The Power pilot sets up a whole vibe before introducing any characters, thus surrounding us in a world we’re instantly curious about — maybe even coveting — just like the scores of people behind the velvet ropes of Truth, James’s “Ghost” St. Patrick’s Manhattan club. The cinematography plays with the lighting, hardly any tight shots; this is a big picture lifestyle that the writers want the audience to want, just as much as Ghost wants this “legitimate” life.

As much as the club-owning legitimate lifestyle Ghost (Omari Hardwick) longs for is glamorous and flashy, his underworld ties as a drug kingpin are violent and dangerous. It makes for one convoluted package that is only further complicated by the arrival of Angela Valdes (Lela Loren), his long-lost love. She also happens to be the AUSA that’s after Ghost, though neither realizes it.

Setting up a successful series

Combined with James Bond-like opening credits and a soundtrack that sets the unexpected tone, the Power pilot is a structural jackpot for screenwriters looking to study hour-long dramas. The personal stakes are there: James’ family, led by his wife Tasha (Naturi Naughton), and his new club, Truth — which represents a physical step towards that aforementioned legitimate life —are everything he could lose. Interestingly, the Power writers, spearheaded by creator Courtney A. Kemp (The Good Wife, Beauty and the Beast), create a paradox where his current love with Tasha actually supports his current not-so-legit lifestyle as a drug dealer based on what it affords her. Meanwhile ex-flame Angela becomes even more tantalizing because she represents and supports Ghost’s professional goals as a nightclub owner. It’s genius writing, elevating the love triangle trope to represent both the personal and professional goals for the lead character.

The art of brutality

One of the first things that struck me about Power was the parallels it drew to HBO’s The Wire. They’re both about drug empires, the people who run them, ones who are simultaneously trying to escape them, and about the law enforcement after them all. Where the Starz show veers off into its own territory is through aesthetic and our main lens into the story: Ghost. We start from Ghost’s perspective and it’s also the one we tune back in to see how he’s doing — whether it’s suited up in the club or donning his ominous black hoody to dole out violent, sudden deaths. In The Wire, we’re mainly viewing from the law enforcement’s perspective. Power is also grittier, though both are visceral.

Despite its flashy aesthetic, there is a quiet, dangerous underlying brutality to everything in Power. From the way Ghost carries himself to Tommy’s (Joseph Sikora) expression basically all the time, even to Tasha’s rash and wild persona; they all clash and build on each other’s actions, becoming a sea of turbulent emotion. Beyond the very real struggles depicted, there is also the internal struggle that emerges from the brutal way they treat each other emotionally. Sometimes, that brutality spills over into the physical, as with Tommy and Holly (Lucy Walters), while other times it takes a severe mental toll, as with Ghost’s family.

Power-ful fun facts

Power straddles the line of pretty and scary, just like its characters. It’s a slick statement piece that rose to be one of Starz’s most highly rated shows. The Kemp-created and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson-produced show (he also directed the season six episode “Forget About Dre”) has spawned four spin-offs: Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Power Book IV: Force, and Power Book V: Influence (IV and V are still in pre-production). It creates a bit of a meta-twist that legitimizes the show’s legacy just as, perhaps, it does of Ghost within that show. Power Book II: Ghost, in particular, continues Ghost’s legacy by following his son Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) and Tasha.

Emmy®-winning director Anthony Hemingway (who also coincidentally directed episodes of The Wire) helmed both the Power pilot and series finale — “Not Exactly How We Planned” and “Exactly How We Planned” respectively — of the two-time NAACP Image Award-winner for Outstanding Drama Series. It was also a People’s Choice nominee for a reason: the Starz hit that ran from June 2014 to February 2020 was excessively entertaining. The harsh consequences and realities of street life in the context of the international drug trade contrasted with the lavishness of Manhattan’s rich and elite in one powerful, glamorous package.

It's also interesting to look at Power in the broader scope of the types of shows Starz broadcasts. Shows in the context of their networks are interesting in a big picture sort of way for writers when looking for comparable shows, preparing to pitch their own work. No one wants to be pigeon-holed, but it’s also interesting to see what shelf you’d sit on in the bookstore, you know?

In Retrospect

Sometimes you need those deep, reflective-type dramas or cathartic comedies. Sometimes, it’s the sexy drama with a bit of bite. They all have their merit, they all provide entertainment and escapism of varying flavors. In the case of Power, Ghost and Tommy’s exploits are that flashy escapism into a world most of us can’t fully comprehend, but just the brush with those [expensive brand Ghost wears] is enough to have us hitting play on the next episode.

Catch Power reruns as well as Power Book II and III streaming on Starz, Amazon Prime, or Crave in Canada.