Baskets (TV series)

Did You Know?

• Chip Baskets aims to become a professional clown but fails to get a degree at a prestigious clowning school in Paris.
• Rotten Tomatoes gives the first season a 70% approval rating with an average score of 7.4 out of 10.
• On Metacritic, the first season holds a score of 68 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews.

Cast

Zach Galifianakis portrays Chip Baskets, a classically trained clown who returns to Bakersfield, California, to work as a rodeo clown, and his twin brother Dale Everett Baskets, the dean and founder of a local vocational college and a married father of two. Martha Kelly plays Martha Brooks, Chip's auto insurance agent at Costco and his closest friend despite his rude treatment. Louie Anderson appears as Christine Baskets, mother of Chip and Dale and of two adopted twins, Cody and Logan. Sabina Sciubba plays Penelope, Chip's French wife who married him for a green card to pursue a singing career. Ernest Adams portrays Eddie, owner and manager of the Buckaroo Rodeo. Garry and Jason Clemmons play Cody and Logan Baskets, Christine's adopted twin sons. Ellen D. Williams is Nicole Baskets, Dale's wife. Malia Pyles and Julia Rose Gruenberg play Dale's daughters Sarah and Crystal. Ivy Jones appears as Grandma, Christine's mother. Adam Zastrow and Tommy Snider portray Jode, a juggalo and Arby's manager. Maree Cheatham plays Maggie, Christine's friend. Alex Morris portrays Ken, a carpet supply company owner and Christine's boyfriend. Mary Wiseman plays Trinity, a busking clown. Peter Jason appears as Jim, Chip and Dale's uncle. Ryun Yu plays Daniel, a reverend. Andrea Marcovicci portrays Tammy Nielman Zemonski, a life coach. Anna Konkle plays Anita, a realtor.

Production

In December 2013, Louis C.K.'s company Pig Newton struck a deal with FX to develop new series. The network then ordered a pilot for Baskets, co-written by C.K. and Zach Galifianakis, who also starred. FX greenlit a ten-episode first season in August 2014, with production beginning the following year. Following C.K.'s admission to sexual misconduct in November 2017, FX terminated its overall deal with him and Pig Newton, removing him from all future seasons. The show used concepts Galifianakis had originally created for Between Two Ferns: The Movie but later cut. Galifianakis credited French clown master Philippe Gaulier and his school as key influences.