In the eyes of BET Media Group, Tyler Perry can do no wrong.
Since Perry signed a collaborative deal with parent company Paramount Global in 2019, he has developed eight shows for BET and its sister streaming service BET+. Not one has been canceled.
The shows, a mix of sitcoms, dramedies and dramas, are all active and have aired fresh episodes in the past year, with a ninth show set to debut this summer. To date, Perry has provided 812 episodes of original TV show content for BET and BET+ since 2019.
BET doesn’t release ratings data for its streaming shows, but the network said “Tyler Perry’s Sistas” is among the highest-rated shows for younger Black viewers on TV.
“Tyler Perry has been the most incredible partner to BET, delivering record-breaking hits and top series year after year,” said Scott Mills, president and CEO of BET Media Group.
Perry has an enviable track record in a world where programs are canceled on a regular basis. The only comparable single powerhouse at one network is Dick Wolf, who produces six scripted dramas for NBC: three “Law & Order” shows and the trio of “Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.”
Credit: BET
Credit: BET
Perry does have an advantage many of his peers do not: He happens to own a minority stake in BET+.
In 2023, he even tried to buy BET when Paramount briefly considered putting it up for sale. But Paramount wasn’t happy with the bids and decided to keep BET Media Group instead. Perry later called the bidding process “disrespectful,” but he chose last year to maintain his business relationship with Paramount, which currently runs through 2028.
The last time a Perry show was officially canceled was four years ago when “The Haves and the Have Nots” ended after an eight-year run on the OWN network. That soapy drama might have gone on longer, but his exclusive arrangement with OWN ended in 2019.
Perry Monday announced new drama “Divorced Sistas” set in the same universe as “Sistas” with all new characters. It’s scheduled to debut June 9 on BET and be available on BET+ the next day.
It’s his ninth show for BET and BET+.
The cast for “Divorced Sistas” is a mix of familiar names and new ones. Metro Atlanta residents LeToya Luckett (Destiny’s Child) and RonReaco Lee (“Survivor’s Remorse,” “Tyler Perry’s Duplicity”) are included.
Perry also has a four-movie deal with Amazon and multiple deals with Netflix to produce faith-based movies and other films and TV shows. His first TV series on Netflix “Beauty in Black” was recently renewed for a second season.
Here is a list of Perry shows on BET and BET+, all produced out of Tyler Perry Studios:
BET
Credit: BET
Credit: BET
“Tyler Perry’s House of Payne”
What it’s about: A sitcom about a multigenerational Atlanta family led by patriarch Curtis Payne (LaVan Davis) and his wife (Cassi Davis) Ella.
How many seasons have aired: 11 (378 episodes to date, 113 for BET)
History: The comedy, Perry’s first TV series, ran on TBS from 2006 to 2012. Perry revived it for BET in 2020.
Credit: BET
Credit: BET
“Sistas”
What it’s about: A dramedy revolving around a group of single Black women navigating careers, friendships, romances and breakups.
How many seasons have aired: 8 (179 episodes to date)
Credit: BET
Credit: BET
“The Oval”
What it’s about: Life at the White House including the president, his family and the staff. (This show gave Perry an excuse to build a replica of the White House at Tyler Perry Studios.)
How many seasons have aired: 6 (124 episodes to date)
Credit: BET
Credit: BET
“Assisted Living”
What it’s about: A man relocates his wife and two teenage children to the backwoods of Georgia to help his grandfather renovate and manage a rundown home for senior citizens. David and Tamela Mann revive their roles from the former TBS series “Meet the Browns.”
How many seasons have aired: 5 (113 episodes to date)
BET+
Credit: George Burns
Credit: George Burns
“Zatima”
What it’s about: A spinoff of “Sistas,’ the series focuses on Zac and Fatima as a couple grappling with secrets, lies, infidelity and exes.
How many seasons have aired: 4 (50 episodes to date)
Credit: BET+
Credit: BET+
“Bruh”
What it’s about: Five middle-aged college buddies navigate dating, careers and friendship in a male counterpart to “Sistas.”
How many seasons have aired: 4 (75 episodes to date)
Credit: BET+
Credit: BET+
“Ruthless”
What it’s about: Ruth Truesdale kidnaps her daughter Callie to join her and the sex-crazed members of the Rakudushis cult.
How many seasons have aired: 5 (104 episodes to date)
Credit: BET+
Credit: BET+
“All the Queen’s Men”
What it’s about: Marilyn “Madam” DeVille is the fierce owner of a lucrative male exotic nightclub in Atlanta.
How many seasons have aired: 4 (54 episodes to date)
“Divorced Sistas”
What it’s about: Five close friends grapple with what life is like after marriages crumble.
How many seasons have aired: first season debuting June 9 on BET and available on BET+ June 10
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
