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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...

Finally, fans are getting more Martin. Sort of.

BET+ has greenlit Varnell Hill, a workplace-comedy series based on Tommy Davidson’s character on Martin; Davidson will reprise the role. It’s a straight-to-series order — we can consider Davidson’s two-episode arc on Martin in 1993 an extended pilot.

Martin Lawrence, the Martin of Martin, is co-creator and will executive produce Varnell Hill. Bentley Evans is the other co-creator, and will showrun as well as executive produce. No word yet on if Lawrence will appear as radio/TV personality Martin Payne. The two characters are… not exactly friends.

Varnell Hill will be set behind the scenes of long-running late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show. How long-running? Hill was doing this back in 1993, when he and Payne got into an on-set, televised physical altercation. Until today, that was the end of Varnell Hill’s existence in the Martin-sphere.

The new series “explores...

Martin Lawrence's classic sitcom, Martin, was one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1990s. Nearly three full decades since the TV show aired its final episode, it's been announced that a new spinoff series is in the works, but perhaps not with a character that fans would expect.

Per Variety, Tommy Davidson is set to star in a new spinoff show dubbed Varnell Hill. In the original show, Davidson played Varnell Hill, the titular host of the fictional late-night talk show The Varnell Hill Show. The spinoff is described as a workplace comedy series that will shine the spotlight on the chaos that happens behind the scenes in television production.

Varnell Hill has been given a series order for BET+. This project is separate from the planned Martin prequel series that was announced to be in the works last year, dubbed Young Martin. The status of that show,...

A year-and-change after Martin cast members Martin Lawrence, Tichina Arnold, Tisha Campbell and Carl Anthony Payne II winningly reunited at the Emmy Awards, BET+ has given a series order to a spinoff — albeit, one revolving around a one-off character from the 1990s Fox sitcom.

Tommy Davidson is set to reprise his November 1993 Martin role as Varnell Hill, a stand-up comic turned late-night talk show host who appeared in the Season 2 two-parter “Hollywood Swinging.”

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Damn, Gina! In one of the most unexpected spinoff announcements in TV history, Tommy Davidson's Varnell Hill, who appeared on a single two-part episode of the hit Fox sitcom Martinin 1993, is getting his own series. Varnell Hill has been given an eight-episode straight-to-series order at BET+. Martin star and creator Martin Lawrence will executive produce the series.

Says Davidson, "Did you miss me? Well, now you don’t have to! I’m excited and honored to be a part of such a creative project with the brilliant mind of Martin Lawrence, over 30 years in the making. Fans have requested it and now it’s coming to BET+!" In addition to executive producing, Lawrence is also slated to appear on the series as Martin Payne, his Martin character. The series will be a show-business satire that will look behind the scenes of The Varnell Hill Show, the long-running late-night talk show hosted by Davidson's character.

Tommy Davidson will reprise his “Martin” role of Varnell Hill in a spinoff of the ’90s sitcom ordered by BET+ and co-created by Martin Lawrence and Bentley Kyle Evans.

The series takes viewers behind the scenes of “The Varnell Hill Show,” the fictional late-night talk show hosted by Davidson’s character. It’s a workplace comedy set amidst the chaos of TV production.

Per the logline, “The series explores Varnell’s journey to remain relevant in an ever-evolving industry and the corporate dynamics of network executives, business stakeholders, and creative teams involved in the making of the show. With its blend of satire, humor, cutaways, and fourth-wall breaks, the show promises to engage audiences in a fresh and innovative way.”

It’s unclear if Lawrence will reprise his role in the new series as Varnell’s rival, but the series promises “a mixture of exciting new characters and celebrity guest cameos.

Exclusive: The Martin cast reunion was a big highlight of the January 2024 Emmy Awards, underlining the lasting popularity of the 1990s sitcom. A year later, the show is getting a franchise extension with Varnell Hill, a spinoff series greenlighted by BET+. It is headlined by actor-comedian Tommy Davidson as the titular Varnell Hill, reprising the beloved character he played as a guest star on Martin.

Varnell Hill is co-created and executive produced by Martin co-creator, star and executive producer Martin Lawrence and Martin executive producer/showrunner Bentley Evans, with Jesse Collins also executive producing. There is no confirmation of Lawrence appearing on the show, but I hear he is poised to reprise his Martin Payne role in multiple episodes.

The announcement comes on the 35th anniversary of In Living Color, on which Davidson was an original cast member.

Varnell Hill, which has received an eight-episode straight-to-series order, is a workplace...

“Real Husbands of Hollywood” is being revived at BET Plus.

The comedy series is returning for a six-episode limited revival at the streamer, with Kevin Hart, Boris Kodjoe, Duane Martin, Jb Smoove, Nelly, Nick Cannon, Robin Thicke, Cynthia McWilliams and Jackie Long all returning. The new series will also feature a range of celebrity guest stars like the original series. Past guest stars have included Shaquille O’Neal, Johnny Depp, Trey Songz, Wanda Sykes, Conan O’Brien, Snoop Dogg, George Lopez, Nia Long, and Terry Crews.

