• You won’t have to mourn the end of Starz smash hit Power for long: the premium network has already released a trailer for the upcoming sequel series, Power Book II: Ghost. The new show picks up where the original left off, with the deceased Ghost’s son (and murderer), Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.) in college, trying to meet the requirements set forth in his father’s will to inherit his considerable assets. Cliff “Method Man” Smith and Mary J. Blige are the most prominent additions to the cast. Premiere date is TBD.

• We also have a new trailer for the fast-approaching new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, featuring a stellar array of guest judges including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Leslie Jones, Thandie Newton, Nicki Minaj, and many more. Season 12, in which 13 contestants create outrageous drag looks (or “lewks” for you kids) and perform lip-sync numbers for a grand prize of $100,000, premieres Friday, February 28, on VH1. 

 

 

• A&E, already a true-crime powerhouse with long-running hits The First 48, which follows the earliest phase of a criminal investigation, and 60 Days In, which keeps tabs on troubled jails where accused criminals await trial, will close the loop on the criminal-justice lifecycle with Accused: Guilty or Innocent?, which will follow indicted defendants as they prepare their cases for trial, as their lawyers argue those cases, and as they receive their verdict. The series is set to premiere April 21 at 10pm. (Variety)
  
• We are starting to get an idea of what this summer’s fifth season of John Wells’ excellent crime drama Animal Kingdom is going to look like after the departure of series lead Ellen Barkin, whose Smurf, matriarch and ringleader of a family of armed bandits, was killed off last season: Rigo Sanchez, who played Manny, one of Smurf’s associates in season 4’s flashback scenes depicting Smurf’s early criminal career -- with the young Smurf played by Leila George -- has been upgraded to series regular, so it’s a good bet we’ll be seeing more flashbacks and, as importantly, more period needle drops, which were a highlight of season 4. (Deadline)
  
• Starz has a Valentine’s Day gift for all you Outlander fans: the hotly (and I do mean hotly) anticipated Season 5 premiere, airing on Starz this Sunday night, is available now on demand on Sling. So -- as Claire might put it -- watch it now and don’t be gentle!  
  

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