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A philosophical dog takes center stage in today's "Trailer of the Day" for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
The festival is highlighting "Downward Dog," a new sitcom in development for ABC. Creators Michael Killen and Samm Hodges have adapted their web series, which featured short observations of life by a dog named Martin.
For the TV series, Martin is a shelter dog adopted by Nan (Allison Tolman, from the "Fargo" TV series), a neurotic millennial with an obnoxious boss (Barry Rothbart), an off-and-on relationship with a guy (Lucas Neff) and other first-world problems. Martin ponders Nan's problems, and his own, in monologues to the camera (in Hodges' voice), that only the audience hears.
The show is set to debut on ABC next spring, though no premiere date has been set.
As part of Sundance's Special Events sidebar, the festival will screen four episodes of the new series, followed by an extended Q&A with the cast, creators and showrunners. The screenings are:
• Sunday, Jan. 22, 11:15 a.m., Egyptian Theatre, Park City.
• Tuesday, Jan. 24, 9 p.m., Salt Lake City Library Theatre.
The 2017 Sundance Film Festival runs Jan. 19-29 in Park City and at venues in Salt Lake City and the Sundance resort in Provo Canyon.