ABC’s comedy series Abbott Elementary was the big winner at  the 2023 NAACP Image Awards ceremony Saturday night as the civil rights organization honored excellence in television, music, film and sports.

In the television category, Abbott Elementary won an industry-high six awards, including outstanding comedy series, as well as best actress in a comedy series for series star/creator Quinta Brunson. Abbott Elementary stars Tyler James Williams and Janelle James also swept the best supporting comedy actor and actress categories, respectively.

Starz’s P-Valley won the statuette for outstanding drama series as well an outstanding actor in a drama series award for series star Nicco Annan. 

Other shows winning multiple NAACP Image Awards include Peacock’s The Best Man: Final Chapters, which took home the outstanding television movie, limited–series or dramatic special award, as well as Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and Disney Channel’s Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

Other NAACP Image Award winners include Angela Bassett, who won the Entertainer of the Year Award, as well as awards for outstanding actress in a drama series for her starring role in 9-1-1 and outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture for her appearance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Will Smith won Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his role as a runaway slave in Apple TV's Emancipation. It was Smith’s first award since he infamously slapped Chris Rock on stage during last year’s Academy Awards ceremony. 

Queen Latifah hosted Saturday’s live awards ceremony, which was simulcast on CBS, BET, BET Her, VH1 and Paramount Network. The live event – the first in-person NAACP Image Awards show in three years – was preceded by four days of virtual awards presentations. 

The full list of NAACP Image Awards winners in the television category appears below: 

 Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC) 

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS) 

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series

P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Nicco Annan – P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX) 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Cliff "Method Man" Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz) 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Loretta Devine – P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock) 

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

Morris Chestnut – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock) 

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix) 

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

ABC News 20/20 Michelle Obama: The Light We Carry, A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)

Outstanding Talk Series

Sherri (Syndicated)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)

Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios) 

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Children’s Program

Tab Time (YouTube Originals)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited–Series)

Ja'Siah Young – Raising Dion (Netflix)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Jennifer Hudson – The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Tabitha Brown – Tab Time (YouTube Originals) 

Outstanding Guest Performance

Glynn Turman – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Animated Series

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney Plus)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney Plus)

Outstanding Short Form Series - Comedy or Drama

Between The Scenes - The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Short Form Series - Reality/Nonfiction

Daring Simone Biles (Snap) 

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

Keith David – From Scratch (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

Nia Long – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Brittani Nichols – Abbott Elementary – "Student Transfer" (ABC) 

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Marissa Jo Cerar – Women of the Movement – "Episode 101" (ABC)

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special

Scott Mescudi (Story By), Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams – Entergalactic (Netflix)

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Angela Barnes – Atlanta – "The Homeliest Little Horse" (FX) 

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

Giancarlo Esposito – Better Call Saul – "Axe and Grind" (AMC)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special

Anton Cropper – Fantasy Football (Paramount  Plus) 

Abbott Elementary looks to extend its awards season success at next month’s NAACP Image Awards, securing the most nominations in the television category.

The ABC comedy, which won four Golden Globes Awards Tuesday leading all television shows, drew a category-high nine nominations, including nods for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for Quinta Brunson.

ABC’s Black-ish, which ended its eight-season run in 2022, drew seven nominations. Other shows drawing five or more nominations include Starz’s P-Valley, OWN’s Queen Sugar, Peacock's The Best Man: The Final Chapters, Apple TV Plus’ The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, ABC’s Women of the Movement and Netflix’s From Scratch.

BET will air live coverage of the 54th annual NAACP Image Awards from Pasadena, Calif. The show will take place in front of a live audience for the first time since 2020.

“We take pride in recognizing the trailblazing achievements and artistry of the year’s esteemed nominees and celebrating the powerful legacy of the NAACP,” BET Executive VP of Specials, Music Programming and Music Strategy Connie Orlando said in a statement. “We look forward to bringing the Image Awards back to Pasadena in front of a live audience and delivering unforgettable moments that epitomize the brilliance of the Black community.”

NAACP President Derrick Johnson added: “This year’s nominees have conveyed a wide range of authentic stories and diverse experiences that have resonated with many in our community, and we’re proud to recognize their outstanding achievements and performances.” 

