HBO has revealed the premiere date for its highly anticipated upcoming series, A Black Lady Sketch Show, from Robin Thede and Issa Rae. Thede also stars.
It debuts August 2 on the premium cabler.
The series is a half-hour sketch comedy show that features Black women. Considered to be the first sketch comedy written by, directed by and starring Black women, it will feature narrative sketches performed by the core cast of Black women, as well as celebrity guests.
The official description reads: A Black Lady Sketch Show is a narrative series set in a limitless magical reality full of dynamic, hilarious characters and celebrity guests. The show presents sketches performed by a core cast of black women, including Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis and Quinta Brunson.
Lauren Ashley Smith, who was the head writer on BET’s short-lived The Rundown with Robin Thede, will be head writer and co-exec producer for A Black Lady Sketch Show. Despite being canceled by BET (which has new leadership now), Thede’s The Rundown was critically acclaimed by critics, earning a rare 100 percent approval on Rotten Tomatoes. After the cancellation, she went on to host the Television Critics Association Awards to a great response. Thede also has a comedy project in development at ABC.
This marks a return to comedy for Dennis, who starred in the UPN/BET dramedy The Game and Spike (now Paramount Network)’s Blue Mountain State. She most recently had dramatic turns in Rosewood, Luke Cage and The Bobby Brown Story.
Brunson, who found fame on social media with her viral Instagram series and multiple popular web series, made her first foray into traditional television when she was cast in The CW pilot The End of the World as We Know It last year. In 2018, she had a pilot production commitment for a CBS series produced by Larry Wilmore and co-starring Jermaine Fowler.
Black is a three-time Emmy nominee for her work as a writer and correspondent on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.
Below, you can watch a video from earlier this year with Rae, Thede and Smith talking about the series:
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Photo: Getty Images
