Tyler Perry has done it again.
Not only has the acclaimed filmmaker made an indelible mark in Hollywood (delivering six feature movies in three years), he's also conquering television, too.
It was announced today that the 'Madea's Family Reunion' director has bring his latest movie, 'Meet The Browns,' to the small screen.
TBS has ordered 10 episodes of the new sitcom, which comes to the network from Debmar-Mercury and is slated to premiere in January 2009.
This follows a very successful run of the enormously popular sitcom, 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne,' on the basic cable network, which launched in 2006 with a 10-episode experimental run in select cities. After producing strong ratings, TBS ordered a full-fledged series with an unprecedented 100 episodes.
'Meet The Browns' stars David Mann as Leroy Brown, a character who earlier this year was featured in Perry's hit film of the same name, which also starred Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett and former NBA superstar turned actor Rick Fox.
The TV series, a spin-off based on characters of the 'Meet The Browns' play and movie, begins after Brown inherits a dilapidated house from his deceased father.
No other casting has been announced.
"I am so excited to continue my relationship with TBS," Perry said. "It has been so fulfilling artistically, I feel as if I've been adopted into another family. An artist such as myself cannot imagine being in a partnership with any other network."
Debmar-Mercury, a worldwide production and distribution company specializing in syndication, cable, network, VOD/Pay-Per-View and Pay TV, devised the deal for the 'House of Payne' show, and is the brainchild behind this latest venture.
"The 10-episode preview experiment worked so well in whetting the appetite of viewers for 'House of Payne,' which is about to start its second season on TBS with all new episodes," said Debmar-Mercury co-president Mort Marcus. "We knew the same distribution model was the perfect way to go to expand the huge 'Meet The Browns' brand to television."
"We have considered TBS to be an enthusiastic partner in this novel venture from the beginning, so it is very rewarding for us to be able to build on the franchise created by Tyler," Debmar-Mercury co-president Ira Bernstein added. "He continues to amaze us with his uncanny ability to produce one hit after another."
Comments: (60)
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By: brown lady on 8/29/2008 7:21AM
Keep it coming Tyler Perry! You have our full attention, we need the comedy, we get the messages, and you always remind us to turn to our Heavenly Father.
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By: Crystal Patterson on 8/29/2008 7:41PM
I love Tyler Perry. I am so proud that he has made his dream come true. He is an inspiration to all who lives. I pray for further success for him and all with whom he wishes out to. May GOD BLESS HIM.
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By: carla on 8/31/2008 12:19PM
I hopes it better than the movie.
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By: Phyllis Thomas on 9/01/2008 12:06AM
I was going to say the same thing that #3 said. LOL
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By: beverly on 8/31/2008 9:29PM
TYLER YOU ARE THE BEST AND MAY GOD CONTIUNE TO USE YOU AND BLESS YOU IN EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE, LOVE YOU AND MOST OF ALL LOVE THE BROWNS
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By: Vickie Veil on 9/01/2008 1:41AM
Don't get me wrong, Tyler Perry is very funny. But, he milking this "Black life-style situational comedies/movies/plays genre. His stuff is becoming so typical, I think I could go out and write one of those "What's hapnin' in the black community" scripts and make a few million myself.
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By: Zenobia on 9/02/2008 8:37AM
Uh-Oh,,the truth is out. A friend of mine was discussing the "predicatable" Mr Perry recently and wondered if he still respects his audiences. Reason being, the writing is the same. You can shut your eyes and see the plot. Somebody of Crack, usually a woman. Somebody poor. Somebody who has loved and got jilted.Mix them up in a mega-million dollar stew and add ferocious singing, oiled up brothers, slick looking women and of course, some obese folks for comedy effect, and you have a TP production.
I have the utmost respect for this man, but my collection ( no off the street purchases) seem to have a continual theme. Add that to "House of Payne" with it's smart mouthed kids and ever suspicious crack head women, and you have the same formula.
Fresh is something that we need to see.
Perhaps "The Family That Preys...etc" will be that shot in the arm!
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By: Donna Hk on 9/03/2008 11:21PM
I believe casting may have been off on meet the browns.I do feel Tyler tells the real story behind many black families' lives. Our black women are jilted which is why so many are single moms and drug use have robbed many black children of mom's presence. Tyler keeps it real with Daddy's little girls he showed the hardship on women who do not step into the role of motherhood.,Thanks Mr.Perry for your strong messages, you are the spiritual Aesop of our time.
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By: Mary on 9/04/2008 7:31AM
There has always got to be people with something bad to say. My mother always told me if you can't say something good then don't say anything at all. Tyler Perry keeps it real for the black audience. I consider myself a middle class black person but I can relate to every play and movie he produces. I don't know what world you all live in but in the United States of America black families even those that are influential meet challenges every day. I know as many drug addicts that are millionaires as I do those that are poor. We let our selves get pulled into peer and life pressures and find it hard to get back on track butthe plays and movies show us that there is a way out of our situations. Keep up the good work Mr. Perry our children need to know whats outside of their homes waiting to snatch them into negative vibes. The devil is busy and instead of speaking negativity about Tyler Perry you better take head and don't fall prey to the devil if you haven't already.
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By: Trica on 9/04/2008 7:46AM
I do think that tyler is very ingeniuos especially with the idea of madea but too many times in our black folk movies we hace black folk having to be fat and acting the fool for comedy sake. tyler perry house of payne is so indicative of this. the dad and mom act stupid for sake of comedy. if you're funny , you're just plain funny. i also have to agree with former writer the plots are so regular so psysicly known. there's no difference with other sitcomes now. i do hope that his ingenuinity does not get lost by the wayside or better lost in hollywood.
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