Even though it seems that actors have truly charmed lives, all of the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the profession for those who are at (and at least near) the top of it can hide some real difficulties for those who decide it’s their life’s work. There’s a lot of competition for those jobs, and we’ve heard about things like people being cast as a series regular only to be fired and replaced after they’ve filmed a TV pilot. Well, now Battlestar Galactica vet Katee Sackhoff has talked about the time she saw someone get fired…while on their lunch break!

What Did Katee Sackhoff Say About The Longmire Lunch-Time Firing?

Fans will probably always associate Katee Sackhoff with her time as fighter pilot Captain Kara Thrace, a.k.a. Starbuck, on Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica for four seasons, but after her time fighting Cylons and being (potentially) resurrected in space (don’t get me started), she went on to star on the modern-day western drama, Longmire (which you can watch with your Netflix subscription).

During a recent chat on her podcast, The Sackhoff Show, with Patrick Sabongui, who stars as CIA agent Ryan Hassani on The Hunting Party (which recently wrapped Season 1 on the 2025 TV schedule) the actors got into a discussion about working with and as a guest star on television series. After Sabongui mentioned talent who come in but don’t bother to fully memorize even the scenes they’re in, rather concentrating only on their lines, Sackhoff noted:

WOW. Just think of that. You land a guest role on a popular show like Longmire (which ran for a total of six seasons after being picked up by Netflix for Season 4) and did your job so poorly that while you’re standing in line for your salad, you get pulled aside and told to pack up and go home. As her guest added, this meant that the producers optioned to take the extra time and spend the extra money to reshoot everything the guest actor had done.

Sabongui and Sackhoff talked about some of the difficulties of being an actor, with one being the fact that you can nab a guest part on a TV show and look like a success, but literally be out of work for weeks or months by the time that part has aired. Every gig has its unique ups and downs, but most of us do not have to constantly work really hard just to get another job so we can pay our bills.

That makes it pretty hard to believe that someone wouldn’t take their job seriously enough, and come to set unprepared. It sounds like this happened more than once, though, and as Sabongui noted, Longmire’s producers were serious about “quality control,” which is likely one of the reasons the end product was so good.

Some people might like to argue that streaming, in becoming our dominant form of media consumption, has ruined the television industry. Well, there is no doubt that it has changed the industry in many ways and, in some cases, for the better. 

There are many TV shows that are now regarded as classics but might not have earned such an honor if not for audiences discovering it on a streaming platform, helping boost its appeal in a way traditional television could not for whatever reason. Let's take a look at some of the most beloved TV shows that were made more popular (or even saved) by streaming. 

The Wire (2002-2008)

In its initial run, The Wire was already considered one of the best shows on HBO, if not of all time, for its refreshing grounded depiction of urban crime in modern Baltimore from both sides of the law. However, thanks to having a Max subscription (formerly known as HBO Max and, earlier, HBO GO), new generations of viewers have been able to witness David Simon's masterpiece.

You (2018-2024)

Even many of the biggest fans of You might not realize that the serial killer drama starring Penn Badgley is not a true Netflix original. It was canceled after one season on the Lifetime Network and, after becoming a surprise hit on Netflix, the platform picked it up for four more seasons.

Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)

Despite achieving instant success in its home nation of Canada on CBC, creator Dan and Eugene Levy's sitcom following a family's riches-to-rags story went underseen in the States for years on the Pop Network. Luckily, when the series dropped on Netflix, America suddenly could not get enough of the Schitt's Creek cast, the comedy's remarkable quotability, and surprisingly heartfelt moments.

The Expanse (2015-2022)

Based on a series of novels by Daniel Abrahams and Ty Franck (and James S. A. Corey), The Expanse quickly found a following on SyFy as one of the network's smartest and most exciting dramas and, yet, it still got the boot after three seasons. Fortunately, the adventures of James Holden (Steven Strait) and his crew's defense against a conspiracy affecting the colonized solar system were able to continue as one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime for three more seasons.

Suits (2011-2019)

Despite being one of the longest-running series on USA Network, Suits really became a hit in its later years after gaining traction as one of the most-watched TV shows on Netflix. Of course, Suits cast member Meghan Markle's marriage to Prince Harry likely had an influence on the legal drama's success.

The Office (2005-2014)

Greg Daniels' Americanized update of the hilarious British sitcom was certainly a hit on NBC, but its fanbase grew exponentially when it became one of the highest-viewed series on Netflix. It is no wonder why Peacock paid the platform $500 million for the streaming rights to The Office and even released special Superfan cuts of select episodes.

Letterkenny (2016-2023)

To be honest, Letterkenny, which follows the day-to-day lives of people from the titular rural town in the Great White North, already originated on a streaming service: the Canadian-exclusive platform, Crave. However, when it became available in the United States with a Hulu subscription, the quirky sitcom's fanbase took a Texas-size expansion.

Firefly (2002-2003)

There is a variety of reasons why Firefly was canceled after Fox aired only 11 episodes, from a doomed time slot to misguided marketing. Luckily, even before streaming helped widen its fanbase, the now beloved sci-fi TV show following a crew of outlaws traveling beyond the stars released a DVD set that allowed audiences to see the epic Western-style cosmic adventures they missed out on.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

Following the journey of a young man born with the ability to manipulate the elements air, earth, fire, and water, Avatar: The Last Airbender was a huge hit during its initial run on Nickelodeon. It would only become even more popular when it became available to stream on Netflix, which would go on to produce a live-action series update in 2024.

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

According to Variety, after Breaking Bad won the Best Drama Series Emmy in 2013, creator Vince Gilligan admitted he owed the success of his groundbreaking drama to Netflix, which later produced El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. The thriller, following a terminally high school chemistry teacher (played by Bryan Cranston) turning to crime to support his family, could barely be called a hit during its few years on AMC.

 Freaks And Geeks (1999-2000)

One of the first titles that come to mind when people think of series that ended too soon is Freaks and Geeks, which was canceled by NBC after one season for the typical reasons: misguided marketing and a poor time slot. Since most of the Freaks and Geeks cast went on to take Hollywood by storm, the coming-of-age dramedy has become one of the most acclaimed series of its time by fans who discovered in the digital age.

Criminal Minds (2005-Present)

After lasting a whopping 15 seasons on CBS, Criminal Minds continued to captivate audiences as one of the most popular crime TV shows on Netflix. The procedural drama's enduring success eventually led to its revival, on Paramount+.

Manifest (2018-2023)

When NBC canned it after just three seasons, fans prayed that Netflix would swoop in to renew Manifest and, luckily, their wish came true. A fourth and final season of the sci-fi drama, about a commercial jet that suddenly reappears five years after mysteriously vanishing, debuted on the streaming platform, allowing it to have the smooth landing creator Jeff Rake intended.

Lucifer (2016-2021)

Based on a DC Vertigo comic book, Lucifer — starring Tom Ellis as the Devil, taking human form to be an LAPD consultant — debuted on Fox, where it lasted only three seasons. Soon after, it would be hailed as one of the best DC TV shows on Netflix when it was renewed for three more seasons exclusively on the platform.

Community (2009-2015)

Ironically enough, when Dan Harmon's comedy about a close-knit group of community students first transitioned from NBC to a streaming exclusive on the now-defunct Yahoo! Screen, it was considered a disaster. However, fans would go on to revisit the best episodes of Community on Hulu, Netflix, or Peacock, keeping the #SixSeasonsAndAMovie dream alive. 

Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

One of the most popular shows on The CW (when it was still called The WB) was Gilmore Girls, which would only remain popular and acquire more fans who discovered it with their Netflix subscription. The streaming platform would even serve as the home of a four-episode sequel series called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

Friends (1994-2004)

Could Friends have been a bigger bit than it was during its ten-year run on NBC? As it turns out, yes, since the popular '90s TV show became a monster hit on Netflix and, once it left the platform, likely inspired many fans to get a Max subscription just so they could keep the binge going.

Luther (2010-2019)

Some of the best evidence of the enduring popularity of Luther — an acclaimed British crime thriller starring Idris Elba in the brilliant but cantankerous title role — can be found on Netflix. In 2023, the platform distributed a feature-length spin-off called Luther: The Fallen Sun, which quickly became its highest-watched movie and led to a deal for more films.

Arrested Development (2003-2019)

Despite never getting the ratings it needed to be a hit during its three-season run on Fox, Arrested Development was remembered fondly as one of the most hilarious cult favorite TV shows of all time. That enduring legacy led to its revival in 2017 as "a Netflix semi-original series."

Boy Meets World (1993-2000)

In its prime, Boy Meets World was one of the must-see comedies from ABC's TGIF Block in the 1990s and would later spawn a sequel series following Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga's (Danielle Fishel) daughter, Riley (Rowan Blanchard) called Girl Meets World. The success of the Disney Channel series, also starring Sabrina Carpenter, inspired a new generation of fans to check out the original with their Disney+ subscription. 

Futurama (1999-Present)

Creator Matt Groening's animated satire about an average 20th Century man who wakes up from an accidental, 1000-year cryogenic slumber initially ran for just four seasons on Fox, was revived on Comedy Central from 2008 to 2013, and then, a decade later, became an exclusive on Hulu where it is more popular than ever. At this rate, it looks like Futurama might last well into the future.

Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

MTV's darker take on a funny coming-of-age creature feature from the '80s was a surprise hit, even as one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu in the years since it ended. The continued interest in the series on streaming would lead to a feature-length continuation that premiered on Paramount+ in early 2023.

iCarly (2007-2012, 2021-2023)

Miranda Cosgrove followed her role as the mischievous Megan on Drake & Josh by starring on the Nickelodeon sitcom as a teen internet sensation. People who grew up with the show would rediscover their love for it as adults when Paramount+ revived iCarly with more mature audiences in mind.

The Mindy Project (2012-2017)

Creator and star Mindy Kaling's first major follow-up after playing Kelly Kapoor in NBC's The Office cast was the aptly titled The Mindy Project, in which she plays an OB/GYN struggling to balance her personal and professional life. It premiered on Fox, where it remained for three seasons, before moving exclusively to Hulu for the latter half of its run.

Longmire (2012-2017)

Based on a series of novels by Craig Johnson, Longmire is a neo-Western drama starring Australian actor Robert Taylor as the titular Wyoming sheriff who brings his own brand of justice to his county. Despite debuting on A&E as the cable network's highest-rated original drama, it was not renewed for a fourth season, leading Netflix to step in and become its home for another three years.

Trailer Park Boys (2001-2018)

A show that Letterkenny fans would enjoy if they have not heard of it already is Trailer Park Boys — another comedy set in rural Canada which, for its first seven years, aired on a channel exclusive to the country called Showcase. A newfound interest in the documentary-style series and its feature-length spin-offs in the United States led Netflix to acquire the show in 2012, lasting several more seasons and even spawning more specials and an animated series.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)

Before a new Star Wars TV show premiered on Disney+ every few months or so, one of the most beloved small-screen titles to come from a galaxy far, far away was Star Wars: The Clone Wars. However, the Force initially could have been stronger with this one as it was canceled by Cartoon Network in 2013 before gaining newfound popularity on Netflix (where a new season was distributed) the following year and, later, getting revived for one more batch of episodes on DIsney+ in 2020.

Parks And Recreation (2009-2015) 

Despite being the brainchild of The Office producers Greg Daniels and Michael Schur and starring former SNL cast member Amy Poehler in the lead, Parks and Recreation struggled to find its footing on NBC for its first couple of years. The mockumentary-style political satire got a bit of a boost in popularity once it dropped on Netflix and, for years after it ended, earned a reputation as one of the most popular series on the platform.

White Collar (2009-2014)

The show that made a star out of actor Matt Bomer is White Collar, in which he stars as a suave professional criminal who works with the FBI to catch other cons like him. Like many other USA original series, the dramedy was a much bigger hit on Netflix than it was during its initial run on the network.

Designated Survivor (2016-2019)

Kiefer Sutherland stars in Designated Survivor as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who is suddenly appointed President after everyone in the chain of command above him is killed in a catastrophic attack. The political drama was canceled after only two years on ABC but would go on for one more season on Netflix.

The Nanny (1993-1999)

Co-creator and star Fran Drescher is best known for playing Fran Fine on The Nanny, which had a strong run on CBS in the 1990s. The sitcom is noted for appealing to a new generation when it dropped on Max.

The Killing (2011-2014)

The American version of the Danish television series Forbrydelsen, The Killing, originally premiered on AMC, which would cancel the dark crime drama after its third season, which almost did not happen. The series then made an official transition to Netflix, where its fourth and final season was distributed.

Conventional wisdom says that “when one door closes, another door opens.” In the case of the 32 TV shows we’re about to discuss, that saying isn’t just blowing smoke. Rather, when these titles saw change or cancellation staring them down, shows like Futurama and Buffy The Vampire Slayer jumped ships -- and kept on sailing. Behold, these conquering heroes. 

Futurama

Starting life as a Fox network original, Futurama’s shiny metal lifespan was initially cut short due to being canceled after four seasons. Years down the road, Comedy Central would revive Matt Groening’s irreverent fan favorite, and Hulu would later save it from cancelation as well. As a result, Planet Express’ doors were kept open… with some gaps of time, and a couple of direct to DVD movies in between. 

The Great British Baking Show

The cozy comfort that is The Great British Baking Show switched channels in both the UK and the US, though not as often as its swapped co-hosts. In its home nation (where it’s still allowed to be called The Great British Bake Off), the program started at the BBC in 2010 and eventually moved to Channel 4 after seven seasons. Meanwhile, the rights to that show in the US were first with PBS in 2014 but are now scattered between The Roku Channel and Netflix. 

Gilmore Girls

A show like Gilmore Girls doesn't always make a switch because of being canceled. Rather, in the final season of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s pop culture touchstone, The WB became The CW, after merging with fellow defunct network UPN. As for the miniseries Gilmore Girls: A Year in the LIfe, it did originate at Netflix but eventually received a homecoming of sorts when it aired on The CW in 2020.

Arrested Development

One of, if not the first network series revived through the powers of streaming, Arrested Development seemed to constantly struggle through its three seasons at Fox. And then, the good folks at Netflix revived what seemed to be one of the Internet’s favorite shows for two additional seasons. They were even nice enough to recut Season 4 into traditional episodes, once the initial character-centric installments were met with a less than stellar reception.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The story of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s broadcast history is rather interesting to follow. Starting out as The WB’s big Tuesday night hit in 1997, it transferred to fellow upstart network UPN in 2001. After two more seasons, Buffy would go off the air…just a couple years shy of the merger that turned The WB and UPN into what we now know as The CW.

Cobra Kai

Hey folks: remember when YouTube had original series? That’s exactly how Cobra Kai started, as YouTube Red/Premium was where the Karate Kid legacy-quel first got its legs. After two seasons aired, and with YouTube apparently not interested in anything past season 4 (according to Deadline), Netflix opened its doors and let Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) bring his dojo over to its streaming paradise. 

Last Man Standing

As Last Man Standing was sitting at six seasons, ABC canceled Tim Allen’s sitcom in 2017. That decision was supposedly due to some disputes between the network and the series’ production company, 20th Television. Which made it all the more interesting when Fox revived the series that it was already producing, for two more seasons. 

Supernatural

Just how long was Supernatural on TV? Well… it started in 2006, as a show on The WB; and then became a flagship title of its next parent, The CW, once WB merged with fellow fledgling network UPN. So while you’d know the Winchester brothers’ adventures for playing on The CW for 14 of its 15 seasons, that first aired under the house that Michigan J. Frog built. How’s that for magic?

A.P. Bio

For its brief lifespan of four seasons, A.P. Bio kicked things off at NBC and was revived as a potential Peacock subscription driver and aired two more seasons as such. Alas, the streaming reaper came for the series in 2021, ending Whitlock High’s time on our screens all too early. And what’s even sadder is we never did learn about what happened to Devin (Jacob McCarthy) after he mysteriously disappeared following Season 1? 

Family Matters

TGIF had a bit of an interesting shakeup in its later years, thanks to series like Family Matters and Step by Step defecting from its original home. Jumping from ABC after providing eight seasons of Urkel (Jaleel White) and his antics with the Winslow family, the former wrapped up on the CBS network with one final season. And depending on who you talk to, Season 9 is probably best forgotten by the world.

Archer

Archer’s 14-season run was both a hilarious parody of the James Bond movies, while also being funny and bittersweet in its own ways. While it was never canceled, and blew past the original plans to end in Season 10, a network shift did come after Season 7 aired in 2016. And that was thanks to FX Networks creating a new imprint for comedy and soccer programming, FXX. 

Babylon 5

In the beginning, Babylon 5 was a syndicated TV show that, much like Star Trek: The Next Generation before it, had no singular network home. Distributed through the Prime Time Entertainment Network for its first four seasons, creator J. Michael Strazynski didn’t think the show would get a fifth season. With a series finale already filmed, TNT stepped in to grant one last round of episodes (and a new Season 4 finale), for 1998. And according to Strazynski’s blog post from when it all happened, “Sleeping In Light” would have played just as fine at the end of Season 4. 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Here’s a fun scenario to ponder: what do you do when a series like Brooklyn Nine-Nine wants to keep existing, but home network Fox doesn’t want to go past Season 5? Well, you send the series to its true home: NBC! As the Andy Samberg-led ensemble was one of several shows saved from cancellation in 2018, the final three seasons could be chalked up to production company Universal Television saving one of its own.

Manifest

After Manifest’s wild Season 3 cliffhanger, the series’ cancellation by NBC left creator Jeff Rake, as well as the show’s fandom, all hoping for closure. While it wasn’t the full second half that Rake took to Twitter to mourn in 2021, streaming provider Netflix did step in for one final season, after finding great success with past seasons being available on its platform. 

Columbo

Detective Colombo (Peter Falk) ran through two pilots and seven seasons on NBC, between 1968 and 1978, looking to solve his cases with “just one more thing” he needed to ask about. But when it came to his eponymous series’ own fate, it received “just” three more seasons on ABC, from 1989 to 2003. 

Community

If it was up to NBC, Dan Harmon’s Community would have never gotten to the six seasons it called out for in its own universe. With that final, prophecy-fulfilling season airing on the now defunct Yahoo! Screen platform, part of a prophecy, that involves "a movie," has been fulfilled.

Everybody Hates Chris

With Chris Rock’s semi-autobiographical sitcom Everybody Hates Chris, the network shift came from a natural place: a merger. Beginning its life in 2005 on UPN, the sitcom Rock co-created with Ali LeRoi would become an original series on The CW in the 2006-2007 TV season. It would continue to air until 2009, as it would then be canceled after its fourth season. 

The Expanse

The Expanse came to an end after six seasons, with the first three airing on Syfy and the last batch going to Amazon’s Prime Video platform. But apparently, in an interview with Polygon, authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (collectively known as James S.A. Corey),said  they don’t even see the show as cancelled, but rather “paused” after Season 6. If a show can be renewed after a fan campaign draws in the likes of Wil Wheaton, George R.R. Martin, and Patton Oswalt, who are we to doubt there’s still gas in the tank? 

American Dad!

Fox ran Seth MacFarlane’s topically inclined animated comedy, American Dad!, for 11 seasons, before pulling the plug on the Family Guy originator’s co-creation with Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman in 2013. However, it didn’t take long for cable station TBS, which had been airing reruns for some time, to snag itself a new original program. So just under a month after the series “ended” on Fox, it came roaring back to life in its second healthy home. 

Friday Night Lights

Most people probably remember Friday Night LIghts as an NBC series, and considering its first two seasons aired there, that would make sense. However, if we’re going by season count, you’d technically call Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton’s ensemble drama a 101 Network series; thanks to the last three of its five seasons airing on that platform between 2008 and 2011.

The Critic

For a two-season wonder like The Critic, you’d think it would have been easy to keep it in one place for the whole run. That couldn’t have been further from the truth, as the first season aired on ABC in 1994, followed by the second season going to Fox in 1995. It’s something that would be joked about in the Jon Lovitz’ comedy’s third and final revival, as a series of webisodes on AtomFilms/Shockwave distributed between 2000 and 2001.

Matlock

Lawyer Ben Matlock (Andy Griffith) broke a lot of cases over six seasons on NBC, between 1986 and 1992. And before anyone could ask if we’d see Ben again, the fall of that very last year saw Matlock jumping over to ABC, for its final three seasons. While cast members may have changed, the iconic theme song and the public’s love for this series did not.

JAG

Here’s something fun to consider: JAG technically has two network shifts. The major one saw David James Elliott’s Lt. Harmon Rabb, Jr. go from NBC to CBS, right after Season 1’s conclusion in 1996. At its second home, the series would run for nine more seasons and spawn the hit spinoff NCIS; which is basically the procedural world’s version of Cheers and Frasier. However, the 22nd episode of Season 1, the true season finale “Skeleton Crew,” wouldn’t air on TV until 1999 on the USA Network. 

Longmire

Neo-noir/western detective series Longmire began its life as a pretty popular title on the A&E Network back in 2014.. Three seasons in, despite being a strong performer, the cable channel axed the Robert Taylor-starring series, with no rhyme or reason. Of course, that didn’t stop Netflix from reviving the series, giving it another three seasons that ran from 2015 until its second and final cancellation in 2017. 

Lucifer

After three seasons, and a finale that was specifically designed to keep the show running, Lucifer was canceled due to a “pretty narrow” audience. That, and the series was made by an outside studio, which only made the decision apparently clearer. It was Fox’s loss though, as Netflix not only brought Tom Ellis’ demonically good time back from the grave,but  the streamer gave it three more seasons to finish up. 

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Was it ever important for Mystery Science Theater 3000 to stay at one network? Not totally, though there were some hiccups in how films were chosen in later seasons because of such switches. Starting life in 1988 as a public access show for KTMA-TV, MST3K would move to Comedy Central for the bulk of its run between 1989 and 1996. One last broadcast move would happen in 1997, giving this show its final TV-bound home… before it went to Netflix for two seasons between 2017 and 2018, and then to its own indie platform, The Gizmoplex, in 2022. 

One Day At A Time

The reboot of Whitney Blake and Allan Manings’ sitcom, One Day at a Time, gave the world a new perspective on a very familiar formula. This Latinx-flavored version only lasted for four seasons sadly, with three of those seasons streaming on Netflix. After being canceled by the big red streamer in 2019, the series would be revived by Pop TV for one final abbreviated season, which aired in 2020.

Girls5Eva

Girls5Eva was a series that had a pedigree that seemed destined to last more than two seasons at Peacock. Yet the Tina Fey co-created/Sara Barellies-led ensemble found itself out the door after Season 2 ended. Though that’s not where the music stopped, as Netflix resurrected the show, proving that the cancellation reaper doesn’t always have the last word.

Doug

Most people remember Doug as a four-season Nicktoon that delved into the inner mind of Doug Funnie (Billy West) as he navigated his teenage years of crushes and bullies. But if you’re a true die-hard, then you, of course, remember Disney’s Doug…It was Doug but an ABC-tweaked incarnation that ran as part of the One Saturday Morning block. 

Cougar Town

Over four seasons of Courteney Cox’s ensemble sitcom Cougar Town, there were things that could change and things that couldn’t. While co-creator Bill Lawrence’s Twitter crusade to rename the show never came to be, the former ABC series eventually became a TBS original in the back half of its life span. And no, the network change didn’t help the case to rename the series at all.

Damages

Through 2007 to 2011, FX had a hit legal drama on its hand with Damages, starring Glenn Close and Rose Byrne. When it came to the end of the third season, EW reported that the costs of the series weren’t worth the viewership to the network. Which lead The 101 Network to enter talks and eventually pick up the series, for its final two seasons. 

Clueless

Can one network alone hold the charisma of Cher Horowitz (Rachel Blanchard)? As if! While original network ABC wasn’t sold on Clueless until reruns had proven them wrong, UPN kept the series adaptation of the ‘90s movie classic going for another two seasons. If only ABC had taken a little more time to feel things out. 

Whether it’s because of cost issues, audience demand, or just good old-fashioned mergers, sometimes you’ve got to move to another network to keep the party going. These series did just that, and for better or worse, fans got more time to hang out with some of their favorite TV characters as a result. 

The term “Geek Goddess” — used to describe a female actor who has been involved in many popular or cult genre movie and TV shows — is one practically synonymous with Katee Sackhoff, who has certainly come a long way from her major motion picture debut in the most critically reviled of the Halloween movies, 2002’s Halloween: Resurrection. At this point in her career, the simple announcement of her casting in a project is enough to get a rise out of legions of fans, which is why it is hard to believe that she has not played a Marvel character (at least in a live-action title) yet. 

The most recent example of her mastery in genre acting can be seen in how she plays Bo-Katan Kryze on the hit Disney+ original TV show, The Mandalorian, which is actually not the only series spun-off from the Star Wars franchise on which she has portrayed the resident, intergalactic bounty hunter. The role is also merely the latest example of the many great performances Sackhoff has given in the more two decades she has been acting, but Bo-Katan is where we shall start.

Bo-Katan Kryze (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Mandalorian)

The character of Bo-Katan Kryze — a character very important to the history of Mandalorian culture — was first introduced during the fourth season of the hit animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and was voiced by Katee Sackhoff. In the same year the George Lucas-created show had its final season, the actor became one of the first (and few) actors to reprise their animated Star Wars character in a live-action setting in the second season of The Mandalorian, for which she would don a red wig and add another layer of complexity and grit to the role, especially when she became a series regular in Season 3. 

Kara "Starbuck" Thrace (Battlestar Galactica)

One of Sackhoff’s earliest and most esteemed trips into space is also the site of one of her most complex, grittiest, and most iconic roles yet — and one she fought hard for. On Ronald D. Moore’s reimagining of Glen A. Larson’s short-lived, cult favorite sci-fi series from the 1970s, the actor gives one of her most acclaimed performances as Lt. Kara “Starbuck” Thrace — a gender-swapped reinterpretation of Dirk Benedict’s character from the original. While mirroring the rebellious and cocky nature of Benedict’s portrayal, Sackhoff’s Starbuck would grow to be an even more popular figure of the franchise who is defined more for her resilience in the face of chaos and for her own flaws.

Dahl (Riddick)

A few years after the end of Battlestar Galactica, Sackhoff returned to outer space, but in a much different corner of the galaxy and for a role that is easily a standout in 2013’s Riddick — and not just because she is the only female character with a major speaking part. You can actually see a lot of Starbuck in the actor’s performance as Dahl — yet another outer space bounty hunter role on her resume — with her short-temper and impressive skills in hand-to-hand combat. She is one of the main reasons why the third installment of the Vin Diesel-led sci-fi franchise is my personal favorite… so far, until Riddick 4, anyway.

Niko Breckenridge (Another Life)

Just a year before reprising Bo-Katan on The Mandalorian, Katee Sackhoff made yet another return to space, but in a whole new kind of role unlike her previous characters away from earth. She leads the cast of the Netflix original sci-fi TV show, Another Life, as Niko Breckenridge — an astronaut forced to leave her husband and daughter behind when she is enlisted to lead a mission to investigate the origin of an alien artifact that recently made contact with the planet. While this would mark a slight turning point for Sackhoff in terms of her character’s overall demeanor, Niko is nonetheless the Number One reason to watch the series.

Victoria "Vic" Moretti (Longmire)

Sackhoff’s first Netflix exclusive series saw her invoke many of the same gritty, heroic sensibilities of her sci-fi characters, but while keeping her feet planted firmly on the ground. In Longmire, one of the best Neo-Western TV shows in recent memory, she plays Victoria “Vic” Moretti — a Philadelphia detective who, after following her husband to Wyoming, becomes deputy to Robert Taylor’s titular sheriff. Vic’s street smarts come in handy when dealing with some of the harsher crimes that she and Longmire face, but she also proves to be vulnerable when her personal life gets in the way.

Marie Russell (Oculus)

I mentioned at the top how Sackhoff’s first break in the horror genre with a role in Halloween: Resurrection did not result in the best movie on her resume, but her luck would change when she collaborated with Mike Flanagan. The writer and director’s first mainstream hit one, and of his best movies, 2013’s Oculus, is the story of a brother and sister (Brenton Thwaites and Karen Gillan) and their investigation into a mysterious mirror that they believe is responsible for their traumatic childhood. In flashbacks, we learn that their mother, played Sackhoff, fell prey to the insidious supernatural artifact, evolving her from the loving woman she once was into a violent murderer.

Amunet Black (The Flash)

Marie Russell is far from Sackhoff’s most iconic villainous character. That easily goes to her recurring role on The CW’s hit DC Comics-based TV show, The Flash, as Amunet Black — a meta human otherwise known as Leslie Jocoy who uses her power of magnetokinesis (which allows her to manipulate metallic substances) to develop a reputation as one of Crystal City’s most ruthless crime bosses. However, what makes this recurring role such a standout on the Arrow-verse set series and in the actor’s career in general is her deliciously scenery-chewing portrayal, complete with a hilariously over-the-top British accent.

BONUS: Kimberly (Power Rangers)

I could not complete this list without at least a mention of Sackhoff’s striking and even heartbreaking performance in a role originated by Amy Jo Johnson on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. This 15-minute short film by acclaimed music video director Joseph Kahn reimagines the ‘90s childhood favorite as gritty, graphically violent dystopian drama that I wish we could one day see adapted as a feature-length film, especially with Sackhoff as the grown-up pink ranger, Kimblerly — a character she now owns, as far as I am concerned, for the way she redefines it with such a refreshing believability.

Needless to say, I am very much looking forward to see what Katee Sackhoff brings us next, whether that means seeing more of Bo-Katan Kryze or something entirely new.

You know, when I married a Filipina, I didn’t just marry her. I married into her entire family. And while I can’t really marry into her culture, I have certainly adopted a great deal of it, not only for myself, but also for my two children, as I want them to embrace being both Black and Filipino. In that way, I’ve become very familiar with Filipino food, Filipino traditions, and of course, Filipino actors. 

Because you know what’s interesting? There are quite a few actors that you know and love who have Filipino roots. I would be remiss if I was talking about Filipinos and didn’t mention Jo Koy and his great comedy specials, because if you’re Filipino, then you’re likely familiar with Jo Koy. But, with him now mentioned, here are seven great Filipino actors, and where to watch them.  

Dave Bautista - Guardians of the Galaxy 

I've always believed that every great wrestler could make for a great actor, since they're pretty much maintaining a role and storyline every single week. Dwayne Johnson's best recognized for his movies now, but for a time, wrestling fans were on the edge of their seats for him every week when he portrayed The Rock. And, the same could be said for Dave Bautista, who simply went by Batista when he was still wrestling in the WWE. Bautista is the son of a Greek mother, and a Filipino father, making him biracial.   

As an actor, Bautisa has been in a lot of noteworthy films lately, such as his brief (but potent) role in Dune, which he considered “a blessing," the lead role in Army of the Dead, and many others. But he’s definitely best known as Drax the Destroyer, in the Guardians of the Galaxy series. The third film will be the last time we see Bautista play Drax, but you can still check him out in Volumes 1 and 2, if you ever start to miss him.     

Watch Guardians of the Galaxy on Disney+.   

