Television series

Marlon

Name: Marlon
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Family
Released: 2017
Cast: Bresha Webb, Diallo Riddle, Amir O'Neil, Notlim Taylor, Essence Atkins

Comedy
Light-hearted

Marlon is a sitcom about an immature but devoted father juggling co-parenting, internet fame, and his own arrested development. It's broad, physical comedy built around Marlon Wayans' manic energy—silly in the way a dad would be if he never quite grew up but genuinely loved his kids. For people who like chaos, heart, and jokes that land in your stomach.

TVMaze rating

3.3

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like a big, loud sitcom father whose good intentions keep tripping over his own ego, and you enjoy warmth that sneaks up under the gags.

Skip it if you want a sitcom with a tight plot or sharp restraint, since this one leans on broad performance and its heart arrives sentimental more often than surprising.

What it asks of you: Half-hour episodes and two seasons keep it brisk; it wants you to laugh at a loud man rather than study him, and to accept big gestures without much setup.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Living Single1993

The spiritual ancestor of ensemble comedies about found family navigating adulthood together. Sharp, funny, and genuinely warm—it does what Marlon attempts with sharper writing and more distinctive characters.

But The '90s sitcom pace feels slow now, and some jokes about dating have aged into cringe. The show commits to sitcom conventions rather than surprise.

black-ish2014

A family sitcom with real stakes beneath the jokes—parenting, identity, belonging. Anthony Anderson brings the same physical comedy energy but the show uses it to say something, not just fill time.

But It's more interested in being smart than being silly, which can feel like homework on nights you want to laugh without thinking.

The Moodys2019

A chaotic family holiday comedy with genuine affection underneath the mess. Denis Leary plays a similarly unfiltered father figure, and the show captures that love-them-anyway feeling Marlon reaches for.

But It's a limited series with a cramped feel, and the humor sometimes collapses under the weight of its own sentimentality.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Marlon

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Party Down2009

Both are comedies about men refusing to grow up, but Party Down uses that setup to explore how ambition and ego trap people, while Marlon suggests love can pull you toward becoming better. They're inverse arguments about the same problem.

A comedy about failure and trying to make it that's genuinely smart and hilarious. It uses physical comedy and ensemble chaos like Marlon does, but channels it into something with bite and real pathos underneath.

But It's darker and more cynical than Marlon—the show doesn't promise happy endings or neat resolutions. Watching people fail repeatedly can feel bleak.

Martin1992

Martin Lawrence creating an entire universe of characters in a household sitcom. The physical comedy and willingness to be ridiculous while keeping real relationships at the center is the DNA Marlon inherits.

But Dated references and some of the humor hasn't aged well. It also sometimes mistakes chaos for plot.

grown-ish2018

A spin-off that works as a standalone show about young adults figuring it out. Funny, stylish, and genuinely interested in its characters—a modern take on what family comedies can do.

But It's less interested in broad physical comedy and more focused on dialogue and character, which might feel slower if you want Marlon's energy.

Kevin Can Wait2016

Kevin James playing a retired cop trying to be present as a father. Similar premise of an older guy learning to adapt to new family dynamics, with physical comedy as the primary engine.

But It's pretty conventional and struggles to find anything surprising to do with its setup. Genuinely forgettable week to week.

The Neighborhood2018

A sitcom about misfits and found family with real warmth. Cedric the Entertainer brings similar energy to Marlon Wayans, and the show understands that chaos works better with heart backing it.

But It leans heavily on sitcom tropes and rarely surprises. The humor is safe even when it's trying to be edgy.

Raising Hope2010

Both shows believe that an immature man learning to love his kids is worthy material, but Raising Hope trusts the absurd to reveal truth, where Marlon relies on familiar sitcom beats to do the emotional work.

A show about an immature guy suddenly becoming a parent that actually trusts its characters and its audience. The comedy is surreal and specific, but every joke serves the genuine love at the center.

But It's way weirder than Marlon—the show commits to strange tangents and doesn't always explain the joke. Some episodes feel like they're happening in a different sitcom.

Russian Doll2019

Both are about someone stuck in a pattern—Marlon being the eternal kid, Nadia being trapped in a loop—but Russian Doll asks why we cling to these patterns and what it costs us, while Marlon just asks us to love him anyway.

A show about someone refusing to grow up told through science fiction. Natasha Lyonne is brilliant, the writing is sharp, and it uses magical thinking and repetition to examine what keeps us stuck—funny and genuinely devastating.

But It's a dark comedy that sometimes tips into serious drama. Not a warm show. The experimental structure asks you to pay attention rather than relax into it.