“Poppa’s House”: CBS Cancels Damon Wayans Comedy After One Season
It’s official—CBS’ “Poppa’s House” won’t be returning for a second season.
The father-son comedy, starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., is the only freshman scripted series on the network to be canceled this year, marking the end of its brief but memorable run.
The show had potential, but when it came time to renew for the 2025-26 season, “Poppa’s House” found itself in tough competition for CBS’ remaining comedy slot.
The network was considering several pilots, including “DMV”, “Zarna”, and a spinoff of “The Neighborhood“.
Ultimately, “DMV” clinched the spot with a series order, leaving “Poppa’s House” on the cutting room floor.
The Show’s Premise and the Wayans’ Chemistry
At the heart of “Poppa’s House” was the undeniable chemistry between Damon Wayans and his son Damon Wayans Jr.
The two starred as father and son—Poppa, a legendary talk radio host, and his son, a brilliant dreamer struggling to balance his aspirations with his family responsibilities.
The show had a great mix of humor and heart, with “Poppa”challenged at work by a new female co-host and dealing with his son’s growing pains at home.
With Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson rounding out the cast, there was a lot to love about this multi-camera comedy.
Despite its strong cast, “Poppa’s House” never quite found the ratings magic needed to compete with other CBS comedies, like “Ghosts” and “The Neighborhood”.
Even though it earned a full-season order in November, the network had to make tough decisions to prioritize its more established shows.
Why Did “Poppa’s House” Get Canceled?
“Poppa’s House” wasn’t a flop—it earned praise and a full season order, but in the cutthroat world of network TV, that wasn’t enough.
CBS had already committed to renewals for shows like “Ghosts” (with a two-season pick-up) and “The Neighborhood” (for its final season).
To make matters even tougher, “Poppa’s House” was asked to trim its budget, which hurt its chances for renewal.
While multi-camera comedies tend to be more cost-efficient, the show’s ratings weren’t strong enough to offset the financial demands.
In the end, “Poppa’s House” joined the list of CBS series like “FBI”, “FBI: Most Wanted”, and “S.W.A.T.”, all of which also won’t be returning next season.
But CBS is still moving forward with its other successful dramas and comedies, making the cancellation of “Poppa’s House” an unfortunate casualty in an increasingly competitive landscape.
What’s Next for Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr.?
While “Poppa’s House” won’t get a second season, this certainly won’t be the last we see of the Wayans duo.
Both Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. have a long history of successful TV and film projects, and their star power guarantees that they’ll both be back on our screens sooner rather than later.
Damon Wayans, known for his legendary work on “In Living Color” and “My Wife and Kids”, continues to be a dominant force in comedy.
Damon Wayans Jr., fresh off the success of “Happy Endings”, is more than capable of carrying a show of his own in the future.
Whether it’s in a new comedy or something entirely different, you can bet that the Wayans men will keep us entertained for years to come.
“Poppa’s House” Wasn’t Meant to Be
“Poppa’s House” may have had a short run, but it’s not a total loss.
The series offered a fresh and funny take on father-son dynamics with a cast that brought both heart and humor to the table.
Unfortunately, the numbers just didn’t match the quality, and CBS made the tough call to move forward without it.
For fans of Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., though, this cancellation is just a bump in the road.
There’s sure to be more great projects from this duo in the future, so stay tuned.
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