After a five-year hiatus, Michael K. Williams’ BLACK MARKET will return.
Today, VICE TV announced four docuseries have been greenlit for second seasons. After a five-year hiatus, Michael K. Williams' BLACK MARKET will return alongside fall 2020's I WAS A TEENAGE FELON and WHILE THE REST OF US DIE, and summer 2019's THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.
The renewals come on the heels of a strong January for the network, with VICE TV reporting the strongest monthly growth since April 2020 among A18-49 and A25-54 after the successful launch of the investigative docuseries QANON: THE SEARCH FOR Q (produced by VICE Studios) the network's best performing original series since Dark Side of the Ring: Season 2, averaging 247,000 total viewers and 121,000 in the key A25-54 demo. The network saw increases and impressive rank improvements in all three key demos versus year-ago, making VICE TV one of only 14 networks among all ad-supported cable to see YOY growth (A18-49).
"2021 has started off on a strong note for us" said Morgan Hertzan, Executive Vice President & General Manager, VICE TV. "Our January performance, coupled with the return of such a gripping slate of shows, is just the start of what's going to be a very exciting year for the network. VICE TV has always been a home for courageous storytellers and a destination for programming that challenges and defies the status quo. The success of these series are rooted in our commitment to bring viewers a new perspective and we're excited to delve even deeper into worlds you thought you knew and bring our audiences stories told by people you won't hear from anywhere else."
BLACK MARKET season two, hosted by Emmy-nominated actor Michael K. Williams, returns on a mission to investigate the complex factors that drive people into the often dangerous underground economies and illicit trade networks. The global docuseries will continue the work Williams began in season one, which revealed an intimate portrait of the conditions from which black markets arise and the cultural reasons behind why they persist, from carjacking in Newark, NJ to the poaching of abalone off the coast of South Africa. In all-new episodes, the series will showcase rare, first-person access to the communities most impacted by the worldwide shadow economy. As Michael K. Williams says, "When the system fails you, you create your own system." BLACK MARKET explores exactly that, the hidden, criminal markets that fuel daily life for those who feel locked out of the mainstream and have no choice but to rely on illicit trade to survive
"After a busy period of back-to-back projects, I'm incredibly excited to rejoin my VICE family in taking a deeper dive behind telling the narratives of these global communities." said Michael K. Williams.
Black Market season two is produced by FREEDOME PRODUCTIONS & PICTURE FARM, and co-produced by VICE World News. Executive producers for Freedome Productions & Picture Farm are Michael K. Williams, Ben Freedman, Dion Sapp, Matthew Horowitz, David Laven, and Matt Goldman. Executive producers for VICE World News are Jesse Angelo, Kristen Burns, Subrata De, and Marsha Cooke. Executive producer for VICE TV is Falguni Lakhani Adams. The series is distributed worldwide by VICE Distribution.
THE DEVIL YOU KNOW will return with a six-part season that uncovers the proliferation of online cults in America through the investigation of cult leader Sherry J. Shriner, her New Age Alien Agenda, and how she used YouTube as a breeding ground for a diabolical lizard cult. In this ground-breaking second season, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW looks deep into the mysterious murder of Steven Mineo and suicide of Kelly Pingilley, revealing self-described "granny from Ohio" turned cult leader Sherry J. Shriner as the link between the two. Viewers will get front-row seats to hear exclusive interviews with a convicted killer, ex-cult members, police, grieving friends, investigative journalist Tony Russo, and former YouTube Insider and AI Expert Guillaume Chaslot, as well as commentary on and analysis of cult-leader Sherry J. Shriner's own words from her radio show and other online programs. THE DEVIL YOU KNOW season two is produced by VICE Studios and executive produced by Sarah Sharkey Pearce. Executive Producer for VICE Studios is Vanessa Case. Executive Producer for VICE TV is Catherine Whyte, Executive Vice President and Head of Production, and Liz Cowie is Senior Manager, Development and Alternative Programming. The series is distributed worldwide by VICE Distribution.
I WAS A TEENAGE FELON Volume II will continue to uncover some of the most outrageous and brazen stories of youthful ambition gone awry, revealing how seemingly-average American kids turned themselves into smugglers, dealers, scammers, hackers, and thieves. Through first-person interviews and cinematic visuals, the docuseries' second season will chart the emotional rollercoaster ride from innocent to outlaw, showcasing the intoxicating highs and sobering lows that make it hard to believe these stories really happened. I Was A Teenage Felon season two is produced by The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC), an Industrial Media company. Aaron Saidman and Eli Holzman are Executive Producers for IPC, along with Executive Producer and Showrunner Haylee Vance. Executive Producer for VICE TV is Catherine Whyte, Executive Vice President and Head of Production. The series is distributed worldwide by VICE Distribution.
WHILE THE REST OF US DIE will pivot away from the secret history of the government's doomsday plans to bring viewers a second season uncovering decades of government decisions that have rigged daily life against ordinary Americans, prioritizing the interests of the wealthy and the profits of big companies over the economic and physical health and well-being of working, tax-paying, law-abiding families. Delving into the dark partnership between the government and THE ONE percent, season two will unmask the hidden history of how the IRS ensures the rich get richer; reveal the corporate welfare that funnels our tax dollars into the bank accounts of billionaire sugar barons and kings of coal while both destroy our health; and expose how the elite jump the line on life-saving vaccines and experimental therapies, while also profiting from the peddling of addictive medications that shatter lives and communities. WHILE THE REST OF US DIE is produced by Efran Films. Executive Producers for Efran Films are Shawn Efran, Anthony Lappé, Jordan J. Mallari and Garrett M. Graff. Executive Producer for VICE TV is Lee Hoffman, and Tara Nadolny is Senior Development Manager. Catherine Whyte is EVP, Head of Production for VICE TV and Morgan Hertzan is Executive Vice President and General Manager, VICE TV. The series is distributed worldwide by VICE Distribution.
The announcements come on the heels of VICE TV's recent launches including QAnon: The Search for Q, the first-ever docuseries to investigate the true identity of the mysterious figure behind the movement known as 'Q'; and HAMILTON'S PHARMACOPEIA Season 3, the award-winning hit series that investigates the history, chemistry, and social impact of the world's MOST INFAMOUS and extraordinary mind-altering substances. Other series in production at the network include DARK SIDE OF THE RING Season 3, Dark Side of Football, and Dark Side of the '90s.
VICE TV is the Emmy®-winning international television network from VICE Media Group. Since its inception in 2016, the channel has ushered new audiences to cable with its compelling and provocative programming. Boldly redefining news and current affairs, VICE TV produces hundreds of hours of original content for over 160 million homes worldwide. Built around a mission to courageously explore the things that make us uncomfortable, drive curiosity, and awaken our sense of wonder, VICE TV showcases the best in informative and entertaining original series, documentaries and movies.
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