Joel McHale can’t stop worrying about the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl journey.
Even simply asking, “How’s your day going?,” provokes him to respond with: “You know, other than my elevated heart rate at all times due to Seattle sports-related events, I’m pretty good.”
We spoke to McHale before the Seahawks’ victory over the Los Angeles Rams, too, so he’s almost certainly paralytic with nerves ahead of their Super Bowl rematch against the New England Patriots on Sunday.
It’s somewhat of a surprise to hear McHale being so worked up over … well, anything. “The Great Indoors” and “Community” actor and comedian has perfected playing smooth-talking, arrogant, seemingly cool characters who are always charming but deep down are vulnerable.
Since 2023, McHale has been playing such a character, Frank Shaw, in “Animal Control,” a Fox comedy about a group of animal control workers in Seattle, which is where he just so happens to have been raised. Frank has been as sarcastic and witty as we have come to expect from McHale, but as the series has progressed, we’ve learned how self-conscious and depressed he can be, too. The series, full of laughs, mishaps and camaraderie, is now in its fourth season, with new episodes premiering on Thursdays.
“I think ‘Animal Control’ works because it’s not denying my age,” McHale says when asked why the show has struck such a chord with viewers. “Frank is a single man in his 50s who is in crisis, and I love that the supporting characters are constantly needling my character about his age.”
It’s not just Frank who’s portrayed in a refreshingly honest fashion. McHale points to the complex, burgeoning romantic relationship between Fred Taylor (Michael Rowland) and Emily Price (Vella Lovell), which is complicated by her being his boss, as well as Amit Patel’s (Ravi V. Patel) struggles at home, particularly when it comes to paying for his daughter’s school. There’s also one extra ingredient that makes “Animal Control” stand out against its sitcom rivals: “We have camels. We have the highest camel ratio, I think, on any show,” boasts McHale. “The camel’s name is Mayhem, by the way, and he lives in Alberta.”
The television landscape has changed dramatically since McHale first shot to prominence as Jeff Winger on “Community” back in 2009. While the first season of “Community” debuted with 25 episodes, “Animal Control” has only amassed 41 episodes over its entire four-season run, as networks have responded to the dominance of streaming services like Netflix.
McHale can’t help but get nostalgic when the topic of “Community” comes up.
“We had a terrible time slot. I mean, we were on Thursdays up against ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ But we had a small and productive following. It’s only grown thanks to Netflix and Hulu.”
McHale points to the continued streaming success of the likes of “Community,” “The Office,” “Friends” and “Suits” as proof that “if the show is good, audiences will just hang with it,” even if they are several decades old. “They are all watched to this day by young and old people over and over and over again.”
Since “Animal Control” just joined Netflix, McHale is hopeful that it’ll find an even bigger audience, especially since he feels like the writers and actors have found the pitch-perfect rhythm of the comedy.
“I think it’s our best season yet. If we get a Season 5, I’m very excited, because we all have a common language now. The writing has gotten really good. I’m really grateful that, at 54, I get to go to work, tell jokes, hang out with people I like and do fun things, like riding camels.”
With Gerry Dee having become a bigger part of the cast in Season 4, which allows his character Templeton Dudge’s feud with Frank to get even more intense, McHale is hopeful that “Animal Control” can reach even greater heights.
“Gerry is a genius and a Canadian treasure. I love that we are pushing the competition between us. Then we have the incredible Kyla Pratt who has joined us. It’s wonderful to have this new villain.”
Despite his huge success, McHale still gets very excited and even a little intimidated at the prospect of proving himself. At the end of February, he’ll be seen in the new “Scream” film, and while he was initially anxious about joining such a beloved horror franchise, he ultimately couldn’t resist.
“I remember thinking, ‘This is something I never expected.’ But I had a blast. Neve Campbell and Kevin Williamson were dreams to work with. I still can’t believe that I’m being hired at my age.”
But while he might have to work hard to subdue his nerves before productions begin, he’s very aware that being on set is ultimately very good for him.
“I have really crazy ADHD and anxiety. Acting is my medicine and therapy. Whenever I’m not working, my wife is, like, ‘Go work, you crazy man!’ If I get to do this until I drop dead, I will. All I’ve ever wanted to do is perform. It’s a blessing and a curse, because if I wasn’t able to do it, I’d truly be a miserable human being.”
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