We  know what you’re thinking, and no, this is not a drill. 

Jus Reign is back.

Last week, Pier 21 announced they will be partnering with Russell Peters and Reign Productions to executive produce a half-hour series entitled Late Bloomer featuring none other than our boy Jasmeet Raina aka Jus Reign. 

To add to the excitement, the show is written, starring and created by Raina himself, and is currently in development at the CBC. 

“Late Bloomer is inspired by Raina’s real-life experiences such as navigating his newly-found internet fame, dating, spirituality, culture, and his dysfunctional (but loving) family. Not to mention, as a first-generation Indo-Canadian, his identity is constantly questioned when it comes to balancing Eastern customs and Western ideals.” 

The comedian rose to fame on YouTube where he would band together with his friends (including Rupan Bal and Babbu) and make comedy skits about life as a member of the Punjabi community in Brampton, Ontario. Some of his most renowned videos include Desi Parents are Crazy (which eventually became a recurring series), Shit White Guys Say to Brown Guys and The Swag Song. 

Raina also teamed up with fellow comedian Wahlid Mohammad for the comedy podcast Just2Boyz which they shot together in Downtown Toronto, and discussed a range of topics including pop-culture, history and politics. 

In December 2018, Jus Reign concluded his Punjabi Christmas Album series with The Geeta Breakup, after which he became inactive on YouTube and social media. 

His sudden disappearance left fans confused as the top comment on his last video indicates, “It’s not that he left, it’s that he never said goodbye.”

Some of his fans even took it upon themselves to concoct conspiracy theories, suggesting that he’s laying low because he cut his hair or is done with life in the public eye altogether. 

The impact of Raina’s videos for the Indo-Canadian community was profound. His videos explored key aspects of life in Canada and the complex relationship that many first and second generation immigrants have with their culture. 

His videos presented these issues in jest, and they were something that many of us would watch with our parents and connect over our shared experiences. 

The day after a new Jus Reign video dropped, it was common for his most relatable punchlines to echo throughout the halls of my high school. 

His videos and comedy became a part of how the people I knew spoke, even here on the other side of the country.

Seeing Raina on network television, with more time and resources to support his creative endeavours is a wonderful surprise, especially since his fans have been hungry for content for the past two years. 

This is also a huge step for representation as the show will feature Raina, a turbaned-Sikh man in the leading role of a major television show.

Fans on Twitter have suggested that this will be Raina’s Ramy -- in reference to Ramy Youssef’s eponymous, and critically acclaimed Hulu show which explores the life of a first-generation Muslim-Arab in a politically-divided New Jersey neighbourhood. 

Raina’s manager and friend Ricky Dhawan commented, “We’re excited to partner up with P21 and CBC to be able to dive into a more nuanced, refreshing and innovative form of storytelling for the South Asian diaspora, and help bring our creative voices to the mainstream audience.”

Late Bloomer will show us what Jasmeet Raina can do with more resources and structure than when he was recording videos in his childhood bedroom. It’s no doubt that he’s a huge talent, so we’ll be waiting to see what he’s got up his sleeve for this new show. 

It’s clear that in his time off, Jus Reign has been working on something bigger than he’s ever done before, and fans are eagerly waiting to see what’s next.