While there are pretty much never any guarantees when it comes to the types of stories that will capture the attention of an audience, it’s still very true that tales which involve true crime or sex are generally good bets. Now, Hulu is diving into both of those wells again after its success with Pam & Tommy earlier this year with the Kumail Nanjiani series, Welcome to Chippendales. The upcoming show is set to cover the crime-filled true story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee’s Indian immigrant experience, and how he ended up founding the Chippendales revue.
Whether you’ve been waiting for more information on this shocking story, or this is the first you’ve heard of the new show, we now have a number of quick things you should know about the series before its debut!
Welcome To Chippendales Will Have Eight Episodes
If you were hoping to spend several seasons uncovering the dramatic story of the famed male dancers, you will be a bit disappointed to know that the fast-approaching show is a limited series (which was originally developed under the title Immigrant), and is set to have only eight episodes, according to Deadline. Luckily, though, this does mean that the action should unfold at a pace that will make you want to devour the thing one episode right after the other.
It Will Premiere On November 22
I wasn’t kidding when I noted that Welcome to Chippendales is coming to the small screen soon, as the series is less than a month away as of this writing and will premiere on November 22. This was announced with the arrival of the full trailer in mid-October 2022, and we’ll get more into that look at the show a bit later. E! News has noted that the first two episodes will hit Hulu at the same time, but that hasn’t been confirmed by the streamer yet.
The True Crime Series Focuses On The Founding Of The Famed Male Stripper Revue
As noted above, the upcoming series focuses on Somen “Steve” Banerjee, and how the Indian immigrant founded what would go on to become the most famous revue featuring male strippers, a story which actor Murray Bartlett has already dubbed an “unexpected true crime story on steroids” in a chat with E! News. The “sprawling true-crime saga” will detail how Banerjee “let nothing stand in his way in the process” of turning his creation into a worldwide phenomenon, and how his work eventually led to him pleading guilty to arson and racketeering charges, including arranging the murder of a business associate.
The Drama Stars Kumail Nanjiani, Murray Bartlett, Juliette Lewis, Dan Stevens, And Many More
This series is going to be filled to its bow-tied collar with recognizable stars, who’ve signed on to play a number of real life figures. Eternals and Obi-Wan Kenobi star Kumail Nanjiani returns to television after his six-season stint on Silicon Valley to play the troupe’s founder, while the previously mentioned Bartlett (who recently won an Emmy for his work on HBO’s The White Lotus) is also a series regular, and was tapped to play award-winning producer/choreographer Nick De Noia, whose work helped the dance show become one of the world’s best known.
Also on board are Annaleigh Ashford, a Tony Award winner who recently starred on the CBS sitcom, B Positive, and will play Banerjee’s accountant wife, Irene, in a series regular role. Yellowjackets’ Juliette Lewis is set to portray Denise, who starts as a club regular but becomes a major player behind the scenes of the business, while Dan Stevens (Legion, Downton Abbey) will appear as “hustler and serial schmoozer” Paul Snider, who helps the club get off the ground.
Other recurring/guest stars include Andrew Rannells (Girls5Eva, Black Monday), Roswell, New Mexico’s Quention Plair, Nicola Peltz Beckham (Bates Motel), triple Tony nominee Robin De Jesús (who starred in Netflix’s The Boys in the Band), and Lab Rats star Spencer Boldman.
Welcome To Chippendales Was Created By Pam & Tommy’s Robert Siegel
The new limited series has some impressive talent that worked behind the scenes, as well. This show was created by Pam & Tommy’s Robert Siegel, who is executive producing along with star Nanjiani, and also acts as co-showrunner with Jenni Konner (Girls, Single Drunk Female). Additional producers include WandaVision’s Matt Shakman (who is also directing), Emily V. Gordon (The Big Sick), and Nurse Jackie’s Rajiv Joseph, who is writing along with Mehar Sethi (Robot Chicken).
Kumail Nanjiani Said His Character Doesn’t Understand ‘The Importance Of Morality’
If you’re wondering what it was like for Nanjiani to attempt to get inside the mind of someone who sought, and achieved, great success and soon found himself going down a very dark path, the actor admitted to not being able to find a lot of information on the real life entrepreneur he portrays. But, after digging into the scripts, he was able to nail down Banerjee’s motivations, and told Entertainment Weekly:
He's a guy who's not emotionally mature, and that can be a very dangerous thing. That can be a very violent thing, but there is also an innocence to it. If you look at some real-life characters who we would look back and consider evil, there is actually a childlike quality to them. Part of it is not understanding the importance of morality.
I can’t wait to see Nanjiani bring this man and part of his intense story to life!
You Can Watch The Welcome To Chippendales Trailer Now
If you’ve liked what you’ve heard so far about the series, you’re probably wondering if you can take a look at any of it to continue to pique your interest in the project. Well, lucky for you, there is a full trailer that shows off some of the action that viewers will be treated to when the show finally hits our screens in late November. Take a look!
This certainly seems like a series that will be able to capture the attention of those who find true crime stories intriguing, along with anyone who likes dark tales of the lengths people sometimes go to in order to make their dreams a reality. Stream Welcome to Chippendales with your Hulu subscription when the show premieres on November 22.
