Season 1 (Power Book III: Raising Kanan)

This page is about the first season of the Power spin-off Power Book III: Raising Kanan. If you're looking for the first season of Power, see Season 1.

Season 1

Information

Premiere

July 18, 2021

Finale

September 26, 2021

No. of Episodes

10

Season Chronology
Next →
Season 2

The first season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan premiered on July 18, 2021 and ended on September 26, 2021. It consists of 10 episodes.

Synopsis

Set in South Jamaica, Queens, in 1991, "Raising Kanan" is a prequel to the original "Power" franchise. It is a sprawling family drama that revolves around the coming of age of Kanan Stark; Ghost and Tommy's mentor, partner and adversary, who ultimately dies in a hail of gunfire in the eighth episode of Power's penultimate season. When we catch up with Kanan here, he is the fifteen-year-old only child of Raquel "Raq" Thomas, a cocaine distributor with an emerging network of dealers across the city. Much like the original "Power," "Raising Kanan" explores themes of identity, violence, and legacy, but it is also a deep dive into the very pathology of family; the unique, complicated and fraught dynamic between parent and child, mother and father, brother and sister. In an increasingly fractious world, family often feels like the only refuge from all the divisiveness and discord and yet, at the same time, we often discover that it is those closest to us who betray us and our values most. The first season of "Raising Kanan" is an exploration of these betrayals, the secrets and lies that accompany them and the ways in which they fester, metastasize and ultimately erupt. The overarching theme of this first season is, "You reap what you sow." In other words, actions have consequences; betrayals are always uncovered; secrets are inevitably revealed; chickens come home to roost. Every character in "Raising Kanan" is hiding something. From the world, from each other, from themselves. And as our story unfolds, they each will have to grapple with the unintended and destructive consequences of the information they've hidden and withheld. And while the ways in which these betrayals, secrets and lies reveal themselves will vary, one truth will remain constant: In "Raising Kanan," as in the "Power" Universe, no one can be trusted and nothing is ever as it seems.^[1]

Cast

Main Cast

Mekai Curtis as Kanan Stark^[2]
Omar Epps as Detective Malcolm Howard^[3]
Patina Miller as Raquel "Raq" Thomas^[4]
Hailey Kilgore as LaVerne "Jukebox" Ganner^[5]
Lovie Simone as Davina Harrison^[6]
London Brown as Marvin Thomas^[7]
Malcolm Mays as Lou-Lou Thomas^[7]
Shanley Caswell as Detective Shannon Burke^[7]
Toby Sandeman as Symphony Bosket^[7]
Joey Bada$$ as Unique^[7]

Recurring Cast

Antonio Ortiz as Shawn "Famous" Figueroa^[8]
AnnaLynne McCord as Toni Deep^[8]
Quincy Brown as Crown Camacho^[7]
Ade Chike Torbert as Scrappy^[9]
Natalee Linez as Jessica Figueroa^[10]
Annabelle Zasowski as Nicole Bingham^[10]
Rosal Colon as Juliana Ayala
Stefan Holbrook as Lil' Rob
John Clay III as Worrell
Kelly Deadmon as Linda Bingham
Paul Fitzgerald as James Bingham

Episodes

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Air Date
1	1	"Back in the Day"	Rob Hardy	Sascha Penn	July 18, 2021
		In 1991 in South Jamaica, Queens, 15-year-old Kanan Stark is eager to join his family's growing drug business that is led by his mother, Raquel "Raq" Thomas.
2	2	"Reaping and Sowing"	Mario Van Peebles	Sascha Penn & Bashir Gavriel	July 25, 2021
		After a rival crew member is killed, Raq does whatever is necessary to get the target off Kanan’s back.
3	3	"Stick and Move"	Lisa Leone	Josef Sawyer	August 1, 2021
		Still reeling from a shocking death, Kanan pushes his way into the drug game with Marvin's help while Raq plots to take down her competition.
4	4	"Don't Sleep"	Hernán Otoño	Santa Sierra	August 8, 2021
		All bets are off when a police raid clears out Raq's competition; promises are broken, secrets are revealed, and revenge is swift.
5	5	"Choose Your Battles"	Eif Rivera	Mike Flynn	August 15, 2021
		Eager to transform and re-imagine her business after the stash house is hit, Raq overhauls her operation. Meanwhile, Kanan is detained after a fight with Scrappy, raising some serious questions for Detective Howard.
6	6	"Level Up"	Kieron Hawkes	Dylan C. Brown	August 29, 2021
		Lou’s new artist showcase becomes the nexus of the rivalry between Raq and Unique. At the same time, Kanan cooks up a drug-selling scheme with Marvin.
7	7	"Stay In Your Lane"	TBA	TBA	September 5, 2021
		Kanan and Marvin's side hustle goes awry. Raq seeks revenge for the attack on Scrappy. Jukebox suffers a devastating blow.
8	8	"The Cost of Business"	TBA	TBA	September 12, 2021
		Kanan struggles with a harsh truth after word gets back to Raq that he's behind the bad crack on the streets. Jukebox learns the troubling facts behind Nicole's death. Lou finds himself caught in a crossfire.
9	9	"Loyal To The End"	Bart Wenrich	Matt K. Turner	September 19, 2021
		As Lou recovers in the hospital, Marvin seeks revenge. Feeling the pressure, Raq turns to Kanan to take out the biggest threat to their family.
10	10	"Paid In Full"	Rob Hardy	Kevin Fox	September 26, 2021
		As the situation in the neighborhood turns dire, Raq scrambles to get Kanan out of harm's way.

Trivia

Filming started on February 11, 2020 and ended on May 18, 2021.
On March 14, 2020, production for both Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book III: Raising Kanan were temporarily shut down due to Coronavirus concerns.
Like the first season of the main show, no main characters died in the first season.
the first season of Raising Kanan takes place 23 years before the events of the first season of Power.