Lea Salonga - Mulan 

Any theater-junkie can tell you that Lea Salonga can act and sing her heart out. In fact, the quintessential version of Kim from Miss Saigon, belongs to Miss Salonga, who portrayed her in both the original West End production, as well as the eventual Broadway version, making her the first Asian actress to ever win a Tony Award. She was also the first Asian actress to portray the roles of Eponine and Fantine for Les Miserables, so her theater cred is well established.  

That said, most Disney fans will likely know her pipes from the singing voices of both the original Princess Jasmine as well as Fa Mulan from the animated versions of Aladdin and Mulan, respectively. Honestly, when I think of my favorite Disney songs, I usually hear them in Lea Salonga’s voice, and I know that I’m not alone. 

Watch Mulan on Disney+. 

Dante Basco - Avatar: The Last Airbender 

I, like many people of a certain age, was introduced to Dante Basco from the Steven Spielberg movie, Hook (though, his first movie role was actually as Romeo in Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, which is a movie that scarred me as a child). In Hook, though, he played the leader of the Lost Boys, Rufio, and (spoiler alert!) what happened to him in that movie also scarred me as a child.   

But, I think he’s probably most known now as the voice of Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Some of the best episodes of Avatar feature Zuko, and they wouldn’t be nearly as good if Basco didn’t infuse his voice with such a full range of emotions. In every way, Dante Basco brought the heart and soul to Avatar: The Last Airbender, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  

Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix.     

Vanessa Hudgens - Tick, Tick…BOOM! 

Like Lea Salonga, Vanessa Hudgens is a singer who can also act. Her late father was of Irish, French, and Native American descent, and her mother is a Filipina, making her biracial, much like Bautista. (And my own children!) Hudgens rose to fame with High School Musical as Gabriella Montez, but has also been in a number of other popular films like Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Spring Breakers, and was even in the DC sitcom, Powerless, so she’s got massive range.    

But, I wanted to focus on Vanessa Hudgens in tick, tick...BOOM!, as she did a marvelous job as the friend of Jonathan Larson (played by Andrew Garfield) and also a performer in his plays. Through her acting and singing, she proved yet again what a powerhouse force she can be.  

Watch tick, tick…BOOM! On Netflix. 

Lou Diamond Phillips - Longmire 

Lou Diamond Phillips was born in the Philippines to a Filipina mother and an American father of Scotch-Irish Cherokee descent. He’s been around since the early '80s, but rose to superstardom when he played Ritchie Valens in La Bamba back in 1987. One year later, he played the troubled youth, Angel Guzman, in the classic school movie, Stand and Deliver. And he’s been acting pretty much nonstop ever since.   

I wanted to focus, though, on his work in the long-running show, Longmire. Phillips plays the sagacious Cheyenne, Henry Standing Bear, who runs a bar and is Longmire’s best friend. Phillips plays him with the kind of confidence that only an actor of several decades could acquire, making him feel both ancient and fresh as a character at the same time.  

Watch Longmire on Netflix. 

Tia Carrere - Lilo & Stitch

Tia Carrere was born in Hawaii, but her lineage is Filipino. I’ll always loved her for her work in the two Wayne’s World movies as Cassandra Wong, but she’s had a long career in both movies and television, with some of her credits including the soap opera General Hospital, the comedy High School High, and the James Cameron action movie, True Lies, with Arnold Schwarzenegger.  

That said, like Lea Salonga and Dante Basco, a lot of people, especially young people, might know Carrere best from her voice, as she voiced Lilo’s older sister, Nani, in the Disney movie, Lilo & Stitch. Tia Carrere plays Nani perfectly as a super stressed, older sister who is just trying to keep the little family they have together. Plus, it’s set in Hawaii, which plays into Carrere’s birth place. Just always remember, “Ohana means family.” 

Watch Lilo & Stitch on Disney+. 

Jacob Batalon - Let It Snow 

And lastly, I wanted to highlight Jacob Batalon, who, when I asked my wife for potential actors to talk about for this article, she said, “Little Spider-Man.” When I pressed her on who she meant, she said, “You know, Little Spider-Man. His friend.” That’s when I realized she meant Ned Leeds from the recent Spider-Man trilogy, and yes, Jacob Batalon is Filipino, and he plays Ned Leeds in the Spider-Man movies. 

But, everybody knows that. So, I instead chose to focus on his role as Keon in the Netflix romantic comedy, Let It Snow, which is based on a YA novel. In it, Batalon plays a loveable employee named Keon at a diner called Waffle Town. It’s an ensemble cast, and it all leads to a big party that he throws, which brings all the characters together. It’s a fun little holiday film, and Jacob Batalon is a highlight. 

Watch Let It Snow on Netflix. 

Those are just seven Filipino actors in movies and television. For more news on other Filipino actors and actresses, make sure to swing by here often. 

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While Liam Neeson may have received top-billing and gotten his face on the poster, many would agree that Tantoo in The Ice Road was the one who really stole the show. The young, troubled sibling of a trapped miner (who also happens to be a devil behind the wheel of a semi truck) is just about the most badass character whom Amber Midthunder has played so far, despite a career already filled with thrillers of a relatively badass variety. If the 24-year-old, New Mexican-born actress’ performance in the Netflix original action flick had you wanting to see more of what she could do, the following are the essential titles to look for on streaming, starting with one of her earliest gigs.

Sunshine Cleaning (HBO Max)

Two mismatched adult sisters - one a single mother hoping to send her son to private school (Academy Award nominee Amy Adams) and the other an aimless, unreliable slacker (Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt) - team up to start a business specializing in crime scene cleanup and biohazard removal.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: Amber Midthunder was 11 years old when she starred as “Candy Store Girl” in 2008’s Sunshine Cleaning - a heartwarming indie comedy that deals with some otherwise harrowing subject matter, from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine - another dark, late 2000s indie comedy about dysfunctional families that also stars Alan Arkin.

Stream Sunshine Cleaning on HBO Max.

Rent Sunshine Cleaning on Amazon.

Banshee (HBO Max)

A violent ex-con, fresh out of prison, assumes the identity of a man who was killed right before he could become the sheriff of a small town in Pennsylvania, where he uses his criminal instincts to protect the innocent.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In one of her first roles with an actual character name, Amber Midthunder appears as Lana Cleary - a young Native American girl who runs away with an Amish boy - in two episodes from the second season of the Cinemax original Banshee, a wild, gritty, deliciously over-the-top crime drama starring New Zealander Antony Starr from Amazon Prime’s The Boys cast letting out his inner anti-hero before before letting out his inner supervilllain as Homelander.

Stream Banshee - Season 2, Episode 3 on HBO Max.

Stream Banshee - Season 2, Episode 4 on HBO Max.

Buy Banshee - Season 2, Episode 3 on Amazon.

Buy Banshee - Season 2, Episode 4 on Amazon.

Longmire (Netflix)

Walt Longmire, the widowed sheriff of Absaroka County in Wyoming, dukes out his own unorthodox and even menacing ways of fighting crime while struggling to come to grips with the death of his wife.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In one of her first roles from a Netflix original title, Amber Midthunder appears as Lilly Stilwater - first in the pilot as the victim of a missing child case and secondly in Season 3 as a pageant contestant - on Longmire, a darkly fun, Neo-western TV show starring Australian Robert Taylor as the 21st Century’s answer to Clint Eastwood’s “The Man with No Name.”

Stream Longmire - Season 1, Episode 1 on Netflix.

Stream Longmire - Season 3, Episode 3 on Netflix.

Rent Longmire - Season 1, Episode 1 on Amazon.

Hell Or High Water (Hulu)

A troubled, divorced man (Chris Pine) and his brother - a reckless, convicted criminal (Ben Foster) - attract the attention of a grizzled Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) and his partner (Gil Birmingham) when they team up to save their family farm the only the way they know how: robbing banks.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In one of her first highly acclaimed, Academy Award nominated films, Amber Midthunder plays a teller at a bank in Vernon, Texas who becomes a victim of the Howard Brothers’ crime spree in Hell or High Water - a thrilling, cleverly crafted Neo-western movie from writer Taylor Sheridan, starring Jeff Bridges as, essentially, the modern day version of his True Grit character, Rooster Cogburn.

Stream Hell Or High Water on Hulu.

Rent Hell Or High Water on Amazon.

14 Cameras (Tubi, IMDb TV, Vudu)

A family of five spend their summer vacation at a luxurious house in New Mexico, where it begins to become apparent that this paradise is not all that it seems.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In one of her first dips into horror movies, Amber Midthunder plays a young woman who becomes a victim of the dangerous voyeur Gerald (Neville Archambault) in 14 Cameras - the terrifying 2018 follow-up of 13 Cameras from three years earlier.

Stream 14 Cameras on Tubi.

Stream 14 Cameras on IMDb TV.

Stream 14 Cameras on Vudu.

Rent 14 Cameras on Amazon.

Priceless (Epix)

James (Christian music star Joel Smallbone), a widowed father of a daughter he has lost custody of, takes a job to drive a truck across the country with no questions out of desperation, only to be faced with a risky moral dilemma when he discovers that his cargo is a woman and her younger sister.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In one of her first starring roles in a feature-length film, Amber Midthunder plays a young girl who believes that she is traveling toward a better future, unaware of the harrowing reality that awaits her in Priceless - a heart wrenching, but uplifting, 2016 drama made horrifyingly relevant by its grounded theme of human trafficking.

Stream Priceless on Epix.

Rent Priceless on Amazon.

Only Mine (Netflix)

A student and diner server (Amber Midthunder) strikes up a romance with a charming, older police officer (Brett Zimmerman) who soon begins to show sings that he is not all that he seems.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In one of her first feature-length films where she receives top billing, Amber Midthunder plays a young woman who, at first, becomes the victim of her obsessive and violent ex-lover, only to find the strength to be the hero of the story in Only Mine - a thriller with themes of abuse that are only made more horrifyingly relevant by the fact that it is loosely inspired by true events.

Stream Only Mine on Netflix.

Rent Only Mine on Amazon.

Legion (Hulu)

A disturbed man (Dan Stevens) who, at first, believes his childhood schizophrenia diagnosis is correct comes to realize that his strange experiences are really the result of mutant abilities he never knew he had.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In her first role as a regular cast member on a TV show, Amber Midthunder plays Kerry Loudermilk - a powerful mutant with pristine martial arts skills who shares a body with scientist Cary Loudermilk (Bill Irwin) - on the FX original series Legion, one of the most acclaimed and inventive Marvel TV shows of all time, that you will be surprised to learn exists in Fox’s X-Men movies universe.

Stream Legion on Hulu.

Rent Legion on Amazon.

Roswell, New Mexico (Netflix)

A group teenagers come to discover that aliens really are among them in their small New Mexico town, that was supposedly the site of a UFO crash.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In her latest role as a regular cast member on a TV show, Amber Midthunder plays Rosa Ortecho - an ordinary young woman resurrected from death by a man’s extra-terrestrial powers, who has unique abilities of her own - on the CW original series Roswell, New Mexico, a reboot of hit sci-fi show inspired by Melinda Metz’s series of young adult novels.

Stream Roswell, New Mexico on Netflix.

Buy Roswell, New Mexico on Amazon.

The Marksman (Epix)

When a young Mexican boy becomes the target of vicious cartel assassins, an aging Arizona rancher and former Marine sniper (Liam Neeson) takes the matter into his own hands.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In her first time working with Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder plays a gas station attendant in The Marksman - a Clint Eastwood-style action thriller with some engrossing social commentary from the director of Trouble with the Curve, which, coincidentally, starred Clint Eastwood.

Stream The Marksman on Epix.

Rent The Marksman on Amazon.

The Ice Road (Netflix)

When a group of diamond miners become trapped underground by an avalanche in northern Canada, an aging ice road trucker (Liam Neeson) is recruited for a rescue mission, but it soon becomes clear that the situation is not all that it seems.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Amber Midthunder: In her latest time working with Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder plays a troubled young woman who is recruited to help rescue her brother from a dire situation in The Ice Road - one of the most satisfyingly over-the-top action movies on Netflix from the writer of such blockbusters as Armageddon and Die Hard with a Vengeance, to name a few.

Stream The Ice Road on Netflix.

Next on Amber Midthunder’s resume is a divorce drama from the director of Hot Tub Time Machine called The Wheel. Well, it appears that she is certainly the kind of actress who is also up to take on something new.

Cancellation isn't the death knell that it used to be. In our era of bountiful cable stations and a seemingly endless array of streaming services, it's easier than ever to bring your favorite series back through a new home. It's a luxury that's not afforded to every show, of course, but several current or recently-concluded series, including Lucifer, Supergirl, Last Man Standing, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, have been renewed at another station or streamer to warm critical/commercial success. Here are just a few examples of TV shows that got a second chance — thanks to a second network or streaming service.

Lucifer (Aired On Fox, Saved By Netflix)

Quite fittingly, Lucifer has weathered a good bit of hell throughout its six-season run. Specifically, during its first season on Fox, the DC series saw mixed reviews but high viewership. Nevertheless, while the reviews got better, the ratings got worse. While the show left a loyal fanbase, the ratings were too low to justify its high budget. After three seasons, Lucifer was hellbound. Yet, thanks to its vocal fanbase, the once-doomed series became heaven-sent through Netflix. Under its new streaming home, Lucifer gained more freedom to divulge in its devilish delights, helping the show become a popular favorite for the world-famous service. It received a fourth and fifth season — the latter split in half due to COVID-19 — with a sixth and final season on the horizon.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Aired On Fox, Saved By NBC)

Following the rising success of Parks and Recreation, Michael Schur and Dan Goor set up shop at Fox with Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a comical, high-energy police procedural show starring Andy Samberg. The comedy series was a critical hit from the get-go, and it was heavily viewed during its first season. But while the show remained an award-winning program, the ratings casually dripped over time. After five seasons, B99 was cancelled.

But that wasn't the end. NBC (who initially sold the series over to Fox) heard the cries of its vocal fanbase and decided to bring it over to its familiar slate of comedy favorites. Brooklyn Nine-Nine spiked in viewership in its new home, though the creators decided to end the series with its upcoming eighth season. Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 will premiere in August 2021.

Last Man Standing (Aired On ABC, Saved By Fox)

Amusingly enough, Last Man Standing didn't have firm standing during its nine-season run. Premiering on ABC in 2011, the Tim Allen-starring series lasted six seasons before the American Broadcast Company pulled the plug. Even though the comedy show was their second-highest rated sitcom during the 2016-2017 season, ABC discontinued the program. The reason for Last Man Standing's sudden cancellation — whether it was due to scheduling or its conservative bend — is contested, but Fox gave it a second home.

Since Last Man Standing was produced under 20th Century Fox Television, it made sense for the station to continue running the series on their channel, particularly as the outraged fans petitioned heavily for its renewal. In 2018, Last Man Standing returned to TV through Fox, where the sitcom stayed until its ninth and final season. Following a delayed production due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the series finale aired on May 20, 2021.

Nashville (Aired On ABC, Saved By CMT)

In 2012, Nashville was one of the hottest new shows on ABC. Earning wide acclaim and receiving millions of viewers, the country music soap opera series was an early hit for the broadcast station. Alas, while the TV show never went down in critics' estimation, Nashville dipped in viewership in the seasons to follow, causing the station to drop the music drama after four seasons. Nevertheless, while the writers had a happy-ever-after ending prepared in the event of a cancellation, the show's producers were so confident in its continued success that they opted to conclude the season on a giant cliffhanger, enticing viewers to keep following the series at its new home — wherever that would be.

Particularly as the fans remained vocal about their desire to see Nashville back in the spotlight for an encore, it was finally revealed in June 2016 that CMT was partnering with Hulu to keep the show rocking. With that, the Country Music Television network produced Nashville's final two seasons, with the series finale aired on July 28th, 2018.

