10 days of release.[18][19] These milestones marked a shift from niche BYUtv programming to widespread digital popularity, culminating in the original cast's tenure through season 9.[15]Production
Filming and Technical Aspects
Studio C is primarily filmed at BYU Studios in Provo, Utah, where sketches are performed in front of a live studio audience to infuse the production with immediate energy and feedback. This setup allows for the capture of dynamic performances in a controlled studio environment, with episodes taped in batches to maintain a consistent schedule. The show's format relies on this live-audience approach to emulate classic sketch comedy traditions while ensuring family-friendly content.[12][20][17] Television episodes typically run 22-26 minutes, accommodating 5-6 sketches per installment, while YouTube web exclusives vary from 1 to 10 minutes to suit shorter online viewing habits. By November 2025, the series has aired over 200 TV episodes across 21 seasons and produced more than 1,500 YouTube videos, reflecting its expansive output for both broadcast and digital platforms.[3][4][21][1] Technical production is managed by Kaleidoscope Pictures, which handles in-house editing to polish the raw footage into cohesive episodes, emphasizing quick cuts and sound design that enhance comedic timing. Practical sets are constructed on-site for recurring sketches, providing versatile backdrops that support narrative consistency, while costumes and props are meticulously selected and integrated to achieve precise parody recreations of pop culture references.[22] The production scale has notably evolved since the early seasons, transitioning from modest budgets in Seasons 1-9—characterized by simpler setups and limited resources—to elevated production values starting with Season 10. This shift, coinciding with Kaleidoscope Pictures taking a lead role and the show's surging popularity, enabled more elaborate sets, enhanced lighting, and guest appearances, contributing to over 3.2 billion cumulative views as of November 2025.[4][1][23]Creative Process and Team
The creative process for Studio C sketches typically involves collaborative brainstorming sessions where ideas are generated collectively by the writers and cast, with co-creator Matt Meese often guiding the initial concept development and character creation. These sessions draw from everyday absurdities and satirical observations, allowing cast members to contribute personal insights that shape the humor. The full cycle from idea generation to filming generally spans 1-2 weeks, enabling a rapid production pace that supports the show's weekly output.[24] Directing duties were primarily handled by co-creator Jared Shores in early seasons, who emphasized a blend of scripted outlines and improv elements to enhance comedic timing and spontaneity during rehearsals and shoots. This approach allows performers flexibility within structured scenes, fostering natural delivery while maintaining narrative coherence. Current directing is led by team members such as Jake Van Wagoner. Shores' direction was instrumental in evolving the show's visual style since its inception.[15][25] Key non-cast crew members include BYUtv and Kaleidoscope Pictures producers such as executive producer Luke Johnson, showrunner Jake Van Wagoner, and producer Micah Merrill, who oversee production logistics and ensure alignment with network standards. The show's original theme music, "I Want to Run" by Mates of State, was composed by Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, setting an upbeat tone for the sketches. Following the departure of the original cast after Season 9 in 2018, the writers' room evolved to incorporate new talent, including non-performing writers, to sustain the show's momentum and introduce fresh perspectives; some original contributors like Jason Gray returned temporarily in later seasons.[26][27][28][29] Throughout its run, Studio C has adhered to strict "clean comedy" guidelines, avoiding profanity, sexual content, and other elements prohibited by BYU's Honor Code, which all cast and writers must follow as affiliates of the university-affiliated network. This commitment ensures family-friendly content that resonates with a broad audience while aligning with the show's foundational values.[30]Cast and Crew
Original Cast (Seasons 1–9)
The original cast of Studio C comprised ten performers who formed the show's founding ensemble from its premiere in 2012 through Season 9 in 2019. Most members emerged from Brigham Young University's (BYU) longstanding sketch comedy troupe, Divine Comedy, where they honed their improvisational and writing skills during their college years. This group, led by head writer and performer Matt Meese, established the series' hallmark style of clean, family-friendly humor through relatable, character-driven sketches that often drew from everyday absurdities and pop culture parodies.[31][15] The core cast included:| Member | Role and Background |
|---|---|
| Matt Meese | Head writer and performer; BYU psychology graduate (BS '09) and Divine Comedy mainstay who created iconic characters like the indestructible athlete Scott Sterling, featured in viral sketches that amassed over 100 million YouTube views collectively.[32][19] |
| Mallory Everton | Performer and writer; BYU film graduate who contributed musical sketches and portrayed recurring roles such as Lady Shadow, bringing a sharp, versatile edge to ensemble dynamics.[33][34] |
| Jason Gray | Performer; Former Divine Comedy member known for physical comedy and straight-man roles in sketches.[33] |
| Natalie Madsen | Performer; BYU alumna from Divine Comedy, often cast in quirky supporting roles that highlighted the group's improvisational roots.[33][35] |
| Stacey Harkey | Performer; Divine Comedy veteran who excelled in ensemble pieces with his energetic, everyman presence.[33] |
| Whitney Call | Performer; Portrayed memorable characters like the book-obsessed librarian Ann Withers, whose sketches emphasized witty wordplay.[33] |
| Stephen Meek | Performer; BYU media arts background, contributing to technical and comedic reliability in group scenes.[33] |
| James Perry | Performer; Skilled in character voices and physical humor, drawing from Divine Comedy experience.[33] |
| Adam Berg | Performer; Early Divine Comedy collaborator who added depth to narrative-driven sketches.[33] |
| Jeremy Warner | Performer and occasional director; BYU film graduate from Divine Comedy, known for versatile supporting performances.[33][36] |