Lena Waithe has been going from strength to strength since she became the first black woman to win an Emmy for Best Comedy Writing. While her success at Showtime, where her series The Chi has been a hit with critics (including here at The Fandomentals); one show is not enough to contain her. It’s been reported by Deadline that TBS has ordered a pilot for a new series called “Twenties.”
The new series has been in Waithe’s head since she herself was in her twenties in 2009 when she was writing for Bones and working in relative obscurity. Now that her star has risen, Waithe has a chance to bring it to life.
Much like The Chi, Twenties will be heavily biographical. The series will center around a black, queer woman named Hattie, and her two straight best friends, Marie and Nia. It will follow the regular sitcom formulas where the trio follows their dreams, fall in love, and get into all sorts of shenanigans (as 20-somethings on t.v are wont to do). But unlike past programs, the queer, black woman will be front and center and not, as Waithe herself has said, relegated to sidekick.
Waithe is producing Twenties through her Hillman Grad Productions, along with her manager Andrew Coles.