Comedian Marlon Wayan’s new self-titled comedy series Marlon has been renewed for a second season on NBC.
After wrapping up its first season of 10 episodes with an average of a 1.5 rating and 5.6 million viewers, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Marlon was a summer hit and will be back for more.
Inspired by co-creator and comedian Marlon Wayans, this comedy sitcom features Wayans as Marlon Wayne, a divorced, father of two and a Youtube sensation, his ex-wife Ashley (Essence Atkins) who is independent and has a cordial relationship with Marlon despite the divorce, Marlon’s daughter Marley (Notlim Taylor) who is book smart, and his son Zachery (Amir O’Neil) who appears to have all of his father’s traits. Other characters include Ashley’s best friend Yvette (Bresha Webb) and Marlon’s friend Stevie (Diallo Riddle). The family dynamics presented in the show appear to be welcoming that people seem to enjoy.
A Variety review described this comedy sitcom “in most ways a run-of-the-mill family sitcom, what makes it interesting is that Marlon is trying to co-parent his children while navigating an amicable divorce…That reinterpretation of the foundation of the family sitcom—a long-suffering marriage—makes Marlon a refreshing take on family dynamics.”
After the sudden cancellation of the black family comedy The Carmichael Show recently from NBC, it was hard to ignore the two incidents within the network.
The Hollywood Reporter did not think it fair to compare the two shows noting that “the series is interested in little revelations about parenting or relationships or family and not airing all sides of the debate on gun control or euthanasia or gentrification or any of the things that The Carmichael Show went after.”
Variety mentioned that the two shows were different, and that Marlon does not have “any hot-button conversations of the previous show,” The Carmichael Show.
Marlon Wayans explained to Entertainment Weekly, “The backdrop is divorce, but the show is really about love and family. All of the characters are based on people from my life.”
Marlon is not the only Wayans on a major network. Damon Wayans also stars in the reboot of the popular movie franchise Lethal Weapon, as a television series on Fox.
Nothing has been specified about the exact date of its return, but Marlon will be back with more laughs upon its new season.