"Girl" Uses Social Networks To Create Buzz, Yet BET Says No Thanks!Variety is reporting that TV One has acquired "Love That Girl," a four-episode sitcom from Martin Lawrence and scribe Bentley Kyle Evans. Evans, who was the executive producer and co-creator of The Jamie Foxx Show, created the sitcom, which stars Tatyana Ali ("The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" alum, BET.com's Buppies and TV One Access).
What makes the cable project historic is that it was written, financed, shot and marketed to African Americans online to generate pre-distribution appeal.
"Girl" will air as a special three-night event on TV One, from Tuesday, Jan. 19, through Thursday, Jan. 21, at 9 p.m. Back-to-back episodes will air each night (including repeats).
Ali stars as a 30 year-old recent divorcee who moves back to Southern California to work with her father (Phil Morris) in the decimated real estate business. Alphonso McAuley co-stars as her unemployed brother, while Kendyl Joi plays her best friend.With a Twitter page and almost 4000 Facebook fans, "Love That Girl" was even shot unconventionally, with all four episodes produced over five days at Blakeslee Recording Studios.
In an unusual setup, Evans ("Martin," "Thin Line Between Love And Hate") produced the sitcom without the involvement of a studio, and called in favors -- which included drawing on his "Martin" star, Lawrence -- to make the show happen.
Singer Raphael Saadiq, whose 2008 single "Love That Girl" serves as the show's theme song, owns Blakeslee and also serves as an executive producer.
Beyond Lawrence, Evans also tapped "Full House" creator Jeff Franklin to help bring "Love That Girl" to life.
Evans then recruited several family members to perform key roles on the production: His sister, Stacey Evans Morgan ("The Parkers"), was a producer-writer on "Girl," while his nephew Nile Evans ("Wild'n Out") and brother Lamont Evans also helped as writers.Evans' wife, Valicia Evans, served as set designer, while Ali's sister and business partner, Anastasia Ali, was also a producer.
"Not only do they get the business behind programming to the more sophisticated urban market, they have the ideal audience for a series like ours," Evans said of TV One. "... If executed properly, this will represent a whole new model for producing and delivering quality scripted series to the television market, at a reasonable cost."
Per the Washington Post, BET had an opportunity to buy the project, but ultimately past. "It seems like they want to be a major player in the game, but every time they're given the opportunity, they fall short, out of fear. . . . They don't take risks. They don't take chances," Evans stated. Source
