CBS has made its first comedy pilot order this season, and it went to the network’s script with the highest-profile talent pairing attached, Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. Four months after Deadline broke the news of the father-son project being in development at CBS, the multi-camera comedy, co-written by the elder Wayans and former Last Man Standing executive producer Kevin Hench, remains untitled.
It centers on a legendary talk radio host and happily divorced “Poppa” (Wayans) who has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son (Wayans Jr.), a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband.
Wayans, Hench and Wayans Jr. executive produce. CBS Studios, where Wayans Jr.’s Two Shakes Entertainment has been based since its launch, is the studio. Kameron Tarlow, VP Productions, will be overseeing the project for Two Shakes.
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The Wayans Father/Son comedy joins CBS’ two drama pilot orders this season: Elsbeth, starring Carrie Preston, and Matlock, headlined by Kathy Bates. The order comes amid a resurgence of multi-camera comedies, fueled by the recent success of shows like Night Court and That ’90s Show.
This marks the elder Wayans’ return to network comedy after he co-created, executive produced and starred in ABC’s My Wife and Kids, which ran for five seasons on ABC from 2001-05. It is on that multi-cam show that his son, Wayans Jr., made his TV acting debut with a major recurring role. He went on to star in single-camera comedies Happy Endings and New Girl before headlining the CBS multi-camera sitcom Happy Together.
That CBS sitcom lasted a season, but it gave fans a taste of what the Wayanses’ onscreen father-son dynamic would look like when Wayans guest starred as Wayans Jr.’s father in an episode titled, “Like Father, Like Son.”
Wayans Jr., who also appeared on his father’s Showtime sketch comedy The Underground, most recently was seen in the films Supercool, Cherry and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. He recently wrapped Netflix’s Players and is an executive producer on the streamer’s upcoming drama series Glamorous.
Wayans is a four-time Emmy nominee who co-created and starred in the iconic sketch series In Living Color. He most recently starred as Roger Murtaugh on Fox’s Lethal Weapon series and next will be seen starring alongside Pam Grier in Tubi’s noir thriller Cinnamon.
In addition to his lengthy stint as executive producer on Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing, Hench co-created and executive produced Cristela and Mr. Iglesias. He is currently executive producing Allen’s new Disney+ series The Santa Clauses.