The list of NAACP Image Awards nominees in the television category are as follows:

 Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Atlanta (FX)

black-ish (ABC)

Rap Sh!t (HBO Max)

The Wonder Years (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson – black-ish (ABC)

Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)

Donald Glover – Atlanta (FX)

Dulé Hill – The Wonder Years (ABC)

Mike Epps – The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Loretta Devine – Family Reunion (Netflix)

Maya Rudolph – Loot (Apple TV Plus)

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Tichina Arnold – The Neighborhood (CBS)

Tracee Ellis Ross – black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Brian Tyree Henry – Atlanta (FX)

Deon Cole – black-ish (ABC)

Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

William Stanford Davis – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Jenifer Lewis – black-ish (ABC)

Marsai Martin – black-ish (ABC)

Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Wanda Sykes – The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding Drama Series

Bel-Air (Peacock)

Bridgerton (Netflix)

Euphoria (HBO Max)

P-Valley (Starz)

Queen Sugar (OWN)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Damson Idris – Snowfall (FX)

Jabari Banks – Bel-Air (Peacock)

Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar (OWN)

Nicco Annan – P-Valley (Starz)

Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)

Brandee Evans – P-Valley (Starz)

Queen Latifah – The Equalizer (CBS)

Rutina Wesley – Queen Sugar (OWN)

Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO Max)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Adrian Holmes – Bel-Air (Peacock)

Amin Joseph – Snowfall (FX)

Caleb McLaughlin – Stranger Things (Netflix)

Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

J. Alphonse Nicholson – P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Adjoa Andoh – Bridgerton (Netflix)

Bianca Lawson – Queen Sugar (OWN)

Loretta Devine – P-Valley (Starz)

Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)

Tina Lifford – Queen Sugar (OWN)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons (BET Networks)

From Scratch (Netflix)

The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV Plus)

Women of the Movement (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Morris Chestnut – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Samuel L. Jackson – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV Plus)

Terrence Howard – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Trevante Rhodes – Mike (Hulu)

Wendell Pierce – Don’t Hang Up (Bounce TV)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)

Regina Hall – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Sanaa Lathan – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Viola Davis – The First Lady (Showtime)

Zoe Saldaña – From Scratch (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Glynn Turman – Women of the Movement (ABC)

Keith David – From Scratch (Netflix)

Omar Benson Miller – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV Plus)

Russell Hornsby – Mike (Hulu)

Terrence “TC” Carson – A Wesley Christmas (AMC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Alexis Floyd – Inventing Anna (Netflix)

Danielle Deadwyler – From Scratch (Netflix)

Melissa De Sousa – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Nia Long – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Phylicia Rashad – Little America (Apple TV Plus)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

Roland Martin Unfiltered: Black Votes Matter Election Night 2022 Coverage (Black Star Network/YouTube)

ABC News 20/20 Michelle Obama: The Light We Carry, A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)

OWN Spotlight: Viola Davis – The Woman King (OWN)

The Hair Tales (Hulu)

Outstanding Talk Series

Hart to Heart (Peacock)

Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

Sherri (Syndicated)

Tamron Hall (ABC)

Uninterrupted: The Shop (YouTube)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)

Legendary (HBO Max)

Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)

Shark Tank (ABC)

Sweet Life: Los Angeles (HBO Max)

The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Bravo)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)

A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO Max)

BET Awards 2022 (BET Networks)

Deon Cole: Charleen’s Boy (Netflix)

Martin: The Reunion (BET Networks)

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Children’s Program

Family Reunion (Netflix)

Raising Dion (Netflix)

Raven’s Home (Disney Plus)

Tab Time (YouTube Originals)

Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)

Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High – That Girl Lay Lay (Nickelodeon)

Cameron J. Wright – Family Reunion (Netflix)

Elisha Williams – The Wonder Years (ABC)

Khali Spraggins – The Upshaws (Netflix)

Ja’Siah Young – Raising Dion (Netflix)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Jada Pinkett-Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith – Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

Jennifer Hudson – The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)

Kevin Hart – Hart to Heart (Peacock)

Lester Holt – NBC Nightly News (NBC)

