or


[04/26/11 - 11:40 AM]
TBS Orders Tyler Perry's "For Better or Worse"
Michael Jai White and Tasha Smith star in the series, which is based on the "Why Did I Get Married?" films.

[via press release from TBS]

TBS Orders Tyler Perry's "For Better or Worse"

Dramedy Based on Perry's Hit "Why Did I Get Married?" Films

Debmar Mercury to Sell Syndication Rights

TBS has ordered 10 episodes of the new series Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse from Tyler Perry Studios. The dramedy, based on Perry's hit Why Did I Get Married? films, marks the third Tyler Perry series to come to TBS, which is also home to Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Meet the Browns. As with House of Payne and Meet the Browns, syndication will be sold by Debmar Mercury.

Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse follows the ups-and-downs of married life for Marcus and Angela, two characters who originated in the feature films Why Did I Get Married and Why Did I Get Married Too? Michael Jai White (The Dark Knight) and Tasha Smith (Couples Retreat) are set to reprise the roles of television anchor Marcus and salon owner Angela. Additional cast members to be announced.

For Better or Worse marks a new direction for Tyler Perry's television properties. Unlike his family-oriented sitcoms, For Better or Worse will target young adults. Production on the series is slated to begin this summer at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta.

"Tyler Perry's series have been tremendously successful for TBS, helping establish the network as a prime destination for African-American viewers," said Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming, for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "Given such a remarkable track record, we're excited for the opportunity to expand our relationship with Tyler Perry and Debmar-Mercury with the new series For Better or Worse."

For Better or Worse comes just as Tyler Perry's history-making House of Payne prepares to end its highly successful run. "Even though it will be sad to say goodbye to House of Payne, I'm really looking forward to exploring new territory with For Better or Worse," said Tyler Perry. "Working on House of Payne taught me a lot about what it takes to make a successful television series and I'm looking forward to applying that experience to For Better or Worse."

Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein commented, "The entertainment industry has never seen anyone like Tyler Perry, an extraordinarily talented film/television/stage producer, writer, director, actor and mogul who is capable of repeatedly turning out hit after hit for both TBS and broadcast syndication. We are thrilled to be associated with another of Tyler's unique, remarkable and groundbreaking series."

TBS's association with Perry and Debmar-Mercury first began in May 2006 with the announcement of a House of Payne test-run on 10 local independent stations. After the successful test, TBS and Debmar-Mercury announced an additional 100 episodes of the series to air nationally on TBS. The first-of-its-kind deal marked a new model for the television industry.

The national premiere of Tyler Perry's House of Payne on TBS in June 2007 drew 5.9 million viewers, at the time basic cable's biggest sitcom audience ever. The show remained basic cable's #1 sitcom until TBS's August 2008 premiere of Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns. For the first quarter of 2011, House of Payne and Meet the Browns ranked among television's Top 5 primetime sitcoms with African-American adults 18-34 and 18-49.

About Tyler Perry

Born into poverty and raised in a household scarred by abuse, Perry's strength, faith and perseverance would later form the foundations of his plays, films, books and shows. A simple piece of advice from Oprah set his career in motion as a diary of his daily thoughts and experiences led to his writing of a musical, I Know I've Been Changed, in 1992. Five years later with no money left, sleeping in seedy motels and his car, Perry's faith in himself and God only got stronger, allowing him to forge ahead. In 1998, his perseverance paid off when the play began a limited church run. The community came out in droves and Perry never looked back as he began an incredible run of eight plays in eight years. Madea first debuted in 2000's I Can Do Bad All By Myself and spawned three more plays leading to Perry's jump to the big screen with 2005's Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which debuted at #1 nationwide. He followed with Madea's Family Reunion, Daddy's Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married?, Meet the Browns, The Family That Preys, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, Why Did I Get Married Too?, and For Colored Girls, which were all met with massive fan support and commercial success. Madea's Big Happy Family, which was first a stage play, is currently in theaters and opened at over $25 million. In 2006, Perry's first book, Don't Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries On Life and Love, shot to the top of the New York Times bestseller list and claimed two Quill Book Awards. In 2007, Perry expanded his brand to television with the series House of Payne, the highest-rated first-run syndicated cable show of all time and followed that up with Meet the Browns, the second highest debut ever on cable, after House of Payne. Perry has also signed on to produce Lionsgate upcoming comedy We the Peeples and will play the lead in Good Deeds and the title character in Rob Cohen's I, Alex Cross.

About Debmar-Mercury

Debmar-Mercury, a leading media company specializing in syndication, network, cable and ancillary markets, produces and distributes The Wendy Williams Show; produces (with ITV STUDIOS AMERICA) and distributes The Jeremy Kyle Show, debuting in September 2011; distributes Tyler Perry's House of Payne and spinoff Meet the Browns; distributes Are We There Yet?, a new sitcom from Revolution Studios' Joe Roth and Cube Vision, starring Ice Cube, debuting in national syndication in fall 2012; distributes strips Hell's Kitchen, Family Feud, South Park and True Hollywood Story; and distributes a movie library featuring titles from Revolution Studios. Debmar-Mercury is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading next-generation studio.

