I hope you’re ready for more Black lady courtrooms, crazy puppet shenanigans and Dr. Hadassah conspiracy theories because HBO is bringing back all your favorite A Black Lady Sketch Show characters.
Per a press release provided to The Root, HBO has renewed the Emmy-nominated series for Season 4. Created, executive produced and written by Robin Thede, the series stars Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis and Skye Townsend in ridiculous, funny sketches that are made by Black women, for Black women.
The show has such a fresh take on sketch comedy that it never disappoints. Every episode is filled with a hilarious surprise, because you never know where the sketch is going until the real joke is revealed. It’s unlike any other comedy series on television.
“A Black Lady Sketch Show has created an indelible mark thanks to the trust and support of the incredible team at HBO,” Thede said in a statement. “We are ecstatic to be heading into a fourth season that means so much to our cast, crew, and the dedicated audience who so passionately loves our show.”
Ahead of the Season 3 premiere, Thede spoke with The Root about the challenges of making a comedy show centered around Black women.
“I knew I couldn’t just make a sketch show. I knew that in order to stand out and be a sketch show with all Black women, we were going to have to do more,” Thede said. “For me it was always about creating a grounded sketch show that has narrative storylines, fully realized characters, but in a magical reality. I knew that there was going to be a world where we could play a variety of characters, but that world was going to have a throughline that made sense why we were doing all of these things and playing all of these characters.”
Throughout its first three seasons, A Black Lady Sketch Show has become known for its guest stars. Season 3 featured appearances from Ava DuVernay, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Wanda Sykes, Jemele Hill, Michael Ealy, Wayne Brady, Vanessa Williams, Lance Reddick and Cari Champion. However, even with all that star power, it’s the core cast of four talented funny women that makes even the most nonsensical scenarios work.
“This cast in Season 3 with Skye, Gabrielle, Ashley and myself, we’re just unstoppable. It was really instant chemistry,” Thede told The Root. “It’s like walking into the Black Lady Courtroom. You see each other and you’re like, ‘Yes we’re here!’ We have never had weirdness in the cast. When we walk on set, no matter what’s going on, if a wig’s on crazy or the day is running late, when we see each other, we’re locked and we’re in it.”
All three seasons of A Black Lady Sketch Show are available on HBO Max.