‘The Neighborhood’ New Showrunner Talks ‘Deeper’ Stories in Season 4

Meg DeLoatch knew that taking over for The Neighborhood creator and showrunner Jim Reynolds would be no easy task. The CBS sitcom has already been on for three seasons before Reynolds opted to exit. The hit comedy stars Cedric the Entertainer as the lead, alongside Tichina Arnold. The show chronicles a white Midwestern family having to adjust to a predominantly African-American neighborhood in Pasadena, California. Sheaun McKinney, Marcel Spears, Hank Greenspan, and Beth Behrs also star in the show. 

But DeLoatch is highly qualified for the role, having credits on popular sitcoms including UPN’s Eve and Netflix’s Family Reunion. “When you come in and the show is already beloved, you don’t want to be the one that takes it off the rails,” she tells TVLine. “At the same time, while it is wonderful to do fun episodes and tell a lot of great jokes, it’s also great to be able to tell some meaty stories, as well.”

DeLoatch says the series will showcase more than just comedy moving forward and have some grit and substance added in forthcoming episodes. “[The episodes] will offer the kind of storytelling I really wanted to open it up to,” she says, adding they will “go a little bit deeper in terms of these characters’ careers and relationships.” Despite the changes, DeLoatch promises the new changes will be good “without changing the heart and spirit of the show.”

Renolyd’s announcement came in April. “I am very proud of The Neighborhood and have given everything of myself over the last three years to make this the best show possible,” he said at the time in a statement to Deadline. “I am so happy that the show has found such an enthusiastic audience and that it will live on. At this moment, in light of everything going on in the world, I had concluded that I am not the right person to continue to tell these stories. I am excited to see the show thrive and wish everyone involved the very best.” The Neighborhood airs on Mondays on CBS.