CBS Canceled The Damon Wayans Sitcom Poppa’s House. Here’e Reason Why — SO SAD

Why CBS Canceled The Damon Wayans Sitcom Poppa’s House

Back in 2022, a new CBS sitcom was announced that would see Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. playing a father-son duo. At the time, Deadline described “Poppa’s House” as “a dream on-screen sitcom pairing [that’s been] two decades in the making,” and while that may have been a bit of an exaggeration, it was at least exciting to hear that Wayans Sr. was returning to network comedy following his successful ABC series “My Wife and Kids.” That early 2000s sitcom ran for five seasons and became a beloved part of many a millennial’s childhood.

As such, Damon Wayans returning to multi-camera comedy seemed like it could be a success — especially if that comedy also starred his real-life son, with whom he had an undeniable comedic chemistry as evidenced by their previous collaborations.

“My Wife and Kids” also featured Wayans Jr. in a recurring role, before the actor went on to star in comedy shows like “Happy Endings” and “New Girl.” He then led the CBS sitcom “Happy Together,” which, sadly, only lasted for one season. “Poppa’s House,” however, seemed like it could push beyond a single season, especially since “Happy Together” had showcased Wayans and Wayans Jr.’s comedic chemistry in an episode titled, “Like Father, Like Son.”

Co-written by Wayans and executive producer Kevin Hench, “Poppa’s House” starred the “Saturday Night Live” alum (who was fired, and then brought back in season 11) as divorced talk-radio host Damon “Poppa” Fulton, who lives in the suburbs right next door to his adult son, Junior (Wayans Jr).

At work, Poppa finds himself challenged by a new female co-host in the form of self-help guru Ivy (Essence Atkins), while Junior finds himself moving further away from his dream of becoming a film director in order to satisfy his wife’s desires for a stable life together.

The father and son often cross paths due to their living situation, with Poppa frequently finding the peace of his home life shattered by drop-ins from his family and neighbors.

As decent enough a premise as that might sound, “Poppa’s House” ultimately proved to be as enduring as “Happy Together,” with CBS pulling the plug after just one season.