Supergirl (Aired On CBS, Saved By The CW)

Expectations were sky-high for Supergirl. Receiving a series commitment in 2014, CBS showed a lot of confidence in this DC series, bankrolling its blockbuster-esque, special effects-heavy 20 episode run with conviction. While the show was a critical darling with millions of viewers, Warner Bros. Television was in the midst of building its DC universe on The CW, which aired Arrow and The Flash, the latter premiering around the same time as Supergirl. Thus, it makes sense that Supergirl relocated to the other station, where it didn't secure as many viewers, admittedly, but earned the same enthusiastic praise. Plus, the comic book series had the flexibility to fuse its narrative into the expanding TV-based DC world. Through The CW, Supergirl received an additional five seasons, including an ongoing sixth and final season, which premiered in late March.

The Mindy Project (Aired On Fox, Saved By Hulu)

Following the star's tenure on NBC's ever-enduring The Office, it made perfect sense that Fox's expectations were high for The Mindy Project, Mindy Kaling's personalized sitcom that played into her brand of adorable awkwardness. Alas, while the reviews were very kind to the romantic comedy series, ratings were a struggle over the seasons and Fox pulled the plug, but that wasn't the end of The Mindy Project. In 2015, Hulu saw promise in continuing the series under their banner. Thus, The Mindy Project found life anew.

Through the streaming service, The Mindy Project lasted six seasons in total, with the final episode premiering in November 2017. That said, while Hulu initially followed suit with Fox's 20-something episode order, the last two seasons only contained 14 and 10 episodes apiece. For a show on the brink of cancellation, it's hard for fans to complain.

Community (Aired On NBC, Saved By Yahoo!)

Initially, #SixSeasonsAndAMovie started as a throwaway joke. But, in fitting Community fashion, this meta line became the hard-lucked show's rallying cry; it was their rousing plea to push forward — against the tide — to its predestined conclusion. Certainly, the self-aware/meta-narrative series faced several setbacks during its tenure, notably with cast members exiting the series before its conclusion, along with showrunner Dan Harmon being fired (then rehired) during his sitcom's rather unsteady mid-section.

Yet, Community kept moving forward; not even cancellation held the tongue-in-cheek sitcom back. When NBC pulled the plug after Season 5, Yahoo! lent their hand to the fledgling show to reach its long-promised sixth season. Admittedly, it wasn't a smooth transition (particularly with a wonky website), but Community ended movingly and, more importantly, on its own terms, providing a fond farewell to the struggling series. Currently, Community: The Movie remains a looming uncertainty, but don't cancel out the possibility.

Scrubs (Aired On NBC, Saved By ABC)

Throughout its uncertain run, Scrubs was the little medical dramedy series that could. Bill Lawrence's acclaimed show started out strong, earning warm reviews and healthy viewership during its first two seasons. But in the years that followed, Scrubs couldn't maintain that momentum. That said, the sitcom still retained its affectionate fanbase.

Because of that nimble loyalty from devoted viewers, Scrubs was kept on life support — often by a thread — throughout the uncertain seasons to come. By Season 7, however, NBC pulled the plug on the cult-favorite ensemble series. Thankfully, ABC was willing to keep it alive for another two seasons (even though Season 8's excellent conclusion was conceived as the series finale). In an effort to semi-reboot the show, Scrubs finally lost its loyal audience, resulting in the medical sitcom being canceled on March 17th, 2010.

Cougar Town (Aired On ABC, Saved By TBS)

Additionally, ABC's Cougar Town, Bill Lawrence's anticipated follow-up to his long-running (and similarly network-bouncing) Scrubs, had two homes during its tenure. Specifically, the Courteney Cox-starring series started with ABC and lasted for three seasons before its cancellation— due to decreasing viewership, though it didn't help that there was an extended delay between Seasons 2 and 3. Though the show started strong, it failed to keep a consistent audience, even though critics grew more receptive to the program as it found its footing in Season 2.

While there were several factors that resulted in Cougar Town's cancellation, including issues with its title, TBS was willing to pick up the middle-aged sitcom for an additional three seasons. Following suit with Season 3, which contained 15 episodes compared to Season 1's 24 and Season 2's 22, the Florida-based sitcom was never a smash, but it found more comfortable footing in its late-night cable slots, resulting in a looser, sillier second half. It concluded on March 31st, 2015 under a different name, Sunshine State.

Longmire (Aired On A&E, Saved By Netflix)

In 2012, on the eve of the show's celebrated second season, Longmire was hailed by A&E as the highest-rated original drama series on their network. It earned fond reviews and received a steady stream of viewers. Nevertheless, despite its consistent critical and commercial success, A&E opted to give their hit show the cold shoulder. In 2014, the station surprisingly cancelled the neo-western program after Season 3.

Of course, when your show draws in six million viewers on a regular basis — especially on a cable station — it doesn't die easily. Sure enough, Netflix swooped in and picked up the rejected show, continuing its run for three more seasons. Since it was now available on a streaming service, Longmire stopped airing in weekly installments. All 10 episodes would drop at once, with Longmire's sixth season premiering on November 17th, 2017.

The Killing (Aired On AMC, Saved By Netflix)

Based on the Danish series Forbrydelsen, The Killing premiered on AMC in April 2011, during the height of the station's golden era. Alas, while it was a critical favorite, the grizzled English-language adaptation never found the same commercial heights as its sister shows, including Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and The Walking Dead — though it premiered to strong ratings. Alas, after three seasons, AMC canceled the crime drama.

But that wasn't the end. Two months after AMC axed the series, Netflix announced that The Killing was, ironically, back from the dead. Specifically, the streamer renewed the once-lost show for a fourth — and ultimately final — season. These six episodes, which favored the TV-MA content that the AMC show originally couldn't get away with during its televised run, gave the once-dead series a proper conclusion on August 1st, 2014.

One Day At A Time (Started On Netflix, Saved By Pop TV)

Based on Norman Lear's 1975 series of the same name, Netflix's One Day at a Time was praised as an appealing throwback to a conversational style of television that has gone out of fashion, particularly in our streaming era. Reimagining the original show through a modern lens, with a Latino family at the forefront, the sitcom reboot became a critical favorite and quickly gained an affectionate following. Alas, despite a steady stream of praise throughout its three-season run, the streaming series failed to win over Netflix's lasting affections, resulting in the sitcom being canceled after 39 episodes.

Nevertheless, after searching for another streamer or station to renew the show, One Day at a Time was reborn at Pop TV, though this second life was ultimately short-lived. Only seven episodes were made when COVID-19 shut production down. Unfortunately, it didn't survive the pandemic. In November, Pop TV announced that the reboot was canceled again. The producers shopped it around, but they couldn't find a new home.

Designated Survivor (Aired On ABC, Saved By Netflix)

With its intriguing star-driven premise, notably with Kiefer Sutherland at the forefront, Designated Survivor was one of the buzziest freshman shows of the mid-'10s. Skipping the pilot stage and getting a straight to series order in 2015, it's easy to see why ABC was so confident in this political new program. Alas, despite strong reviews and a very popular premiere, Designated Survivor had trouble maintaining a consistent audience, resulting in the station canceling the show after Season 2. Nevertheless, Designated Survivor retained enough popularity that Netflix greenlit a shortened third season. While it's hard to know how Designated Survivor fared on this service, it wasn't meant to last. Due to complications with the actors' contracts, the show became re-canceled.

The Expanse (Aired On Syfy, Saved By Amazon Prime)

Based on the sci-fi novel series by James S. A. Corey, The Expanse is an acclaimed futuristic star vessel for Thomas Jane, along with an award-winning ensemble piece filled with well-rounded characters, impressive set pieces, and, yes, expansive narrative depths. The blockbuster series was celebrated from the jump, and it only continued to earn praise throughout its three-season run on Syfy. Alas, the station couldn't justify keeping the expensive series on their small network, resulting in its 2018 cancellation.

However, due to its online popularity, The Expanse was picked up for two more seasons through Amazon Prime. Season 5 finished in February, and the newest season is expected to premiere this year.

Tweet us your favorite revived shows! Also, check out the 2021 fall TV schedule.

When it comes to watching crime TV shows, Netflix is one of the best streaming services to subscribe to today to find some of the most clever, engrossing, and chilling series around. There is plenty of evidence on the platform to show for it.

Not only does the streamer have your common police procedural and acclaimed true crime TV shows available, but also some great sci-fi TV shows and a few of the best comedy TV shows on Netflix fall under that category. Let’s sift through all of the best criminally entertaining (or unsettling) series that a Netflix subscription grants you, below.

The Blacklist (2013-2023)

Starring: James Spader, Megan Boone

What it’s about: An elusive criminal mastermind turns himself in and offers his expertise to a new FBI profiler.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Created by Jon Bokenkamp, the Emmy-winning The Blacklist was one of NBC’s most unique crime procedurals, making a villainous character into a surprisingly likable hero.

• Stream The Blacklist on Netflix

Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson

What it’s about: The rise of a fierce, notorious crime family in early 1900s England.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Creator Stephen Knight’s addictive period drama, Peaky Blinders, has a movie spin-off in the works, which is coming to Netflix at some point.

• Stream Peaky Blinders on Netflix

The Sinner (2017-2021)

Starring: Bill Pullman, Jessica Biel

What it’s about: Detective Harry Ambrose uses his pristine investigative skills and unique empathy to get into the heads of people accused of unusual crimes.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Originally developed by Derek Simonds as a miniseries adaptation of Peter Hammesfahr’s novel, The Sinner evolved into an absorbing quasi-seasonal anthology TV show centered around Bill Pullman’s character.

• Stream The Sinner on Netflix

American Vandal (2017-2018)

Starring: Tyler Alvarez, Griffin Gluck

What it’s about: A teenager records his investigations into two different crude high school pranks

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Creators Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda’s hilarious mockumentary satire, American Vandal, is a must-watch for fans of the true crime docuseries it pokes fun at, as it is, surprisingly, about as engrossing as they are.

• Stream American Vandal on Netflix

Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story (2024)

Starring: Cooper Koch, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny

What it’s about: Two adult brothers conspire to kill their parents.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Serving as a follow-up to Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story offers an intriguing inside look at the titular siblings’ trial and reasons for their horrific crime.

• Stream Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story on Netflix

Unbelievable (2019)

Starring: Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, Kaitlyn Dever

What it’s about: Two FBI agents search for the truth when a teenage girl is accused of falsifying her sexual assault allegation.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Based on the maddening true story of Marie Adler, the eight-episode limited series, Unbelievable, is one of the best Kaitlyn Dever TV shows and boasts one of her strongest performances yet.

• Stream Unbelievable on Netflix

Kaleidoscope (2023)

Starring: Giancarlo Esposito, Rufus Sewell

What it’s about: Six criminals team up to pull off a historical heist that becomes plagued by betrayal.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: In addition to being inspired by a true crime, Kaleidoscope is an interesting watch for its non-linear structure, allowing the viewer to consume all nine episodes in whatever order they choose.

• Stream Kaleidoscope on Netflix

Breaking Bad (2008–2013)

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul

What it’s about: A terminally ill high school chemistry teacher who turns to crime to provide for his family.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: After rewatching (or discovering) the best episodes of Breaking Bad, be sure to also check out Better Call Saul, the prequel series to Vince Gilligan’s groundbreaking, hauntingly bleak hit, which is also available on Netflix, as well as the feature-length spin-off, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.

• Stream Breaking Bad on Netflix
• Stream Better Call Saul on Netflix
• Stream El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie on Netflix

Tiger King (2020-2021)

Featuring: Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin

What it’s about: The story of controversial animal park owner Joe Exotic and his involvement in a bizarre assassination case.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: The insane story of Tiger King made the Netflix docuseries a wild phenomenon in 2020, spawning a second season.

• Stream Tiger King on Netflix

Killing Eve (2018-2022)

Starring: Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer

What it’s about: An MI5 security officer is assigned to tail a dangerous assassin, but things turn dicey when they both start to fall for each other.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: From creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Killing Eve is a deliciously unique, romantic, and darkly comic Emmy-winning thriller.

• Stream Killing Eve on Netflix

Narcos (2015-2017)

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Wagner Moura

What it’s about: A stylized inside look at the criminal enterprises of history’s most notorious drug lords and those who investigated their exploits.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: One of the best Pedro Pascal TV shows is Narcos – a captivating true crime drama that spawned the spin-off, Narcos: Mexico, in 2018.

• Stream Narcos on Netflix
• Stream Narcos: Mexico on Netflix

Prison Break (2005-2017)

Starring: Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell

What it’s about: Michael Scofield gets himself sent to prison in order to rescue his older brother, Lincoln, who has been wrongfully charged with murdering the Vice President’s brother.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: From creator Paul T. Scheuring, Prison Break is an arresting, edge-of-your-seat thriller anchored by the riveting performances of its main leads.

• Stream Prison Break on Netflix

Unsolved Mysteries (2020-Present)

Featuring: Various

What it’s about: Firsthand accounts of bizarre, unexplainable cases, ranging from horrifying disappearances to enduring urban legends.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Netflix’s reboot of the long-running hit docuseries, Unsolved Mysteries, deals with some of the scariest and most perplexing stories in its history.

• Stream Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix

Ozark (2017-2022)

Starring: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner

What it’s about: A financial advisor from Chicago (played by Jason Bateman) moves his wife (played by Laura Linney) and children to the Ozarks of Missouri as part of an elaborate money laundering scheme for a ruthless drug lord.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Winner of four Emmy Awards, creators Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams’ Ozark is a show often compared to Breaking Bad for its captivatingly twisted story about ordinary people in way over their heads in the criminal lifestyle.

• Stream Ozark on Netflix

Good Girls (2018-2022)

Starring: Christina Hendricks, Retta, Mae Whitman

What it’s about: A group of suburban moms decide to take huge risks to cure their financial woes.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: NBC’s Good Girls is a show similar to Netflix’s The Gentlemen, in the sense that it tells a humorous story about average people who fall into a life of crime.

• Stream Good Girls on Netflix

Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)

Starring: Evan Peters, Richard Jenkins

What it’s about: Jeffrey Dahmer indulges in a horrifying crime spree, murdering many young men.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Co-creator Ryan Murphy’s most unsettling foray into true crime yet is Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which received multiple Emmy nominations and earned Peters a Golden Globe for his unnerving performance.

• Stream Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix

Altered Carbon (2018-2020)

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Anthony Mackie

What it’s about: In a futuristic society where consciousness can be digitized, a prisoner wakes up in a new body a new task to solve the murder of a recently resurrected businessman.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Altered Carbon is also considered one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Netflix for its fascinating cyberpunk themes, astonishing production design, and bold choice of recasting its lead character with a new actor between seasons to honor its concept.

• Stream Altered Carbon on Netflix

Criminal (2019-2020)

Starring: Various

What it’s about: An intense game of cat-and-mouse between the hunter and the hunted (the cop and con), all taking place within the confines of a police interrogation room.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Criminal, a group of four series that each take place in a different interrogation room in a different country (United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Germany), is guaranteed to present you with some of the most pulse-pounding conversations you have ever seen.

• Stream Criminal on Netflix

Dexter (2006-2013)

Starring: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter

What it’s about: Police forensics expert Dexter Morgan lives a double life as a serial killer who specializes in ridding Miami of worse criminals than himself.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Usually the object of crime shows is to get the viewer to root against murderers, but Hall’s Emmy-nominated lead performance in the Dexter cast has you fully invested in the homicidal hero’s bloody exploits.

