Lifetime is doubling down on the success of "Buried in Barstow" with two sequel films greenlighting Angie Harmon's return as former assassin Hazel King. The network set "Buried in Barstow: Blood for Blood" and "Buried in Barstow: The Reckoning" in active development, with Harmon not only starring but executive producing both projects.
Kristoffer Polaha returns as Elliot, the principled former doctor who anchors the franchise's moral center. The cast expands with Megan Follows and Finley Sehorn joining the sequels, broadening the ensemble around Harmon's dangerous, on-the-run protagonist.
The original "Buried in Barstow" became a ratings success for Lifetime when it premiered in 2022, establishing the network's appetite for thriller content built around complex female antiheroes. Harmon's Hazel King operates in morally gray territory, a woman with a violent past who must navigate small-town life while her former life catches up with her. The formula taps into what audiences want from prestige cable thrillers, scaled for Lifetime's demographic.
Harmon's executive producer credit signals confidence in the IP. The Emmy-winning actress, known for her work on "Law & Order: SVU" and the "Rizzoli & Isles" franchise, has become selective about projects post-network television. Her involvement on both the creative and business side suggests she's invested in where this character goes.
Lifetime has gradually shifted its original movie strategy toward event-style franchises. The network moved beyond single TV-movies to build sustainable universes, particularly around female-driven crime and thriller narratives. "Buried in Barstow" fits squarely into this playbook. Two