Starz will premiere its new crime drama Power on Twitter, using the social platform's new in-line video feature that allows one-touch playback via Twitter Cards.
The full episode will appear in a tweet at midnight Saturday well before the show's June 7 television debut, a digital-first strategy other TV networks have adopted over the years, though this will be the first time a series will launch through Twitter's in-line video feature.
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Starz on Friday already tweeted the premiere's 5-minute opening scene to attract more eyeballs to the midnight tweet. The scene begins Power's storyline, which will unravel in two very contrasting settings -- New York's club scene and the viscous drug trade.
Exclusive: Watch the first 5 minutes of the #PowerTV series premiere NOW. #PowerPremiere https://t.co/ckcOmFueWR
— Power (@Power_Starz) May 30, 2014
Power, produced by rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and created by The Good Wife's Courtney Kemp Agboh, stars Omari Hardwick as wealthy nightclub owner James "Ghost" St. Patrick, who on the side runs a secret drug network solely for rich people.
After the midnight tweet publishes, the hour-long episode also will be available on Starz's website, the Starz Play app, Facebook page, YouTube channel and other online outlets.
Fox in 2012 was the first network to post a full TV episode on Twitter -- the season three premiere of Raising Hope -- though Twitter's in-line video capabilities weren't available at the time. The CW did the same for medical drama Emily Owens, M.D., offering the pilot on Twitter and other social sites. Other networks like ABC for Nashville also have also debuted episodes online before their TV debuts but not on Twitter.
Budweiser previously used the new in-line video feature to announce the lineup for the bi-coastal Made in America music festival.
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