• Stream Dexter on Netflix

Longmire (2012-2017)

Starring: Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff

What it’s about: A widowed Wyoming sheriff channels his grief into his battle against crime in his county.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Fans of the best Western movies on Netflix will surely also get a kick out of Longmire – a modern-day tale of an old-school lawman based on a series of novels by Craig Johnson.

• Stream Longmire on Netflix

Lucifer (2016-2021)

Starring: Tom Ellis, Lauren German

What it’s about: Lucifer Morningstar (a.k.a. Satan) decides to take human form and work as an LAPD consultant and help punish the world’s sinners in a new kind of way.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: One of the most entertaining combinations of the crime fiction genre with supernatural elements is Lucifer, which is on fire with its charismatic portrayal of the Prince of Darkness that only heightens the appeal of its procedural format.

• Stream Lucifer on Netflix

Mindhunter (2017-2019)

Starring: Holt McCallany, Jonathan Groff, Anna Torv

What it’s about: Two FBI agents develop a then-controversial method of psychological and criminal profiling by interviewing the most infamous killers of the 1970s.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: Producer David Fincher, the legendary director of thrillers such as Seven and Zodiac, takes the helm of several episodes of Mindhunter – a bold exploration into the once unprecedented concept of thinking like a bad guy to catch them, and essential viewing for true crime junkies.

• Stream Mindhunter on Netflix

Making A Murderer (2015-2018)

Featuring: Steven Avery

What it’s about: This docuseries follows the criminal record of Steven Avery, a man who spent years in prison for a sexual assault crime he did not commit, only to be accused of murder two years after his release.

Why it is one of the best crime shows on Netflix: The Emmy-winning Making a Murderer sets out not only to inform viewers of Avery’s trial but make a case for his innocence and expose corruption within the United States criminal justice system.

• Stream Making a Murderer on Netflix

Do you love our list of the best crime shows on Netflix, or do you think it is grounds for arrest?

Why is the lead character of Longmire still so popular with fans? The creator of the book series on which the series is based has weighed in. For reference, Longmire is a television adaptation based on Craig Johnson’s book series, Walt Longmire Mysteries. The show takes its title from the last name of the eponymous character.

Longmire debuted in 2012 before concluding in 2017. Its first three seasons aired on A&E and quickly garnered status as a success with fans. Then, the unexpected happened. Longmire was cancelled by the cable network after Season 3 in 2014. Thankfully for fans, that was not the end of Longmire. The show was eventually picked up by Netflix.

That was an era when the streaming giant garnered its reputation as a safety net for shows that networks cancelled despite avid fan support. Longmire subsequently returned with Season 4 in 2015. Accordingly, Netflix is where Longmire’s final three seasons were made available. Longmire’s sixth and final season premiered in 2017.

Two years since its conclusion, Walt Longmire remains a popular character with fans. The author of the books the show is based on has his thoughts on why that is. Craig Johnson has a new novel, Land of Wolves, so Walt’s literary adventures are continuing! On the popularity of Longmire’s titular hero, Johnson told UPI:

While fans of fiction love their morally complicated protagonists, Walt Longmire provides a respite. According to the author behind the fan-favorite character, Walt tries to overcome personal adversity to do the right thing. That's a respectable characteristic for any hero to have. The character and his adventures on the television series, Longmire, continue to draw positive attention from fans.

The story follows Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) as he acts as the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming. He is also a recent widower when the series begins. The television show chronicles Walt’s pursuit for justice in the wake of crimes that occur. As a neo-Western, Longmire arguably helped pave the way for shows like Paramount Network’s Yellowstone to make their successful bows.

The popularity of Longmire continues to be felt as the show remains on Netflix, where it can add to its fan following, which is a phenomenon that regularly happens with shows on the streamer. Considering Longmire’s enduring favor with fans and the recent success of similar genre series, could the show make a return?

Craig Johnson dished on the possibility and what he said on the topic sounds hopeful. Regarding the potential of the Longmire series continuing at some point, Johnson says:

Fans would undoubtedly welcome the lawman’s return. Two years is a long time to wait, but better late than never! For those who want to keep reading about Walt Longmire’s adventures, they can. Craig Johnson has made another entry into the book series, and he is reportedly planning to continue! Longmire lives on!

All six seasons of Longmire are currently available to stream on Netflix along with lots of new content. If you need more options for television content, there are always this fall’s premieres.

Television is already in full swing this fall and there's a lot to look forward to coming up. In addition, the major movie season is about to get into full swing, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention all of the cool stuff heading to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital in November, before and after the Thanksgiving holiday hits.

Among the upcoming releases are some fun TV projects, some pet projects from creators, some cool indie flicks and some behemoth studio releases, including the summer juggernaut Incredibles 2 or the fun more adult-oriented title The Meg. There are also some horror and thriller entries, some action favorites and plenty of TV seasons on Netflix and CBS that will be coming your way. So, hold on to your super suit as we go through all of the great stuff coming out.

Oh, and per usual, Digital releases are same day unless otherwise noted in the early Digital column. If you'd like to see Blu-ray, DVD or Digital release from October 2018, take a look at our full guide as well.

Tuesday, November 6 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Incredibles 2

Christopher Robin

BlackKklansman

Elementary: The Complete Sixth Season

Papillon

Masterpiece: Poldark, The Complete Fourth Season

Succession: The Complete First Season

The Last Sharknado: It's About Time

Loving Pablo

Destination Wedding

An Interview with God

The Good Fight: The Complete Second Season

Week of November 6 Early Digital Releases

Crazy Rich Asians

Blindspotting

Here and Now (November 9)

Kin

Red Vs. Blue: The Shisno Paradox

Tuesday, November 13 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

The Meg

Mile 22

Alpha

The 100: The Complete Fifth Season

Preacher: Season Three

Narcos: Season Three

Final Score

Look Away

Juliet, Naked

Star Trek: Discovery Season One

Hidden: Series 1

Detectorists: Complete Collection

Puzzle

The Children Act

A Christmas Story Live!

Olaf's Frozen Adventure Plus 6 Disney Tales

The Crown: Season Two

The Librarians: Season 4

The Marine 6: Close Quarters

Week of November 13 Early Digital Releases

The Equalizer 2

Pixar Short Films Collection 3

Searching

How Long Will I Love You

Tuesday, November 20 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Crazy Rich Asians

Longmire: The Sixth and Final Season

We The Animals

Kin

Dog Days

Little Italy

Blindspotting

Skate Kitchen

A Christmas Story Live!

The Domestics

The Little Mermaid

Week of November 20 Early Digital Releases

Mission Impossible: Fallout

The Nun

Happytime Murders

Peppermint (November 23)

Tuesday, November 27 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Searching

The Little Stranger

Sharp Objects

Week Of November 27 Early Digital Releases

The House with a Clock in its Walls

Longmire will soon come to an end. The sixth and final season is set to debut next week, closing out a journey that took the characters from a weekly show on A&E to a totally binge-worthy series on Netflix. Only ten episodes are left, but all signs point to each episode being a doozy for fans. Katee Sackhoff, who has played Vic since way back in Season 1, recently spoke with CinemaBlend about her various exciting TV projects. When asked what fans should look forward to in Longmire Season 6, she had this to say:

When the news of Longmire's impending end broke, many fans were understandably somewhat bummed. At the same time, at least one more season was in the works. As Katee Sackhoff says, having one full season with the knowledge that it is the last means great things for a series. Longmire will be able to use that knowledge of the end to bring the characters' journeys to a satisfying end. There's no risk of the show being cancelled after closing a season on a cliffhanger that was intended to be resolved at the beginning of the next season. That's not to say there absolutely won't be a cliffhanger in Season 6, but the show clearly had the time to build to however the finale plays out.

Longmire has had a pretty unexpected ride over the years. A&E decided to cancel the series after the conclusion of its third season back in 2014, but that didn't mean the end of the show. Instead, it was shopped around to other outlets, and Netflix picked it up for Season 4. The show was evidently enough of a hit for the streaming service -- which does not release viewing data -- to order Season 5 and ultimately Season 6 to close out the saga. While the Season 6 trailer doesn't give much away when it comes to plot details, it's more than enough to indicate that we're in for an exciting and emotional final batch of episodes. There are still a lot of questions about Vic and her plans that need to be answered.

Fortunately we don't have to wait too much longer to see how Longmire concludes its six-year run. Season 6 will premiere on Friday, November 17 at 12:01 a.m. PT on Netflix. If you haven't seen the trailer yet, be sure to check it out and tune in to see Katee Sackhoff's swan song as Vic, as well as how all the other characters end their stories on Longmire. For your other streaming options once you've finished Longmire, take a look at our 2017 Netflix guide. If you need to know all the other shows that are coming to an end in 2017, swing by our breakdown of all the TV cancellations this year.

Katee Sackhoff will appear on the small screen following the end of Longmire, as she has joined The Flash in a recurring role as the villain Amunet. She'll be back on that show in the not-too-distant future.

Fans of Longmire got some good news and some bad news back in 2016. The show scored a renewal for a sixth season, but the renewal came with the announcement that the sixth season would be the final season. Only ten episodes are left in the whole series, and fans have had to spend the last several months wondering when they would hit Netflix. Now, Netflix has released a trailer for the next (and last) batch of episodes, and it reveals just when we can expect the show back. Take a look at the trailer for Longmire Season 6!

Season 6 of Longmire will premiere on Friday, November 17 on Netflix. While that's not exactly this weekend, premiere dates can sometimes be announced months and months ahead of time. Fans of Stranger Things got the announcement of a Halloween premiere for Season 2 way back on Super Bowl Sunday in February, although the date was later changed to four days earlier. Longmire fans have only a little over a month to have to wait until the new episodes are available.

The footage of the trailer indicates that the final season will be as intense as ever. Walt is evidently considering leaving his job as sheriff of Absaroka County, although Cady doesn't want him to give up his badge on any terms other than his own. At the very least, it looks like Walt won't be going anywhere until he finds and saves Henry, who was in a very bad place as of the end of Season 5. Walt and Co. will have to hurry to get to him if they want to actually save him. If he's gone and out in the elements for too long, there might not be much of him left, physically or mentally.

Vic has some difficulty in her life as well, as she apparently is continuing to conceal her pregnancy from Walt, claiming that it's "none of his business." The trailer proves that she's not taking it easy in Season 6, which could mean her pregnancy will have complications. She's clearly not going to abandon Walt; the question is how he will react when he inevitably learns that she has a bun in the oven. We'll have to wait and see.

The sixth and finale season of Longmire will debut on Netflix on Friday, November 17 at 12:01 a.m. PT for all subscribers. Be sure to check it out to find out how the stories of Walt, Vic, Henry, and all the others come to an end, as we can be sure that there's no last-minute save for the series this time around. For the other important Netflix dates that lie ahead, take a look at our 2017 Netflix premiere guide. If you're still trying to decide what to watch on network, cable, and premium TV nowadays, our fall TV schedule can help you out. Be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in movie and TV news.

If you've been keeping tabs on Netflix's rise in the original programming game, you may have noticed that Netflix features a wide variety of types of programming, and we're not just talking scripted vs. unscripted or comedy vs. drama. Within Netflix's originals there's also a wide variety in terms of what Netflix is trying to do and what sort of audience it is trying to hit. Some shows, like Narcos, do well internationally. Some, like The Crown, do well critically. And some, like Fuller House or Gilmore Girls feed on nostalgia and reportedly do well domestically. If you've wondered why different shows go for totally different vibes and audiences, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos has an answer for you.

Precisely because Netflix is producing such a high volume of original programs in a variety of formats and genres, the company is able to really go for a ton of different audiences. The Netflix users who are super in to Narcos may not be the same users that love to binge-watch Fuller House. Those who love Fuller House may not dig the comedy in F is for Family. Those who like Daredevil may not dig the type of crime solving in Longmire or the diverse comedy Master of None. And that seems to be totally Okay with Netflix, a company that this week also announced a slew of upcoming dates, renewals, new programs and footage for original shows.

In the aforementioned announcement, Netflix also refers to itself as a service that knows "no time slot, no genre and no geographic bounds," so it is clear that Sarandos' comments are a message the subscription streaming service is really trying to hammer home. We've known for a while that Netflix would be signing on for even more originals in 2017. We've also known that Netflix has plans to really expand in the unscripted arena this year, and we've even seen trailers for the first shows Netflix is attempting in that area. The streaming service clearly wants to fill a lot of niches, which is very much different than the goals of the major networks. Netflix is also able to fill more niches than cable or subscription streaming services.

In some ways, this means that users never know what to expect when signing on for a Netflix original. In other ways, it means that Netflix can sign on for projects that other channels and services might have to pass on, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt being a prime example of that. We'll have to wait and see what other programs Netflix will pull out of its hat, but for now you can see what TV has coming with our premiere schedule.

It's becoming more and more common for networks to cancel shows but to do it in a way that is less shocking than in previous years on TV. The best way to accomplish this is to cancel a series and then give it one more season to finish out the story. This has several positives. It means that the creative team gets the chance to finish out a series in the way they wanted and it means that fans are not blindsided when their favorite show gets cancelled. Still, it can be hard to keep track of what is ending and what is not. To help you out, we've compiled a handy list of the shows that we know--so far--are ending in 2017. Take a look. And do expect more cancellations to come down the pipeline as the TV season wears on.

Grimm, NBC

Grimm had a nice run on NBC on Friday nights. The series has really been the show that has ushered in an era of supernatural content on network TV at the end of the week, as Friday nights are now home to The Vampire Diaries and Sleepy Hollow. However, its ratings have dwindled over the years and last season NBC renewed the series for the 2016-2017 season, cancelling the drama at the same time. Give the show a watch while you still can, as its looking more and more likely NBC is going to have to blow up its Friday night lineup next year.

Bones, Fox

Unlike a lot of the shows on this list, Fox's Bones has been on the air for years and years. In fact, many fans have been on the page that the show hit its peak years ago, but Fox has still been rolling out new episodes, even after the ratings started going down. Last TV season, the show was moved to Fridays in what we thought was the final death knell. However, Fox surprised us with a renewal--albeit for a shortened season--and the last set of episodes is airing this winter. Catch the final episodes on Tuesday nights.

Bloodline, Netflix

Up until recently, Netflix was not really known for cancelling shows. Sure, Lilyhammer was axed at one point, but really most Netflix shows have been going strong and continually getting renewed, some of them for many seasons. Then Bloodline, a critically acclaimed but seemingly under-watched program, got cancelled. The good news? The series was also given one final season to wrap up its story. Expect new episodes later in 2017.

Black Sails, Starz

Another show that airs in the winter, Black Sails was the first in a string of more prominent originals to hit the schedule on Starz. While Black Sails had a big splash at Comic-Con and was noted for its larger budget, it hasn't been the ratings bringer like Power and Outlander have. Season 3 of the drama began the long journey of wrapping up the Treasure Island prequel, and it wasn't a huge shock when Starz stated the show would be ending after Season 4. Catch the final set of episodes starting in January.

Turn: Washington's Spies, AMC

AMC has a lot of well-received shows that haven't really earned high ratings. The period drama Turn is one of them. Despite sporting Jamie Bell and Angus MacFadyen and having a really cool premise about a Revolutionary War spy ring, the show has never been a big winner in total viewers. Turn is getting 10 more episodes to tell its story in 2017, but that will be the end for the series. We'll let you know as soon as the network gets the final series on the calendar.

Girls, HBO

HBO's Girls is one of the comedies that has put the network on the map in terms of original comedies, along with Veep and Silicon Valley. While new seasons of Veep and Silicon Valley are on the way, Girls will be wrapping up with a final season that is starting this weekend. The show will make us laugh and make us cringe for a few more times before it finally says sayonara on the cable network. Not too shabby for the show that figured out the line in terms of sex scenes that HBO will accept.

