‘American Crime': John Ridley Avoids Revealing the Central Crime of Season 3
TCA 2017: ”Often with things like this, crimes in humanity, they’re not centralized. When they happen there is an effect that is wider, that goes beyond the headlines,“ executive producer says
John Ridley played coy when asked to reveal what would be the central crime of the third season of his ABC anthology “American Crime.”
“I’ll say that when one completes all the episodes, one will have a full understanding of what the American Crime is,” Ridley said at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Tuesday.
The question was posed to Ridley because Season 2 of the anthology surprised viewers last year when the crime of the season turned out not to be the alleged rape from Episode one, but a school shooting in Episode seven.
But Ridley said that the every season of the show will have one “single incident” which serves as a through-line for the audience to follow, even as its effects ripple outward.
“Often with things like this, crimes in humanity, they’re not centralized,” Ridley said. “When they happen there is an effect that is wider, that goes beyond the headlines. That goes behind other stories that quite frankly aren’t even covered in the media.”
Season 3 of the drama issues surrounding the lives of immigrant day laborers and human trafficking, and will see the return of much the cast of the first two seasons, including Felicity Huffman, Regina King, Lili Taylor, Connor Jessup, Richard Cabral and Timothy Hutton.
And even though the series doesn’t shy away from exploring topical and politically charged issues, Ridley says he’s not interested in shaping the show around the minutiae of national politics.
“The urgency that I approach storytelling, the issues that are out there, they’ve always been out there,” Ridley explained. “This story would’ve been told irrespective of who’s in the Oval Office.”
“It’s not about tweaking or changing or trying to be oh-so-current that we miss the bigger picture and the longer game. Immigration is not new,” he said. “If we’re not engaging rather than preaching or proselytizing, then we’re not doing our jobs.
But what Ridley does aim to do with his series is to reflect the stories of individuals and the lives of real Americans. Especially those individuals who are not typically represented on TV or in the media.
“That’s really important, that’s what ‘American Crime’ is about: people, families, connections, communities,” he said.
28 First Looks at New and Returning 2017 TV Shows (Exclusive Photos)
A total of 455 scripted series aired in 2016, and 2017 is poised to be at least as jam-packed. Check out exclusive new images from new and returning series premiering in the first half of the year.
Starz
BEYOND (Freeform) Burkely Duffield stars as a man who wakes up from a coma with supernatural powers in Freeform's new drama premiering Monday, January 2.
Freeform
SHADOWHUNTERS (Freeform) Freeform's TV adaptation of the "Mortal Instruments" series returns on Monday, January 2.
Freeform
COLONY (USA) Josh Holloway returns in Season 2 of the alien invasion drama, premiering Thursday, January 12.
USA
SNEAKY PETE (Amazon) Giovanni Ribisi stars in Amazon's new crime drama from executive producers Bryan Cranston and "House" creator David Shore, premiering Friday, January 13.
Amazon
THE YOUNG POPE (HBO) Jude Law plays an unconventional American pope in the Paolo Sorrentino drama, premiering Sunday, January 15.
HBO
MICKEY AND THE ROADSTER RACERS (Disney Junior) Mickey Mouse hits the road in Disney's new animated kids' series on Sunday, January 15.
Disney Junior
SCANDAL (ABC) Shonda Rhimes' political thriller starring Kerry Washington returns for Season 6 on Thursday, January 19.
ABC
OUTSIDERS (WGN America) The Farrells return to defend Shay Mountain in Season 2, premiering Tuesday, January 24.
WGN America
THE MAGICIANS (Syfy) Quentin (Jason Ralph) Meets the White Lady in Season 2, premiering on Wednesday, January 25.
Syfy
SUITS (USA) Harvey (Gabriel Macht) contemplates the future of the firm when Season 6 returns on Wednesday, January 25.
USA
BLACK SAILS (Starz) The fourth and final season of Starz's pirate drama premieres Sunday, January 29.
Starz
POWERLESS (NBC) Vanessa Hudgens stars in this comedy set in the DC comic book world, set to premiere on Thursday, February 2.
NBC
SANTA CLARITA DIET (Netflix) Drew Barrymore's first foray into TV opposite Timothy Olyphant premieres Friday, February 3.
Netflix
REIGN (The CW) The CW's period drama starring Adelaide Kane as Mary Queen of Scots returns for its fourth and final season on Friday, February 10.
CW
GIRLS (HBO) Lena Dunham's twentysomething drama comes to an end after Season 6, premiering Sunday, February 12.
HBO
CRASHING (HBO) Pete Holmes' semi-autobiographical sitcom, directed by Judd Apatow, premieres Sunday, February 19.
HBO
PATRIOT (Amazon) Amazon's new political thriller stars Australian newcomer Michael Dorman and "Lost's" Terry O'Quinn and premieres in early 2017.
Amazon
CHICAGO JUSTICE (NBC) Dick Wolf's fourth "Chicago" show, after "Chicago Fire," "Chicago PD" and "Chicago Med," premieres Sunday, March 5.
NBC
TRIAL AND ERROR (NBC) The John Lithgow comedy about a big city lawyer in a small town will premiere on Tuesday, March 7.
NBC
FAMOUS IN LOVE (Freeform) I. Marlene King's follow-up to "Pretty Little Liars" kicks off on April 18.
Freeform
GREAT NEWS (NBC) The new comedy produced by Tina Fey premieres Tuesday, April 25.
NBC
THE LEFTOVERS (HBO) Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon return to Miracle Texas for the third and final season of the HBO drama, returning April 2017.
HBO
AMERICAN CRIME (ABC) Most of the cast of the first two seasons of John Ridley's anthology series will return for the third outing in 2017.
ABC
THE CATCH (ABC) ABC's most recent Shondaland entry will return for its second season in 2017.
ABC
IMAGINARY MARY (ABC) Jenna Elfman stars as an adult revisited by her childhood best friend in this ABC comedy premiering in 2017.
ABC
TIME AFTER TIME (ABC) H.G. Wells goes on a time-hopping manhunt in search of Jack the Ripper in ABC's sci-fi adaptation premiering in 2017.
ABC.
DOWNWARD DOG (ABC) "Fargo" alum Allison Tolman stars in this ABC comedy about the bond between a woman and her dog, premiering in 2017.
ABC
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Exclusive new images from ”Black Sails,“ ”The Young Pope,“ and more series premiering in midseason
A total of 455 scripted series aired in 2016, and 2017 is poised to be at least as jam-packed. Check out exclusive new images from new and returning series premiering in the first half of the year.