Review: After three decades, Tommy Davidson's 'Martin' character returns in 'The Varnell Hill Show'

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Set us as preferred Tommy Davidson, the comedian, is starring in a new multicamera situation comedy, “The Varnell Hill Show,” premiering Tuesday on Paramount+.It’s the latest attempt by a streaming network to colonize a form virtually synonymous with broadcast television, with a shorter season and more (though not too many) bad words.Indeed, its roots are in 20th century network TV.

The series has sprung, somewhat unusually, from Davidson’s guest role in a 33-year-old two-episode arc on Martin Lawrence’s Fox sitcom, “Martin.” “Hollywood Swinging,” Part 1and 2, saw Martin, in the spirit of Lucille Ball, trying to boost his own show business career by shoehorning himself into an appearance on the fictional “Varnell Hill Show,” with Davidson playing an egotistical echo of 1990s Arsenio Hall, clad in a neon yellow jacket (with shoulder pads) and orange shirt.The shirt and jacket are still there at the beginning of this new “The Varnell Hill Show” (the series and the identically titled show within the show), along with the character’s catch phrase, “Did ya miss me?” — but not for long.Most sitcoms (most series?) begin with a moment of change — a new job, a new town, a homeless parent or unsuspected child showing up on the door.

But change is pretty much the whole point of “Varnell Hill.”After three unexplicated decades, Varnell — self-described “eight-time Soul Train Award … presenter” — is not riding quite as high as he was on “Martin.” His show has come to rest on Mammoth Television (“If you’ve got one of those digital antennas it comes in real nice”), where its future is less than assured.Varnell is surprised with a new executive producer, Rachel (Wendy Raquel Robinson), who, before he knows it, is dismantling his set and remaking his wardrobe.

(Rachel: “Even Batman...