Pretty Little Liars

Pretty Little Liars has been a bit of a phenomenon during its run on ABC Family and the brand new Freeform. The show has an extremely avid fanbase and that has propelled it into a long run. However, Freeform has been reworking its lineup since the network changed names, and Pretty Little Liars will be ending in 2017. Catch the delicious drama while you still can.

Longmire, Netflix

Longmire possibly has my favorite trajectory of any series on this list. Originally, the show aired on A&E, where it was pretty popular. So popular, in fact, that we were all really surprised when the network opted to cancel the show. However, fans loved the show enough to petition to keep it, and Longmire is one of the rare times that has worked out. While the show is ending this season, on Netflix it was able to be a little more experimental and darker in tone with its content and the pick-up has been really great. We hope to see the show end on a high note.

Bates Motel, A&E

Bates Motel is one of A&E's first scripted originals, and it certainly survived for longer than Longmire managed to on the network. The show will be ending after Season 5 and production recently wrapped on the drama. However, Bates Motel will most definitely be going out with a bag, ending with Marian Crane and a lot of memorable moments from the original Psycho film. Tune in when the show returns on February 20.

Halt and Catch Fire, AMC

Another under-watched AMC drama, Halt and Catch Fire has followed a ragtag group of rebels as they've tried to navigate the world of business and technology in the early age of computers and the World Wide Web. AMC has a knack for deep writing and great performances and it all can be found in Halt and Catch Fire, which will sadly be ending after its fourth season. Expect new episodes to land in the schedule sometime later in 2017.

Workaholics, Comedy Central

Workaholics has always had a small niche fanbase, and the show managed to earn an impressive seven seasons with that small audience. Unfortunately, when Season 7 was announced, so was the show's cancellation. You can catch _Workaholic_s' swan song on Comedy Central right now, as the final set of episodes is airing on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.

Orphan Black, BBC America

Tatiana Maslany has played multiple characters on BBC America's Orphan Black for four seasons, and a fifth is on its way. It's got to be exhausting to play multiple clones, and now that the girl has some awards nominations under her belt, she's really done all she can do to put the sci fi series onto the map. While not a huge ratings bringer, the show has developed an avid following over time and will really be missed. There's even a sweepstakes to appear in the final season, should that interest you.

Episodes, Showtime

Episodes is just the show that keeps on giving. I've thought the Matt LeBlanc starrer had ended a couple of times, especially as it has been off of the air since 2015. However, it has been renewed for a fifth season and we will be getting one final set of episodes sometime in 2017. (There's probably an Episodes episodes joke in there somewhere but I just can't quite reach those comedy heights, or maybe lows.) We'll let you know as soon as the show is back.

The Vampire Diaries, The CW

The CW has a track record of airing some shows well beyond their peak. In fact, if they do well at the network, they tend to keep airing for a long, long time. The Vampire Diaries has chugged along ever since Nina Dobrev left the series in 2015. At the end of the network TV season, however, TVD will be wrapping up. There is some light at the end of the tunnel. Elena will be making her comeback before then.

Switched At Birth, Freeform

Switched At Birth's trajectory has been a little confusing. By all rights, this show should have ended already, but then the cabler kept it off the schedule for some time; in fact, the last set of episodes aired in 2015. The show finally hit the schedule in January and will be wrapping up its storyline soon. It's cancellation is part of an overall push by Freeform to take its programming in a new directions. That's why ABC Family became Freeform in the first place.

The Strain, FX

There was a time when supernatural dramas were all the rage on TV and at the movies. While vampires are less of the rage these days, there are a few shows on the air that are still distinctly supernatural dramas, including FX's The Strain. The show has introduced us to the Strigoi and a rich world with lots of political nuance. The show has had plans from the start regarding where it wanted to end; however, ratings have only give The Strain one more season to catch up. Stayed tuned for reactions from CinemaBlend!

The Leftovers, HBO

Lost's Damon Lindelof gave us an HBO series that is deep and dark and emotional with The Leftovers, but that is still filled with the twists and confusion we've come to expect from a Lindelof production. For many reasons, this one didn't take off as a ratings winner, but it's a drama that's totally worth catching up on, even though you might be an emotional mess afterwards. Catch the final season this April.

Longmire has been a series that has far exceeded most people's expectations, kicking off on A&E to strong viewership before getting unexpectedly cancelled and then resurrected. No one saw Netflix picking up the series, which skews to slightly older viewership, but pick the show up the series did. The show has had a decent run on the subscription streaming service, but today Netflix revealed the drama is cancelled. The good news? The network has only cancelled the show following Season 6.

Since Season 5 was just released a little over a month ago, it will be some time before the final set of episodes are released. Netflix says 10 episodes will be produced for Season 6, and those episodes will hit the schedule "sometime" during 2017, presumably next fall.

It was just a couple of days ago when the Longmire cast and crew said they were waiting on Netflix to let them know whether or not the show would be renewed. Longmire first hit Netflix for its fourth season and the streaming service promptly renewed the drama for a fifth season, as well. That last set of episodes just hit the schedule in September, but as Netflix is often prompt to renew dramas, it's easy to see why fans might have been worried about the status of the drama.

The answer is that there is good news and bad news. While it's good that we will be getting one more set of episodes of the drama, it still stinks that Netflix has decided to discontinue Longmire. The subscription streaming service is still in its infancy in terms of creating original programs and rarely gets around to cancelling them, although it does happen. We'll have to wait and see if Longmire is the start of a larger trend.

It should be noted that Longmire is a lot different than a lot of the other originals Netflix has produced. The drama is not younger-skewing like a lot of Netflix's originals. It's also not a show that translates super well to a lot of different cultures, as it's a sort-of cowboy procedural with an overarching plot thread. It follows a Wyoming Sheriff named Walt Longmire who is dealing with the death of his wife all while trying to keep the peace in his area. Because it is a bit more niche than the average original, episodes will be available in the Canada, Australia, the US and New Zealand.

If you do enjoy the show, the nice thing about Netflix is that episodes pretty much live on the streaming service in perpetuity. So, if you ever want to watch a favorite episode or even binge the whole series again, it should be right at your fingertips whenever you want it. For now, you can find out what Netflix has announced so far for 2017 with our Netflix premiere schedule.

It's unfortunate that Longmire was cancelled. However, if you are looking to add the series to your dvd or blu-ray collection, you can check that out here.

Netflix has rapidly been increasing its original programming over the last couple of years. At no point has that original programming growth slowed, and it looks as if the rapid creation of new TV shows will not be slowing down anytime soon. This morning, reports indicate that the subscription streaming service has borrowed an additional $800M in order to create new shows. That's in addition to the billion+ we already know the company borrowed for similar purposes.

In an announcement on Monday, Netflix stated the company would be borrowing an additional $800,000,000 for a slew of purposes, including general stuff like investments, working capital and even acquisitions. Regardless, Variety notes that a large portion of Netflix's spending is related to original dramas, comedies, comedy specials, movies and more. Eventually, the service even wants 50% of its content to be original stuff.

While it's common for growing companies to borrow money in order to grow, Netflix has borrowed quite a lot. Reports indicate that Netflix had already borrowed $2.37 billion. With the additional $800M, the company has a debt load of over more than $3 billion. Still, the news comes on the heels of Netflix's latest quarter earnings report, which indicated that the subscription streaming service made a boatload of money recently. The earnings report stated that Netflix made $2.15 billion in a three-month period. So presumably, the debt is good debt for the company. Still, $800M is quite a bit to borrow for originals.

In some ways, this increase in original content has been a boon to Netflix users worldwide. It has given us shows as varied as Luke Cage and The Ranch, and it has provided a platform to bring back originals like Arrested Development and Longmire. In other ways, however, it has contributed to a decline in popular content on the streaming service. In November, Netflix is losing Chuck and a slew of other popular TV programs and movies. At the same time, fewer big TV shows and films have been added to the streaming service.

Some big programs that have left Netflix have found homes elsewhere. Doctor Who hopped from Netflix to Amazon Prime last spring, so it wasn't a huge disaster when that series left Netflix. Still, for users who prefer Netflix to catch up on shows that originally aired elsewhere, the downward trend in non-original content has not been a boon for the service.

The good news is that if you do like a lot of Netflix's originals, the company does not look to be slowing down anytime soon. There are a slew of new programs headed to Netflix in the coming months, and the streaming service has even announced some 2017 programs already. You can take a look at those here.

Longmire fans are a vocal bunch. When the show was unexpectedly cancelled by A&E last year, they began to rise up and call bullshit on the poor decision. With campaigns from fans and actors from the show, and the hard work of production company Warner Horizon, Longmire managed to live on at Netflix, which recently aired the fourth season. Now, it seems there’s more good news for the show, as it's been renewed for Season 5.

While it’s hard to tell exactly what the ratings were like for the series' second chance at life on Netflix, the numbers must have been good enough for Netflix to keep Longmire going for another season. Take a look at the very apropos tweet from the streaming service.

The tweeters at Netflix are right; Walt Longmire has never been one to back down from trouble of any kind. From bringing his wife’s killer to justice and reining in all manner of dirty dealings and downright illegal shenanigans from local ruffians, big corporations and political schemers, this Wyoming county sheriff knows how to handle his business. The crime drama, based on a series on novels by Craig Johnson, has put Longmire, his deputies, friends and family through a fittingly intense ringer during the past four seasons.

Dedicated Longmire fans can rejoice a little bit longer knowing that their favorite old-time Western-tinged mysteries set against the backdrop of big sky country will go on to live another year. Starting a serious “Bring back our show!” crusade takes a lot of time and can be heartbreaking when it doesn’t pan out. I bet they’re all glad not to have to go through that again. At least, not yet.

Netflix, for its part, has done a bang up job recently of taking shows fans thought were dead and raising them from the grave like grateful, non flesh-eating zombies. They’ve especially excelled in continuing shows that no one could have predicted would ever get another shot. Shows like Arrested Development got the treatment in 2013 after seven years off the air, and The Killing was renewed for a final season soon after it was cancelled (for the second time) by AMC. The streaming network has also gotten continuation fever lately, with a new season of Gilmore Girls (off the air for eight years) in the works, and a Full House (off the air for a whopping 20 years) show called Fuller House currently being produced.

There’s no telling how far this Netflix trend will go on or how many fans they’ll please with their capacity to bring shows like Longmire back. All I can pray for now is that my beloved Manimal might soon make a return to TV.

Longmire is gearing up for a pretty emotional fourth season that should also feature plenty of twists and turns. We’ve seen some pretty flashy footage from the Netflix drama so far, but today the subscription streaming service released the full trailer for Season 4. It’s pretty intense. Give it a watch, below.

The drama is apparent from the very beginning of the trailer. Walt’s been in kind of a rough position ever since the investigation surrounding his wife’s murder was reopened thanks to a series of events. This has apparently had a trickle-down effect on the rest of his staff, as Vic Moretti is now saying she is ready and willing to lie for Walt, provided he lets her in on all of the stuff he’s been keeping from her. Vic’s super loyal, but it’s clear that this show is going to move even further away from the case-of-the-week format than it already has when it returns to the schedule in favor of character drama, which is not a bad thing.

Vic’s not the only person who is super loyal to Walt. Henry also says he “has never been one to back down from a fight,” alluding to an ultimate standoff in Season 4. And, with the way things left off with Branch and his dad following a scuffle and a gunshot, there are a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up within this new season. Branch does pop up in the trailer, so I’m guessing the scuffle turned out in his favor, if it went down violently, at all.

Luckily, the latter half of the trailer seems focused on redemption and a comeback, so it looks as if Walt might get the chance to come out on top, which is the Walt Longmire way.

Honestly, fans have been champing at the bit over this show for a while. Usually Longmire gets a summer premiere, but since the show has moved over to Netflix, we’re getting the episodes a bit later in the year. It’s a little annoying that Longmire wasn’t a summer show this season, but since the show was actually cancelled by A&E and went through an intense comeback campaign before ultimately getting picked up by the streaming service, I guess I should just be happy that we are getting new episodes of Longmire, at all.

Longmire is returning to the schedule in just a few short days, hitting Netflix on September 10. Ten episodes are being produced for Season 4, and if the show sticks with the same schedule as other originals, we should be getting new episodes starting at 12:01 a.m. PT. If you’d like to see what else is in store this fall, you can check out the fall TV premiere schedule, here.

Remember when Longmire was unexpected cancelled and its niche but passionate fans were convinced they’d never see any new episodes? Well, the show was miraculously picked up by Netflix, and thanks to the first official trailer teaser, it now finally feels real. You can check out the return of Walt and company below…

This trailer is awesome in a lot of ways, starting with the sleek black, white and red lighting. That’s the thing about Longmire. There’s something about the show that’s just really cool. With its open settings, striking landscapes and rugged, throwback characters, it’s complicated, yet effortlessly cool. This trailer is the same way. It has a lot of cut-to shots. The coloring is really funky, but yet, it never feels overwhelming. It trots along at its own pace, buoyed by a great musical choice and just the right amount of dialogue to remind everyone that Walt Longmire is arguably the most badass character on television.

At its core, Longmire follows Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire and his three deputies Vic, Ferg and Branch. Together, they solve mysteries and try to keep order among the locals who are very into having personal space and personal freedom. These issues are especially pressing and complicated when crimes are committed on the local Reservation, which brings in all sorts of problems related to racism, class, history, culture and competing ways of life. It’s a really careful show, and since Season 1, it has been stringing along an overarching plot about Walt’s murdered wife.

Much of Season 3 followed a detective who was investigating Walt and his BFF Henry Standing Bear. Key characters were arrested, Branch and his father basically went to war and someone got shot in the season’s closing moments. Naturally, all of this really, really needs a resolution, and from the looks of this trailer, Season 4 is going to give fans exactly what they want. Hopefully, with some damn cool visuals thrown in as a bonus.

Longmire premieres on Netflix on September 10th. The first three seasons are currently streaming, and I cannot recommend any more forcefully that you spend some time getting into the show. It’s a completely original gem, and in a television landscape cluttered by a lot of parody, that’s worth celebrating. Plus, who doesn’t love a good mystery landscaped by wonderful visuals? No one, that’s who. Well, except maybe A&E. For shame.

An overwhelming majority of the shows canceled every season aren’t big surprises. They’re either obvious chopping block victims or at least solidly on the bubble enough that there’s more disappointment than shock. There are always one or two every year, however, that just come out of nowhere and piss fans off something fierce. Earlier this year, A&E’s questionable leadership put Longmire out to pasture, but miraculously, it now seems the show isn’t dead yet.

After flirtations with several other networks, Netflix entered the picture, and now, it seems a deal has been struck. The streaming service officially ordered a 4th Season today. It will consistent of 10 episodes, and if all goes according to plan, an overabundance of awesomeness.

Here’s a portion of the official quote…

At its most basic, Longmire follows a sheriff’s office in Big Sky country, as they deal with a wide range of problems involving Native Americans, rural townsfolk and big business. More recently, however, the show has shifted its efforts to focus on the murder of Walt Longmire’s wife and the attempted murder of Branch Connally. During the epic Season 3 finale, those plot points came together and a shocking gunshot went off. Exactly who is alive and who is dead is unclear, but thankfully, we’ll now get the answers to those questions.

Right now, it’s unclear how long of a shelf life Longmire might have. These 10 episodes could represent the last the show ever produces, or it could be the beginning of a long partnership with Netflix. We’ll see. The answer will likely depend on how many people stream the new episodes and if Katee Sackhoff’s career blows up, as many suspect it will. Technically, the show could continue without her, but many fans consider her presence every bit as important as lead actor Robert Taylor.

