Tommy Davidson Brings Varnell Hill Back to Television in Paramount+ Comedy ‘The Varnell Hill Show’

Nearly three decades after making an unforgettable impression on Martin, Varnell Hill is finally getting his own show.

Tommy Davidson reprises the fan-favorite character in The Varnell Hill Show, a new eight-episode half-hour workplace comedy premiering Tuesday, September 1 on Paramount+. The series reunites Davidson with Martin Lawrence and Bentley Kyle Evans, bringing Varnell into a new era of television while preserving the larger-than-life personality that made the character memorable.

This time, audiences are going behind the scenes of Varnell’s long-running late-night talk show, where the charismatic host finds himself confronting an entertainment industry that has changed considerably around him. Determined to remain relevant and convinced that he is still the biggest star in the building, Varnell must contend with network executives, a chaotic writers’ room, celebrity guests, family drama and a team tasked with keeping both the show and its unpredictable host under control.

The premise gives the comedy plenty of room to examine the modern television business through Varnell’s unmistakably oversized point of view. Blending workplace comedy and industry satire with cutaways and fourth-wall breaks, The Varnell Hill Show explores the corporate, creative and personal maneuvering required to keep a late-night program alive while its host attempts to protect his place in the spotlight.

Davidson leads an ensemble that includes Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson and Chris Williams. The series will also welcome a notable lineup of guest stars, including Ms. Pat, Deon Cole, Damon Wayans, Mike Epps and Omarion, with special appearances from Lawrence.
Varnell Hill first entered the Martin universe as an established talk-show personality whose confidence, swagger and success immediately commanded attention. Davidson’s performance turned what could have been a one-off character into one that remained memorable to fans decades after the original sitcom ended. Building an entire series around Varnell offers an opportunity to revisit that nostalgia without simply recreating Martin, placing the character in an entirely different workplace and cultural landscape.

The project also represents another reunion between Lawrence and longtime creative collaborators connected to the original series. In association with BET Studios, The Varnell Hill Show is executive produced by Lawrence, Davidson, Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon for Jesse Collins Entertainment; Stacy Lyles, Rae Proctor and Robert Lawrence for Runteldat Entertainment; and Mark Greenberg, Andrew Horne and Evans for Harvest Studios. Evans also serves as showrunner, writer and director.

For longtime Martin fans, the return of Varnell Hill offers something increasingly valuable in television revivals: familiarity without requiring the original series to be recreated. Nearly 30 years later, Varnell still believes the spotlight belongs to him.
Beginning September 1, he finally gets the chance to prove it.