Dropout Orders MP3, Its First Scripted Live-Action Series Since Rebrand

Dropout has ordered MP3, its first new original scripted live-action series since rebranding from CollegeHumor to Dropout, according to Variety. MP3 is a three-episode spoof of the music video countdown, the old chart-show format that ranks the week's clips and plays them in order. This version keeps the ranking and the videos but plays both for laughs. It will stream on Dropout's comedy streaming service in November.

The run is short and spaced out. It debuts on 4 Nov, with new episodes arriving every two weeks. That fortnightly rhythm stretches three shows across four weeks. The third and final episode lands on 2 Dec.

Jeremy Culhane leads the cast as host Dane Cartel. Paul F. Tompkins plays producer Thomas Cartel, the show's producer. They are joined by two co-hosts, Dr Muse-Tina, played by Skye Townsend, and Chia, played by Aparna Nancherla.

Each episode centres on three new absurd music videos. The performers include Dropout comedians Lou Wilson, Lily Du and Katie Marovitch. The scripts and songs come from the same pair, writers Zach Reino and Jess McKenna, who also compose the show's music.

Viewers will be able to hear the jokes again after broadcast. Each song featured in the show will be released on music streaming platforms once its episode has premiered. That staggered release, episode first and single second, lets the audience rewatch, relisten and share.

The order is a return in one sense. Dropout is stepping back into live-action scripted programming, meaning shows with written scenes performed on camera, after a seven-year break. During that gap the service specialised in unscripted comedy, shows built around games, improvisation and panels rather than scripts, alongside a few animated scripted projects.

Dropout is the subscription video platform from the team behind CollegeHumor. It launched in 2018 and focuses primarily on unscripted comedy shows, according to Dropout. A subscription costs $6.99 per month.

For fans, this means a short appointment to keep. Three episodes, nine new songs and a new host team to meet across November into December. It is a countdown where the numbers matter less than the punchlines.