‘Power’ Creator Courtney Kemp on Tariq’s Redemption and Black Antiheroes
‘Power Book II: Ghost’ may be gone until later this year, but Kemp’s always planning the next chapter
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Much like you, Courtney Kemp does not have time to watch all the things on all the networks and streaming services right now — or, really, ever. “The truth is, I watch so little TV,” she says over the phone. “I don’t experience content in the way that other people do.”
The age of too much television has fully transitioned into an age of too many streaming platforms and excess as the norm. But providing escape and, nowadays, convenience, are key to holding the attention of distractible viewers. Why not build an entire universe?
As creator and showrunner on Starz’ Power, Kemp assembled a network of corrupt characters around coldhearted drug dealer and entrepreneur James “Ghost” St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick), whose relentless state of limbo caused devastation across six seasons. Kemp saw her show become the number one premium cable show among Black viewers — with an additional cult following made possible by the sovereignty of streaming.
