In the story, Moses Johnson (Cole) is a promising high school black athlete who becomes embroiled in Chicago's notoriously corrupt criminal justice system. Caught by the police as a suspected gang member, he finds himself in the eye of the storm as police and prosecutors seek revenge for the death of a cop during a drug bust gone wrong.
Franklin Roberts (Vance) is a public defender in the twilight of his career in America's busiest courthouse. After promising his wife to retire to spend more time with their seventeen-year-old autistic son, Franklin realizes that Moses is the case of his life - one that could shake up the entire Chicago justice system and institutional racism and the endemic corruption at its heart.
The series is based on in-depth research into the city's history and the personal experiences of executive producer and writer J. David Shanks. He grew up as a young black man on the South Side and later became a Chicago police officer.
AMC ordered two seasons for 61st Street, and the eight episodes of season two have already been filmed. The decision to pull the plug on the series was made as part of cost-cutting measures the cable network announced last month. The company revealed it would write off up to $475 million. Compared to AMC's other scripted series, 61st Street is at the bottom of the most watched list.
It seems likely that the second season of 61st Street will eventually be released on another channel or streaming service. An SEC filing stated that "the company may be able to realize some future licensing and other revenue from some of its own content titles."
