Marking their first sale since saying goodbye to BET, under their new 3-year deal with Warner Bros. TV production studios, Mara Brock and Salim Akil have set up a new comedy project at ABC titled “Documenting Love,” which Deadline reports will “draw parallels to ‘Mad About You’,” the sitcom that aired on NBC from 1992 to 1999 and tarred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City, as they deal with everything from the minutiae to major struggles.

Promising to chronicle the “comedic love story about a modern-day power couple,” “Documenting Love” (I hope that’s a working title) does sound like it could very well be inspired by this real-life modern-day power couple – The Akils themselves!




Mara Brock and Salim Akil will write and executive produce through their Akil Productions shingle for Warner Bros. TV.

Meanwhile, over at BET, the hit drama that they brought to the network, “Being Mary Jane,” continues mostly without them (although, announced previously they will continue to receive exec producer credits), under the guidance of Will Packer (who joined the show’s staff this year to executive produce), and “The Good Wife” co-executive producer Erica Shelton Kodish (who will serve as the new showrunner and executive produce as well) for the series’ upcoming 4th season, which doesn’t have a premiere date at this time.

ABC has given “Documenting Love” a pilot commitment. Should this go to series, ABC will be home to primetime programs from Shonda Rhimes, Kenya Barris, John Ridley and The Akils. That’s a big deal. I can’t think of any other major TV network with this many individual original scripted series creators (and showrunners) of African descent – each with a different approach and style.

To new and exciting beginnings for Mara Brock and Salim Akil! I’m sure many are certainly looking forward to seeing what comes next!