A Chicago-Set Drama Produced By Kerry Washington Is Heading To Facebook's TV Platform

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 17, 2017 6:15PM

Kerry Washington / Photo: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

With Brown Girls' transition to HBO and Lena Waithe's Showtime series The Chi leading the way, we've noticed a happy trend of Chicago-set show ramping up. Add one more to the roster: a Kerry Washington-produced series, set on the South Side, that will land on Facebook's video platform Watch. Also, Facebook has a video platform called Watch, and they're using it to elbow into the original-scripted-content market.

Variety reports that the series, called Five Points, focuses on the distinct perspectives on five different South Side high school students in the wake of a "life changing event." So, Rashomon by way of Cook County? Perhaps!

Details are in short supply this early in the process, but we do know that the series was created by Adam Giaudrone (The Beautiful Life: TBL); Thomas Carter (Swing Kids, Coach Carter) will direct; and Hayley Kiyoko (CSI: Cyber) and Madison Pettis are among the cast. The series is currently slated for a 10-episode run.

A spokesperson for Facebook confirmed the series with Chicagoist. Crews are going into production, and Five Points will air in 2018, she said.

Facebook incorporated its video platform Watch into its website and app in August. The Wall Street Journal reported in September that Facebook could pump as much as $1 billion to produce and secure original TV shows for the platform. It looks like its still finding its legs, but the social-media giant is reportedly ramping up with a big advertising press as it also gets the production wheels rolling, with ads on Monday Night Football and other big draws.