Premium cable network and streaming service Starz continued to tout its commitment to programming that targets women and underrepresented audiences—as articulated by its tag line “TaketheLead”—at its virtual sessions of the 2021 Television Critics Association press tour on Thursday.

To that end, Starz has renewed crime drama Hightown, starring Monica Raymund, for a second season. The show is created by Rebecca Cutter, who joins Raymund and others in directing in season two, and it premieres across all Starz platforms on Sunday, Oct. 17.

Starz also picked up horror comedy Shining Vale, starring Courteney Cox and Greg Kinnear, and the series will premiere next year.

The streamer also debuted the trailer and key art for Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s new drama BMF—short for Black Mafia Family—premiering Sept. 26. The show tells the story of the rise of Detroit’s Flenory brothers and their cocaine empire in the late 1980s. It stars Demetrius Flenory Jr., making his acting debut playing his father Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory. Da’Vinchi (Grown-ish) plays younger brother Terry “Southwest T” Flenory. The cast also includes real-life siblings Steve and Wood Harris and Russell Hornsby as patriarch Charles Flenory. Guest stars include Eminem as White Boy Rick, La La Anthony and Snoop Dogg as Pastor Swift.

Starz also has several other series premiering this year, including season two of Power Book II: Ghost. Power Book III: Raising Kanan is currently airing on the network and Power Book IV: Force will premiere next year. The Power and Power Book series come from Jackson and Courtney A. Kemp and their teams.

Season six of Outlander returns to the network next year. Shows in development include Dangerous Liaisons, a reimagining of the 18th century novel; Becoming Elizabeth, about the rise of England’s most iconic queen, Elizabeth 1, daughter of Henry VIII; dance drama series Step Up; The Serpent Queen, about the rise of Catherine de Medici from orphaned teenager to Queen of France; Gaslit, an anthology series about Watergate starring Sean Penn and Julia Roberts; and a six-episode revival of Rob Thomas’ cult comedy classic, Party Down.

Tags: bmf hightown shining vale starz tca21


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