Yahoo News Robin Thede on Expanding the ‘Black Lady Cinematic Universe’ With ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Season 4 (EXCLUSIVE)
“A Black Lady Sketch Show” is back for a fourth season and, according to series creator and star Robin Thede, the comedy is bigger and broader than ever. In fact, internally, they’ve been referring to this season in multiversal terms.
“These women play hundreds of characters in so few episodes, and they’re so talented, we keep talking about the Black Lady Cinematic Universe,” Thede tells Variety, exclusively debuting the trailer for Season 4 and promising that this six-episode season utilizes its stars’ unique abilities more creatively than ever.
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“It’s about expansion and what our creativity can create, for good or for evil,” Thede explains, winking at the return of the devil, who she also portrays. “It feels like we’re in an era of self-creation, of defining what this universe can be and removing any limitations that we may have had.”
Or as the clip proclaims: “The award-winning series is back because three Emmys isn’t enough.”
In fact, the first three installments of “A Black Lady Sketch Show” have garnered 13 Emmy nominations and three wins, with Season 3 netting trophies for outstanding picture editing for variety programming (which the series has won in back-to-back years) and outstanding directing for a variety series (Bridget Stokes). Starring alongside Thede are Gabrielle Dennis and Skye Townsend, with three new featured players — DaMya Gurley, Tamara Jade and Angel Laketa Moore — joining in the Black lady fun.
“I’m so in awe of this cast, who all offer each of their own talents and skills in such unique ways,” Thede says, teasing that this season’s interstitials “gave us a little bit of room to play with their endless abilities.”
(Given that the show’s interstitials began as an end-of-the-world scenario that went on to involve literal puppet versions of the core cast and the unlikely — and short-lived — election of Dr. Haddassah as president, audiences will just have to watch and see what complex zaniness Thede has up her sleeve.)
The trailer clocks in just shy of two minutes long but features about 18 sketches — with returning favorites like Courtroom Kiki (a.k.a. Black Lady Courtroom clap, clap) and recurring characters like Thede’s noncommittal bro Chris (who can’t even reply “yes” to saving the world). The clip also teases more than 20 guest stars, including Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross, Colman Domingo, Bobby Brown, Kyla Pratt, Omarion, Sam Richardson and Yvette Nicole Brown.
In one scene, the Coral Reefs face off against a rival lavender-clothed gang led by Ross. Then Jay Ellis, Kel Mitchell and Tank join the disciplettes from “The Last Supp-her” and “The Res-herrection” for another Bible-inspired sketch.
“Mary, we just came here to worship the Lord and join his flock,” Priscilla (one of the disciplettes, played by Thede) says in the teaser. “Why you flock-blocking us?”
“Flock-blocking? I’m not flock-blocking!” Dennis’ infamous Mary Magdalene gasps, as her voice raises to an earsplitting pitch. “Oh no, I’d never flock block!”
The clip closes with another taste of Colman Domingo’s episode of “Black Table Talk” hosted by Thede’s fan-favorite character Dr. Haddassah, which was featured in an earlier teaser. When Domingo declares that he’s “a feminist,” Haddassah yelps, aghast.
“You don’t believe in feminism?” Domingo asks. She shoots back, “Absolutely not.” He continues: “How is that possible? You’re a woman?” Incredulous, she replies: “I’m a female.”
“Black Table Talk” is one of Thede’s favorite sketches of the season, particularly from the perspective of a showrunner/producer. “He’s such a worthy adversary for her in a beautiful, not mean way,” Thede says of Domingo, promising that the banter between the two escalates in iconic fashion.
The sketch also showcases a different shade of Domingo’s acting talent. “He’s done comedy, but like, in recent years, we’ve seen him be so serious and he’s great at that,” Thede notes. (Domingo won an Emmy for “Euphoria” in 2022.) “But he was so down to play and just cut up; we shot that sketch in like two hours. Like we threw the script out the window, and I was like, ‘Let’s go,’ because he was so game from the beginning.”
As a writer, she loves a sketch titled “Fresh to Death,” which puts an unexpected twist on podcasting, and as a performer, she loved bringing back the eternally noncommittal Chris.
“He hadn’t been back in two seasons, and we got new hair,” Thede says, explaining that they brought a barber in who “laid individual hairs to create a hairline. It’s the best hair Chris has ever had, so the evolution of Chris is really funny, because he’s still up to his same old shit.”
But back to the guest stars: Also popping up this year are D-Nice, Derek Fisher, Quincy Isaiah, Gina Torres, Debra Wilson (who Thede says the fans have been “clamoring” to see) and, at long last, Kym Whitley. What’s the secret to booking such a wealth – and range — of talent?
“It’s kind of the same vibe we have every season, which is that we invite everyone and whoever’s available and ready that day shows up and we have a blast,” Thede says. “We try to keep it simple. We don’t try to overthink it.”
Thede and the writing staff don’t necessarily script sketches with specific stars in mind, and they’re not just booking people to book people. It’s all about finding the best person for each part and then allowing their talent to shine.
“That’s what it takes on this show — people who just throw caution to the wind and are game to play,” she says. “Kel Mitchell is a perfect example of that. That character was written the way he played it, but we never envisioned it as funny as how he makes things. He’s just a national treasure.”
Thede was also thrilled to nab a second cameo from Jackée Harry, who appeared in a “227”-inspired sketch during Season 1. “I pinch myself every time,” she says. “I worshipped Jackée growing up — I still do — but as a kid, she was it. She still is!”
What’s been so amazing about “A Black Lady Sketch Show” is the opportunity to build a lasting relationship with her fellow comedy performers versus a one-time connection, and the ability to spotlight these performers in the way they deserve.
“This show allows us to have opportunities with people we would never cross paths with and to be able to celebrate them,” Thede says. “It’s a light lift for them, they show up for a few hours, and then they’re done. But at the same time, we’re going to make sure that when you come to set, you are going to know how much you are loved.”
Watch the full trailer in the video above.
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