BET renews 'Being Mary Jane' for a third season

This was actually lower than any overnight rating from season one, when the show opened at 4 million and finished the season at 3.23 million. But BET is surely counting on the show getting a major lift after DVR usage is included.

The show, which will have 12 episodes for its sophomore year, is fictionally based in Atlanta and was shot here last year. But because BET won a lottery for sweetened tax credits in California, the show is supposed to move to Los Angeles for its third season, an unfortunate loss for Atlanta.

It's BET's first serious scripted drama and the network has committed to more higher-quality programming, including an ambitious miniseries in the "Roots" ilk later this month called "Book of Negroes."

Union plays a cable news broadcaster with serious personal relationship issues in her love life and with her family.

Season 2 guest stars include Gary Dourdan, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Christina Vidal, Kyle Massey, Thomas Q. Jones and S. Epatha Merkerson. Season one regular and Decatur native Omari Hardwick has moved on to star in Starz' "Power."

"Being Mary Jane" would be the second show set in Atlanta that won't be shot here. Centric, after taking over VH1's "Single Ladies," moved production of that soapy drama to Toronto.

Scripted shows with largely black casts or black female leads have been hot lately. Others include OWN's "The Haves and the Have Nots," Fox's "Empire" and ABC's "How To Get Away With Murder."