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Entertainment Now | April 9 - 15, 2022 By Kyla Brewer TV Media T elevision can be a powerful medium, so much so that artists often use TV to prompt conversations about real-world injustices, and that is exactly what a new drama aspires to do. When a promising, young Black athlete finds himself implicated in a drug deal gone wrong on Chica- go's South Side, a passionate pub- lic defender takes the case in "61st Street," premiering Sunday, April 10, on AMC and AMC+. Tosin Cole ("Doctor Who") takes the lead as Moses Johnson, a high school track star headed to col - lege thanks to an athletic scholar- ship. His life is upended when he is targeted by police, who claim he is a cop-killing gang member due to his alleged involvement in a botched drug bust. Enter Courtney B. Vance ("Love- craft Country") as Franklin Rob- erts, a public defender who sees the case as an opportunity to ex- pose the institutional racism and corruption of the Chicago judicial system. Despite a recent cancer di- agnosis, Roberts is determined to take the case and defend Moses, even if it's the last thing he does. While the story is fictional, the premise of "61st Street" is all too familiar in the wake of cases that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement, including the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. According to Deadline.com, series executive producer and writer J. David Shanks ("The Chi") talked during this summer's Television Critics As- sociation press tour about the po- tential for the series to continue the conversation about systemic injustices and police brutality. "We want to have a healthy discussion in a safe environment," Shanks said at an August 2021 TCA panel. "Nothing changes if we don't continue to talk about it." While the Black community is often underrepresented in writers rooms and behind the scenes, "61st Street" is an exception. Having grown up on the South Side of Chicago, actor, writer and producer Shanks has firsthand knowledge of life in the area and has admitted that he used to run from the police himself. Shanks later became a Chicago police of- ficer before getting into the enter- tainment business, all experiences that give him unique insight into the issues tackled in "61st Street." Shanks serves as an executive producer alongside Michael B. Jordan ("Blank Panther," 2018), Alana Mayo ("Without Remorse," 2021), Hilary Salmon ("Silk"), leading star Vance and series cre- ator Peter Moffat ("Criminal Jus- tice"). The show has been in the works since 2019 when AMC ex- ecutive David Madden described it in an official release as "a mur- der mystery, courtroom drama and an examination of race in America." That's a tall order for any cast, but producers have assembled a talented group of performers to bring the story to life. Cole starred in the British teen drama "The Cut" and also had roles in "EastEnders: E20" and "Hollyhoaks" before landing the part of Ryan Sinclair in "Doctor Who." He also had a small role as an X-wing pilot in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015). Television viewers may also rec- ognize Vance from his role as an- other lawyer, Assistant District At- torney Ron Carver in "Law & Or- der: Criminal Intent." After taking home the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limit- ed Series or Movie for his starring turn as Johnnie Cochran in FX's "The People v. O.J. Simpson: Amer- ican Crime Story," he has ap- peared in National Geographic's "Genius: Aretha" and HBO's "Lovecraft Country," the latter earning him another Primetime Emmy, this time for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Vance's on-screen wife from "Lovecraft Country," Aunjanue El- lis, is by his side once again in "61st Street." Ellis portrays Martha Roberts, Franklin's wife, a politician deter- mined to balance the scales of jus- tice. Ellis has appeared in numer- ous television series, including "The Mentalist," "True Blood" and "The Practice." She earned a Critic's Choice Television Award nomination for her work in the miniseries "The Book of Negroes," and her work in the film "King Richard" (2021) earned her nomi- nations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe among other awards. The ensemble cast also includes Canadian actor Mark O'Brien ("Halt and Catch Fire") as Logan, a Chicago police officer who ques- tions his commitment to the de- partment after the death of his fel- low officer, and Andrene Ward- Hammond ("Loving," 2016) as Moses' mother, Norma, a cleaning lady who works at the courthouse. Moses' younger brother, Josh- ua, is played by up-and-comer Bentley Green. Since first wowing audiences with his hip-hop skills at the age of 6 on "Ellen," the young performer has appeared in such television series as "Snow- fall," "The Good Doctor" and "Sweet Magnolias," as well as in the YouTube series "Epic Rap Bat- tles of History." Holt McCallany, best known for his work on Netflix's "Mindhunt- er," stars as Lt. Brannigan, a calcu- lating and ruthless cop who serves as the show's antagonist, while Patrick Mulvey ("Empire") ap- pears as Michael Rossi, the police officer who's killed when the drug bust goes awry. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," something AMC's bold new drama attempts to shine a light on through the sto - ry of a young man targeted by those seeking revenge. Don't miss the premiere of "61st Street," airing Sunday, April 10, on AMC and AMC+. The sec- ond episode of the show's eight- episode first season will also be available on the streaming service on April 10. Mark O'Brien and Patrick Mulvey star in "61st Street" Justice for all: Lawyer defends young Black athlete in '61st Street' 2 | Cover story A/Grindstone Charlie's B/Norris Insurance 1 x 4" Moore's Home Health 5 x 2"

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