Dewayne Perkins is bringing six episodes of high-concept comedy to YouTube this fall, anchoring his new digital series, I Swear We’re Friends, in the specific, chaotic vernacular of Black gay male friendship. A veteran of The Blackening and The Studio, Perkins steps into the director’s chair for the entirety of this independent project, which hits the platform in pairs throughout October.
The series, which Perkins describes as a “love letter to television,” leans heavily on genre parody. Each installment pulls its structural DNA from iconic series ranging from the corporate intrigue of Succession and the ticking-clock tension of 24 to the supernatural stakes of Charmed and Touched By An Angel. It is a bold, rapid-fire approach to the “skitcom” format, designed to give Black queer characters the space to be “funny, messy, [and] complicated friends.”
A Staged Rollout of Genre Parody
The release schedule begins on October 14 with the first two episodes. The momentum continues on October 21 with episodes three and four, concluding with the final pair on October 28. Behind the camera, Perkins is joined by director of photography Sade Ndya and a writing room featuring James Rogers III and Mark Wright. Production duties fall to Nance Messineo, Cole Santiago of Ex-Girlfriend Co., and Natasha Forouzannia, with Skapa Films managing post-production and Grammy winner Durand Bernarr providing the theme song.
Perkins Leads a Large Ensemble of Performers
Perkins leads an ensemble that includes Devere Rogers, Brian Jordan Jr., Philemon Chambers, and Cameron J. Ross. The production also enlists a deep bench of guest stars, including Daryl Stephens, Steven G. Norfleet, Courtney Taylor, Tracie Thoms, Justen Ross, and Jermelle Simon.
Expanding a High-Profile Slate
Beyond his YouTube venture, Perkins remains embedded in the industry’s major pipelines. He is slated to return to the Apple TV+ series The Studio and is currently developing the sequel to his 2023 horror-comedy hit, The Blackening. His film commitments also include a role in Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi’s horror-thriller, Wrong Number. Furthermore, he is in development on a Hulu comedy—where he will write, executive produce, and star—alongside Unanimous Media’s Stephen Curry, Erick Peyton, and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett.
Worth a look