Lena Waithe’s got the Midas Touch. BET has renewed “Boomerang” for a second season, Deadline reports. Created by Waithe and Ben Cory Jones (“Insecure”), the comedy is based on the ’90s rom-com of the same name.
The original “Boomerang” centers on a successful ad exec (Eddie Murphy) known for his womanizing. He gets a dose of his own medicine when he meets his ruthless new boss (Robin Givens), who treats him the way he treats women. He eventually finds himself in a love triangle with her and a co-worker (Halle Berry). The TV series tells the story of Simone (Tetona Jackson), the daughter of Murphy and Berry’s characters, and Bryson (Tequan Richmond), the son of Givens’ character. Berry is among “Boomerang’s” exec producers, as is Waithe.
“Us too,” the penultimate episode of “Boomerang’s” freshman season, airs tonight. Waithe and Jenny Lee (“Young & Hungry”) penned the #MeToo-inspired script. “The episode explores what happens when Simone’s dad and known womanizer Marcus is brought down by a scandal,” the source hints. “As a result, Marcus’ once-charming hijinks land him in hot water and The Graham Agency is closed forever. The backlash is swift and his daughter and her squad are left to wonder what happens to ‘Us’ after #MeToo? Exploring everyone from Bill Cosby to R. Kelly, ‘Us Too’ is an honest and intimate look at all sides of the #MeToo movement from the black millennial perspective.”
Scott Mills, President of BET Networks, said that the continued partnership demonstrates BET’s “commitment to the elevation of creative and authentic storytelling that viewers expect from the brand.”
Waithe added, “Making ‘Boomerang’ has been one of the highlights of my career and the positive feedback we’ve gotten from fans and critics has been so validating, I’m beyond excited to dive even deeper into these characters’ lives in season two.”
In 2017 Waithe became the first black woman to win a comedy writing Emmy for her “Thanksgiving” episode of “Master of None.” She went on to create “The Chi.” The Chicago-set drama’s second season kicks off April 7 on Showtime.
Waithe has a number of projects in the pipeline, including “Them,” an Amazon series that will explore race in the U.S. through horror and supernatural storylines. In February she received a pilot order from Showtime for “How To Make Love To A Black Woman (Who May Be Working Through Some Sh*t),” an anthology series about sexual secrets that she’s exec producing.
