TNT has given a six-episode series order to “The Race Card” from NBA legend Charles Barkley, the network announced on Sunday.
The hourlong series will see Barkley attempting to “bust up the echo chamber mentality” of America’s increasingly partisan politics and social and racial divides. The show will premiere in early 2017.
“We as Americans never discuss the issue of race in this country and how it impacts everything in our lives until something bad happens,” Barkley said in a statement. “I see this project as a way to talk about race, class and cultural differences and challenge everyone’s status quo.”
“The Race Card” is a Studio T production in association with DocShop Inc. and Kin Studios. Charles Barkley, Lee Gaither, Marc Perman and Dan Partland serve as executive producers.
The network also announced a Season 4 renewal for “The Last Ship,” starring Eric Dane, Adam Baldwin and Bridget Regan. The drama’s 13-episode third season premiered last month.
In addition, “Monsters of God,” a post-Civil War drama from writer/director Rod Lurie, has been ordered to pilot. Lurie serves as executive producer on the pilot with his partner at Battle Plan Productions Marc Frydman, as well as Plan B Entertainment’s DeDe Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Sarah Esberg.