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Launched by the Starz Network in 2014, the Power Universe is an American media franchise that consists of four TV crime series to date. In Chronological order, the popular crime series and its subsequent spinoffs includePower,Power Book II: Ghost,Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and most recently,Power Book IV: Force, the latter of which is currently nearing the finale of its second season on July 13, 2025. As such, there’s no better time to see how each series stacks up against one another.
While various characters crossover from series to series, each standalone Power series merits its high-quality storytelling and compelling plot twists. However, what really makes each series resonate more than most is the rich character development and intense conflicts that put viewers on both sides of the law. Between that, the stellar performances and accolades received, it’s worth reflecting on the Power Universe thus far and codifying which series reigns supreme.
Stream all Power series on Starz and through a Starz subscription on Hulu, The Roku Channel, Prime Video, and YouTube TV.
4Power Book II: Ghost (2020-Present)
Power Book II: Ghostis the second series in thePowerUniverse. Instead of following the criminal exploits of James “Ghost” St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick) from the inaugural series,Power Book IItraces the life of Ghost’s son, Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.), a young man who follows in his father’s footsteps and begins dealing drugs in New York. The main conflict of the coming-of-age crime series is Tariq’s desire to break from his father’s old habits while providing a better life for his family. Meanwhile, the escalating pressures of the rival drug-dealing Tejada family threaten to put Tariq’s life in danger.
Why It Ranks Here
With 30 episodes aired to date,Power Book II: Ghostdoes a splendid job of portraying the existential angst Tariq feels as he’s torn between carrying his father’s legacy and forging his own path. One of the most compelling storylines involves the mounting pressure Tariq feels from his lawyer, Cooper Saxe (Shane Johnson), who legally protects Tariq even after his attempts to bring Ghost to justice in the past.
Yet, for as outstanding a performance as Rainey Jr. gives in the show, it’s hard to overlook the glaring absence of Omari Hardwick as Ghost, the protagonist ofthe acclaimed Starz original TV showwho made the first outing so indelible. Season 4 ofPower Book II: Ghostis expected to return to Starz sometime in June 2024.
3Power Book III: Raising Kanan (2021-Present)
Power Book III: Raising Kananis the third series in thePowerUniverse. Set in 1990s New York, the riveting period crime drama follows the formative years of Kanan Stark (Mekai Curtis), a main character who was portrayed by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in the originalPowerseries. Considering Jackson’s role as a producer in the passion project, efforts were clearly made to tell ahighly sympathetic coming-of-agecrime tale. Beyond the gripping narrative, authentic recreation of ’90s New York, and the central performance by Curtis,Power Book III: Raising Kananis an absolute must-see for fans of the originalPowerseries.
Power Book III: Raising Kanan Cast and Character Guide
Power Book III: Raising Kanan boasts a stellar cast of talented young actors.
With 20 episodes aired thus far, Season 3 ofRaising Kananis slated to air on Starz on June 20, 2025. The most unforgettable episodes usually entail the long-running conflict between Kanan and his mother Raq (Patina Miller), who is one of the two most powerful drug lords in the city. WhereasPower Book IIhas a few notable mid-series lulls,Raising Kananclearly gets better as it progresses, with the last five episodes of Season 2 hitting a dramatic sweet spot before reaching a narrative crescendo in the season finale that no viewer will rightly forget. At its best,Poweris about the toll of success at the cost of one’s family, andRaising Kanandrives that theme home with excellent results.
2Power Book IV: Force (2022-Present)
Power Book IV: Forceis the fourth and most recent series in thePowerUniverse. A much different look at law enforcement, the series is told through the eyes of Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora), a troubled police officer and main character who appeared in every episode of the firstPowerseries. This means the connective tissue between Series 1 and Series 4 is inextricably linked, and it makes for truly fascinating television.
The story finds Tommy Egan attempting to leave his troubles in New York behind for L.A., only to be derailed in Chicago, where henavigates the criminal underworldand tries to skirt the law and make a better life for himself. The story was so compelling that Starz opted to releaseForceasPower Book IVrather than the originally slatedPower Book IV: Influence.
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Aside from the refreshing change of time and place by moving the action from New York to Chicago, the searing performance by Sikora almost single-handedly makesForcea must-watch. Sikora plays Egan as a man torn between his loyalties to the law and his craven desire to become the city’s most powerful drug runner with such candor and command that it’s impossible not to feel sympathy for his existential plight. Of course, continuing Tommy’s saga after witnessing his shady activity in the originalPowerseries makesForcefeel more urgent, immediate, and more connected to thePowerUniverse writ large than the other sequels.Power Book IV: Ghostconcludes Season 2 on August 05, 2025.
1Power (2014-2020)
Without a doubt, the originalPoweris the absolute best series in thePower Universe thus far. The fact that there are so many successful spinoffs is testimony enough of the draw and value of the original series.Poweris also the only completed series in the Power Universe thus far, giving it a clear sense of closure after a brilliantly balanced three-act structure that allowed the main characters to flesh out their character arcs.
The acclaimed 21st-century crime show, created by Courtney A. Kemp, stars Omari Hardwick as James “Ghost” St. Patrick, a suave, intelligent, yet ruthless drug kingpin who wants to go legit by turning his illegal racket into a successful nightclub business. With double the episodes (63) ofPower Book II: Ghostand triple the episodes ofPower Book IIIandIV, the volume of storylines and screen time is simply unmatched.
Winner of multiple awards, including six NAACP Image Awards,Powerreceived glowing critical plaudits and became one of Starz’s most-watched TV series of all time. In addition to Omari Hardwick’s tour-de-force performance as the ambitious yet dangerous Ghost, most of the awards were bestowed to Hardwick’s co-star Naturi Naughton, Ghost’s wife Tasha and criminal accomplice who has an affair with Kanan’s son Shawn.
For as much as the show relies on crime, it’s the conflicted family drama that continues to make thePoweruniverse so riveting. To wit, after a somewhat slow first season, much likeRaising Kanan,Powercontinued to improve its storytelling over time. Despite a brief dip in Season 3, Seasons 4-6 increased the dramatic stakes substantially and gave viewers a satisfying sense of closure that the otherPowerspinoffs have yet to provide.