The original “Real Husbands of Hollywood” debuted on BET back in 2013 and ran for five seasons, with the series also releasing two specials. The show originated as a sketch at the BET Awards and was created by Hart, Chris Spencer, and Ralph R. Farquhar. The series follows the daily lives of Kevin and other celebrities, each playing a fictionalized version of themselves, as they venture through their surreal life in Hollywood.

Kevin Hart’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood” is getting a six-episode revival series at BET+, the streaming service said Thursday.

The original “Real Husbands of Hollywood” was created by Hart, Chris Spencer and Ralph R. Farquhar in 2012 based on a sketch on performed at the BET Awards. The show, which ran for five seasons on BET from 2013 to 2016, followed the daily lives of Kevin and other celebrities, each playing a fictionalized version of themselves, as they venture through their surreal life in Hollywood.

Starring Hart and returning original cast members Boris Kodjoe, Duane Martin, Jb Smoove, Nelly, Nick Cannon, Robin Thicke, Cynthia McWilliams and Jackie Long, the revival series follows the group five years after the events of the original BET comedy, with the crew “giving the climb to fame, fortune and virality one last go.”

Additionally, the “Real Husbands of Hollywood” BET+ revival will feature several “surprising celebrity guest...

Real Husbands of Hollywood is making a comeback. BET+ has greenlighted a six-episode limited series revival of the hit BET reality TV parody show from Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Productions and Jesse Collins Entertainment. The show is currently in production in Los Angeles with a premiere date Tbd.

Original series star Hart is set to return for the revival, along with original cast members Boris Kodjoe, Duane Martin, Jb Smoove, Nelly, Nick Cannon, Robin Thicke, Cynthia McWilliams and Jackie Long. They’ll join a slew of celebrity guest stars who Kevin likes to call “friends.”

Real Husbands of Hollywood was created by Hart, Chris Spencer and Ralph R. Farquhar in 2012, after originating as a sketch on the BET Awards. The series first premiered on BET in 2013 and ran for five seasons ending in 2016. The series follows the daily lives of Kevin and other celebrities, each playing a fictionalized version of themselves,...

Lena Waithe and Halle Berry’s comedy series “Boomerang” is one of two shows that have been picked up for a second season at BET, Variety has learned.

Executive produced by Waithe and Berry, “Boomerang” is based on the 1992 American rom-com in which Berry starred alongside Robin Givens and Eddie Murphy.

“Making ‘Boomerang’ has been one of the highlights of my career and the positive feedback we’ve gotten from fans and critics has been so validating. I’m beyond excited to dive even deeper into these characters’ lives in season two,” said Waithe.

The 10-episode first season picks up roughly 25 years after the original film and centers on Simone Graham (daughter of Marcus Graham and Angela Lewis) and Bryson Broyer (son of Jaqueline Broyer), who are marketing professionals trying to step out of their parents’ shadows. The season one finale airs Tuesday, April 9.

“BET Networks is thrilled to partner...

Lifetime is singing up a storm with two scripted projects based on the lives of rap stars Salt-n-Pepa and The Clark Sisters.

Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott are exec producing a TV movie about the lives of gospel singers The Clark Sisters, while the Salt-n-Pepa story is being turned into a miniseries.

Salt-n-Pepa will tell the story of nursing students Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, who fell into the world of rap and hip hop, after recording for a friend’s school project. One of the first all-female rap groups, the series will look at the pair who were unafraid to talk about sex and share their thoughts on men. The show will feature their greatest hits including “Let’s Talk About Sex”, “What a Man”, “Shoop” and “Push It”. It will be exec produced by Cheryl James, Sandra Denton and Jesse Collins as well...

Bet Networks is out with its slate for 2018-19, featuring a number of new scripted and reality series along with competitions, specials and awards shows. The cabler said the upcoming year will feature 21% more original programming than 2017-18.

Among the new scripted series is The Archer Connection (working title), a 10-episode half-hour dramedy from Chad Sanders about a young, black, iconoclastic mastermind who has developed an software that measures the sexual chemistry between its user and anyone in the room. It joins previously announced dramas American Soul and Games Divas Play and comedy Peachtree Place.

Among Bet’s newly announced docuseries are shows about the USA’s 1992 Olympic basketball Dream Team; Ladies Night, a series that follows the veteran girl groups En Vogue, Swv and Salt-n-Pepa as they embark on a national tour; and The Grand Hustle, a competition series from T.I.

Here is the full 2018-19 slate for Bet,...

Bet has ordered five new scripted series and six unscripted projects for the upcoming season. The slate includes a comedy remake inspired by the 1992 pic “Boomerang” and a look at the life of “Soul Train” maestro Don Cornelius.

Bet unveiled its 2018-19 season programming slate on Tuesday amid the crush of cable upfront presentations this month. The Viacom cabler has vowed to boost the volume of original series by 21% over last year. Bet Networks president Scott Mills emphasized the cabler’s “special connection with the African-American audience.”

During the past few years Bet has faced increased competition for African-American audiences from Own, TV One as well as Viacom’s own VH1. The original programming push is in keeping with Viacom’s larger strategy of focusing its cable resources on six core channels, of which Bet is one.

“Creating powerful, engaging and provocative content has been Bet Networks’ legacy for decades,...