Summary
- 61st Street season 2 premieres July 22 at 9pm on the CW.
- The show faced distribution challenges but was eventually picked up by The CW.
- The CW's interest in the series was likely due to its strong cast and themes.
The release date for 61st Street season 2 has been revealed by The CW. 61st Street is a crime drama show that follows the story of high school athlete Moses Johnson, who finds himself swept up in the corrupt criminal justice system of Chicago. The 61st Street cast includes Courtney B. Vance, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Tosin Cole, Mark O’Brien, Andrene Ward-Hammond, Bentley Green, Holt McCallany, Julian Parker, Jarell Maximiilian Sullivan, and Rebecca Spence.
As per Deadline, a release date has been revealed for 61st Street season 2. The series’ sophomore season will premiere on Monday, July 22. It will air on the CW on Mondays at 9pm, so it will be preceded by All American: Homecoming season 3.
61st Street’s Rough Path To Season 2 Explained
61st Street Was One Of The Shows To Get Cancelled, Then Saved
Though 61st Street season 2 is now under three months away, its path to distribution was far from easy. Season 1 initially aired in spring 2022 on AMC, with a second season already ordered by the network. That season was produced, but in January 2023, AMC decided that it did not want to air the series. A couple of months later, The CW acquired 61st Street for its own programming.
The CW's acquisition of 61st Street is somewhat surprising given the recent decisions made by the network. Rather than expand their programming, The CW has ended up canceling a huge majority of their shows over the past two years. These cancelations have included Riverdale, The Flash, Legacies, Dynasty, The Winchesters, and Walker: Independence. That leaves very few shows remaining, with the network currently focusing on All American, its spinoff All American: Homecoming, and Walker.
All American season 6 is currently airing weekly on Mondays.
It is not surprising, however, that The CW would have interest in a show like 61st Street. Albeit exploring vastly different themes, All American also tackles the high school athlete landscape, a storyline which 61st Street touches on through its protagonist. Also a factor in 61st Street’s acquisition was the fact that it had already been produced, which thus vastly lessened the workload for The CW.
61st Street: Why Was Michael Rossi Wearing A Wire?
61st Street's Michael Rossi is a pivotal character in the drug bust gone wrong which puts the events of the series into motion. He also spied on cops.
Given it has been almost a year since The CW’s acquisition of the show, the silence surrounding the release of 61st Street was concerning. It is good to know now, though, that the crime drama will soon be able to tell its story again. Despite being abandoned by AMC, 61st Street season 1 was generally well-received and had a strong leading cast and promising themes. Hopefully, its strengths will continue to shine as the series transitions to the CW this summer.
Source: Deadline