Tommy Davidson's “The Varnell Hill Show” Brings a “Martin” Favorite to Paramount+

Wendy Raquel Robinson, Tommy Davidson and Kym Whitley stand on a late-night television set.

Nearly three decades after a scene-stealing appearance on “Martin,” Varnell Hill finally has his own television show. Tommy Davidson returns as the smooth, self-important late-night host in The Varnell Hill Show on Paramount+, an eight-episode workplace comedy premiering Tuesday, September 1. The streamer will release two episodes on opening day, followed by one every Tuesday through October 13.

The comedy moves behind the scenes of Varnell's long-running talk show, where his old-school instincts collide with executives, writers and audience expectations changing around him. That setup lets the series use nostalgia as a starting point rather than its whole personality. Varnell still believes he owns every room, but maintaining a television empire may require more adaptation than his ego can comfortably allow.

Davidson leads a cast that includes Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson and Chris Williams. Martin Lawrence makes special appearances and serves as an executive producer, reconnecting the character to the sitcom that introduced him. Ms. Pat, Deon Cole, Damon Wayans, Mike Epps and Omarion are also among the announced guests.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FChcXRz9wEM

The official trailer shows the series balancing a broad performance style with recognizable workplace pressure. Varnell's confidence remains the comic engine, but the people surrounding him are no longer props for a single sketch. They have deadlines, strategies and their own ideas about what the show should become, which gives the comeback more room to sustain a full season.

Bentley Kyle Evans, who helped build “Martin,” serves as showrunner, writer, director and executive producer. BET Studios produces the series in association with Jesse Collins Entertainment, Runteldat Entertainment and Harvest Studios. Davidson, Lawrence, Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon are among the executive producers.

PowerPage's preview of Netflix's “A Different World” follows another Black television favorite finding a new generation through streaming. “The Varnell Hill Show” takes the more unusual route: expanding one memorable character into a workplace satire about fame, television history and the cost of staying current.