Tyler Perry's New Scripted Programs Coming To OWN In May

Back in the fall, Tyler Perry signed a multi-year deal with Oprah’s OWN network that included two scripted programs set to air sometime in 2013. At the time, both of those scripted programs were still in the early stages of developments, but now The Haves and Have Nots and Love Thy Neighbor have earned titles as well as premiere dates on OWN.

Perry has mostly been excited about putting together comedies for television, which is why it’s a little surprising The Haves and Have Nots will be an hour-long drama. The Haves and Have Nots will offer shades of Downton Abbey with its plot, which will follow a wealthy family living in Savannah, Georgia and the people who work for the very wealthy and extremely dysfunctional family, The Cryers. Dukes of Hazzard’s John Schneider will star in the project. That program will hit the network on Tuesday, May 28 at 9 p.m. ET.

Love Thy Neighbor sounds a little more like the TV fodder Perry is used to putting together. The half-hour comedy will star Jonathan Chase, Andre Hall, Kendra C. Johnson, and Patrice Lovely, in a series that will focus on a family-owned diner, which doubles as the hub of a community. Love Thy Neighbor will premiere with back-to-back episodes on Wednesday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET.

To supplement the new programs, Oprah is also putting together a special episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter, which will feature an in-depth interview with Perry on May 26 and will be followed by a behind-the-scenes look at Perry’s new scripted programs.

Jessica Rawden
Managing Editor

Jessica Rawden is Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. She’s been kicking out news stories since 2007 and joined the full-time staff in 2014. She oversees news content, hiring and training for the site, and her areas of expertise include theme parks, rom-coms, Hallmark (particularly Christmas movie season), reality TV, celebrity interviews and primetime. She loves a good animated movie. Jessica has a Masters in Library Science degree from Indiana University, and used to be found behind a reference desk most definitely not shushing people. She now uses those skills in researching and tracking down information in very different ways.