Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos confirmed good news and bad news today at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour, providing updates on the fates of several series while announcing premiere dates for other upcoming originals. Acclaimed animated comedy BoJack Horseman has been renewed for a third season of 12 episodes, Sarandos revealed, but Steven Van Zandt mob drama Lilyhammer has been canceled after three seasons.
“We’re not going to continue with Lilyhammer, it’s become a very economically-challenged deal because there’s a partnership with the Norwegian broadcaster,” Sarandos explained. “It was very difficult to maintain the level of global exclusivity and control that we hope to with our shows with that show and the way it was structured with the Norwegian broadcaster. We’re big fans of the show.”
Van Zandt took to Twitter to voice his frustration and sadness at the news, tweeting:
#Lilyhammer RIP. Not my decision. Let’s just say for now the business got too complicated. Very proud of our 24 shows. New ideas on the way.
— Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) July 22, 2015
Meanwhile, the fourth season of Longmire, rescued from the TV graveyard after it was canceled by A&E, will bow on September 10. The 10-episode season will pick up after the season 3 cliffhanger, in which Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) discovered the identity of his wife’s murderer and took off after them with murderous intent.
Aziz Ansari’s comedy series Master of None will bow November 6. THR reports the series will follow the personal and “professional life of Dev (Ansari), a 30-year-old actor in New York who has trouble deciding what he wants to eat, much less the path for the rest of his life. Dev’s story takes him through subjects as diverse as the plight of the elderly, the immigrant experience and how to find the most delicious pasta for dinner.”
Arriving in the fourth quarter of this year are an assortment of anticipated series. With Bob and David, the comedy starring Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, will arrive sometime later this year, as will Marvel’s Jessica Jones, the second collaboration between Netflix and Marvel after Marvel’s Daredevil. Sofia Coppola’s A Very Murray Christmas starring Bill Murray will arrive in the fourth quarter of the year, and Hemlock Grove will also drop its third and final season. Bill Burr’s animated comedy series F Is for Family will also debut in the fourth quarter of the year. Exact premiere dates on all of those are forthcoming.
Published: Jul 28, 2015 11:42 am