'90s sitcom Martin finally spins off a show, and it's somehow not about Sheneneh

Did you miss him? Varnell Hill, a one-off character from Martin Lawrence's beloved sitcom, Marin, will get a spin-off all to himself.

By Matt Schimkowitz | April 15, 2025 | 9:39pm

Photo by Emma McIntyre (Getty Images)

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'90s sitcom Martin finally spins off a show, and it's somehow not about Sheneneh

Martin Lawrence’s sitcom Martin ran from 1994 through 1997 without spinning off a single show. For all the characters that Lawrence suited up for, including King Beef, Ol’ Otis, and, of course, Sheneneh, Martin was a one-and-done until now. Somehow circumventing the obvious show about the continued adventures of Sheneneh Jenkins or Roscoe (Young Roscoe?), BET+ has given a series order to a show about Tommy Davidson’s character, Varnell Hill, an obnoxious talk-show host who appeared on the two-parter “Hollywood Swinging” and left Martin Payne seeing with jealousy. He’s a very annoying character, but any character seems annoying while standing in the shadow of Sheneneh.

“Did you miss me? Well, now you don’t have to!” said Davidson 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+!”

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TV Line reports that the show will be set behind the scenes of Hill’s late-night talk show, which was already a big success in the Martin-verse. Co-created by Lawrence, an executive producer on the show, Varnell Hill sounds like a Larry Sanders-esque show about the evolution of the talk show and Hill’s struggle to remain relevant. Though not confirmed, Deadline reports that Lawrence will appear as his alter ego, Martin Payne, in several episodes. There’s no word on whether he’ll bring Dragonfly Jones with him. We have two words for that: Damn, Gina.