Queen Sugar (OWN 2016, Bianca Lawson, Dawn-Leyn Gardner)

Adapted from the celebrated first-time novel “Queen Sugar” by Natalie Baszile, the series chronicles the life of a spirited woman who leaves her upscale Los Angeles lifestyle behind to claim an inheritance from her recently departed father – an 800-acre sugar cane farm in the heart of Louisiana. Her world and identity are turned upside down as she and her teenage daughter attempt to navigate a new and very different environment while rebuilding their farm from scratch. She is met with curiosity and community, with resistance and romance. It isn’t long before a transformation begins and she realizes that she’s been living a lot farther from her Southern roots than mere miles.

From OWN’s press release, April 2017… “Queen Sugar,” the critically acclaimed drama series from Academy award-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay (“13th,” “Selma”), executive producer Oprah Winfrey and Warner Horizon Scripted Television, returns for its second season with a two-night event on OWN Tuesday, June 20, and Wednesday, June 21 (10 p.m. ET/PT each night). The series will regularly air Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Continuing a creative initiative established in the show’s first season, series creator DuVernay has once again assembled an all-female directing team for season two including: Kat Candler, DeMane Davis, Cheryl Dunye, Aurora Guerrero and Amanda Marsalis, with additional names to be announced. Hulu and Warner Bros.

Domestic Television Distribution today also announced a new deal that grants the premium streaming television destination the exclusive subscription streaming rights to all past episodes of “Queen Sugar.” The complete first season of “Queen Sugar” will become available to stream exclusively on Hulu beginning April 21, and subsequent seasons will become available to stream following their initial season run on OWN. The debut season won an NAACP Image Award for Best Drama Series, Television Show of the Year from both ABFF and AAFCA, and was a People’s Choice Awards nominee for Favorite Cable Drama. The award-winning first season was the #1 new ad-supported cable series for W25-54 and the #1 new cable series for African-American women and total viewers during the run. Additionally, season one averaged over 2.7 million total viewers in Live+3.

In the series’ second season, the contemporary drama returns as the Bordelon siblings struggle to move forward with their lives as they strive to honor the legacy of their father following his unexpected passing. Charley (Dawn-Lyen Gardner, “Unforgettable”) relocates to Saint Josephine, Louisiana to help run the family business. As the only black female sugarcane mill owner, she must fight to regain her independence while rebuilding her relationships with her estranged siblings. Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe, “Girls Trip”) struggles to transform from a formerly incarcerated single father to a land owner in the eyes of his family as he works to restore his relationship with his son’s mother. Nova (Rutina Wesley, “True Blood”) finds herself torn between her activism and her desire to be loved. Together, they must learn to rely on one another as they navigate their tenuous bonds as family.

cast
Bianca Lawson as Darla
Dawn-Lyen Gardner as Charley Bordelon West
Dondré Whitfield as Remy Newell
Ethan Hutchison as Blue
Glynn Turman as Ernest Bordelon
Greg Vaughan as Calvin
Henry G. Sanders as Prosper Denton
Kofi Siriboe as Ralph Angel Bordelon
Marycarmen Lopez as Reyna Velez
Nicholas L. Ashe as Micah
Omar J. Dorsey as Hollywood Desonier
Rutina Wesley as Nova Bordelon
Timon Kyle Durrett as Davis West
Tina Lifford as Violet Bordelon

key behind the scenes crew
Ava DuVernay as Creator/Executive Producer/Director of Pilot
Melissa Carter as Executive Producer
Natalie Baszile as Book
Oprah Winfrey as Executive Producer

show type
drama

broadcast from
6 September 2016

network and production companies
OWN – Warner Horizon Television

country
USA