Is Netflix's Nemesis connected to the Power Universe?

Netflix’s Nemesis is already generating major attention in the crime drama space. Not just because of its gripping premise, but because of one recurring question. Everyone wants to know if the show takes place in the same universe as Power.

With Courtney A. Kemp, aka the creator of the Power franchise, behind the new Netflix series, it’s understandable that fans are looking for crossover links. However, despite the shared creative DNA, Nemesis is not connected to the Power Universe in any official way.

Nemesis is a new crime thriller with familiar DNA

Nemesis is a Los Angeles–set crime thriller built around a classic but elevated concept. You have a relentless detective named Isaiah Stiles versus a highly intelligent master thief named Coltrane Wilder. The series centers on a string of carefully executed heists that push law enforcement into a high-stakes investigation.

Rather than focusing only on the mechanics of crime, Nemesis digs deeper into the psychology of both sides. Isaiah, driven by duty and personal demons, begins to blur the line between justice and obsession as he works to take down Coltrane and his crew. Meanwhile, Coltrane operates according to his own code.

What begins as a procedural investigation then gradually evolves into something far more psychological. Isaiah’s pursuit turns personal, while Coltrane begins to anticipate his every move. Over time, the line between hunter and hunted starts to blur.

As mentioned earlier, the biggest reason Nemesis is being discussed alongside the Power Universe is their shared creator, Courtney A. Kemp. Kemp is widely known for building Power into a multi-series franchise that includes spinoffs like Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and Power Book IV: Force. There’s even an upcoming spinoff called Power: Origins that’s set to premiere on Starz in the future.

However, Nemesis is not a new spinoff, sequel, prequel, or alternate timeline extension of Power. There are no shared characters, no narrative crossover, and no established continuity linking the two worlds together. While both projects share the same creator, Nemesis is intended to stand entirely on its own as a new intellectual property developed for Netflix.

But even though there is no official link, it’s understandable why viewers might assume otherwise. Besides Kemp’s involvement, Nemesis shares a similar tonal DNA with the Power Universe. Both explore crime-driven narratives, morally gray protagonists, and have a strong emphasis on power dynamics and loyalty.

Fans of the Power Universe will likely recognize Nemesis‘ storytelling style immediately, even if the world and characters are entirely new. In many ways, Nemesis can even be seen as a spiritual cousin to Power. But again, that “spiritual cousin” comparison is where any overlap effectively ends.

Nemesis is not part of the Power timeline in any capacity, nor is it an expansion of that franchise’s established universe. Instead, it is a completely original Netflix crime thriller built to stand independently, with its own mythology, characters, and narrative direction.

All eight episodes of Nemesis season 1 are now streaming on Netflix.