Tracee Ellis Ross – The Hair Tales (Hulu)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Keke Palmer – Password (NBC)

Lizzo – Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)

Tabitha Brown – Tab Time (YouTube Originals)

Taraji P. Henson – BET Awards 2022 (BET Networks)

Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Guest Performance

Amanda Gorman – Sesame Street (HBO Max)

Chance the Rapper – South Side (HBO Max)

Colman Domingo – Euphoria (HBO Max)

Glynn Turman – Queen Sugar (OWN)

Gabourey Sidibe – American Horror Stories (FX)

Outstanding Animated Series

Central Park (Apple TV Plus)

Eureka! (Disney Junior)

Gracie’s Corner TV (YouTube)

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney Plus)

Zootopia+ (Disney Plus)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

Billy Porter – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney Plus)

Cedric the Entertainer – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney Plus)

Chris Bridges – Karma’s World (Netflix)

Cree Summer – Rugrats (Nickelodeon)

Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney Plus)

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama

Between The Scenes – The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Oh Hell No! With Marlon Wayans (Facebook Watch)

Rise Up, Sing Out (Disney Plus)

Sunday Dinner (Youtube)

Zootopia+ (Disney Plus)

Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction

Black Independent Films: A Brief History (Turner Classic Movies)

Daring Simone Biles (Snap)

Historian’s Take (PBS)

NFL 360 (NFL Network)

Omitted: The Black Cowboy (ESPN)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

Amy Wang – From Scratch (Netflix)

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – Kindred (FX)

Hannah Cope – Karma’s World (Netflix)

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Syreeta Singleton – Rap Sh!t (HBO Max)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)

Black Love (OWN)

Everything’s Gonna be All White (Showtime)

Frontline (PBS)

Race:Bubba Wallace (Netflix)

Shaq (HBO Max)

Outstanding Writing in A Comedy Series

Aisha Muharrar -- Hacks (HBO Max)

Ayo Edebiri -- What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Brittani Nichols -- Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Karen Joseph Adcock -- The Bear (FX)

Quinta Brunson -- Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Aurin Squire -- The Good Fight (Paramount Plus)

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins -- Kindred (FX)

Davita Scarlett -- The Good Fight (Paramount Plus)

Joshua Allen -- From Scratch (Netflix)

Marissa Jo Cerar -- Women of the Movement (ABC)

Outstanding Writing Television Movie or Special

Bree West -- A Wesley Christmas (BET Networks)

Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams -- Entergalactic (Netflix)

Jerrod Carmichael -- Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel (HBO Max)

Lil Rel Howery -- Lil Rel Howery: I Said It. Y'all Thinking it (HBO Max)

Matt Lopez -- Father of the Bride (HBO Max)

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Angela Barnes -- Atlanta (FX)

Bridget Stokes -- A Black Lady Sketch Sow (HBO Max)

Dee Rees -- Upload (Amazon Studios)

Iona Morris Jackson -- black-ish (ABC)

Peter Chatmon -- The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

Debbie Allen -- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey -- Robyn (Apple TV Plus)

Giancarlo Esposito -- Better Call Saul (AMC)

Gina Prince-Blythwood -- Women of the Movement (ABC)

Hanelle Culpepper -- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV Plus)

Kasi Lemmons -- Women of The Movement (ABC)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie Or Special

Anton Cropper -- Fantasy Football (Paramount Plus)

Marta Cunningham -- 61st Street (AMC)

Sujata Day -- Definition Please (Netflix)

Tailiah Breon -- Kirk Franklin's The Night Before Christmas (Lifetime)

Tina Fields -- Soul of a Nation: Screen Queen Rising (ABC)

Starz will bring back its drama series P-Valley for a third season, the cable network said Thursday.

The series, created by Katori Hall, follows the exploits of workers and patrons of a Mississippi Delta-baes strip club dubbed the Pynk. The series finished its second season as Starz's biggest show, averages nearly 10.3 million viewers across linear, video on demand and streaming platforms. That was a 23% increase versus the show's first season, according to the network.

"P-Valley continues to keep viewers on the edge of their seats as it captures the nuances of the Mississippi Delta with an unprecedented level of humanity and artistry,” said Starz President of Original Programming Kathryn Busby in a statement. “This layered drama gets beyond the glitz through authentic and complex characters that have captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike. We cannot wait to see what Katori has in store for us in season three.”

