Emmy�-Nominated HBO Comedy Series Flight of the Conchords Kicks Off Second Season Jan. 18

December 18, 2008

Transplanted New Zealanders Jemaine and Bret live on New York City's Lower East Side and split their time between seeking venues where they can perform and awkwardly courting women. Sometimes finding it easier to express themselves with music, they're apt to break into song at a moment's notice.

Starring the New Zealand music-comedy duo of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, the ten-episode second season of HBO's Emmy�-nominated comedy series Flight of the Conchords debuts SUNDAY, JAN. 18 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT). Co-created by James Bobin, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, the new episodes debut immediately following new episodes of "Big Love."

Over the course of the new season, Bret and Jemaine resort to a variety of unconventional strategies in an attempt to jump-start their lives and career, including: taking desperate measures to pay the bills; starting up a gang; and even dating an Australian � a taboo in New Zealand. Their efforts rarely yield dividends, but do spawn new tunes about life, love and the pursuit of an elusive music video.

Among the familiar faces rejoining Jemaine and Bret for the second season of Flight of the Conchords are: Murray (Rhys Darby), who still works at the bare-bones New Zealand consulate and serves as their inept manager; Mel (Kristen Schaal), their married, obsessive fan, and Doug (David Costabile), her long-suffering husband; their friend Dave (Arj Barker), who works at a pawn shop and lives with his parents; and Eugene (Eugene Mirman), their meddling landlord. Among the guest stars in the new season are Seymour Cassel, Jim Gaffigan, Greg Proops and Kristen Wiig.

January's episodes:

Episode #13: "A Good Opportunity" Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 18 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT) Other HBO playdates: Jan. 19 (9:00 p.m., 1:35 a.m.) and 22 (midnight) HBO2 playdates: Jan. 18 (11:00 p.m.), 19 (5:30 p.m.), 20 (6:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 22 (2:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 24 (5:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m.), 25 (3:00 p.m., 11:30 p.m.) and 27 (10:30 p.m.)

After rejecting Murray for spending too much time with another band, Bret and Jemaine have success managing themselves and land a deal to record an ad jingle. Dave shares his "double-down" deal strategy. Written by James Bobin & Jemaine Clement & Bret McKenzie; directed by James Bobin.

Episode #14: "The New Cup" Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 25 (10:05-10:35 p.m.) Other HBO playdates: Jan. 26 (9:00 p.m., 2:20 a.m.) and 29 (midnight) HBO2 playdates: Jan. 25 (11:30 p.m.), 26 (5:00 p.m.), 27 (6:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 29 (11:30 a.m., 8:00 p.m.) and 31 (4:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m.)

Bret and Jemaine's fortunes unravel after Bret buys a new tea cup. With emergency band funds unavailable, Jemaine takes desperate measures in hopes of supplementing their income. Written by Duncan Sarkies; directed by James Bobin.

HBO is partnering with Funny or Die (funnyordie.com) to provide a sneak peek of the second season's first episode, which will be available on Funny or Die through Sunday, Dec. 21.

The 2007 debut season of Flight of the Conchords sparked critical raves, with the New York Times calling the show "very funny" and "deliciously absurd." Rolling Stone hailed it as "hilarious," while the San Francisco Chronicle termed it "the funniest thing you've seen in ages," as well as "brilliant," and the Detroit Free Press noted that the show is "charming and rambunctiously clever."

The show received four Emmy� nominations in 2008, including Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (James Bobin) and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (James Bobin, Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie).

Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie first teamed up in 1998, performing briefly under the names Moustache and Vested Interest before becoming Flight of the Conchords, which came from a dream of McKenzie's about Concorde airplanes. Earning a worldwide cult following through their live performances, the duo was named Best Alternative Comedy Act at the 2005 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, and Best Newcomer at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and was nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Flight of the Conchords released the live album "Folk the World" in 2002, and headlined a six-part BBC Radio 2 series, which won a Sony UK Comedy Award. They made their HBO debut in 2005 on their own edition of "One Night Stand."

In February 2008, Flight of the Conchords received the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for "The Distant Future." Their subsequent self-titled album entered the U.S. charts at number three, and recently received a Grammy nomination in the Best Comedy Album category.

The executive producers of Flight of the Conchords are Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie, James Bobin, Troy Miller and Stu Smiley; co-executive producer, Tracey Baird; consulting producer, Paul Simms.