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Season 1 – 61st Street

Play trailer 1:12 Poster for Season 1 – 61st Street Apr 2022 Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
71% Tomatometer 17 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Moses Johnson, a promising Black high school athlete, gets swept up in the Chicago criminal justice system when he is arrested as a supposed gang member after an officer dies during a drug bust gone wrong. Franklin Roberts, who has promised his wife that he will retire as a public defender, takes on Johnson's case because he recognizes its potential to upend the entire Chicago judicial system, challenging the institutional racism and endemic corruption at its heart. The series was informed by deep research into the city's history, as well as the personal experiences of executive producer-writer J. David Shanks, who grew up as a young Black man on the South Side and later became a Chicago police officer before entering the world of film and TV.
61st Street — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

61st Street is situated smack dab in a clichéd zip code of television drama, but terrific performances by Courtney B. Vance and a strong supporting cast provide some local attraction.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Roeper Chicago Sun-Times 04/11/2022
3/4
61st Street takes on Chicago’s polarizing issues with gravity and authenticity. Go to Full Review Judy Berman TIME Magazine 04/11/2022
Certainly, its themes remain relevant. But its mix of generic hand-wringing over injustice and coincidence-heavy thought-experiment plotting has been done too many times to make much of an impact. Go to Full Review Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune 04/11/2022
3/4
The intersecting storylines hold enough interest to pull you through the odd cliche and the occasional thesis line. And Vance, as a modest soul trying to outrun any number of clocks, really is a marvel. Go to Full Review Monique Jones Common Sense Media 06/10/2022
4/5
A tragic series that focuses on police brutality and corruption. Go to Full Review Phylecia Miller The Young Folks 04/25/2022
3/10
Along with the terrible story, the actors waste their talents on 61st Street, especially Vance. Go to Full Review Glenn Garvin Reason Online 04/22/2022
In quieter moments, it achieves -- if that's the right word -- a desolate sense of hopelessness as the cops and courts chew up the guilty and the innocent alike. And it manages to summon up a truly ferocious rage about the drug war. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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des J. @minaloudx Dec 27 An engaging thriller that dives into police corruption, legal manipulation, and the dangerous machinery of systemic power. See more Sam P @RT59792805 Dec 24 Great performances by the cast, smart writing and unfortunately, an all too familiar storyline. It’s intriguing, infuriating, funny at times. I don’t understand any of these critics who write this off as some kind of overwrought low-hanging artistic fruit or something. The day that programs and movies about police corruption, brutality and murder of members of the black community are no longer relevant or needed will be a joyous occasion for us all indeed. But if you believe that we’re already there, you just may be part of the problem. See more Afreya K. @jaja2517 Dec 7 One of the best shows ever!! The plot, acting, all of it spectacular!! Only a few others this good I can think of off hand, "City on a hill". Sad it only lasted two seasons!!😭 See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 24 82 successful episodes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Keciah W @RT89991231 09/15/2024 I Love the Series. It was riveting had you setting on the edge of seat. Sometimes you'll be in tears. You will be ready for next monday to come so bad. These actors deserve an Emmy. They were great and i identified with things in thr series.I only hate that was the final episode. See more 07/04/2022 A compelling, topical story, and fine acting performances make this worth watching, despite some subplots either being weak, trite, or left lazily and/or unsatisfactorily unexplored. See more Read all reviews
61st Street — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Courtney B. Vance

Franklin Roberts

Tosin Cole

Moses Johnson

Bentley Green

Joshua Johnson

Holt McCallany

Lt. Brannigan

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

Martha Roberts

Andrene Ward-Hammond

Norma Johnson

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Apr 10, 2022 Pilot Track star Moses Johnson is swept up into a world of chaos, violence and corrupt policing during a presumed drug sting gone wrong; public defender Franklin Roberts considers retirement and his impact on the community. Details Episode 2 Aired Apr 17, 2022 The Hunter and the Hunted While on a collision course with the Chicago Police Department, Moses makes contact with the one person who could save him; Martha chases political aspirations. Details Episode 3 Aired Apr 24, 2022 Barefoot and Dangerous Officer Logan begins to question his own department while Lt. Brannigan presses Moses for a confession; Franklin revisits the crime scene, finding a new angle for the defense. Details Episode 4 Aired May 1, 2022 Chess Moves and Poker Chips While waiting for bail, Moses adjusts to jail; Brannigan opens up to Logan; after stumbling on evidence of police misconduct, Franklin continues to put together a defense; Joshua makes a discovery. Details Episode 5 Aired May 8, 2022 Over the Wall Franklin gets sobering news while Moses reunites with an old acquaintance; Officer Logan gets a new position; Norma holds a barbecue to raise money for Moses' bail. Details Episode 6 Aired May 15, 2022 Sins of the Fathers Moses fights influences in prison and begins to doubt Franklin's motives; Joshua sinks deeper into the Nation as Martha faces pressure from the community; Franklin makes a discovery. Details Episode 7 Aired May 22, 2022 The Two Trials Moses' trial begins; Brannigan testifies; a discovery threatens to derail Franklin's defense; Joshua faces repercussions while Franklin gets an ultimatum. Details Episode 8 Aired May 29, 2022 Man on Fire Franklin faces a setback; Moses takes the stand; a verdict is read. Details Episode 81 Aired Apr 15, 2022 The Making of 61st Street Diving deeper into the making of the new legal thriller "61st Street" with the cast and crew. Details Episode 82 Aired Apr 22, 2022 Cast Roundtable The stars of legal thriller "61st Street" express the impact, timeliness and personality of the series in an intimate roundtable discussion. Details

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61st Street — Season 1

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61st Street — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Ramaa Mosley, Ali Selim, Marta Cunningham, Darren Grant
Executive Producer
Jeff Freilich, Michael B. Jordan, Alana Mayo, Peter Moffat, Hilary Salmon, J. David Shanks
Screenwriter
Peter Moffat, Tolu Awosika, Allison P Davis, J. David Shanks, Frank Baldwin, Sarah Beckett, Olumide Odebunmi
Network
The CW
Rating
TV-14
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Apr 10, 2022