Ben Stiller, Mike Judge Team for Apple TV Comedy Series ‘Protective Custody’
Ben Stiller and Mike Judge are developing a comedy series at Apple TV, Variety has learned.
Currently titled “Protective Custody,” the series would star Stiller as a “a disgraced financier accused of massive fraud who is thrown into protective custody, where he must navigate prison politics, salvage his reputation, and confront the consequences of his actions while awaiting trial,” per the official logline.
Judge (“Silicon Valley,” “King of the Hill”) is co-writing the series along with Steve Hely (“Common Side Effects,” “Veep,” “The Office”) and Dave King (“Parks and Recreation,” “English Teacher”). All three are executive producers and co-showrunners, with Judge also attached to direct. Stiller will executive produce in addition to starring via Red Hour. John Lesher of Red Hour also executive produces, as does Ben Silverman, Howard Owens, and Rodney Ferrell of Propagate Content. Michael Rotenberg and Oly Obst executive produce for 3 Arts Entertainment. Nanette Burstein will executive produce as well.
Should “Protective Custody” get ordered to series, it would be the second Apple TV starring role for Stiller. He is also set to star in the series “The Off Weeks” at the streaming arm of the tech company. He is an executive producer on the hit series “Severance” at Apple TV as well, which is currently prepping its second season. Other projects include the documentary “Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost” and the upcoming feature comedy “The Dink.”
Judge, Hely, and King currently collaborate on the Adult Swim series “Common Side Effects,” which aired its first season in 2025 and is currently preparing its second.
Stiller is repped by WME, ID and Sloane Offer. Judge is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and Morris Yorn. King is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis. Hely is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.
Currently titled “Protective Custody,” the series would star Stiller as a “a disgraced financier accused of massive fraud who is thrown into protective custody, where he must navigate prison politics, salvage his reputation, and confront the consequences of his actions while awaiting trial,” per the official logline.
Judge (“Silicon Valley,” “King of the Hill”) is co-writing the series along with Steve Hely (“Common Side Effects,” “Veep,” “The Office”) and Dave King (“Parks and Recreation,” “English Teacher”). All three are executive producers and co-showrunners, with Judge also attached to direct. Stiller will executive produce in addition to starring via Red Hour. John Lesher of Red Hour also executive produces, as does Ben Silverman, Howard Owens, and Rodney Ferrell of Propagate Content. Michael Rotenberg and Oly Obst executive produce for 3 Arts Entertainment. Nanette Burstein will executive produce as well.
Should “Protective Custody” get ordered to series, it would be the second Apple TV starring role for Stiller. He is also set to star in the series “The Off Weeks” at the streaming arm of the tech company. He is an executive producer on the hit series “Severance” at Apple TV as well, which is currently prepping its second season. Other projects include the documentary “Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost” and the upcoming feature comedy “The Dink.”
Judge, Hely, and King currently collaborate on the Adult Swim series “Common Side Effects,” which aired its first season in 2025 and is currently preparing its second.
Stiller is repped by WME, ID and Sloane Offer. Judge is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and Morris Yorn. King is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis. Hely is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.