There’s no official date for when the 10 episodes will begin streaming on Netflix, but we do know they will go live sometime in 2015. Get excited.

It has been two months since A&E announced the surprise cancellation of its hit summer series Longmire. Since then, fans have advocated for the series to be picked up elsewhere, and the show even put together a pitch to try to find a new home. Now, it seems like all of the Longmire-related efforts might be paying off. This week, Longmire actor Lou Diamond Phillips hinted that we might have good news on the horizon.

On Sunday, Philips took to Twitter to share that good news could be on the way for Longmire fans.

This isn’t the first time Lou Diamond Phillips has gotten vocal about Longmire. He’s been busy working with the Long Live Longmire feed to “stampede” for the series and make as much noise as possible to prove the show deserves a brand new home. While his most recent tweet doesn’t explicitly state that Longmire will return, it does hint that good news is just around the corner.

When Longmire was originally canceled by A&E, the show had just wrapped up its third season, and while the ratings were down a bit from Season 2, they weren’t exactly a disaster. Word on the street is that A&E cancelled the show as a shift in strategy for the cable network. Instead of airing shows produced by other companies, like Warner Horizon's Longmire, the network reportedly wants to focus on more projects it can produce on its own.

Whether the move was right or wrong, it happened, and now Longmire is busy searching for a new home. Networks like TNT and subscription services like Netflix and Amazon were initially looked at, although more recent reports have mentioned a cable network might be out. Honestly, the fact that people are still excited and talking about Longmire seems to be the most important thing, here. If Lou Diamond Phillips is still talking about the series, it means the project isn’t dead in the water yet. And since the cast is contracted to the series until early next year, the show still has a couple of months to find a new home for its cast and crew. We’ll keep you posted.

All hope is not lost for Longmire fans. It’s been nearly two weeks since A&E canceled its star performer. In the time since, there has been a clamor for Warner Bros. Television to find a home for its hit series. Luckily, the company seems to be taking the pleas of fans seriously, and is prepping to pitch the drama to both digital and cable outlets over the next few days.

Deadline first caught wind of the news, noting that the creative team has put together a pitch regarding where the series would head during Season 4. According to the outlet, subscription based networks like Netflix and Amazon are both going to take the pitch, while some of the more traditional cable networks, Warner-owned TNT included, are passing. That’s kind of a shame. Longmire skews heavily to older demographics, which is why many of the cable networks may be passing on the popular series. However, I’m not sure how technologically savvy and into streaming most Longmire fans are.

Longmire originally premiered on A&E back in the summer of 2011. The show followed Sheriff Walt Longmire and his barebones police force righting wrongs in the wilds of Wyoming. Additionally, there were tensions in the area due to a separate police force working on the nearby Cheyenne reservation. The show was a solid performer for A&E, averaging 4.6 million total viewers an episode during its third season on the network. Although that’s down slightly from Longmire’s Season 2 average, the numbers still made the drama A&E highest rated scripted series.

Word on the street is that the network dumped Longmire in favor of signing on new programs that weren’t bought from other companies like Warner Bros. Television. A&E hasn’t made any announcements regarding new scripted programming, but the network also canceled other decent performer The Glades a little over a year ago. I would guess the network is looking for shows with a younger-skewing audience, but I’m not sure A&E has the right vibe or budget to make that happen.

Fans of Longmire have been avid about finding the show a second home. Twitter feed Long Live Longmire hosted a “stampede” to get fans invested in the return of the series. Hopefully, Longmire will get that second life. However, if it doesn’t, I think fans will miss it the most next summer, when the dearth of television available will allow us to remember the series ended on a cliffhanger without answering the questions to some of its most integral mysteries. Let’s just hope Netflix or Amazon picks the show up, first.

Boasting almost five million viewers an episode and a pretty rabid fanbase, it was widely assumed Longmire would be auto-stamped for approval by A&E to film another season, but shockingly, the network decided to go in a different direction. Last night, the adaptation of Craig Johnson’s mystery novels was up and cancelled with little more than a short, overly professional statement. It deserved so much better.

According to Deadline, Warner Horizons, the studio that funds and produces Longmire is planning to try and sell the show to another network as soon as possible. Given the show’s excellent ratings (4.6 million per episode average), it’s likely someone else will take a bit if the price is right. It’s one thing to cancel a popular show with slumping ratings after it’s already been on the air for seven or eight years and has ballooned in cost. It’s another thing to cut a show down in its prime just because it’s off its Season 2 average (6.1 million).

There’s some speculation that the move is the result of a shift in behind the scenes strategies at A&E. Executives are allegedly pushing for more control over their programs and perhaps more importantly, a larger profit margin. As such, they supposedly want to focus on putting together projects they own, as well as air. That’s obviously the ideal in theory, but it’s hard to see why they couldn’t just phase in the plan as they start generating new content, as opposed to blowing it up and starting immediately, especially when it means bailing on hits.

Here’s the transcript of the official statement released by A&E…

For those of you who don’t watch Longmire, I will be as vague as possible when talking about the character arc of the show. That being said, if you’re overly cautious, you may want to bail now.

Season 3 of Longmire ended with one of the lead characters possibly being straight up murdered. We don’t know for sure, but something really shady went down. Sometimes shows deliberately end on cliffhangers in order to nudge the network toward another season, but it’s hard to imagine that was actually the case here. As the highest rated scripted show (see: not Duck Dynasty) on A&E, the producers likely thought they would skate forward for a number of years without even worrying about their fates. In fact, it’s likely the biggest worry on their minds was the possibility of Katee Sackhoff getting too popular to carry forward with the show.

We’ll keep you updated on the fate of Longmire once it becomes clear whether or not another network is planning to bite. Until then, go to church and light a candle in Walt Longmire’s honor. He needs it right now.

The Summer TV season is upon us. With new shows like Extant, Rush, Outlander and Tyrant -- among others -- joining the lineup, and returning series like True Blood, Doctor Who, Under the Dome, Defiance and Graceland coming back, TV has plenty to offer us this summer. And to help you keep it all straight, we have the schedule of premiere dates for all of the new and returning primetime TV shows lined up this summer. It all starts this week with talent competitions So You Think You Can Dance and America's Got Talent among the returning series lined up to close out May...

Monday, May 26

8:00 p.m. American Ninja Warrior - NBC

9:00 p.m. Petals on the Wind - Lifetime

9:00 p.m. The World Wars - History

Tuesday, May 27

8:00 p.m. America's Got Talent - NBC

8:00 p.m. Extreme Weight Loss - ABC

10:00 p.m. The Night Shift - NBC

10:00 p.m. The Wil Wheaton Project - Syfy

Wednesday, May 28

8:00 p.m. So You Think You Can Dance - Fox

Thursday, May 29

9:00 p.m. Undateable - NBC

Friday, May 30

Derek - Netflix

10:00 p.m. Crossbones - NBC

Saturday, May 31

8:00 p.m. Bet on your Baby - ABC

9:00 p.m. Sing Your Face Off - ABC

Sunday, June 1

10:00 p.m. Halt and Catch Fire - AMC

Monday, June 2

10:00 p.m. Longmire - A&E

10:00 p.m. Mistresses - ABC

Wednesday, June 4

10:30 p.m. Jennifer Falls - TV Land

Friday, June 6

Orange is the New Black - Netflix

Saturday, June 7

9:00 p.m. Power - Starz

Tuesday, June 10

8:00 p.m. Pretty Little Liars - ABC Family

9:00 p.m. Chasing Life - ABC Family

9:00 p.m. Royal Pains - USA

Wednesday, June 11

9:00 p.m. Suits - USA

10:00 p.m. Graceland - USA

Monday, June 16

8:00 p.m. Switched at Birth - ABC Family

9:00 p.m. The Fosters - ABC Family

Thursday, June 19

8:00 p.m. Defiance - Syfy

9:00 p.m. Rectify - Sundance

9:00 p.m. Dominion - Syfy

9:00 p.m. Rookie Blue - ABC

Sunday, June 22

7:00 p.m. Wipeout - ABC

9:00 p.m. The Last Ship - TNT

9:00 p.m. Rising Star - ABC

9:00 p.m. True Blood - HBO

10:00 p.m. Falling Skies - TNT

Monday, June 23

10:00 p.m. Teen Wolf - MTV

Tuesday, June 24

10:00 p.m. Covert Affairs - USA

10:00 p.m. Tyrant - FX

Wednesday, June 25

8:00 p.m. Young and Hungry - ABC Family

8:00 p.m. Big Brother 16 - CBS

8:30 p.m. Mystery Girls - ABC Family

10:00 p.m. Taxi Brooklyn - NBC

10:00 p.m. Wilfred - FXX

Friday, June 27

9:45 p.m. Girl Meets World - Disney Channel

Sunday, June 29

9:00 p.m. Reckless - CBS

10:00 p.m. Unforgettable - CBS

10:00 p.m. The Leftovers - HBO

Monday, June 30

10:00 p.m. Under the Dome - CBS

Sunday, July 6

9:00 p.m. Witches of East End - Lifetime

Wednesday, July 9

9:00 p.m. Extant - CBS

10:00 p.m. The Bridge - FX

Thursday, July 10

9:00 p.m. Welcome to Sweden - NBC

Friday, July 11

Hemlock Grove - Netflix

Sunday, July 13

9:00 p.m. Ray Donovan - Showtime

10:00 p.m. Masters of Sex - Showtime

10:00 p.m. The Strain - FX

Thursday, July 17

9:00 p.m. Rush - USA

10:00 p.m. Satisfaction - USA

10:00 p.m. Married - FX

10:30 p.m. You're the Worst - FX

Sunday, July 20

10:00 p.m. The Lottery - Lifetime

Monday, July 21

9:00 p.m. Hotel Hell - Fox

Tuesday, July 22

8:00 p.m. Food Fighters - NBC

Sunday, July 27

10:00 p.m. Manhattan - WGN America

Thursday, July 31

8:00 p.m. The Quest - ABC

Monday, August 4

8:00 p.m. Bachelor in Paradise - ABC

Saturday, August 9

9:00 p.m. Outlander - Starz

Wednesday, August 13

9:00 p.m. Legends - TNT

Saturday, August 23

8:00 p.m. Doctor Who - BBC America

Summer TBD

Hell on Wheels - AMC

It's at this point in the summer that you're either too busy with summer fun to have time for television, or you're sunburnt and sick of barbecue and looking for some alone time, just you and your Netflix. The thing is, Netflix is like a virtual buffet. The thought of feasting on all of the goodies is exciting, but a little bit overwhelming. So we're making it a little bit easier for you in suggesting some great series that are currently available on Netflix. What's more, they've only aired three seasons or less, which means if you budget your time right, you could be able to get caught up on the show before the fall.

From animated comedies to apocalyptic mayhem, Netflix really does have a little something for everyone! Here's a dozen great shows to consider, in no particular order.

Orange is the New Black

In case you haven't heard, Netflix is offering up its own original content, and this non-network came to play. From Weeds creator Orange is the New Black and loosely based on Piper Kerman's memoir, the dramedy series' first season introduces us to Taylor Schilling's Piper Chapman, a woman living a comfortable life in Brooklyn when her past comes back to haunt her, as she's convicted of a crime she committed a decade ago when she was in a relationship with Alex (Laura Prepon), a drug-trafficker who's doing time of her own. The series follows Piper as she acclimates herself to prison life and attempts to come to grips with her situation. It's just one year, right? How rough could it be? As the first season demonstrates, pretty rough, but what works so well about Orange is the New Black is the combination of humor and some great emotional moments. Orange lingers in dark humor, teetering toward grittiness without actually crossing that line, which allows the tone to stay relatively light, at least by comparison to other prison-set series. And did we mention the cast is great? In addition to Schilling and Prepon, the series also stars Kate Mulgrew, Jason Biggs, Taryn Manning, Natasha Lyonne and Michelle Hurst. Watch the first few episodes to get a taste of the humor and drama.

The first season hits a bit of a lull toward the middle, but things pick up as Season 1 draws to a close, with a finale that will leave you wanting more. And good news, Season 2 is already a go!

The Fall

There seems to be an epidemic of serial killer dramas on the small screen but The Fall is one you definitely don't want to miss. And besides, when hasn't there been too many cop centric shows on TV? The BBC (Two) series, just finishing its run on BBC America, follows Gillian Anderson's Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson who is brought to Belfast to help crack a particularly difficult murder investigation. Her character is wonderful to watch - smart, sexy and (coldly) calculating - but what makes The Fall extra fascinating is that the drama spends an equal amount of time with its incredibly complex serial killer played by Jamie Dornan.

We've all seen a police hunt before but watching him select and stalk his prey while balancing a home life that consists of a wife and two kids (look out for that daughter) is incredibly compelling. In a way, the leads are two sides of the same coin with Anderson and Dornan delivering mesmerizing performances while they play the not so typical cat and mouse game. There's also a subplot involving police corruption (and a few familiar faces from Game of Thrones) but the leading duo are definitely the reason to begin streaming. And at only five episodes, it's not just a riveting take on a tired genre, it's also a very quick catch-up before the second season.

Top of the Lake

With all the accolades it's been receiving recently, you've probably at least heard of the New Zealand-set, missing-child miniseries Top of the Lake. The BBC (Two), UKTV and Sundance Channel international co-production was nominated for four Emmys (Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries or Movie and Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries or Movie), however, award nods aren't always reason enough to watch something. Looking at you, Homeland Season 2. Top of the Lake isn't only deserving of the recognition but also worth your time, especially since the entire run is over in just seven parts.

Co-created by Gerard Lee and Academy Award winner Jane Campion (the latter also directing a few episodes along with Garth Davis), Top of the Lake stars Elizabeth Moss (who should win all the awards) as Detective Robin Griffin who returns to her small home town to investigate the pregnancy and then disappearance of a 12-year-old girl. The visually stunning miniseries (with one of the all-time great title sequences) features an intricate and engaging narrative as well as taking the time to study its fascinating characters played by Moss, Peter Mullan (who's wonderful as always), Holly Hunter, David Wenham, Thomas M. Wright and Jacqueline Joe as the (sometimes) missing child. Top of the Lake offers a refreshingly unique point of view that's unlike any other police series on TV. Make the trip.

Scandal

It's one of the shows people can't stop talking about and for good reason. In Shonda Rhimes' Scandal, Kerry Washington shines as the beautiful and confident Olivia Pope, a fixer-for-hire in Washington DC. The series blends some procedural elements with more serialized drama as Olivia and her team of "gladiators" tackle scandals from their high-profile clientele, while dealing with their own personal issues. In most cases, the scandals they're trying to manage pale by comparison to the ones they're dealing with in their own personal lives. For Olivia, that includes a steamy, secret relationship with the President of the United States, played by Tony Goldwyn. Will they? Won't they? Yes and yes! Scandal is an indulgence for sure, but it's a good one, and it lives up to the hype. The first season of Scandal is only seven episodes, which makes it a perfect choice if you're looking to sample a great series without a huge time commitment.

Of course, if you love Season 1, you'll want to watch Season 2 and that one's not on Netflix yet, but it is available on Hulu Plus, and well worth watching if you got hooked by the first season. Season 3 is set to premiere on ABC this fall. UPDATE: Season 2 has now been added to Netflix!

Revolution

Is Revolution more awesome or frustrating? We can’t decide. The one thing it is, without question, is incredibly addictive. Its twenty episode first season offered fans a torrent of crazy storylines, gun fights, evil plots and surprise deaths. The basic premise follows a team of patriots (Billy Burke, Zak Orth, Tracy Spiridakos, Elizabeth Mitchell) who struggle to find happiness, safety and answers in a world where the electricity has gone out. With the government overthrown and loosely organized militias running the United States, it’s only vaguely similar to the world we’re used to, but the emotions behind the fight to get it all back will surely ring familiar.