Also: Director/Playwright Katori Hall Cultivates Success Onscreen, On Stage: Multicultural Perspectives

Katori Hall added: "I am blessed beyond measure for this opportunity to write the next chapter of P-Valley. With its complex, dynamic, and beautifully flawed characters, this show is a love letter to marginalized communities in the American South who rarely see themselves reflected on screen, and it brings me immense joy to know that it has been embraced by folx worldwide. We wouldn’t be getting back up on that pony, without our fiercely devoted Pynk Posse. Y’all are our fire.”■

Pulitzer Prize winning author and playwright Katori Hall will look to continue her success in the television space with the second season launch of Starz’s hit drama series P-Valley.

The series, based on Hall's 2015 play Pussy Valley, follows the events revolving around a small, Mississippi-based strip club and the big characters who come through its doors. 

When she’s not serving as creator, writer, showrunner and director for P-Valley, Hall is active in the theater. She’s on tap to direct her 2021 Pulitzer Prize-winning off-Broadway play The Hot Wing King in 2023, and is collaborating on an upcoming U.S. Tour of the Broadway play Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, based on Hall’s 2020 Tony Award-nominated book. 

Hall spoke to Multichannel News on the eve of the June 5 second season premiere of P-Valley to talk about the success and expectations for the drama series, as well as the challenges of writing for both TV and the theater. A edited transcript of the conversation appears below. 

MCN: Does the success of P-Valley’s first season help or hurt the prospects for a successful sophomore campaign?

Katori Hall: It's interesting, I don't even try to think about it because it's a thing you can't replicate. The season one success was so unexpected – the show dropped at a crazy time in the middle of a pandemic – so you just can't replicate that given circumstance. I know that the interaction with the show is going to be different this time around; we're two years away from that moment versus being in the thick of it.  Right now people expect us to be excellent, but I am the type of person that really focuses on the things that I can control, and that’s the writing, directing and the creation of it all. I really think that across the board, from the writing to the acting to the directing, it's a show that's a thousand percent better.

MCN: You have talked a lot about the importance of authenticity in storytelling. Has Starz allowed you to tell the story you wanted to tell?

KH: Absolutely. From the page to the sound stage to the editing booth, I literally had so much control. This season was incredibly ambitious because we were outside and on location a lot. We were really aiming to go outside the borders of [fictional city Chucalissa, Ms.] so that audiences could travel the south with our characters. I'm really happy that I was able to achieve 90% of my goals creatively in season two.

MCN: What should viewers expect to see in season two?

KH: In season two we're going to get deeper into the lives of our characters. I think it's really important when you get inside of someone's bedroom or someone's closet -- you get to understand them so much better. I just feel as though we're going to pull those story threads and those power dynamics from season one, but they're going to play out in a more intimate way.

MCN: Now that you have two seasons of the series under your belt, do you have a preference between writing for television and playwriting?

KH: I prefer both … they are just very different from each other. I think about my latest play, The Hot Wing King, in which there’s just one space that I have all of my characters come in and out of. With a TV show like P-Valley, I now have 20,000 spaces and sometimes 50 scenes in one episode. I love being able to bounce back and forth between both mediums. I think being a TV writer makes me a better playwright and vice versa. Not a lot of writers get the opportunity to be able to bounce back and forth.

MCN: Having said that, are you working on any other television shows or plays at the moment?

KH: So with The Hot Wing King, which won the Pulitzer Prize last year, I'll be making my theater directorial debut in Atlanta in early 2023. That’s a project that I hold very near and dear to my heart because it’s based on my brother and his partner. Also Tina, The Tina Turner Musical which I worked on, is about to start its U.S. tour. I’m just really excited to jump back into the theater because it’s been dark for so long [due to the pandemic]. It felt like with P-Valley we did 10 movies and that was very taxing, so it ‘s going to be a breath of fresh air to be back in the theater again. ■ 

Two returning drama series will help ring in a new week of TV premieres heading into the summer months.  

