Fans of The Following, listen up: Kevin Bacon has another cop drama coming to television. While this dark new adventure may not be about the Ryan Hardy that the canceled series' fans may desperately want to see again, Showtime's new drama City on A Hill should still be a big draw, as it sets Bacon as an FBI agent in a story based on true events.
For City on a Hill, Kevin Bacon will play a corrupt but venerated FBI agent named Jackie Rohr, who becomes the unlikely ally in a case headed up by Assistant District Attorney Decourcy Ward, who will be played by Aldis Hodge. (Audiences will remember Hodge from projects like Leverage and Friday Night Lights.) Together, the two will work on a high-profile case involving a family of criminals who target armored cars in Charleston; and in doing so, the men will ultimately subvert the Boston legal system.
Showtime has given City on a Hill a 12-episode order, and will air the drama in 2019. In addition to Bacon and Hodge, City On A Hill will also star Westworld's Jonathan Tucker, Halt and Catch Fire's Mark O'Brien, musician Jill Hennessy, and more.
The story is a fictional account but is based on the Boston Miracle or Operation Ceasefire, and the initial pitch for the show was originally conceived by Ben Affleck, who will serve as an executive producer alongside Kevin Bacon, Matt Damon, James Mangold, and Jennifer Todd. Chuck MacLean, who will also executive produce, wrote the pilot, which will be directed by executive producer Michael Cuesta. Cuesta is no stranger to directing pilots for Showtime dramas, as he's previously done so for both Dexter and Homeland.
City On A Hill may put Kevin Bacon back in character as an FBI agent, but The Following fans shouldn't expect Showtime's drama to be all that similar to the former Fox series. This new show takes place during a time where corruption and racism in the Boston legal both ran high, and is said to have a cops-n-robbers feel to it. (Which means it also shares little in common with Bacon's other TV show, I Love Dick.) Showtime president David Nevins said what sets City On A Hill apart from other crime dramas is its unique and challenging look into the heart of the justice system; as well as strong performances by both Bacon and Aldis Hodge, of course.
As previously mentioned, Showtime is bringing City On A Hill to television sometime in 2019. For a look at shows that can be watched until then, be sure to head on over to our summer premiere guide. Those eager for more news about Kevin Bacon should totally read up on the time he got screwed over by The Sixth Sense, or how his wife felt when she learned they were distant relatives.