About TBS

TBS, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television's top-rated comedy network and is available in 100.8 million households. It serves as home to such original comedy series as Are We There Yet? and Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Meet the Browns; the late-night series CONAN, starring Conan O'Brien, and Lopez Tonight, starring George Lopez; hot contemporary comedies like Family Guy and The Office and The Big Bang Theory, which begins later this year; special events, including star-studded comedy festivals in Chicago; blockbuster movies; hosted movie showcases; and championship sports.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.





  [april 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· FOR BETTER OR WORSE (OWN)
· HOUSE OF PAYNE (BET)
· TYLER PERRY'S MEET THE BROWNS (TBS)





[03/27/24 - 01:43 PM]
FOX Entertainment Unveils New Structure with Three-Pillar Focus on Global Studio Operations, Linear & Streaming Platforms and Worldwide Sales & Licensing
The new FOX Entertainment will consist of three primary business segments, including FOX Entertainment Studios, the FOX Television Network and FOX Entertainment Global.

[03/27/24 - 01:03 PM]
Video: "Big Mood" - Official Trailer - A Tubi Original
Best friends Maggie and Eddie have lived in each other's pockets for ten years. But with the future looming, can their relationship survive?

[03/27/24 - 12:32 PM]
This April, Series "Mud Madness" Debuts on Discovery Channel, Alongside All-New Seasons of "Ghost Adventures: House Calls" and "Contraband: Seized at the Border"
"Mud Madness" is a brand-new series that follows the off-road subculture of extreme Big-Tire UTV mud racing and the passionate characters that drive the sport.

[03/27/24 - 12:25 PM]
Ten American Bakers Travel to Paris for Food Network's Ultimate Pastry Competition "Next Baking Master: Paris"
Premiering Monday, May 6, the series demands that competitors prove their mettle in the pillars of great baking and pastry: technique, artistry, flavor, innovation, and inspiration.

[03/27/24 - 12:00 PM]
Video: HBO Releases Official Teaser for "The Jinx - Part Two," Debuting April 21
In Part Two, the filmmakers continue their investigation for the next eight years, uncovering hidden material, Robert Durst's prison calls, and interviews with witnesses who had not come forward until now.

[03/27/24 - 12:00 PM]
Backstabbery Is Back as E! Announces Conniving New Cast of "House of Villains" Season Two, Premiering This Fall
Season one cast member Tiffany "New York" Pollard returns for a chance at redemption.

[03/27/24 - 10:02 AM]
Lifetime Greenlights "Gaslit By My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story" Starring Jana Kramer and Austin Nichols
Kramer, who has openly spoken about domestic abuse, will film a new a PSA for Lifetime's Stop Violence Against Women initiative to align with the subject matter of this movie.

[03/27/24 - 10:00 AM]
"The Steve Wilkos Show" Renewed for 18th Season in National Syndication
The show is hosted by Steve Wilkos, the straightforward, tough-talking former Chicago police officer and United States Marine.

[03/27/24 - 09:59 AM]
Starz's Hit Drama Series "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" Scores Early Season Five Renewal
The third installment in the "Power" franchise, "Raising Kanan" recently concluded its explosive third season and is currently filming season four in New York.

[03/27/24 - 09:30 AM]
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively Officially Reuniting for Paul Feig-Helmed Sequel, "A Simple Favor 2"
The highly anticipated sequel is a co-production with Lionsgate and follows the studio's 2018 release of "A Simple Favor," which was a critical and commercial success, earning more than $97 million at the worldwide box office and achieving Certified Fresh status on Rotten Tomatoes.

[03/27/24 - 09:17 AM]
FOX Nation Partners with Martin Scorsese for New Docudrama "Martin Scorsese Presents: THE SAINTS"
Slated for November, the series will encompass eight one-hour episodes exploring the remarkable stories of eight men and women who risked everything to embody humanity's most noble and complex trait - faith.

[03/27/24 - 09:00 AM]
Academy Award Winner and Tony Award Nominee Ariana DeBose Returns to Host "The 77th Annual Tony Awards," Airing Live Sunday, June 16, on CBS and Paramount+
DeBose will also serve as producer and choreograph the opening number for this year's show.

[03/27/24 - 08:58 AM]
"NKOTB" Bandmate Jonathan Knight Returns for Season Three of Hit HGTV Series "Farmhouse Fixer" on Tuesday, April 23, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
The series, which attracted more than 15 million viewers to its previous season, will follow Jon, best known as a member of the Grammy-nominated band New Kids on the Block, and his go-to designer Kristina Crestin, as they take on a slew of risky renovations.

[03/27/24 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Good Times" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In this edgy, irreverent reimagining of the TV classic, a new generation of the Evans family keeps their heads above water in a Chicago housing project.

[03/27/24 - 06:01 AM]
Hulu on Disney+ Launches Today in the U.S. for Disney Bundle Subscribers
Bundle plans are available starting at $9.99/month, while Disney+ and Hulu each remain available as standalone offerings.