Fans of reboots and revivals will be disappointed to know that a Martin reboot is officially off the table, at least in the way that many fans had hoped to see it. For years, there has been buzz about rebooting the Martin Lawrence-led ’90s set sitcom. The series ran for a total of five seasons from August 27, 1992, to May 1, 1997. Martin was set in Detroit, and it focused on the fictional radio station talk show host’s relationship with his girlfriend Gina (Tisha Campbell) and friends Tommy (the late Thomas Mikal Ford) and Cole (Carl Anthony Payne II), along with Gina’s best friend, and Martin’s nemesis, Pam (Tichina Arnold).

A few years ago, after settling some decades-old beef, Lawrence took a photo with Campbell and teased that a Martin reboot could be on the horizon. Now it appears that that’s never going to happen, especially since the original cast is no longer intact.

“It’s something that we wanted to happen,” Arnold said during an appearance on The Tamron Hall Show. “It’s something that we tried very hard for it to happen, but the way it looks to me, realistically, it’s not going to happen. Not unless it’s an animation.” Ford passed away at age 52 in 2016, and trying to revive Martin without him doesn’t sit well with anyone.

“This show is never going to be the same, it’s never, and some things are best left alone,” the Everybody Hates Chris actress explained, “Within life, there are always new beginnings, and there’s always change, and there’s always new plateaus, so we’ll see what’s happening.”

Still, it might be interesting to examine Campbell’s idea for an animated series. It might be a way for fans of the series to hold on to the legacy of the beloved sitcom while paying homage to the original show.

Angie Martinez