As we mentioned a couple weeks ago, TNT had plans to renew freshman drama Memphis Beat for a second season.
As expected, they’re bringing Jason Lee and company back for 10 new episodes in 2011. A debut date hasn’t been specified but a summer run is expected.
Here’s the official press release from TNT…
The Beat Goes On as TNT Orders
Second Season of Hit Series MEMPHIS BEATTNT is ordering a second helping of its hit series MEMPHIS BEAT, starring Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl) and Alfre Woodard (Three Rivers). TNT has ordered 10 episodes for the second season of the series, which also stars DJ Qualls (Hustle & Flow). The show is slated to return in 2011.
MEMPHIS BEAT premiered June 22 and quickly established itself as one of the summer’s hottest shows. In its first season, MEMPHIS BEAT averaged 4.7 million viewers and ranked as one of ad-supported cable’s Top 5 new series of the summer and the #1 Tuesday series among adults 25-54. MEMPHIS BEAT was created by Liz W. Garcia (Cold Case) and Joshua Harto (The Dark Knight). The series comes to TNT from George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures and Warner Horizon Television.
“MEMPHIS BEAT is a real treasure: a slightly off-center crime drama with great actors, memorable characters and a soundtrack steeped in Memphis sounds,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “We look forward to another fantastic season next year.”
In MEMPHIS BEAT, Lee plays Dwight Hendricks, a quirky Memphis police detective with an intimate connection to the city, a passion for blues music and a close relationship with his mother. Woodard plays Lt. Tanya Rice, a demanding boss determined to keep Dwight on a short leash. Qualls co-stars as Davey Sutton, a uniform cop who considers himself to be Dwight’s protege.
Also starring are Celia Weston (Junebug) as Dwight’s effervescent mother; Sam Hennings (Saving Grace) as Charlie White, aka Whitehead, Dwight’s seasoned, hypertensive partner; Leonard Earl Howze (Barbershop) as Reginald Greenback, a fellow detective struggling to make ends meet with two teenage daughters; and Abraham Benrubi (ER) as Sgt. JC Lightfoot, an officer who uses Chickasaw tribal wisdom in his police work.
Three-time Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Keb’ Mo’ (Honeydripper) provides MEMPHIS BEAT’s intoxicating, blues-laced soundtrack. Robert Randolph & The Family Band perform the infectious title song (Music Video: http://www.tnt.tv/dramavision/?oid=61295).
The first season of MEMPHIS BEAT was executive-produced by Clooney, Heslov, Garcia, Harto, Scott Kaufer (Boston Legal) and John Fortenberry (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Sean Whitesell (House M.D.) and Smokehouse Pictures’ Abby Wolf-Weiss are co-executive producers.
MEMPHIS BEAT is TNT’s fifth summer series to be renewed this year. TNT previously announced renewals for the hit series The Closer (seventh season), Rizzoli & Isles (second season), Leverage (fourth season) and HawthoRNe (third season).
About TNT
TNT, one of cable’s top-rated networks, is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 100 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Emmy® winner Kyra Sedgwick; Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; HawthoRNe, with Jada Pinkett Smith; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott; Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula; and Southland, from Emmy®-winning producer John Wells (ER); as well as the upcoming Falling Skies, starring Noah Wyle, and Franklin & Bash, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and Numb3rs; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards®; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. TNT is available in high-definition.Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
Image courtesy TNT.
The show was really very good. Why are all the good shows always cancelled. Cancel some of these stupid reality shows. They are an insult to one’s intelligence.
Bring it back, My whole family loved it and will miss it dearly. Where will Jason Lee be seen next? devoted fan
Bring the show back. I don’t understand why you cancelled such a good show and still have one others that should have been gone a long time ago. You killed a very good show that showed Cops doing their jobs and having a life outside of it. I liked that you show the good the bad and the ugly of it all. Bring back the show please. You should have never cancelled the show in the first place….
I am soooo glad to see Memphis Beat is coming back for a 2nd season, and hopefully more. At least one of my 2 favorite shows will be returning. I also like the characters and how they grow on you. The music at the end is always enjoyable to listen to and see. TNT you should think about picking up the series Terriers. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 hint hint
I like certain cop shows ( not all of them) ( My alltime favourite being NYPD BLUE)…I never watched My Name is Earl, so I did not know what to expect, watching Memphis Beat for the first time; They had me at the Old School Soul music….I liked Jason Lee’s character from the get-go…I always liked Abraham Ben-Rubi (sp) and was happy to see his face back on TV, the casting director put a lot of thought putting the rest of the characters together. Kudos to the writers too. SO GLAD it was renewed for 2nd season…We need dvd’s please…Psst…TNT…do… Read more »
I love this show it’s kindhearted not violent — the music is great!!!!
I can’t wait the new season. please put it on
dvd
I love, this show kindhearted, not violent and the music is grear — please put it on dvd & CD
Just love the show. Found it a couple months ago and was so happy to hear blues music. Great characters without too much violence. Keep it up, thanks.
Just found Memphis Beat the last 2 months. Love the music, characters and plot that is not too violent. Can’t wait for more.
I’m so pleased to see Memphis Beat will be coming back on, I love the show, so down to earth and a pleasure to watch. The actors are soooooo good and a joy to watch, always a good laugh now and then. Love how you end each show with Jason Lee singing, perfect in my book. I know the show is filmed in Louisana, (right) but the sites you show in Memphis bring back memories for me. Looking forward to ya’ll coming back.
BRING IT BACK, PLEASE.
When will DVD of a season be available i.e. Memphis Beat??
Thanks…….
I agree with other comments. It’s the best cop show on TV, and thank you, thank you for renewing it, and the music is terrific, and the violence is low key.
I AM VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE RETURN OF MEMPHIS BEAT !! IT IS ONE OF THE BEST COP SHOWS SINCE THE STREETS OF SAN FRANSISCO . THE SHOW ITSELF IS CLEAN AND KID FRIENDLY , WHICH IS RARE YOUR DECISION IS APPRECIATED………
Best cop show on TV. I can only watch Law & Order repeats so many times. I love the music and the cast is just such a perfect mixture of people. I even like the lieutenant’s clothes! Thanks for renewing the show. It should go on for years to come (I hope). Thanks.