BET's 'Being Mary Jane' is staying in Atlanta after all for season 3
By RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com, originally filed February 12, 2014
In a reversal, BET is going to keep its hit drama "Being Mary Jane" in Atlanta after all.
Originally, BET was planning to move the show's third season to Los Angeles because it had won a lottery for tax credit money in that state.
But BET looked at its finances and decided it was still worth staying in Atlanta with its own set of very generous tax credits, according to BET VIP of original programming Charlie Jordan Brookins.
A source told me Gabrielle Union, the star of the show, may have had some influence in the decision, though Brookins said that wasn't the case.
Union is married to basketball star Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat. He spends September through May in Miami with the team. Production of "Being Mary Jane" is set to run from March through June. So for Union, flying to Miami vs. Los Angeles would be far more convenient.
Pre-production has already begun for season three and they are expected to use the same studio space in Atlanta.
The show's second season began earlier this month with 2.32 million overnight viewers, comparable to its season finale. The Feb. 10 episode drew a series low 2.07 million viewers.
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
