SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Trailer for The Varnell Hill Show on Paramount+; Kevin Langue Heads to Netflix

Martin's fan-favorite character Varnell Hill is ready for his close-up on Paramount+ Tuesday, September 1. The Varnell Hill Show reunites Martin Lawrence and Bentley Kyle Evans nearly three decades after Tommy Davidson's Varnell made his unforgettable debut on the iconic sitcom. The eight-episode comedy series stars Davidson alongside Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson and Chris Williams, with special appearances by Lawrence and renowned guest stars including Ms. Pat, Deon Cole, Damon Wayans, Mike Epps, Omarion and many more.

Set behind the scenes of Varnell's long-running late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show finds the larger-than-life host fighting to stay relevant in an ever-changing television industry. Surrounded by network executives with big ideas, a writers' room trying to keep up, celebrity guests and a team tasked with managing his outsized personality, Varnell remains convinced of one thing: he's still the biggest star in the building. Blending workplace comedy with satire, cutaways and fourth-wall breaks, the series explores the corporate, creative and personal chaos that goes into keeping "The Varnell Hill Show" on the air.

Netflix announced a partnership with creator Kevin Langue to bring his channels The Kevin Langue Show and Kevin Langue 2 (KL2) to the service. Beginning September 5, members can watch a curated collection of episodes from each channel pulled from Kevin's back catalog, with new episodes dropping day-and-date alongside YouTube going forward.

Known on YouTube as "the World's Best Guesser," Langue built his audience on big, dramatic guessing-game and social-experiment premises filmed with his close-knit circle of friends. His second channel, Kevin Langue 2, expands that universe, offering fans a more intimate, personality-driven look at Kevin through candid, unscripted content and a closer connection to the creator behind the larger-than-life entertainment.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Martin, Netflix, Paramount+, The Varnell Hill Show

SitcomsOnline Digest: Joe Dirt Animated Series in the Works at Fox; First Look at The Varnell Hill Show

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we have news about a Joe Dirt animated series, a Martin spinoff, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• A Joe Dirt animated series is in the works at Fox. (Deadline)
• Apple TV is developing Bad News Dads, a mystery comedy starring James Marsden. (Deadline)
• We have our first look at the Martin spinoff (yes, a spinoff coming 30 years after the original series ended), The Varnell Hill Show. (Entertainment Weekly)
• A celebrity version of The Voice is in the works, but Carson Daly won't be hosting it (but he also won't be leaving the regular version either). (Variety)
• Patricia Richardson is sharing a recent photo with her "other boys" as she reunites with her two non-incarcerated Home Improvement sons. (Deadline)
• It's apparently not too early for networks to start developing sitcoms for the 2027-2028 season, and CBS is doing just that with Hilda! (In Lights!). (Variety)
• Football is one of the main things keeping the broadcast networks alive, and although nothing will change for the next few years, it looks like there could be some shakeups coming there. (Variety)
• CBS is putting Byron Allen into primetime to celebrate 20 years of a show that mostly serves as background noise for people fall to sleep to. (SitcomsOnline)

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Bad News Dads, Home Improvement, I Dream of Jeannie, Joe Dirt, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Varnell Hill Show

The Varnell Hill Show Coming to Paramount+ on September 1; Hallmark's 3rd Installment of Holiday Touchdown

Paramount+ unveiled first look photos and announced the premiere date for The Varnell Hill Show, a new half-hour workplace comedy executive produced by Martin Lawrence and Bentley Kyle Evans, and starring and executive produced by Tommy Davidson as the unforgettable talk show host first introduced in the iconic sitcom Martin. The eight-episode first season will make its global debut on Paramount+ with two episodes on Tuesday, September 1, followed by one new episode every Tuesday through October 13.

Nearly three decades after audiences first met him, Varnell Hill is stepping back into the spotlight - and he's determined to prove he's still the star of the show. Set behind the scenes of a long-running late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show follows Varnell (Davidson) as he fights to stay relevant in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape. Between network executives eager to modernize the show, a chaotic writers' room, celebrity guests, family drama, and his own outsized ego, Varnell quickly discovers that keeping a television empire together may be harder than building one in the first place.

Davidson leads an ensemble cast that includes Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson and Chris Williams, alongside a lineup of guest stars including Ms. Pat, Deon Cole, Damon Wayans, Mike Epps, Omarion and many more with special appearances by Lawrence.

With production wrapping last month in the Chicago area, the starting lineup for Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story has been named. Lyndsy Fonseca (How I Met Your Mother, Single on the 25th), Robert Buckley (One Tree Hill, Chesapeake Shores), four-time Academy-Award(R) nominee Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl, Grace and Frankie, Frasier), Barbara Alyn Woods (One Tree Hill, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) and Khary Payton (The Walking Dead, Young Justice) will star. Bolstering the roster, the film will also feature cameo appearances from Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson, tight end Colston Loveland, tight end Cole Kmet, legendary Bears alumni Mike Singletary, Charles "Peanut" Tillman and Dan Hampton, Connie Payton, wife of the late legendary running back Walter Payton, and the team's beloved mascot Staley Da Bear bringing a little extra football spirit to the holiday romance. Additional cameos include beloved Hallmark favorites Tamera Mowry-Housley (Haunted Harmony Mysteries) and Marilu Henner (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries), and talented Chicago-area locals Jake Connelly (Stranger Things) and Dyon "Mojo" Brooks (Miss Governor).

Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story premieres Saturday, October 17 on Hallmark Channel, streaming next day on Hallmark Plus.

In addition to the movie, Hallmark is giving Chicago Bears fans another way to celebrate their team this holiday season with a Chicago Bears Santa ornament. The festive ornament offers fans a meaningful way to celebrate their love of the Bears and commemorate this special moment. It will be available on Hallmark.com and at regional Hallmark Gold Crown Stores this fall.

Get ready to see some familiar faces in Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story premiering Saturday October 17 on Hallmark Channel, streaming next day on Hallmark Plus! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/UvJvhIo6op

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 5, 2026

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Hallmark Channel, Martin, Paramount+, The Varnell Hill Show

BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July

BET+ has greenlit Varnell Hill, a workplace comedy series based on the beloved character made famous by actor and comedian Tommy Davidson from the original series Martin, which starred Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold, Thomas Mikal Ford, and Carl Anthony Payne. Davidson is set to star, reprising his namesake guest role. The straight-to-series order will showcase a mixture of exciting new characters and celebrity guest cameos.

Set behind the scenes of a long-running late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show is a workplace comedy that delves into the chaotic world of television production. 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. Martin Lawrence, co-creator, will serve as an executive producer. Co-creator, writer, and director Bentley Kyle Evans will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Andy Horne, Stacy Lyles, Robert Lawrence, and Rae Proctor will also serve as executive producers. Rose Catherine Pinkney and Jason Harvey will executive produce for BET+. The series will be produced by Bentley Evans and his production team. Production for the new season and a premiere will be announced at a later date.

FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the longest-running live-action comedy series in television history, will premiere its 17th season on Wednesday, July 9. The premiere will include the first two episodes beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FXX, with episodes streaming next day on Hulu. The new season is also coming to Disney+ internationally. The first promo for season 17 was also released - see below. The fan-favorite, ever-inventive series marks the 20th anniversary of its series premiere this year. The new season will include The Gang's take on meeting ABC's Abbott Elementary in the conclusion to the highly-anticipated crossover.

In the latest season, "The Gang Embraces The Corporate Era:" The story of how greed and the New American Dream have consumed Paddy's Pub. Seventeen seasons on, Ronald "Mac" MacDonald (Rob McElhenney), Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day), Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton), Dee Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito) return to shamelessly shed their "niche" label for grander aspirations. They'll exploit cross-network promotion to increase market share; they'll scapegoat one of their own to avoid a PR backlash; they'll risk everything for a handshake with the Saudis; they'll bend the laws with side hustles to pad their pockets; and they'll change everything about themselves to appeal to a broader audience. And sure, like any corporate goon, the Gang craves money and parasitic social privileges. That's been plain since 2005. But they're also human beings. They crave love.. respect... conditional freedom... constant adulation... histrionic amounts of attention... non-stop gratification... and unfiltered, slaphappy eroticism.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Abbott Elementary, ABC, BET+, FXX, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Martin, The Varnell Hill Show