OWN is expanding its relationship with Tyler Perry.
In addition to inking the multihyphenate to an overall deal and greenlighting a scripted comedy and drama, the cable network has acquired Perry's For Better or Worse from TBS.
In addition to acquiring the first 45 episodes of the scripted comedy that originally aired on TBS, OWN will produce a third season of the series -- which ranked as basic cable's top show on TV among African-Americans.
The original cast -- Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Crystle Stewart, Kent Faulcon, Kiki Haynes and Jason Olive -- will all return and begin production on season three in April in Atlanta.
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"For Better or Worse is a great addition to our growing lineup of scripted programming from Tyler,” OWN president Erik Logan said. “We’re excited to build out OWN’s slate of original shows.”
For Better or Worse join Perry's two other scripted efforts at the network.
The Haves and the Have Nots is a drama about the dynamics of the affluent Cyrer family and the impoverished family of their housekeeper, Hanna, and the obstacles and secrets that exist within both.
Love Thy Neighbor, meanwhile, is a multicamera comedy set at Love's Diner, where every day the menu serves up good food, great laughs, valuable life lessons and a lot of love for its zany neighbors.
OWN inked Perry -- the prolific writer, director, producer and actor behind the Madea features, among several other stage and small-screen projects -- to a multiyear pact in October to produce original content for the cabler.
Before the deal, Perry's TV efforts were housed at Turner-owned TBS, where the network launched half-hours Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Meet the Browns.
For Better or Worse for its part hasn't been the ratings performer TBS had hoped it would be, after both House of Payne and Browns triggered 90-episode renewals as part of their 90/10 package at the cable network.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit
