Actors Seth Gilliam, Ernie Hudson, Dean Winters, Scott William Winters, Kathryn Erbe, Lee Tergesen, Craig muMs Grant, Tom Mardirosian and Philip Casnoff all stared in the hit HBO television series Oz (1997). Both Oz and City on a Hill (2019) are produced by show runner Tom Fontana.
Kevin Bacon also played an FBI agent in Black Mass (2015). Season 2, Episode 1 references the events depicted in that film.
The series premiered on June 7, 2019 (online) and June 16, 2019 (Showtime). On August 2, 2019, Showtime renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on March 28, 2021. On June 2, 2021, the series was renewed for a third season, which began on July 31, 2022. On October 27, 2022, Showtime canceled the series after three seasons.