Martin Lawrence’s 90s Sitcom Is Getting the Dramatic Prequel Treatment

Summary

• The Martin Lawrence sitcom, Martin, is getting a prequel and will explore character’s teenage years in a contemporary setting.
• Paying homage to the original, Young Martin will showcase loyalty, family connections, and personal growth in the character.
• Martin
  was a pivotal comedy series in the 90s, highlighting African American representation on TV screens.

If you’re a person of a particular age, you definitely remember the classic comedy series, Martin, headlined by Martin Lawrence, who was joined by an ensemble cast of great comedic talent. It was a staple of its era and played a big role in Lawrence’s early popularity. Fans have been wanting some kind of continuation of the show, especially after the cast was reunited in a recent special that looked back at the legacy of the series, and now they will get their wish, albeit with a surprising and dramatic twist.

Per Deadline, Lawrence and his production company, RunTelDat, will be overseeing a new prequel series called Young Martin, which will be an origin story focused on Lawrence’s character, Martin Payne. It will be a contemporary tale and the key difference is that the show will not have the same comedic slant as its predecessor, and will instead be an hour-long drama that centers on the character as a teenager as he goes through navigating being a young adult on his journey to adulthood. Bel-Air, Peacock’s more serious take on the comedic The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, took a similar approach and found success, while CBS’ Young Sheldon has demonstrated the potential in exploring a popular character’s early years.

The new series is said to pay homage to the original comedic series but will play things more straight. The show will be set in modern-day Detroit and follow Martin Payne through his life while addressing his loyalty and connections to his friends and his family. Much like the original series showcased Martin’s enthralling personality through the eyes of comedy, the new show will highlight his tenacity and ambition through a brand-new lens all while he battles through the typical issues everyone faces as they grow up, including all the success, emotions, mistakes and triumphs.

In addition to Lawrence’s production banner, Bob Yari, David McPherson, Rosa Peart and Greg Martin will be executive producing via WonderHill Studios. Martin Peart, CEO of WonderHill Studios, had this to say about the new show:

“Out of all the hit shows during the 90’s, there was only one
Martin
— a show that defined culture and positivity.
Martin
reflected a real group of friends from our community that wound up on TV screens all over the world. I respected and revered Martin Lawrence for creating Martin Payne and what he did for African Americans on television in front and behind the camera. In many ways, he influenced my path in the entertainment industry and it’s an honor to partner with Martin and his younger self and share him with the next generation of fans.”

Martin Was a Pivotal Comedy Series of the Era

Martin ran on Fox from 1992-1997 and had a total of 132 episodes. The series premiered during a pivotal time for Black TV shows, airing alongside the likes of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Living Single, and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper. The show followed Martin Payne (Lawrence), who began as a disc jockey for the fictional WZUP in Detroit before ultimately becoming a talk show host, and his girlfriend and future wife Gina Waters (Tisha Campbell) as they navigated hilarious situations alongside their close friends. The show became known for Lawrence portraying other characters on the series, most notably Sheneneh Jenkins, Mama Payne, Jerome, and many more.

The combination of Martin and Living Single on Fox made it one of the network’s highest-rated shows, particularly with African American audiences. While the series was never honored by the Emmy’s or Golden Globes, it did earn a slew of NAACP Image Award nominations and wins and won the People’s Choice Award in 1993 for Favorite TV New Comedy Series. The show also helped Lawrence expand his film career, generating a series of hits in the process, while the rest of the cast has continued to act in film and TV consistently since the end of the show’s run. Sadly, original cast member, Thomas Mikal Ford, who played Thomas “Tommy” Strawn, passed away in 2016 at the age of 52 years old.

The remaining cast has reunited in recent years to honor the show. Martin: The Reunion premiered in 2022 and took a look back at the show’s legacy, while their most recent get-together took place at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards where they playfully joked around about the series’ lack of Emmy nominations during its original run.

Martin
can currently be streamed on Netflix, Max and BET Plus.