HBO Europe has ordered the 10-part Spanish comedy series Whatever (Por H o Por B) from Spanish writer and director Manuela Burló Moreno, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series follows two childhood friends, Hache and Belén (from Manuela Burló Moreno’s Goya-nominated short film Pipas), played by Marta Martin (Verguenza) and Saida Benzal (Seis Hermanas) respectively, who move from the outskirts of the city and become roommates in downtown Madrid. The inevitable cultural shock leads them to some hilarious and awkward consequences while they explore their friendship and their new “fake” world.
The cast also includes Brays Efe (Paquita Salas), Itziar Castro (Vis a Vis), Javier Bodalo (Matadero), and Fernando Albizu (Love in Difficult Times).
The executive producers are Jorge Pezzi (Lacoproductora) and Javier Pons (Globomedia). Miguel Salvat, Steve Matthews, and Antony Root are the executive produce for HBO Europe.
According to Moreno “Por H o Por B shows the reality of that extra layer we all wear to try to fulfill our sense of belonging, although we all know that the best thing is to be our true selves.” “The series is about the search and need to belong, and the thin line between what’s cool and what’s not. All this through the main character’s eyes, two girls from Parla who will do their best to survive in the most hipster neighborhood of the capital,” Moreno added.
HBO España’s commissioning editor of original programming, Miguel Salvat, said: “In Por H o Por B we’re diving into the culture of appearances, ephemeral trends and things that confound us daily that we don’t dare to question. It’s a story of two fish out of water, culture clashes, being awkward — or not caring about being awkward — about identity and the need to belong. Manuela has lived many of the situations we will see. She knows what she’s talking about and how to tell this story. There are many Malasañas around the world. Por H o Por B is universal and local at the same time. A fresh new voice is arriving to HBO.”
HBO Europe’s executive vp programming and production Antony Root, added: “We’re excited to have Manuela bring her original perspective and vision for this series to HBO Europe. In Por H o Por B she’s created a comedy and characters that will be recognizable and relatable for our audiences both in Spain and beyond. It’s the perfect addition to our burgeoning Spanish originals slate, which boasts an incredible range of local voices and a broad mix of genres — we’re confident audiences of all tastes will have a favorite amongst them.”
The series has begun production in Madrid and will premiere simultaneously across all HBO Europe’s 21 territories.