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Martin: The Reunion is nearly here. Thirty years after Martin debuted on Fox, the stars of the iconic sitcom are reuniting on the Martin set to reminisce on the series. Martin: The Reunion will feature interviews with Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell (Gina), Tichina Arnold (Pamela), and Carl Anthony Payne II (Cole) and will showcase special musical performances, behind-the-scenes commentary, and surprise guest appearances. Hosted by comedian Affion Crockett, the reunion is sure to delight fans. The special debuts June 16 on BET+. The trailer begins with a special tribute to cast member Tommy Ford, who died in 2016, and then flips through some of the comedy’s most memorable scenes. Crockett even presses Lawrence about the possibility of a Martin reboot. Check out the official Martin reunion trailer below. Martin: The Reunion is a 90-minute special airing on BET+. Special guests will include Snoop Dogg, Brian McKnight, Le’Andria Johnson, Reginald Ballard,...

The rage currently aimed at police violence and systemic racism is centuries in the making. And in order to understand and meaningfully contribute to the movement, non-Black audiences have become increasingly interested in educating themselves on the racist and socioeconomic inequities that nurture the environment that allows these injustices to thrive. Black content creators, however, place more value in humanizing Black people over providing an education to those seeking one, as if to say that despite differences in skin color “we’re not all that different from each other.”

That is not to say that the below series don’t tackle the subject of race and identity; some do directly. There are real-life differences of habit and racial perspective. But most of them operate inside the conversation that emphasizes the universality of Black stories — humor, love, family, conflict, and every other kind of experience.

From Bernie Mac’s “The Bernie Mac Show,...

The rage currently aimed at police violence and systemic racism is centuries in the making. And in order to understand and meaningfully contribute to the movement, non-Black audiences have become increasingly interested in educating themselves on the racist and socioeconomic inequities that nurture the environment that allows these injustices to thrive. Black content creators, however, place more value in humanizing Black people over providing an education to those seeking one, as if to say that despite differences in skin color “we’re not all that different from each other.”

That is not to say that the below series don’t tackle the subject of race and identity; some do directly. There are real-life differences of habit and racial perspective. But most of them operate inside the conversation that emphasizes the universality of Black stories — humor, love, family, conflict, and every other kind of experience.

From Bernie Mac’s “The Bernie Mac Show,...

Last week I mentioned that networks had made 99 percent of their pilot pickups. Now it's probably 100 percent, after CBS' Feb. 24 order for an untitled Martin Lawrence comedy project. (No CD yet; it's too early. But whoever it is, let's hope they bring in Reginald Ballard, aka Bruh Man, to read for a part.)Since I started this column whilst pilot season was in medias res, it's been easy so far to write cohesive pieces, centered on a single theme. But most weeks, it's going to be me trying to find some thread linking whatever random projects I come across. So you might as well get used to disjointed, rambling garbage. (Try watching a few episodes of "Lost" on Netflix instant to warm yourself up.)First up this week is a film project that has "2013 awards contender" written all over it. It's called "The Butler," and it's a biopic...