John Ridley’s “American Crime,” ABC’s Emmy-nominated series, will make its second-season premiere on Wednesday, January 6, 2016, 10-11pm ET, the network has announced.
Regina King (above) won an Emmy this year for her role on the show.
The second season is set in the U.S. Midwest, at two high schools, one public and one private.
Issues of sexual orientation and socioeconomic disparity come to a boil when lurid photos of a high school boy, Taylor Blaine, are posted on social media following a school party. Circumstances become more complicated when Taylor accuses two players on an elite private high school’s championship basketball team, Kevin LaCroix and Eric Tanner, of drugging, assaulting and then posting the pictures of him online. The team’s head coach, Dan Sullivan, tries to unite the players, while overlooking the dysfunction of his own family. Headmistress Leslie Graham struggles to maintain the school’s reputation in the face of accusations of privilege and cover up.
Taylor’s mother, Anne, remains a steadfast supporter of her son, despite being publicly assailed by the school’s wealthy families, principle among them the LaCroixs. Taylor’s girlfriend, Evy, deals with racial tension at her own school, led by Principal Chris Dixon. While the two schools at the center of the story are worlds apart in status, the lives of the students and teachers at both become inextricably linked.
Ultimately, support for Taylor comes from an unlikely place – a person who Taylor and his mother have never previously met, and who inhabits the fringes of the online community.
“American Crime” stars Felicity Huffman as Leslie Graham, Timothy Hutton as Dan Sullivan, Lili Taylor as Anne Blaine, Elvis Nolasco as Chris Dixon, Trevor Jackson as Kevin LaCroix, Connor Jessup as Taylor Blaine, Joey Pollari as Eric Tanner, Angelique Rivera as Evy Dominguez and Regina King as Terri LaCroix.
Recurring guest stars this season include Andre Benjamin as Michael LaCroix, Hope Davis as Steph Sullivan and Richard Cabral as Sebastian De La Torre.
“American Crime” is created and executive-produced by John Ridley (“12 Years a Slave”). Michael J. McDonald also serves as executive producer. “American Crime” is produced by ABC Studios.
