‘A Different World’ and ‘The Drop: A Snowfall Saga’ headline what’s new in Black TV this fall
TheGrio...
New faces and familiar ones are heading to various streaming services later this year, from Shemar Moore to Tommy Davidson and more. See what to set a reminder for.
The ramp-up for brand-new shows to make their fall debuts has begun, particularly for Black faces.
On Monday, Netflix and Hulu revealed trailers for “A Different World” and “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga,” two of the most talked-about new series headed to streaming services later this year. The official look at “A Different World’ gives longtime fans of the original a glimpse of the revamped version of Hillman College in the modern age, while “The Drop” brings fans of the beloved FX drama series back to Los Angeles, albeit with a newfound focus on the city’s emerging hip-hop scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
See the trailers below.
A Different World
Premiere Date: Sept. 24
Network: Netflix
What to Know: Class is back in session at the HBCU from the original series, which lasted for six seasons between 1987 and 1993. Per Netflix, this time around, the youngest child of Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley Gilbert-Wayne (Jasmine Guy), Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon), is getting her education both in and outside the classroom. As she navigates her own pitfalls under her parents’ watchful eye, she also encounters some of the OG members of Hillman’s greatest class, including her father’s best friend Ron Johnson (Darryl M. Bell) who is the father of Deborah’s old flame, Shaquille.
“It was important to craft a character who’s trying to figure it out, who’s a little messy, who’s a little all over the place because this is a character that a lot of young people can relate to,” showrunner and executive producer Felicia Pride said. “[Deborah’s] going to find her way, and even in Season 1, we start to see that.”
The trailer doesn’t just showcase new faces and old ones at Hillman. Guest stars, including Cliff “Method Man” Smith and Summer Walker, also make an appearance on campus. We’ll see how it all pans out when the show premieres on Netflix in September, 39 years to the date of the original.
The Drop: A Snowfall Saga
Network: FX/Hulu
Premiere Date: Sept. 8
What to Know: “Snowfall” fans will remember the redemption arcs of two of its most beloved characters, Wanda Bell (Gail Bean) and Leon Simmons (Isaiah John), as they navigated through the crack epidemic and ultimately found love. Now the two have a new journey to encounter: gangsta rap in Los Angeles.
Married and looking for something new beyond the days of drugs and gang banging, the couple holds different courts while chasing the American Dream. Per FX’s synopsis, Wanda sees West Coast rap as the “most powerful tool to reshape American culture” and has to navigate both street politics and the music industry to see her vision through. The show stars Asante Blackk and Peyton Alexy Smith as her cousins, Lamar and James Kinsey, while looking to sign a marquee artist, the already volatile Artilley (Simme “Buddy” Sims III). Even with a new goal in mind, the tangled web of the streets pulls Wanda and Leon in different directions, with Leon vowing never to return to his old life and focusing on a free legal clinic.
We’ll see how it all plays out when viewers come back to the world first imagined by John Singleton next month.
OTHER SHOWS TO WATCH FOR:
S.W.A.T. Exiies
Network: Starz
Premiere Date: Sept. 25
What to Know: Starz is bringing back Shemar Moore and his “S.W.A.T.” team for a brand new series, “S.W.A.T Exiles” that is expected to premiere on Sept. 25. The show has already been renewed for a second season. See a synopsis below.
“After a high-profile mission goes sideways, Daniel ‘Hondo’ Harrelson is pulled out of forced retirement to lead a last-chance experimental S.W.A.T. unit made up of untested, unpredictable young recruits. Hondo must bridge a generational divide, navigate clashing personalities, and turn a squad of outsiders into a team capable of protecting the city and saving the program that made him who he is.”
The Varnell Hill Show
Network: Paramount+
Premiere Date: Sept. 1
What to Know: As theGrio previously reported, one of the more iconic guest characters from “Martin” not played by Martin Lawrence, is getting his own show. Tommy Davidson reprises his role as Varnell Hill for the eponymous spinoff and has an all-star cast of supporting characters, including Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson and more.
According to Paramount+, the show revolves around the “behind the scenes of a long-running late-night talk show. ‘The Varnell Hill Show’ is a workplace comedy that delves into the chaotic world of television production. The series explores Varnell’s journey to remain relevant in an ever-evolving industry and the corporate dynamics among network executives, business stakeholders, and creative teams involved in making the show. With its blend of satire, humor, cutaways, and fourth-wall breaks, the show promises to engage audiences in a fresh and innovative way.”
The only thing the show needs next to Lawrence making a cameo as the TV version of himself from 1992 to 1997? Jodeci. For old times’ sake.
Tracy Morgan’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” is set to premiere its second season on NBC, which might mean more episodes featuring one Megan Thee Stallion. Film wise, the documentary “Once Upon A Time In Harlem,” chronicling a gathering of some of the most famed members of the Harlem Renaissance for a reunion in 1972, will be released on October 16. Mashershala Ali’s dramatic turn as a hitman losing his grip as he balances faith, family and his mission in “Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother,” hits theaters on Sept. 25.