Executive Overview
In an era dominated by algorithmic homogenization and risk-averse streaming platforms, multi-hyphenate creator Dewayne Perkins is carving out his own autonomous lane. Best known for his breakout success with the satirical horror hit The Blackening and his upcoming appearances in high-profile television projects, Perkins is launching an ambitious, independently produced digital series titled I Swear We’re Friends.
Exclusively premiering on YouTube this fall, the six-episode "skitcom" serves as an eccentric and affectionate love letter to the history of television. Each episode draws direct inspiration from a beloved, generation-defining broadcast or cable staple: Girlfriends, Succession, 24, My Wife & Kids, Charmed, and Touched By An Angel.
Beyond its meta-textual homage to classic television tropes, I Swear We’re Friends addresses a glaring, decades-long vacuum in mainstream media: the authentic, unburdened depiction of Black queer male friendship. By bypassing traditional studio gatekeepers and releasing the project independently, Perkins aims to redefine how intersectional narratives are consumed on digital platforms. Backed by an all-star ensemble cast, visionary guest stars, and a powerhouse behind-the-scenes production pedigree, the series promises a uniquely absurd comedic experience that refuses to pander or explain itself to an outside gaze.
Detailed Chronology & Release Schedule
The rollout for I Swear We’re Friends is structured to build sustained digital momentum throughout the month of October, leveraging YouTube’s global reach and community features to foster audience engagement.
The six-episode season will debut in rapid-fire pairings, allowing viewers to binge narrative arcs while maintaining week-to-week conversational buzz:
- October 14: Episodes 1 and 2 premiere, introducing the core dynamic of the ensemble and establishing the show’s genre-bending format.
- October 21: Episodes 3 and 4 drop, shifting pastiche tones and escalating the comedic absurdity.
- October 28: Season 1 concludes with the release of Episodes 5 and 6, wrapping up the inaugural run of the independent project.
Creative Execution & Production Mechanics
Perkins takes the creative helm as the sole director of all six episodes, steering the visual and tonal language of the series. He is joined by celebrated cinematographer Sade Ndya—recognized as an ASC Rising Star and noted for her work on Nike and Megan Thee Stallion collaborations—who lends a polished, cinematic eye to the digital format.
The writing duties were shared by Perkins, James Rogers III (The Chi), and Mark Wright of Higher Ground. On the production front, the series was marshaled by Nance Messineo and Cole Santiago of Ex-Girlfriend Co. Production Company—known for high-profile work with artists like Doechii, Selena Gomez, and Reneé Rapp—alongside Natasha Forouzannia, whose credits include Marvel’s Ironheart. Post-production was handled by Skapa Films, the boutique house behind Beyoncé’s Renaissance concert film, Victoria Monét, and Megan Thee Stallion, ensuring that an independently released YouTube series punches well above its weight class in aesthetic and audio-visual fidelity.
Supporting Context & Representation Metrics: Filling a Two-Decade Void
To fully understand the cultural significance of I Swear We’re Friends, one must examine the landscape of television history over the last twenty years. In 2005, Logo TV launched Noah’s Arc, created by Patrik-Ian Polk. The ground-breaking series followed the lives, loves, and professional struggles of a group of Black gay men living in Los Angeles. While celebrated as a milestone for queer representation, Noah’s Arc was prematurely canceled after two seasons, leaving a massive structural void in the television ecosystem.
In the two decades since, television has experienced a "Golden Age" marked by an explosion of diverse storytelling. Yet, the specific intersection of Black queerness and unadulterated, messy, chaotic comedy remains remarkably rare. As promotional materials for I Swear We’re Friends pointedly ask: "Twenty years after ‘Noah’s Arc,’ why are Black gay male friendships still so rarely at the center of comedy?"
Perkins’ new series is designed to answer that question by subverting traditional narrative expectations. Rather than crafting an educational vehicle or an after-school special designed to translate Black queer experiences for a cis-heteronormative mainstream audience, I Swear We’re Friends offers an insular, deeply relatable sandbox. It grants Black queer men the radical permission to simply be funny, flawed, complicated, and messy friends without the burden of respectability politics.
Cast, Crew, and Star-Studded Cameos
The backbone of the series rests on a stellar principal cast featuring some of the most dynamic talents working across television and film today. Dewayne Perkins leads the ensemble alongside:
- Devere Rogers (Abbott Elementary, Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul)
- Brian Jordan Jr. (Sistas)
- Philemon Chambers (Beauty in Black)
- Cameron J. Ross (The Summer I Turned Pretty, Boomerang)
The production also boasts an extensive lineup of high-profile guest stars who drop in across the six-episode run to lend their comedic and dramatic chops to the pastiche formats:
- Daryl Stephens (reuniting with the cultural ethos of Noah’s Arc)
- Steven G. Norfleet (Beauty in Black, Interview with the Vampire)
- Courtney Taylor (Abbott Elementary, Shrinking, Insecure)
- Tracie Thoms (Rent, The Devil Wears Prada)
- Justen Ross (Is God Is, Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist)
- Jermelle Simon (The Upshaws)
Adding to the auditory identity of the series, Grammy Award-winning artist Durand Bernarr performs the show’s official theme song, tying together the project’s contemporary R&B and soul sensibilities.
Future Outlook: A Monumental Year for Dewayne Perkins
The launch of I Swear We’re Friends arrives during an exceptionally busy and triumphant period in Dewayne Perkins’ career. His trajectory—from cutting his teeth in the Chicago improv scene with the comedy troupe 3Peat to becoming a sought-after Hollywood voice—demonstrates the viability of multi-platform artistic control.
Expanding Film and Television Slate
Perkins is currently balancing a dizzying array of projects across multiple major networks and studios:
- Apple TV+: Perkins is set to return to the ensemble cast of the Emmy Award-winning satirical comedy series The Studio.
- Lionsgate: He is actively developing and writing The Blackening 2. The original 2003 horror-comedy, co-written by Perkins and Tracy Oliver, was a commercial and critical sleeper hit, grossing over $18 million against a modest $5 million production budget.
- Feature Films: Perkins recently joined the cast of Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi’s upcoming horror-thriller directorial feature, Wrong Number.
- Hulu Development: Variety exclusively reported that Perkins is developing an entirely new comedy series at Hulu. He is attached to write, executive produce, and star in the project if it receives a formal series greenlight, partnering with Stephen Curry, Erick Peyton, and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett of Unanimous Media.
Live Performance & Stand-Up Dominance
Beyond his recorded work for television and streaming, Perkins continues to conquer the live comedy space. On November 9, he will bring his critically acclaimed one-man show, How Being Black & Gay Made Me Better Than You!, to Brooklyn’s Bell House as part of the prestigious New York Comedy Festival. The live engagement follows a massive, sold-out performance earlier this year at the Netflix Is a Joke Fest.
Represented by CAA, Artists First, and attorneys Amber Payne and Isaac Dunham, Perkins stands at the vanguard of a new generation of creators who refuse to be pigeonholed by traditional industry limitations. By dropping I Swear We’re Friends independently on YouTube, he is proving that creator-led visions can bypass the traditional gatekeeping apparatus while maintaining high production values, sharp writing, and uncompromising cultural specificity.
Viewers can watch the official trailer for I Swear We’re Friends via YouTube below:
