Kenan Thompson Shines In NBC Universal’s Latest Comedic Public Offering Kenan Premiering Tuesday Feb 16th at 8:30 EST

Kenan Thompson, Don Johnson, Dani and Dannah Lane, and Chris Redd in Kenan

NBC Universal has a wonderful hit on their hands in Kenan, a show that manages to take the old age storyline of a single, widowed father just trying to get on with his life while raising his kids, holding down a high profile job, and deal with his absent spouse’s family and rearrange it into something fresh and inviting that sheds light on the unique struggles of being a black single father.

In the first episode, it becomes increasingly obvious to Kenan’s family Rick (former Father In Law and Grandpa to Kenan’s daughters Birdie and Aubrey) and Gary (Kenan’s brother) and his twin daughters Bridie and Aubrey that Kenan is struggling to process his grief over the death of his wife, and after a few odd outbursts, his friends and family decide to help by offering ill-timed but well-intended advice that just seems to make things worse. As tensions rise between co-workers and roommates over who’s actually helping and who’s making things worse, it finally becomes clear to Kenan that he needs to work through things in his own way that includes talking to his loved ones, not at them.  This is definitely an oversimplification of the pilot episode but it does give you the framework that these fantastic characters are building on.

When new shows premiere you expect the first episode or two to be a bit rough but Kenan is hitting the ground running and is without a doubt worth your time. The cast works seamlessly with each other, the show flow is smooth, and while the storyline might be familiar but not be relatable to everyone, the family drama, the social media emergencies, and the humor certainly are.

You can find more information, including a First Look and the official trailer here at NBC.com