Just when you thought the era of ‘90s sitcom revivals had hit its peak, television is throwing us a nostalgic curveball and trust us, you didn’t see this one coming. The hit black comedy sitcom Martin is getting a spinoff series titled Varnell Hill, but there's a twist that fans might not necessarily be a fan of.
So, what's the twist? Martin Lawrence, the face of the original Martin sitcom and its co-creator, won’t be taking the spotlight in this spinoff. But don’t worry, it’s not a complete goodbye. He’s still very much involved behind the scenes as a co-creator and executive producer. And here's where it gets interesting. According to Deadline, while there's no official word on him returning onscreen as Martin Payne, the buzz is that he might pop in for a few appearances throughout the series. Fingers crossed, everything works out and we get to see Lawrence reprise his iconic role in some capacity. I mean, it wouldn't be a Martin spinoff without a little of that classic charm, right?
BET+ handed out an eight-episode series order for Varnell Hill, which will see actor-comedian Tommy Davidson take on the title character. Davidson previously portrayed the Varnell Hill character as a guest star on Martin, and now he’s stepping into the role full-time. Bentley Evans, who was an executive producer and showrunner on the original series, is signed on as co-creator and executive producer alongside Lawrence. He also serves as showrunner, wrote the pilot, and will direct. Other executive producers include Jesse Collins, Stacy Lyles, Robert Lawrence, Rae Proctor, Dionne Harmon, and Andy Horne. In addition, Evans and his production team will produce the series.
Described as a workplace comedy, Varnell Hill takes viewers behind the scenes of the popular fictional late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show, which was first introduced in Martin. It will explore the challenges Varnell faces in staying relevant in the constantly changing television industry. It will also dive into the complex relationships and interactions between different people involved in the show's production, including executives from the network, business stakeholders, and the creative team responsible for the show’s content. Besides Davidson, no other actors have been cast yet. However, the show will reportedly feature fresh new characters as well as have celebrity guest appearances.
This is all that's been revealed about the Martin spinoff at the moment. Now that it's been given a series order, we can expect more information to come to light soon. But for now, you'll just have to stay tuned to Show Snob!