Comedy Invasion alums reunite for vertical series Unleeshed
Comedy Invasion alums Alisha Dhillon and Quentin Lee are reuniting to co-create Unleeshed, a vertical comedy series set to premiere worldwide on Asian American Movies (AAM.tv) for Thanksgiving 2026. Dhillon writes and stars in the Los Angeles standup and roast-battle story, produced through Lee's Margin Films, with principal photography beginning in August. The Canadian Screen Award-winning collaborators are adapting Dhillon's pilot into the streamer's first original vertical series, with a worldwide November debut.
Key Takeaways
- Alisha Dhillon and Quentin Lee, both alumni of the award-winning series Comedy Invasion, are co-creating the vertical series Unleeshed.
- The show follows a South Asian standup comic juggling caretaking, self-doubt, and Los Angeles roast battles.
- Season one will debut worldwide on AAM.tv in November 2026 as the platform's inaugural original vertical series.
- Principal photography begins in August 2026 through Lee's Margin Films banner.
- Dhillon previously wrote and starred in the Comedy Invasion episode Woman of Ganja, which won Best Comedy Special at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards.
What Is 'Unleeshed' About?
Dhillon wrote and stars in Unleeshed, which unfolds in the Los Angeles world of standup comedy and roast battles. Season one follows a South Asian standup comic and aspiring actor who puts her ambitions on hold to look after her ailing father back home, only to discover her hardest fight is not landing jokes but quieting the self-doubt convinced she will never measure up.
"I wrote 'Unleeshed' to remind myself and others that confidence is built through action and our biggest limits are self-made," Dhillon told Variety. "I hope people see themselves in Alisha and discover that even life's toughest moments can hold something worth laughing about."
When Will 'Unleeshed' Premiere on AAM.tv?
Dhillon and Lee are producing Unleeshed through Lee's Margin Films, with principal photography set to begin in August. The completed first season will serve as AAM.tv's inaugural original vertical series, debuting worldwide as exclusive programming in November.
The platform launch is timed for Thanksgiving 2026, according to Variety's exclusive report. AAM.tv can be accessed via iOS, Android, or Roku and offers a curated lineup of diasporic Asian films, documentaries, shorts, and series from around the world.
How Did 'Comedy Invasion' Lead to This Reunion?
Dhillon previously starred in and wrote the Comedy Invasion episode "Woman of Ganja," which Lee created and directed. That episode won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Special in 2024.
Comedy Invasion, which first premiered on November 29, 2022, features half-hour sets from breakout Canadian comics from disabled, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and female communities. The series streams on AAM.tv, Amazon Freevee, The Roku Channel, and Tubi.
Lee, who serves as co-creator, executive producer, and director, said he fell in love with the world Dhillon created from her lived experiences. With the rapid rise of vertical storytelling, he saw an opportunity to adapt the pilot into a proof-of-concept first season for future installments.
Who Are the Creators Behind 'Unleeshed'?
Dhillon's standup credentials include finalist honors at the 2025 San Francisco Comedy Competition and a runner-up finish at the Rooster T. Feathers Comedy Competition. She has also performed at SF Sketchfest, JFL Northwest, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and reigns as the Bay Area's Roast Battle champion.
Lee's directing and producing credits span more than 10 features and four television series, including Comedy Invasion. He launched Margin Films in Los Angeles in 1996, and the company turns 30 this year.
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