Jake Johnson Is Having a Major TV Moment With Three New Shows

Jake Johnson is starring in three new television series, according to a report from Variety. The 'New Girl' veteran is currently headlining projects for Apple TV+, NBC, and Hulu, signaling a major career upswing.

He is starring in the Apple TV+ thriller "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" opposite Tatiana Maslany, the upcoming NBC comedy "Sunset P.I." where he plays a private investigator, and the Hulu pilot "Cable Guy," inspired by the Jim Carrey film of the same name. This flurry of television work coincides with the release of his new film, "The Dink," on Apple TV+ on July 24, 2026.

What are Jake Johnson's new TV shows?

According to Variety, Johnson's three TV projects are in various stages. "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" is described as a cheeky thriller on Apple TV+ that has already drawn critical praise. The "Cable Guy" pilot for Hulu, which Johnson is doing with his former 'New Girl' co-star Damon Wayans Jr., is inspired by the 1996 film.

What is 'The Dink' about?

His immediate focus is the film "The Dink," directed by Josh Greenbaum. Johnson plays Dusty Boyd, an aging tennis pro at his father's country club who is still living off the memory of a teenage match he lost to Andy Roddick. Through bizarre circumstances, he gets drawn into a pickleball quartet of older women and develops a crush on their ringleader, played by Mary Steenburgen. The cast also includes Ed Harris, Chloe Fineman, Patton Oswalt, and Ben Stiller.

Johnson told Variety the project began independently. "I want to make something big, funny and ridiculous with big set pieces," he said. "I feel like that mid-level comedy movie has gone away, where there’s no big message or crazy surprise, it’s just really good jokes, one-liners and some heart in a three-act story." The film was later acquired by Apple.

How does he view his current career phase?

Johnson reflected on the changing industry landscape, contrasting it with his time on the hit sitcom 'New Girl.' He acknowledged that the era of massive syndication residuals is over but sees a new opportunity. "What I appreciate about this era," he said, "is that currently I’m on 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed,' I’m on 'Sunset P.I.'... and me and Damon are doing 'Cable Guy.'" He characterized this period as being "booked and busy."