Four years ago, Tyler Perry said he had a deal with a TV network for a sitcom. But they didn't like his concept. And he didn't like the loss of control. So he walked.

When he met with production and distribution company Debmar-Mercury last year, they came up with a different way for him to get his new sitcom on TV: create the show himself, then dangle samples.

TBS (ENLARGE)

Tyler Perry (center) created "House of Payne," starring (from left) Denise Burse, Allen Payne, Cassi Davis, China McClain, Larramie Shaw and LaVan Davis.

TELEVISION "House of Payne" TBS, 9, 9:30 p.m. June 21

Perry, an Atlanta resident who has made millions with his urban plays and two successful films, financed and distributed the first 10 episodes of "House of Payne" to 10 TV stations in mostly major markets at no cost to them. His goal: get strong enough ratings to sell 100 episodes nationwide, which is considered a full syndication slate.

So far, so good.

Even before the show debuts tonight on the Atlanta-only feed of TBS, "House of Payne" has been launched in other cities, including Houston, New York and Philadelphia. Ratings are up 25 percent to 75 percent or more over what had previously aired in those cities.

"The ratings were unbelievable, just incredible," Perry said last week. They're so strong, he's already moving forward to make 90 more episodes over the next two years. Those won't be free.

The show features Allen Payne ("The Cosby Show") as a married man with two kids whose wife burns down his home, forcing them to move into the basement of his parents' house. Perry said the show blends comedy, inspiration and drama, so don't expect the usual pacing of sitcom jokes. "It's not a formula," he said.

Syndication can be highly lucrative but difficult to break into. It involves selling shows station to station, as opposed to getting instant national coverage like on CBS or NBC. Syndication for dramas and comedies mostly involves established shows that have already aired for years, such as "Sex and the City" or "Friends." Debuting a new sitcom via this route is virtually unprecedented.

"He [Perry] wanted to do it with no Hollywood interference, no network, no cable, no nothing," said Ira Bernstein, co-president of Debmar-Mercury. "He has a unique and clearly defined brand in everything he does. In translating it to television, he wanted to remain true to that. The only way to guarantee that was for him to get it on the air for his audience to see."

One requirement Debmar-Mercury placed on the 10 TV stations was that they need to market the show. In Atlanta, TBS has done radio ads, billboards and ads at bus stops and on buses.

Bernstein said Perry has two things going for him: his existing fan base and the paucity of popular sitcoms coming from the major networks. Only one sitcom — CBS' "Two and a Half Men" — made it into the Nielsen Top 20 this past season.

And this upcoming season, the four biggest networks are airing no sitcoms featuring an African-American in the lead role. (Last year, the only one was "The Bernie Mac Show" on Fox, which ended its run last month.)

Perry, who taped and produced the first 10 episodes of "House of Payne" in his Atlanta studio last December, said he's already compiled 80 story ideas for new episodes. He will start on those this fall in Atlanta after he wraps his third film, "Daddy's Little Girl," which began shooting locally this past Monday.