Joel McHale returns to the network comedy with Animal Control

Community’s Joel McHale will soon lead another television comedy series as he boards Fox’s Animal Control. The Moodys’ Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg, and Dan Sterling created Animal Control with McHale in mind for the lead as the “opinionated, eccentric Animal Control officer” named Frank.

“Me, my beard, hair, hair-gel, and my 74 teeth are very excited about this show,” McHale writes on Twitter.

The straight-to-series single-camera workplace comedy follows a group of local Animal Control workers and their misadventures dealing with animals—and people. Per Deadline’s description, Frank “may not have gone to college but is still the most well-read person in the room. A former cop, Frank tried to expose corruption in his department, but his efforts got him fired, which may explain why he’s so cynical and curmudgeonly. He has an almost superhuman ability to understand animals. Humans… not so much.” No other casting decisions have been announced.

“Joel’s acerbic wit and ability to bring a comedic lens to everything he’s involved with make him the perfect person to bring Frank to life,” Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment of Fox Entertainment, says in a statement.

This marks a big return to the network TV comedy for McHale, who made his name playing Jeff Winger on the sitcom Community. McHale’s currently slated to reprise his lead role for the forthcoming Community spin-off movie, which has been years in the making.

Animal Control is the second show McHale’s leading over as Fox, as he currently hosts the culinary game show Crime Scene Kitchen. The new series only strengthens his connection to the network. McHale will executive produce the series with Fisher, Greenberg, and Sterling, as well as Tad Quill (Scrubs).