Paramount+ Drops First Look at 'The Varnell Hill Show,' a 'Martin' Spinoff Arriving in September
Paramount+ has released the first-look images of The Varnell Hill Show, a spinoff of the 1990s sitcom Martin, and confirmed an 8 September 2026 premiere. Tommy Davidson returns as the titular Varnell Hill — a character last seen nearly three decades ago — heading up a series that takes viewers behind the scenes of his fictional late-night talk show. Variety
The debut season runs eight episodes. Two land on 1 September, with one new episode following every Tuesday through 13 October. The premise puts Varnell in a fight to stay relevant as the entertainment landscape shifts around him.
Davidson is not the only familiar face. The main cast includes Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson and Chris Williams. Guest stars lined up across the season include Ms. Pat, Deon Cole, Damon Wayans, Mike Epps, Omarion and Martin Lawrence himself.
The original Martin ran on Fox from 1992 to 1997, with Lawrence starring as Martin Payne. In 2022, the core cast — Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold and Carl Anthony Payne II — reunited for a 90-minute BET+ special filmed on the sitcom's original set. The Varnell Hill Show is the first scripted extension of that world since the series ended.
Bentley Kyle Evans carries heavy duties: director, writer, showrunner (the person who runs the writers' room and oversees production day to day) and executive producer. Lawrence also serves as executive producer. The series is produced in association with BET Studios, with additional executive producers including Davidson, Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon for Jesse Collins Entertainment, Stacy Lyles, Rae Proctor and Robert Lawrence for Runteldat Entertainment, and Mark Greenberg and Andrew Horne for Harvest Studios.
For fans of Martin, the spinoff pulls a supporting character forward into his own spotlight — and brings a roster of comedy names along for the ride. The September slot gives Paramount+ a scripted comedy launch heading into autumn, with weekly episodes designed to keep viewers coming back through mid-October.
