Half-hour comedy from Bell Media’s CTV and New Metric Media, the producers of “Letterkenny” and Chuck Tatham (“Arrested Development,” “Modern Family”), will be available for free on The Roku Channel in the United States.

Roku has also picked up season two of the series, with production kicking off in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario this Spring.

Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU) today announced that season one of Roku Original comedy “Children Ruin Everything” will debut on The Roku Channel in the U.S. on Friday, May 13. Roku has also picked up season two of the series, which will feature double the episodes of season one, at an increased 16, half-hour episode season. Production for season two is to begin this Spring in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario.

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Roku Original "Children Ruin Everything" (Photo: Business Wire)

Created by Golden Globe^® and Emmy^® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (“Schitt’s Creek”), “Children Ruin Everything” is about living with the worst roommates of all: young children. Astrid (Meaghan Rath) and James (Aaron Abrams) struggle to find a balance between being ‘Mom and Dad’ to two kids and being who they were before offspring. “Children Ruin Everything” explores the hilarious and varied ways kids can tear down your life and, if you’re lucky, replace it with something you have to admit is pretty okay, too.

Colin Davis, Head of Scripted Originals, Roku: “It's finally here! Kurt Smeaton, Chuck Tatham and Mark Montefiore have brought us a heart filled comedy with 'Children Ruin Everything.' This story is universal, endearing and audiences will instantly relate with these characters. As the momentum driving Roku Originals continues, it is beyond exciting not only to share season one with audiences, but to also have the opportunity bring it back for a supersized season two on The Roku Channel.”

“Children Ruin Everything” is produced and developed by New Metric Media in association with CTV, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund. Bell Media Distribution is the international rights holder for “Children Ruin Everything”, and New Metric Media is the series’ exclusive International Sales Agent. While airing in Canada, the series was CTV’s #1 new comedy of the 2021-22 broadcast season, and ranked as the biggest debut episode for a Canadian comedy among A25-54 since 2019*.

Kurt Smeaton, Creator, “Children Ruin Everything”: “We have no doubt that audiences on The Roku Channel will immediately connect with Astrid and James as they navigate the hilarious and surprising ways that having kids changes your life. We can’t wait to finally share the series with American audiences and look forward to bringing the talented cast back for more fun and chaos in season two.”

In addition to Rath (“Being Human,” “Hawaii 5-0”) and Abrams (“Blindspot,” “Hannibal”), the series also stars Ennis Esmer (“Blindspot,” “Schitt’s Creek”), Nazneen Contractor (“Ransom,” “Heroes Reborn”), Logan Nicholson (“Blues Clues and You”), Mikayla SwamiNathan, Dmitry Chepovetsky (“Killjoys,” “Departure”), Veena Sood (“Corner Gas Animated,” “The Indian Detective”), Lisa Codrington (“Letterkenny,” “Anne With an E”), and Darius Rota.

Chuck Tatham (“Modern Family,” “Arrested Development,” “How I Met Your Mother”), multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (“Letterkenny,” “Bad Blood”) and Meaghan Rath are executive producers, with Beth Iley (“Killjoys”) serving as producer.

“Children Ruin Everything” joins the expanding slate of Roku Originals. The Roku Channel is the exclusive home of Roku Originals. From award-winning scripted entertainment and engaging documentaries to new breakout unscripted series, Roku Originals gives viewers free access to bold, fresh entertainment from the biggest names in Hollywood. Half of the top 10 on-demand titles by reach on The Roku Channel in 2021 were Roku Originals.

Launched in 2017, The Roku Channel is the home of free and premium entertainment on the Roku platform. In Q4 2021, The Roku Channel reached U.S. households with an estimated 80 million people. The Roku Channel was a top five channel on the Roku platform in the U.S. by active account reach in Q3 and Q4 2021. Today, The Roku Channel features a diverse lineup of more than 80,000 free movies and programs and over 275 free live linear television channels in the U.S. It licenses and distributes content from more than 250 partners. In addition to Roku devices, The Roku Channel is available on Web, iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV and select Samsung TVs and can be accessed internationally in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

For information on “Children Ruin Everything,” visit https://therokuchannel.roku.com.

*Source: Numeris, Total Canada. A25-54, 2021-22 Broadcast-Year-to-Date (Sept. 20, 2021 – Mar. 27, 2022, final data).

About Roku, Inc.

Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. We connect users to the streaming content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Roku streaming players and TV-related audio devices are available in the U.S. and in select countries through direct retail sales and licensing arrangements with service operators. Roku TV™ models are available in the U.S. and in select countries through licensing arrangements with TV brands. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. U.S.A.

This press release contains “forward-looking” statements that are based on our beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to us on the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements include but are not limited to the content, benefits, timing and availability of Children Ruin Everything and other Roku Originals on The Roku Channel; trends related to TV streaming; and the features, benefits, growth and reach of The Roku Channel and the Roku platform. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially are detailed from time to time in the reports Roku, Inc. files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on Roku’s website and are available from Roku without charge.

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