Varnell Hill Is Back: Martin's Talk-Show Wild Card Gets His Own Series

The Varnell Hill Show premiered globally on Paramount+ on September 1, 2026. The new comedy stars Tommy Davidson as Varnell Hill, a character first introduced during the 1990s run of Martin. The launch gives Varnell a title series of his own rather than another appearance inside the earlier sitcom [S1][S3][S4].

Paramount+ released two episodes on premiere day. The first season contains eight episodes in total, and the remaining six are scheduled to arrive one at a time on Tuesdays. The announced run continues through October 13 [S1][S2][S6].

The official episode page names the launch pair Did Ya Miss Me? and Pay The Piper. Their presence on the platform's own listing supplies current release evidence in addition to the earlier premiere announcement, while the same page lays out the weekly schedule that follows [S2].

Varnell moves into the lead

Davidson is the named star of the new series. That changes Varnell's place in the connected television history: the character originated on Martin, while the new program places his name in the title and builds an eight-part workplace comedy around him [S1][S3][S4][S6].

The series therefore continues one specific part of Martin rather than bringing the entire earlier sitcom back under its old name. The returning element is Varnell himself, now leading a separate Paramount+ comedy with its own season order and release schedule [S1][S2][S3].

Martin Lawrence and Bentley Kyle Evans are involved

The project brings Davidson together again with Martin Lawrence and Bentley Kyle Evans. Lawrence and Evans are both connected to the original Martin series, and Lawrence is also scheduled to make special appearances in The Varnell Hill Show [S1][S3].

Those appearances are part of the documented connection between the two programs. Davidson remains the star of the new show, while Lawrence's on-screen involvement provides a direct cast link to the series where Varnell was introduced [S1][S3][S4].

The new series has its own ensemble

The cast around Davidson includes Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson, and Chris Williams. The group is attached to the eight-episode workplace-comedy format announced for the Paramount+ season [S5][S6].

The episode plan is already public. Two installments were available on September 1, and the official Paramount+ listing schedules the rest weekly on Tuesdays through October 13. That creates six post-premiere release dates for the first season [S1][S2][S6].

The launch followed an August first look

Paramount+ announced the September 1 premiere and released first-look images on August 5. Tommy Davidson had also confirmed the release date during an interview in June. The series then reached the platform on the announced date [S1][S3].

The completed launch establishes four facts for viewers following the project: Davidson is playing Varnell again, the character now leads a separate series, Martin Lawrence will appear, and the first season is continuing weekly after its two-episode premiere [S1][S2][S3][S4].

With six installments still scheduled, The Varnell Hill Show now has a defined path from its September 1 debut to the October 13 finale. The remaining episodes will complete Varnell's first season as the central character of his own comedy [S1][S2][S3].