Damon Wayans is bringing the family sitcom back

CBS's Poppa's house is a family sitcom that raises a central question: If a television show seemingly exists solely to enable a father-son comedian duo to work together, is it really worth it?

Ultimately, the answer to that question is “yes” – at least if the father-son comedian duo has the talent of Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. But it's also worth recognizing that Poppa's housewhich premieres October 21, is still in development, and ultimately you can't just rely on giving people more Damon for their money.

In addition to helping to shape things (by the way Last man standing(Kevin Hench) and series executive producer, Wayans Sr. plays the titular “Poppa,” a grumpy talk radio host who tests his entire professional ecosystem when a new female co-host, Dr. Ivy Reid (Essence Atkins), was added to boost his show's ratings. (Immediately there are a lot of “Men are like that, women are like that.”) The(Joking, but the series thankfully clears up that aspect pretty quickly.) And at home, Poppa must continue to raise his dream of a grown son, Damon Jr. (Wayans Jr., who also serves as executive producer) — the happens to live next door – even though Damon Jr. has a wife (Tetona Jackson) and children of his own.

It's a tried-and-tested sitcom breakup where Poppa doesn't get a break on either the workplace sitcom side or the family sitcom side. And then, just a few episodes later, a turning point occurs.

The pivot restructures the entire radio station backdrop. As Poppa's house Showrunner Dean Lorey (who wrote Major Payne and also wrote for My wife and my children) explained At the Television Critics Association press tour last summer, the decision was made to capitalize on the Poppa's House component (and setting). Poppa's house.

In practice, it ends up being the right choice, as the series is less about the entertainment factor of each setting and more about the funny banter between Poppa and his callers. But it's also a decision that pushes the series even further into family sitcom territory (giving Poppa's grandchildren more screen time), which makes Atkins' Ivy feel even more like an intruder, this time unintentionally. Even the pivot that the Poppa character makes – hosting a podcast with Ivy from his house – is far less defined and tangible than the radio job.

Much like the Wayanses, Atkins has plenty of sitcom and comedy skills to offer Poppa's house work. (And the Wayanses obviously know this too, since members of the family have worked with her before Marlon, Dance filmand the A haunted house But with the focus on family and the show's slight indecision about how much of the romance side to land on Poppa and Ivy's love-hate spectrum, Atkins does fall a bit behind in comparison.

In comparison, Jackson's fulcrum gives Nina more to do as things stay in the family. While the chemistry between Wayans and Wayans Jr. is obviously there, the chemistry between Jackson and Wayans Jr. as a married couple is another selling point, as they play two characters that clearly fit each other's geekiness, so to speak. And for New girl, Happy endingsand Wayans Jr. fans in general, as straightforward as a multi-camera sitcom Poppa House That said, it still allows Wayans Jr. to unleash many of his comedic quirks and eccentricities. (In addition to appreciating the dynamic of the married couple, Happy endings Fans will be especially pleased to know that Wayans Jr. still has the power to take pants off with just a snap of his fingers.)

Between the move from radio DJing to podcasting and an early episode that was framed as part of a documentary, Poppa's house clearly isn't afraid to try new things and see what might stick, for better or for worse. It's also not afraid to get stale and end each episode with a blooper.

The series is definitely rough around the edges in a way you wouldn't expect from any of the seasoned pros in front of or behind the camera – numerous Wayans, including Kim as co-executive producer, are also in the writers' room, as well as part of the production – but that is actually part of its charm.

Just like Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., working together as father and son on and off screen is part of his charm. Just as this is Wayans' first series regular appearance on a sitcom since then My wife and my children is part of its charm. With all the charm, Poppa's houseWhile it may not reinvent the comedy wheel, it's worth it.