HBO Bored to Death

New HBO show starring Jason Schwartzman,Ted Danson, and Zach Galifianakis.

Jonathan Ames, a young Brooklyn writer, is feeling lost. He's just gone through a painful break-up, thanks in part to his drinking, can't write his second novel, and carouses too much with his magazine editor. Rather than face reality, Jonathan turns instead to his fantasies - moonlighting as a private detective - because he wants to be a hero and a man of action.

The offbeat comedy series BORED TO DEATH kicks off its eight-episode first season SUNDAY, SEPT. 20 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, followed by other half-hour episodes debuting on subsequent Sundays at the same time. Created by Jonathan Ames (author of several books, including the acclaimed graphic novel "The Alcoholic"), the show follows the misadventures of a fictional Jonathan Ames as he pursues his quixotic dream of emulating his heroes from classic private detective novels.

BORED TO DEATH stars Jason Schwartzman ("The Darjeeling Limited") as Jonathan Ames; Ted Danson ("Damages," HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm") as George Christopher, a high-profile magazine editor and Jonathan's boss; and Zach Galifianakis ("The Hangover") as comic book illustrator Ray Hueston, Jonathan's confidant. Guest stars on the first season include Olivia Thirlby, Heather Burns, Kirsten Wiig, Parker Posey, Bebe Neuwirth, Oliver Platt, Patton Oswalt and John Hodgman.

Mixing noir mystery and neurotic humor, BORED TO DEATH opens with Jonathan's girlfriend, Suzanne (Olivia Thirlby), moving out of their apartment in Brooklyn, on the grounds that Jonathan devotes too much time to smoking pot and drinking white wine instead of focusing on his writing and their relationship. As Jonathan returns to his empty apartment, a neighbor who witnessed the parting suggests he look for a rebound date on Craigslist.

After sifting through his abundant supply of noir suspense novels, Jonathan idly decides to offer his services as a private detective on the site instead. As responses to Jonathan's Craigslist post roll in, he begins taking cases - and usually finds himself injecting his own personal problems into his client's situation.

Jonathan's needy boss, magazine editor George Christopher, frequently interferes with his newfound career, forcing him to work his cases in increasingly ludicrous ways. Jonathan also meets regularly with his best friend Ray, a struggling graphic artist who does his best to advise him, but can barely keep his own life together.