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Yesterday was a hung-over Sunday, and so it was a perfect time to finally watch the last couple of episodes of this season of Boss, the Starz political gangster drama that’s had us in a tizzy pretty much since day one. Though like a lot of high-end premium-cable shows, this season was extremely short at ten episodes, but a lot of quality is packed into those ten hours, as well as a lot of full frontal nudity. Even my beloved Boardwalk Empire has had trouble this year giving Boss a run for its money, so much so that I’m gonna go ahead and say Boss is officially the better show. Let’s see why.

(Fair warning: many spoilers lurk ahead.)

The worst part about Boss season 2 ending is that it feels like Boss is ending for good. This season was given the green-light even before the pilot aired,...

The thing one must always keep in mind with industry awards is, aside from a marketing perspective, they mean exactly nothing. Less than that, even. If a show I particularly enjoy can move a few more DVD sets on the after-market by slapping an “Emmy winner!” sticker on it, or if that little gold statuette helps convince the suits upstairs that said show should be renewed for another few seasons, then that’s just hunky-dory. But if the Academy of Television Arts(?) and Sciences(!) doesn’t see fit to acknowledge certain shows or actors for their fine work, that certainly should be no skin off anyone’s nose. The Emmys are like whipped cream: Great as a nice topping, but if you eat them right out of the can, you’re likely to get a stomach ache.

That being said, crime television had a pretty nice representation going on this year.

Boss Season 2, Episode 4: “Redemption”

Written by Julie Hébert

Directed by Phil Abraham

Airs Fridays at 9pm (Et) on Starz

Perhaps there’s no better way to evoke sympathy for a character than to have his newfound sense of good doubted by those closest to him. There’ll be no sympathy without the viewers’ trust in Kane’s motives, though, and “Redemption” is Boss’s fourth attempt to establish it. There are, predictably, complications: as Meredith tells Kane, there’s reason to believe that his sudden “shift towards the sentimental” is a consequence of increasing mental decline. We’re thinking the same, obviously, but hoping otherwise.

In “Redemption”, we watch as Kane confronts his past directly in a fairly impromptu and Media-free visit to Lenox Gardens, in which he admits past sins and tries to convince residents that he’s now trustworthy. It’s a success – a fairly incredible one...

Life these days is far, far, far from purrfect for Kitty O’Neil, Chicago mayor Tom Kane’s stalwart — and now former — righthand woman on Starz’s Boss (airing Fridays at 9/8c).

Though for eight years she was eager and fantastically able to do Kane’s bidding, Kitty (played by Kathleen Robertson) at the close of Season 1 decided that she’d had her fill of political and ethical gray areas, and quit her post. (Colleague Ezra Stone’s tragic snuffing surely didn’t help matters.)

How is Kitty managing these days, outside of the political fray? With what new ally...

Chicago – The Golden Globe Award-winning “Boss” returns tonight for a second season of riveting drama based on our favorite city’s foundation of dirty politics. I thought the first season was strong but drifted a bit at times, lacking the focus of truly great drama. The good news is that the focus is here in the second season, one that feels even more like Shakespearian drama but that justifies its self-seriousness more than in season one with fascinating characters.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

Season one of “Boss” ended with a flurry of activity as Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) was revealed to be a traitor and was handled the way Chicago’s mob-like power structure handles these kind of things and Kitty (Kathleen Robertson) was thrown under a political bus with Zajac (Jeff Hephner). The depths of First Lady Meredith Kane’s (Connie Nielsen) political wheelings and dealings were revealed and Mayor Kane...

Mayor Kane (Kelsey Grammer) continues to tighten his grip on the city of Chicago. And yet, even his time as this kingdom's corrupt leader comes with a price.

The Season 2 premiere of "Boss" meets Kane having sacrificed his daughter for the sake of his political reputation, hastily adding to his list of enemies, and lacking his once-trusted advisors. As he now finds himself in a state of transition, his foothold may be on the verge of crumbling.

Here are five things you won't want to miss in Friday's (Aug. 17) premiere, "Louder Than Words":

1. Mayor Kane finds himself among reptiles, left under the sun in a barren desert. Or so he imagines. As his disease worsens much faster than expected, Kane refuses to accept the reality of his condition. While he is determined to beat the unbeatable with "awareness, force of will," and "purpose," his denial continues, provoking more dramatic decisions from the mayor.

Starz's political drama Boss added a touch of Glee when the series about a shady Chicago mayor battling a city and an incurable degenerative disease added Jonathan Groff for its second season. Broadway veteran Groff was fresh off a role on Fox's Glee, playing the wily coach of New Directions rival Vocal Adrenaline. On the Starz drama, however, Groff's singing and dancing ways are history as he steps in to play Ian Todd, Mayor Tom Kane's (Kelsey Grammer) new right-hand man following the shocking death of Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) in the season finale. "Ian Todd is … very

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Look out, enemies of Mayor Tom Kane (Kelsey Grammer). "Boss" has released an intense new Season 2 promo and from the looks of it, Kane will continue to take down anyone who stands in his way and keep his staff in order.