Prime Video will premiere the third season of the Emmy-nominated, superhero-themed series The Boys on June 3. The series stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid and Anthony Starr.  

Also returning on June 3 for its sophomore campaign is Starz's P-Valley. The 10-episode series chronicles the action surrounding a fictional, Mississippi-based strip club. 

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for multiple shows debuting the week of May 31 to June 5 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

May 31 – Pistol (drama) – Hulu

June 1 – The Real Housewives of Dubai (reality series) -- Bravo

June 2 – For The Love of Jason (returning series) – ALLBLK

June 2 – The Orville: New Horizons (returning series) – Hulu

June 2 – This Is Going to Hurt (drama) – AMC Plus

June 3 – The Villains of Valley View (comedy) -- Disney Channel

June 3 – Physical (returning series) – Apple TV Plus

June 3 – Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion (comedy) – Disney Channel

 Starz will look to take a leading role in the television industry’s diversity and inclusion efforts with the launch of its #TakeTheLead initiative featuring monthly discussions on the topic as well as an industry-wide summit, according to Starz President and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch.

The network’s move is bolstered by a recent report from UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers that says the premium service’s commitment to diversity has led to 75% of its executive leadership team being women, with people of color representing 50% of those executives. The study also reports that 63.2% of the leads in Starz’s original series are people of color, and 57.9% are women. Behind the camera, 54.6% of showrunners at Starz are women and 45.5% are people of color. 

Starz will kick off its series of “Transparency Talks” in April, which will feature discussions with organizations and thought leaders from around the country. The talks will culminate in the Starz Summit later this year which will showcase the company’s creative diversity and commitment to the next generation of voices, according to network executives.

Hirsch spoke about Starz’s diversity commitment to Multichannel News senior content producer, programming R. Thomas Umstead. He also provided a preview of the network's upcoming 2021 programming slate.

Read Also: Starz Streaming Subscribers Reach 14.6 Billion Globally

What are you looking to accomplish with the #TakeTheLead initiative? 

TakeTheLead is really who we are and what we do with our deep-seated, ongoing commitment to narratives by, about, and for women and underrepresented audiences. For us, we think we can make a really positive impact in society. It’s our corporate responsibility to really try to make an impact in society and to improve representation on and off the screen so that the Hollywood world looks more like the world we live in today. We're just really excited to kind of step up and start trying to be a role model for [the industry].

Was there a particular moment or issue that spurred Starz to develop the #TakeTheLead initiative?

I think we’ve been talking about this for a long time. It goes back eight years when we started to develop original programming and made a decision to focus on fresh and underrepresented voices as a way to differentiate the company, and it built from there. We're at the point now, based on everything going on in the world and the success that we've seen, that we feel like we have a responsibility to highlight what we're doing and how we're doing it and help others. The Transparency Talks are a great way of working with the [companies and people] that we're partnering with, whether it's Melissa [Goodman, Director of Advocacy at the ACLU of Southern California] or Colleen [Bell, Executive Director of the California Film Commission], to bring a lot of these issues to the forefront, to have great conversations and to bring unique perspectives that will then culminate in the Starz Summit that will bring it all together. We think that's a really responsible and great way for Starz as a corporate citizen to highlight ways that we do things differently or to help folks with other perspectives to see that this can be done and done well.

What stands out the most to you from the UCLA survey?

We have a very specific programming mandate to showcase narratives about women and underrepresented audiences on air. I think it's really important that if we are going to serve that audience, you need to show that you are authentic to that mission. So I'm pretty proud of the fact that 63% of our series leads are people of color, 54% of our showrunners are women and 48% are people of color. Also 49% of our directors are people of color and 45% are women, but I think that number should be two up to two-thirds because we want to have a lot more representation in the director's chair, and we'll be working towards that. I'm really proud of the fact that 75% of my direct reports are women, and half of them are people of color. I'm very proud of what we've been able to build there in leadership.

How do you continue to build on that momentum within Starz, and what does the network’s 2021 slate look like in terms of development within continued restrictions due to the pandemic?

