HBO Sets Scam Comedy Series With Oobah Butler
A24 produces the unscripted series, which follows Butler's schemes that bend online reviews, personas and fake companies.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Marketing
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HBO has set a new unscripted series, 'Scams for a Better Tomorrow,' created by Oobah Butler and produced by A24 with Abso Lutely Productions and Central. It is A24's fourth unscripted series with HBO.
Why it matters
The series centers on Butler's past stunts, including a fake London restaurant that became the city's No. 1-rated dining establishment on TripAdvisor. Its trailer, featuring a mock skincare brand whose serum is made of children's tears, shows how the format targets influencers, consumers and investors.
The series marks A24's fourth unscripted project with HBO, following Butler's London restaurant stunt that reached the No. 1 rating on TripAdvisor. No premiere date or episode count has been announced.
The players
Oobah Butler
Oobah Butler is a British writer and comedian known for staged internet hoaxes, including a fake London restaurant that topped TripAdvisor.
HBO
HBO is the American premium cable and streaming network that commissioned the series and has long produced prestige and documentary-style programming.
A24
A24 is an American independent film and television company known for distinctive genre and auteur-driven projects, producing this series for HBO.
The details
Butler hatches schemes by gaming online reviews, assuming made-up personas and launching fake companies with bogus backstories. Executive producers Dave Kneebone and Janel Kranking join Butler, with the series directed by Daniel Lucchesi.
Timeline
2021: Butler became co-host of 'Catfish UK.'
2026: Butler released 'How To Trick Your Way Onto The Property Ladder' on Channel 4.
November 5, 2026: Announcement of the HBO series was published.
Market Landscape
The series follows Butler's earlier TripAdvisor restaurant hoax, which exposed how easily online review platforms can be gamed by fabricated businesses. Premium networks are now adapting that style of consumer-facing deception into mainstream unscripted programming.
Viewers can expect a streaming release on HBO, though no date has been confirmed. The series may make consumers more alert to fake reviews and influencer pitches encountered while shopping online.
The takeaway
Online reviews and influencer endorsements can be manufactured, so checking how many independent sources back a claim is worth the extra step. Treat unusually perfect ratings with the same skepticism you would apply to any paid promotion.
Further reading
For more on how brands and creators use hype and deception to shape audiences, see Marketing.
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