“Did you miss…” Varnell Hill? If so, good news: Varnell Hill is back. BET+ has officially greenlit Varnell Hill, a new comedy series centered around Tommy Davidson as the eccentric talk show host he made famous in a single, unforgettable two-part episode of Martin. The series will pick up with Varnell behind the scenes of his long-running late-night talk show, where he’s still chasing relevance, dodging chaos, and rubbing shoulders with execs and egos alike.
The show is a workplace comedy with satire, cutaways, fourth-wall breaks, and celebrity cameos — all wrapped in the unpredictable energy of late-night TV. And if Davidson’s original performance is any indication, we can expect plenty of quotables and hilarious moments.
“Did you miss me? Well, now you don’t have to!” Davidson said in a statement. “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+!”
Though he only guest-starred once on Martin, Davidson’s Varnell Hill became a fan-favorite character — the kind of one-hit performance that sparked years of memes and cultural references. His original storyline had Varnell flaunting his Hollywood success on Martin’s Detroit-based radio show, only for Martin to fly to L.A. and hilariously crash The Varnell Hill Show. It’s that very show that becomes the backdrop of the spinoff.
The Varnell Hill spinoff is co-created and executive produced by Lawrence and longtime collaborator Bentley Kyle Evans, the original showrunner of Martin, who also wrote, will direct the pilot and is the showrunner of the spinoff. Jesse Collins joins them as executive producer. While there’s no official word yet on whether Lawrence will appear on screen, sources say he’s expected to reprise his role as Martin Payne in multiple episodes.
The nostalgia is real — and it’s intentional. Varnell Hill was announced on the 35th anniversary of In Living Color, where Davidson first made his name.
This marks the second Martin-based project in the works, continuing the franchise’s growing legacy. Just last year, we reported on Young Martin, an upcoming hour-long drama prequel developed by Martin Lawrence and his RunTelDat banner. That series reimagines a teenaged Martin Payne growing up in present-day Detroit, balancing ambition and adolescence while planting the seeds of the quick wit and magnetic charm we came to love.
Between Varnell Hill and Young Martin, it’s clear Martin Lawrence is not just revisiting his legacy — he’s building it out.
Young Martin is executive produced by Lawrence, Rae Proctor, Robert Lawrence, and Stacy Lyles for RunTelDat, and Marvin Peart, Rosa Peart, Bob Yari, David McPherson, and Greg Martin for WonderHill Studios. The series aims to explore the heart, humor, and high stakes of a teenage Martin Payne navigating life in Detroit — with themes of family, friendship, ambition, and emotional growth front and center.
Both projects come on the heels of Martin’s 30th anniversary reunion special on BET+, which reminded everyone just how deeply embedded the series is in our cultural DNA.
Between Young Martin and Varnell Hill, Lawrence is turning his sitcom classic into something much bigger — not just looking back, but expanding the universe in fresh and layered ways. And for the culture? That’s a win.