In the "Boss" Season 2 trailer, Kane is still mayor of Chicago and fighting an illness that threatens his hold on power. After medicating in an attempt to fight his symptoms, Kane experiences a series of psychological setbacks complicated by the loss of his longtime advisers Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) and Kitty O’Neil (Kathleen Robertson).

Golden Globe winner Grammer will return along with Connie Nielsen, Hannah Ware, Jeff Hephner, Kathleen Robertson, Troy Garity and Rotimi. Jonathon Groff, Sanaa Lathan, Tip Harris and Amy Morton will also appear in "Boss" Season 2.

Check out the full photo below.

Season 2 of "Boss" premieres on Friday, August 17 at 9 p.m. Et on Starz.

According to Deadline.com, theatre veterans Jonathan Groff and Sanaa Lathan will guest star on the upcoing second season of Starz's 'Boss.' Lathan will play 'Mona, Kanes incorruptible new chief of staff, who becomes an obsession for him,' and Groff 'Ian Todd, a smart and ambitious staffer in Kanes office who steps into the void Ezra Stone Martin Donovan has left to offer astute council to Kane.'...

Jonathan Groff is about to raise some Kane on the second season of Starz’s Boss.

The Glee grad joins the cast of the political drama as Ian Todd, an ambitious new member of crooked Mayor Kane’s office, per Deadline. The character will help fill the void left by Martin Donovan’s Ezra Stone.

As TVLine first reported, Nip/Tuck alumna Sanaa Lathan will also join Season 2 as Alderman Ross’ new Chief of Staff — and Kane’s new obsession.

Ready for more of today’s TV dish? Well…

• Justified screeners continue to serve up casting scoops even to us spoilerholics.

Sanaa Lathan and Glee heartthrob Jonathan Groff have landed new regular roles on the second season of Starz’s drama series Boss. The Lionsgate TV-produced series stars recent Golden Globe winner Kelsey Grammer as ruthless Chicago mayor Tom Kane. Lathan is finalizing a deal to play Mona, Kane’s incorruptible new chief of staff, who becomes an obsession for him. Lathan, repped by ICM and John Carrabino, voices the female lead on Fox’s The Cleveland Show and was most recently seen in the feature Contagion. Groff will play Ian Todd, a smart and ambitious staffer in Kane’s office who steps into the void Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) has left to offer astute council to Kane. Wme-repped Groff is best known for his recurring role as villain-turned-good guy Jesse St. James on the Fox musical dramedy Glee.

I subscribed to the Starz cable network two years ago mainly because it was the only place I could see Robert Rodriquez and Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse in its original unedited form and in HD. That changed soon after when the picture was finally released on home video, but I still kept my subscription due to the network's slate of original programming. Truth be told, Starz had nothing on HBO or even Showtime, just a set of interesting shows that included Party Down, Head Case and an adaptation of the 2004 film Crash. Things got mighty interesting with last years debut of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, a sword and sandal epic that felt like a bloodier knockoff of 300 and Gladiator yet captivated audiences with its unrestrained sex and violence. Spartacus won't return until January which leaves room for yet another series, this time a compelling political drama featuring none other than Kelsey Grammer.

Chicago – A television premiere is not unlike the first term of an elected candidate in that advertisements give way to actuality and constituents are forced to decide whether or not they want the candidate to be a part of their lives a second time. The premiere of Starz’s highly-anticipated and Chicago-set “Boss” with Kelsey Grammer is a shaky first term, a tonally inconsistent affair that nonetheless displays enough ambition that one could easily vote for it to return in the hope that it develops into the TV leader it could ultimately end up being.

Television Rating: 3.0/5.0

With tones of Shakespearian tragedy mixed with the realism of Windy City politics (and the blend doesn’t always completely take, leading to some of the tonal inconsistencies of the first episode, which I’ll get to later), “Boss” is an incredibly self-important program that was made by people who think they’re...

In "Boss," his first dramatic television series, Kelsey Grammer ("Frazier") plays Mayor Tom Kane, who sits at the center of Chicago politics and -- one way or another -- keeps his voter base happy. He's also hiding the fact that he's got a degenerative disorder that is slowly chipping away at his brain. This could get interesting.

In the 12-minute clip above -- that includes some interesting behind-the-scenes history -- we learn a little bit about Tom Kane; what makes him tick. We also meet his wife Meredith (Connie Nielsen), who is in it strictly for the image. Advisers Kitty O'Neil (Kathleen Robertson) and Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) don't really have any idea what's going on, but Kane's estranged daughter, played by Hannah Ware, may have a clue.

"Boss," a Starz original series, debuts on Friday, Oct. 21 at 10 p.m. Et.