We've got 15 shows up and running in production -- two in the U.K., one in Scotland, one in Prague, one in New York, one in Chicago, one in North Carolina, three in Atlanta, one in L.A. and so on. We’ve got great protocols in place, and the talent, crews and employees are following those protocols to stay safe. We’re continuing to push forward on production. We started and completed two shows last year during the pandemic that will come on air shortly. We feel really good about the production of our shows. We're coming into I think the strongest slate in the history of Starz starting this summer. I'm really excited about the Power spinoff [Raising Kanan]; I’m excited to see [Black Mafia Family]; I’m really excited to see what producer Katori [Hall] does with season two of P-Valley, and we have Shining Vale from Sharon Horgan with Courteney Cox. I’m very excited about the slate of programming and I’m eager to get into it.

In general, how do you see the industry bouncing back from the pandemic? How long before we get back to some sense of normalcy?

I don’t think we ever get back to normal as in where we were. I think we've all learned and adapted during the pandemic. I think there are new models that have shown that we can distribute content differently and all continue to be successful. So I think that will continue the evolution of [streaming], and time shifting viewership will continue. Now that we have all of the broad-based streaming services launched with the exception of Paramount Plus, the competition for that first SVOD service in the home will be fierce over the next 18 to 24 months, which I think puts Starz in a really unique position as a premium add-on and to be a partner to all of those companies. We’ve become an even more important part of the ecosystem in the new world, so I'm excited about that as well.

Starz has renewed its drama series P-Valley for a sophomore campaign, the premium service announced Monday.

The series, which follows the characters working and attending a strip club in the Mississippi Delta, is among the top five most-watched new premium series for Black viewers in 2020, said network executives. Katori Hall serves as creator and executive producer of the series, which launched on Starz July 12 and stars Brandee Evans, Nicco Annan and Shannon Thornton.

“P-Valley has quickly become this summer’s newest must-see television series as critics and audiences alike are taken up by the authentic and compelling characters that make The Pynk come alive,” said Starz president of original programming Christina Davis in a statement. “Katori has delivered a provocative drama that looks beyond the glitz and into the hearts and minds of these fully realized and compelling characters, exploring them through a female gaze that invites the audience to take a walk in their stilettos. We know Katori has a lot of incredible stories to tell and a lot in store for these women in a second season.”

Starz has ordered season two of P-Valley. Katori Hall created the show and runs it, too. Starz said P-Valley set the network record on the Starz app for most viewed series premiere. 

The show is about strip-club dancers in the Mississippi Delta. "This southern-fried, hour-long drama tells the kaleidoscopic story of a little-strip-club-that-could and the big characters who come through its doors—the hopeful, the lost, the broken, the ballers, the beautiful, and the damned," said Starz. 

“P-Valley has quickly become this summer’s newest must-see television series as critics and audiences alike are taken up by the authentic and compelling characters that make The Pynk come alive,” said Christina Davis, president of original programming. “Katori has delivered a provocative drama that looks beyond the glitz and into the hearts and minds of these fully realized and compelling characters, exploring them through a female gaze that invites the audience to take a walk in their stilettos. We know Katori has a lot of incredible stories to tell and a lot in store for these women in a second season.”

The first season featured all female directors.  

The show premiered July 12. The cast includes Brandee Evans, Nicco Annan and Shannon Thornton. 

Streaming services account for the lion’s share of this week's new show premieres as the TV industry continues its summer season. 

HBO Max on July 9 will debut its documentary series Expecting Amy, which follows comedian Amy Schumer through her recent pregnancy, while Apple TV Plus on July 10 will debut the J.J. Abrams and Sara Bareilles-produced Little Voice (pictured), which follows the exploits of a 20-something performer seeking to find her true voice and the courage to use it, according to the service.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several other shows debuting the week of July 6 to July 12 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

July 8 -- Stateless (drama) -- Netflix

July 9 -- The Beach House (horror) -- Shudder

July 9 -- Close Enough (animation) -- HBO Max

July 10 -- Breathe: Into the Shadows (drama) -- Prime Video

July 10 -- Greatness Code (sports reality) -- Apple TV Plus

July 10 -- Greyhound (drama) -- Apple TV Plus

July 10 -- The Old Guard (action) -- Netflix

July 10 -- Palm Springs (movie) -- Hulu

July 12 -- P-Valley (drama) -- Starz