Atlanta-lensed 'Johnson' returns for second season

ATLANTA - The record-breaking Bounce TV hit "Johnson" returns for a second season this Sunday, and cast members say the "stakes are raised" for the show’s quartet of lead characters.

"Johnson" centers on four lifelong friends who share the same last name — Johnson, of course — and the issues they face in their daily lives.

"The idea came from having friends like this in my own life," says star and creator Deji LaRay. "You know, seeing some of my best friends who are going through certain situations that we all experience. And I thought it was important to show us on television. Because I didn't see us represented in the way that I live my life every day. It was an opportunity to take control of our narrative, which hasn't been done with Black men the way that it should."

"Johnson" is filmed here in Atlanta, and immediately gained an audience on Bounce TV, setting viewership records for the network.

Says co-star Thomas Q. Jones, "To have the success out the gate like that, to break some records for the network – Bounce TV – and for people to really resonate with the content is very special and lets us know that we were making the right decisions."

The show’s second season premieres Sunday, July 10 at 8 p.m. on Bounce TV. To hear more from the show’s stars, click the video player in this article.