COMEDY SERIES "VICE PRINCIPALS," STARRING DANNY MCBRIDE AND WALTON GOGGINS, DEBUTS JULY 17 ON HBO

When the longtime principal of a suburban high school steps down, ambitious vice principals Neal Gamby and Lee Russell both set their sights on the vacated top spot - only to see new rival Dr. Belinda Brown enter the picture. Putting their mutual disdain aside, these bitter antagonists form an unholy alliance to bring down the outsider by any means necessary.

Created by Danny R. McBride and Jody Hill, who also created HBO's "Eastbound & Down," along with Ben Best, VICE PRINCIPALS tells the story of North Jackson High School and the two people who almost run it, the vice principals. McBride ("Eastbound & Down," "This Is the End") and Walton Goggins (Emmy(R) nominee for "Justified"; "The Hateful Eight") star as the school administrators, who are in an epic power struggle, vying for the top spot: to be school principal. Joining McBride and Hill as executive producer and director is longtime collaborator David Gordon Green.

Winner of the 2016 Audience Award at South by Southwest, the dark comedy series kicks off its nine-episode first season SUNDAY, JULY 17 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), with other new episodes debuting subsequent Sundays, exclusively on HBO. Told over the course of a single school year, the first season takes place during the fall, with the second season to cover the spring term.

"Finally, a tale of the unsung hero in every child's education," says McBride. "No one will look at high school administrators the same again."

"Knowing that Danny and Jody were going to be bringing Neal Gamby and Lee Russell into the world made retiring Kenny Powers a little bit easier," observes Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming. "Nobody else creates characters like these two. We are so proud that HBO is their home and we can't wait for everyone to see their take on high school."

In addition to McBride (Neal Gamby) and Goggins (Lee Russell), VICE PRINCIPALS also stars Kimberly Hébert Gregory ("Devious Maids") as Dr. Belinda Brown; Georgia King ("The New Normal") as English teacher Amanda Snodgrass; Busy Phillips ("Cougar Town") as Gale, Gamby's hot, trashy ex-wife; Shea Whigham (HBO's "Boardwalk Empire") as Ray, Gale's nice-guy new husband; and Sheaun McKinney ("Know Thy Enemy") as cafeteria worker Dayshawn.

Guest stars on the first season include Bill Murray (Oscar(R) nominee for "Lost in Translation") as outgoing Principal Welles; Susan Park ("Fargo") as Christine, Russell's wife; and Maya Love as Janelle, Gamby's daughter.

July's episodes:

Episode #1: "The Principal"

Debut: SUNDAY, JULY 17 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: July 17 (midnight, 2:00 a.m.), 18 (1:50 a.m.), 19 (10:00 p.m.), 20 (4:05 a.m.), 21 (8:30 p.m.) and 23 (4:20 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: July 19 (2:50 a.m.) and 23 (8:30 p.m.)

When the principal of a high school retires, his two vice principals go to extremes to land the vacant job.

Written by Danny R. McBride & Jody Hill; directed by Jody Hill.

Episode #2: "A Trusty Steed"

Debut: SUNDAY, JULY 24 (10:30-11:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: July 24 (midnight, 2:30 a.m.), 25 (4:35 a.m.), 26 (11:00 p.m.), 27 (5:00 a.m), 28 (9:00 p.m.) and 30 (4:00 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: July 26 (2:40 a.m.) and 30 (8:30 p.m.)

Gamby (Danny McBride) and Russell (Walton Goggins) invade Dr. Brown's (Kimberly Hébert Gregory) private space; a school evaluator spooks the vice principals.

Written by Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri; directed by Jody Hill.

Episode #3: "The Field Trip"

Debut: SUNDAY, JULY 31 (10:30-11:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: July 31 (midnight, 2:30 a.m.) and Aug. 1 (2:55 a.m.), 2 (10:15 p.m.), 3 (4:55 a.m), 4 (8:30 p.m.) and 6 (3:50 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Aug. 2 (2:40 a.m.) and 6 (8:30 p.m.)

Gamby (Danny McBride) looks to impress Amanda (Georgia King) on a field trip organized by Mr. Hayden (Mike O'Gorman), a good-guy history teacher.

Written by Danny R. McBride, John Carcieri & Adam Countee; directed by Danny McBride.

The series will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO and HBO On Demand.

Shot in and around Charleston, SC, the first season of VICE PRINCIPALS will be followed by a second season of nine episodes. Rolling Stone has already declared it "the summer's best new comedy," and Entertainment Weekly says that "watching this comedy is homework you'll actually look forward to!"

The executive producers of VICE PRINCIPALS are Danny McBride, Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, Jonathan Watson and Stephanie Laing.