Life is all about decisions. Each move can either make or break us, which one will you make?
Power Book II: Ghost is back for season 2 and it’s filled with the consequences of Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.)’s actions from the end of the debut season. In the original series, we watched him grow up, and now we’re watching him learn the ways of the life he has chosen to live as a man.
Much like the original series, family is at the forefront of Power Book II: Ghost. While we don’t get to choose the family that we’re born into, there’s always an opportunity to create a surrogate family through friends and peers. As Tariq continues to build his own, fans learn what the term family is all about and how at the end of the day, the choices that you make will ultimately catch up with you in the end.
Ahead of Sunday’s premiere, we spoke to franchise creator Courtney A. Kemp and series stars Mary J. Blige, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Woody McClain, Daniel Sunjata, Berto Colon, Melanie Liburd, Paige Hurd and Paton Ashbrook about this season’s theme, the growth of characters, and how at the end of the day, family, whether blood or created, should be a reflection of you.
Releasing control
It is human nature to want to be in control, but when one has to relinquish it, the sense of powerlessness that follows can be crippling.
“We kind of constructed [this season] to be about sacrifice,” said Power franchise creator Courtney A. Kemp. “The season is about sacrifice and there are a lot of different moments of sacrifice in the season but now that I’ve rewatched the season, I think that it goes back to the original Power, which was all about powerlessness.”
After the series of events that ended the first season, Tariq realizes that he can’t control everyone which ultimately leaves him without that original superpower that he led with following the death of his father.
“You can make all of these plans and then things can go left or right and I think that’s a perfect way to look at it,” Kemp continued. “Every one of our characters is trying to make a plan to get out of a situation but they’re powerless because they can’t force everyone to do what they want and it all gets nice and complicated and needy in the way that you want.”
Redefining family
The Power franchise has always taken an interesting approach to family which isn’t any different in Power Book II: Ghost.
“I think that people are learning what their family is actually about,” said Mary J. Blige who returns as Monet. “We’re learning what made Monet this way and allowing people to see her evolve. The first season was about her just guns blazing going crazy. This one is like ‘now that everyone is established, who is Monet? What’s all of this really about?’”
She further explains how viewers will see a more soft side to her character as she becomes more comfortable with being vulnerable.
“You’re definitely going to see a more vulnerable side, especially when it comes to her children,” she continued. “You get to see her as a little more human. Just a teeny bit more human.”
Growth itself
Method Man returns as the slick, high-priced lawyer, Davis Maclean, but this go around, fans will learn more about the journey that got him to where he is today and just why he has it out for Tariq.
“I’m happy to say that we are getting a backstory or some sort of backstory on Davis Maclean and hopefully you guys will see what some of his motivations are. Not all of them because he has a lot,” Method Man shared. “He’s totally different with his clients than he is with family so hopefully that translates well on screen and you guys love it.”
On the flip end, a lot of the relationships that are centered around Tariq continue to grow and evolve throughout the new season.
“I think like any relationship, in the beginning, it’s all great. You’re kind of getting to know somebody, but you hit that wall and then it gets real,” said Paige Hurd who portrays Lauren, one of Tariq’s love interests. “I think for them, especially being young and in college just trying to figure life out on their own, it’s going to be a mix of a college friendship and relationship. It’s confusing. It’s a roller coaster with hurt moments and happy moments. We definitely get to dive into that through this season.”
Power Book II: Ghost returns to Starz this Nov. 21.
Watch the full interviews below:
