HEADRIOT Premieres Official Pilot for ‘PRICKLED’ — The First Animated Pickleball Sitcom

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Independent studio HEADRIOT has officially released the pilot episode for PRICKLED, dubbed the world’s first animated pickleball sitcom. Premiering on YouTube on August 29, 2026, the 28-minute episode blends dry Curb Your Enthusiasm-style situational comedy with the heart of Ted Lasso, setting its sights on the obsessive, subculture-heavy world of sunbelt planned communities.

Plot Breakdown: Loss, Relocation, and Unhinged HOA Culture

The pilot centers on Harry Burns, a cynical 31-year veteran accountant from Queens who suffers a catastrophic double-blow in a single morning: he is replaced at his firm by an AI blockchain system  and immediately served divorce papers by his wife.

Left with nowhere to go, Harry moves into the Mesa Havalina neighborhood in Arizona to crash with his son Ethan and daughter-in-law Rachel. He quickly discovers that his new environment is entirely governed by the local racket club and an obsessed pickleball hierarchy

The first episode runs 28 minutes, and gives you the clearest sense of the characters, humor and pickleball culture surrounding the show. The full pilot episode of PRICKLED is currently available to watch for free on YouTube via the official HEADRIOT channel.