Starz has renewed crime drama “Hightown” for Season 2, the pay TV channel announced Thursday.
Set on idyllic Cape Cod, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced series, which premiered May 17, “follows one woman’s journey to sobriety, intertwined with an unfolding murder investigation,” per Starz’s official description. “Jackie Quiñones (Monica Raymund, “Chicago Fire,” “The Good Wife”), a hard-partying National Marine Fisheries Service agent, has her free-wheeling life thrown into disarray when she discovers a body on the beach – another casualty of Cape Cod’s opioid epidemic. As a result of this trauma, Jackie takes the first steps toward becoming sober– until she becomes convinced that it’s up to her to solve the murder. Now at odds with Sergeant Ray Abruzzo (James Badge Dale), an abrasive but effective member of the Cape Cod Interagency Narcotics Unit, Jackie starts to spiral. And she’s not alone. Ray, too, spins out of control; losing himself in the investigation. The lives of everyone connected to this murder crash and converge, reminding us just how complicated – and deadly – our addictions can be.”
Along with Raymund and Dale, “Hightown” stars Riley Voelkel (“Roswell, New Mexico,” “The Originals”), Shane Harper (“Code Black,” “Happyland”), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break,” “Deception”), Atkins Estimond (“The Resident,” “Lodge 49”) and Dohn Norwood (“Mindhunter,” “The Sinner”).
The show set a new record for series premiere viewership across Starz OTT platforms, “doubling” the previous series high in addition to its 1.45 million linear viewers, when counting a week’s worth of delayed viewing, according to Starz.
Per the Lionsgate-owned channel, the first episode of “Hightown” ranks as the No. 1 or No. 2 most-watched episode “based on first title streamed across the international footprint on the STARZPLAY App.”
“Rebecca, Gary and Jerry delivered an elevated and well-executed drama that embodies all the hallmarks of a Starz premium series with its dynamic, edgy storytelling, multicultural cast and female leadership both in front of and behind the camera,” Christina Davis, Starz president of original programming, said in a statement. “Audiences are already deeply engaged with these flawed and complex characters and in a second season we will continue to dive deeper into the relationships between them amidst the shifting tides on the Cape.”
“Hightown” is created and executive produced by Rebecca Cutter (“Gotham”) with Gary Lennon (“Power,” “Euphoria”) executive producing along with Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Amazing Race”), Jonathan Littman (“Lucifer,” “The Amazing Race,” “CSI” franchise) and KristieAnne Reed (“Lucifer,” “L.A.’s Finest”) from Jerry Bruckheimer TV. Ellen H. Schwartz also serves as executive producer. Rachel Morrison (“Black Panther,” “Fruitvale Station”) directed the first two episodes of the series.
The series hails from Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Lionsgate Television.