Shows like Revolution can’t accurately be judged until fans know exactly where they’re going, until fans start learning a healthy percentage of all those secrets the show has been teasing. At this point, it’s still unclear where everyone involved would like to take fans, but with good acting, interesting storylines and the occasional laugh, the show has a nice little chaotic energy to it. So, pop in the first episode and see whether you get reeled in. With only twenty episodes, you can easily be caught up by the time Season 2 starts unloading more awesome/ frustrating riddles.

House of Cards

House Of Cards is a lot like Spartacus in that it takes at least a few episodes to understand and appreciate the show’s pacing, tone and propensity to break the fourth wall. It really makes a viewer wonder whether continuing is worthwhile. It is. The Netflix original’s first season is among the best we’ve gotten in years, and apparently, the fine people who vote for Emmy nominations agree.

At its core, the show follows a US Representative named Francis J. Underwood who is willing to play every possible angle for personal gain (Kevin Spacey), his equally cold wife who runs a non-profit (Robin Wright) and a reporter who desperately wants to break stories and gain recognition (Kate Mara). Together, alongside an extensive ring of supporting characters, they scheme, they fuck and they sit back and watch their carefully constructed dominos spiral down one at a time. Netflix has refused to comment on exactly how many people watched House of Cards initial block of thirteen episodes, but it was enough to make it the most streamed show in the service’s history and to warrant a second season, which is currently in production.

Revenge

When Revenge burst on to the scene, ABC’s drama offered complex female characters blurring the lines between high society cattiness and serious manipulation. Key to the plot in the series is Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), a young woman whose father was framed as a terrorist and later lost his life to a core group of upper class individuals willing to squash a man to maintain an empire. Emily has grown up angry and has trained to take down the people who have hurt her family the most. What she doesn’t calculate for is scheming socialite Victoria Grayson’s own game.

Stowe and VanCamp don’t always get a ton of screen time together, but each of their characters is cunning and selfish in her own way, leading Revenge to be one of the most soapy and delicious hours of television each week. Due to its 22 episode count each season, certain episodes can be more exciting than others, but overall, the cliffhanger aspect of the series is worth a Netflix perusal, provided you have the time and motive to power through new episodes before Revenge’s third season hits the schedule on September 29. Netflix only has the first season, but the second season is available on Hulu Plus.

Wilfred

On the lighter side of the streaming recommendations is Wilfred. Well, that might not be the best description for FX's comedy about a troubled young man named Ryan (played to perfection by Elijah Wood) who starts up a friendship with his neighbor's dog after a failed suicide attempt. The twist is that he doesn't see a normal pooch like everybody else, Ryan sees Wilfred as a man in a dog suit. And Jason Gann, co-creator of this and the Australian original, is a marvel in the role that requires him to play many different characters (depending on his human pal's needs) including, obviously, a canine with canine impulses.

The 'dogisms' are hilarious but the real reasons to watch the complex comedy are its exquisite cinematography and existential pondering. But perhaps the most important reason to catch up on Wilfred (as soon as you can) is to keep the bizarre, beautiful and funny series from getting put down in its prime. According to executive producer David Zuckerman, Wilfred is flirting with cancellation so be sure to stream the first two seasons, catch up on Season 3 OnDemand and then tune in for Episode 11, “Stagnation,” next Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on FX to help keep an original and inventive breed of comedy on the air. There are way too few.

Call the Midwife

After a successful run on BBC1, Call the Midwife nabbed a U.S. release in PBS’ schedule, and if you missed this British gem of an import, Netflix has it streaming right now. The show stars Jessica Raine in what is a smart, spunky series about midwifery in post-WWII London neighborhoods. Social issues and costumes from the fifties abound, but the most important moments of the series highlight strong bonds between young girls finding their footing in the world, new and soon-to-be mothers, and slew of older nuns filled with wisdom.

Helping women in the poorly financed Poplar District of East London is not an easy task. The characters in Call the Midwife who have taken on the task need perseverance and a sense of humor and it’s these two traits that make the series so dear to viewers. If you are a fan of dramas that show humanity at its best and at its worst, that offers complicated personalities and rich storylines, Call the Midwife is a great program to delve into. Plus, since the show is an import, there’s only fourteen episodes and a Christmas special to get through before it returns to the schedule for Season 3.

Bob's Burgers

For more than a decade, Fox has been trying to find three great comedies to run alongside The Simpsons. Between King Of The Hill, Family Guy and to a far lesser extent American Dad, they’ve had some success in that pursuit, but for the most part, fans have been treated to single seasons of a lot of forgettable programs like Sit Down, Shut Up and Allen Gregory. Prior to offbeat comedy Bob’s Burgers’ premiere back in 2010, it was generally assumed the program would find itself in the latter category, but much to everyone’s delight, it turns out it’s actually pretty damn funny.

Featuring voicework by H Jon Benjamin, Eugene Mirman and Kristen Schaal, Bob’s Burgers follows the wacky antics of the Belcher family. Dad owns a burger stand. Mom drinks and tries to solve everyone’s problems, and the couple’s three children scheme like they’re paid to, especially the youngest Louise who runs over the rest of her family members like a manipulative train. Thus far, Fox has given us three seasons, the first two of which are on Netflix. Considering they’re only a half hour, there is probably just enough time to plow your way through before Season 4 premieres.

Longmire

Longmire offers plenty of western motifs, not in the historical sense but shown through the pace of life and the lonesome work its law enforcement unit accomplishes over a vast space. Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) is undoubtedly a cowboy, sporting a ten-gallon hat and capable of lassoing victims when the occasion arises. He doesn’t carry a cell phone. He drives an old truck. He has the slow speech patterns of a careful thinker coupled with intimidating height. He’s fun to watch and his character, coupled with a setting and social issues that are not common to television, make A&E’s drama worth a perusal before fall TV premieres run rampant.

Longmire is currently gearing up for a Season 2 finale on the cable network in the States. A&E has yet to weigh in on a Season 3 renewal for the series, but the episodes the show has covered so far have include reservations politics, murder mysteries, stalkers, and enough rural crimes to intrigue those who like procedurals with a bit of a twist. Anyone who likes crime dramas and prefers those with a large pool of possible suspects will no doubt find Longmire among the best. Give an episode a shot and see if it doesn’t suck you in for a season or two

The Walking Dead

Given its huge ratings on AMC, it's safe to say The Walking Dead has already found plenty of viewers, between fans of Robert Kirkman's comic book series, and zombie enthusiasts who tuned in to see the dead rise and cause mayhem on humanity. Season 1 brings the group together, introducing us to Rick (Andrew Lincoln), a former sheriff's deputy who wakes up weeks after getting shot to find the world drastically changed. In his search for his wife and son, he eventually comes to meet other survivors trying to avoid the zombies that plague the world. Beneath the gore, however, The Walking Dead is - at its core - a series about survival. Beyond that, it regularly questions its characters' purposes in this post-zombie apocalyptic world, beyond merely trying to get through he day without being bitten. TWD is a great series to sample because the first season is only six episodes long. If you enjoy those six, move on to Season 2. But be warned, the second season isn't consistently good, but it does get better in its second half.

Netflix has the first two seasons, but if you want to watch Season 3 before the series returns this fall, you'll have to shell out for the season on Amazon, or else wait for Netflix to add it.

A&E’s hit show Duck Dynasty has finally earned a Season 4 premiere date. Fans have known the series would return to A&E’s lineup for a while, but some contract snafus prevented A&E from announcing an official return date for quite some time. Luckily, the turnaround from announcement to premiere won’t be too long. Season 4 of Duck Dynasty is already well into the throes of filming and will hit the schedule on August 14.

The Robinson clan was mostly known for creating a popular line of duck calls before Duck Dynasty became a reality series. Now, the family is also known for starring in the reality series, as well as for the beards the men in the clan sport. Each week, audiences are privy to a fairly mundane plot that is peppered with wild comments and personalities. Apparently, that’s enough to keep people coming back for more. A&E now claims the show is the #1 “non-fiction show” on cable, and the ratings for the show at least prove Duck Dynasty is doing very well.

The Season 3 finale actually pulled in 9.6 million total viewers, a number which also happens to be higher than any other A&E program the network has aired, ever. Let’s think about this for a minute. A&E’s scripted program, Longmire, did a little over 3.3 million total viewers last week while The Glades did a little over 2 million total viewers. Duck Dynasty’s numbers are nearly three times what Sheriff Longmire manages to rope in. In fact, Duck Dynasty’s numbers are better than what most programs on NBC bring in and are even competitive with CBS’ hit freshman drama Elementary in the latter half of the season last year. That show crushes.

Unfortunately, these high ratings led to a contract dispute, with Deadline reporting the clan asked for a salary jump to $200,000 per episode—which will likely help out the family members who don’t do as well in the duck call business.

Apparently, some agreement was eventually reached and now A&E is reporting the new season will kick off with a one-hour special episode on August 14 at 10 p.m. ET. The premiere episode should be a winner, at least if you are a fan of the clan and its antics. In the episode, it will by Kay and Phil’s 49th wedding anniversary. Uncle Si is enlisted to distract them, while the rest of the gang puts together a surprise vow renewal ceremony. Hijinks ensue.

If you’d like to catch up on the series, Duck Dynasty: Season 3 will also be available on DVD beginning on August 6.

After last week’s stacked field, this doesn’t seem to be a great week for new releases, although if you are a fan of a few cable programs, you should be able to get your hands on some decent stuff this week, including Season 2 of USA’s Suits and Season 1 of A&E’s drama, Longmire. Read on to learn about some of May 28th’s best releases, and maybe even a few that may have slipped under your radar.

Suits: Season 2 DVD

USA’s Suits is a snappy and modern lawyer drama about a New York firm named Pearson Hardman that only accepts first-year associates from Harvard. That prestigious little fact doesn’t stop Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a college dropout with an eidetic memory, from faking his way into a position at the firm. By the start of Season 2, certain high-end people at the firm are beginning to figure out Ross’ secret, but luckily for the brilliant young man, the firm has bigger fish to fry.

Season 2 follows the return of former firm head Daniel Hardman (David Costabile), a man best described as a snake in sheep’s clothing. Thus begins a season-long fight for control of the firm between Hardman and Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) that heats up the plot along with the regular cases Mike and his mentor, Harvey (Gabriel Macht), take on each week. The first half of Season 2 is tightly written and while the threads begin to fray later in the season, there are still plenty of reasons to watch, from the well-drawn characters to the fast-paced dialogue.

The biggest flaw with Suits (other than the fact the women always have on super revealing clothing) is that the firm is constantly giving its game away in order to explain to audiences what is going on. Instead of using a courtroom or a private investigator, like The Good Wife’s Kalinda, to get to the bottom of the legal mumbo jumbo and try to put the moves on the opponent, Harvey, Jessica and the gang often just point blank explain to their opponents what information they have and why their opponents are going to settle in court or sign certain documents, etc. This frequently keeps the teams out of the courtroom, but when the lawyers show their hands ahead of time, they are making themselves vulnerable. Despite this, the series is extremely watchable.

A lot of USA’s original programming skews toward an older audience, but Suits has enough wit and pop culture references to appeal to a younger audience, while still maintaining enough older and wiser characters to span the gap. I’ve watched this show with my recent college graduate sister, as well as my mother-in-law, and they’ve both enjoyed Suits, albeit for different reasons. If you’re looking for a recommendation for a plane ride or a new show to get into, Suits may be it.

You can order Suits: Season 2 over at Amazon.

Best Special Feature: Surprisingly, the Suits set comes with several bonus features, which is not often the case for DVD sets for TV shows. Additionally, the back display in the DVD case is an episode guide that also explains which extras are on which disc. It doesn’t take up any space and it makes the back display with the set look really great.

Four webisodes are available with the set. If you’ve already caught these online, they won’t be anything new, but if you haven’t, the short segments help to flesh out the characters and some subplots a little bit. The funniest of these is an episode called “The Can Opener,” which follows Harold stealing Donna and Harvey’s famous can opener. Speaking of, this is another reason Suits is great. There are a lot of oft-alluded to rituals and callback jokes that keep fans invested throughout the series. Other webisodes include “Busted,” “Quote for Quote,” and “The Match.”

Other Special Features:

Deleted Scenes

Gag Reel

“Suits Recruits” Webisodes

Other May 28 Releases

Longmire premiered its second season last night, and if you would like to catch up on the first season of the series, you’ll be able to do so beginning today, thanks to Warner Home Video’s Longmire: The Complete First Season release. Unlike a lot of procedurals, Longmire inserts a lot personal issues and personality into its drama, and if you haven’t caught Season 1, there are some plot gaps that need to be filled. Other big TV releases this week include the first (and only) season of ABC’s Red Widow, BBC’s Doctor Who: The Snowmen holiday special, and more from Cartoon Network’s Annoying Orange. Check out some more of this week’s releases, below.

Unless otherwise noted, releases are available on both DVD and Blu-ray.

Longmire: The Complete First Season DVD

Doctor Who: The Snowmen

Cleopatra 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Blu-ray

Red Widow: The Complete First Season DVD

Life is Sweet: Criterion Collection

Nailbiter

The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange: Season 1

The Birds Blu-ray

Dark Skies

Capping off a long day of grilling and picnicking, and a long weekend of camping, were A&E’s two big summer original programming premieres. Now in it’s fourth season, The Glades aired a brand new episode on Monday night, followed by the sophomore premiere of Longmire. On the surface, the two have little in common, but through genre and a little fairy dust, the network is making the crime block work.

At 9 p.m. ET, The Glades is snarky, colorful, quippy and able to get a little fanciful with its premises. Set in Florida with onscreen colors that often pop as brightly as CSI: Miami, last night’s season premiere offered fans a ridiculous ghost-oriented tale that Scooby Doo-ed out in the end, while still leaving in enough ghostly presence to make believers happy.

There’s a reason The Glades has been on the air for so long and doesn’t show any signs of stopping. The show’s hero, Det. Jim Longworth (Matt Passmore), is a Chicago man who moves to Florida after getting shot in the rear by his former boss, after his boss thinks Longworth is cheating with his wife. Longworth is self-assured and more than a little open about his prowess in the field, but his affection for and endless pursuit of a nurse named Callie (Kiele Sanchez) also makes him a hopeless romantic and gives those who are less into procedurals a reason to get behind the show. There’s such a fine balance between personal life content and murder content that it’s easy to see why an average of 4.1 million people sat down to watch each episode last year.

At first glance, Longmire doesn’t have much in common with The Glades. A&E’s sophomore drama is far more hard-boiled and intense than the network’s Florida-based series. Set in the wilds of Wyoming, last night’s season premiere followed Sheriff Walt Longmire as he traipsed alone into a snowstorm to catch and capture a set of fugitives that escaped from a prison transport. In Longmire, the stakes always seem a little higher, the crimes a little more dangerous, and living itself always seems a little tougher, illustrated in the season premiere by the elements and hypothermia setting in.

Ultimately, Longmire and The Glades are tied by procedural status, but they also complement one another because they are about strong-willed men. Longmire’s a tried and true cowboy who hides his emotion but will do anything for those he cares about and Longworth often masks his emotion through jokes and wordplay but steps up his game for the woman in his life. That’s still a small thread to tie the two shows together, but in the end, what matters is that both programs work and both programs fit in with A&E’s demographic—they are throwbacks to an earlier era of television in which consistently delivering an easy-to-follow product with a clear payoff is more of a goal than reinventing the wheel each week.

New episodes of The Glades will air Mondays at 9 p.m. ET, followed by Longmire at 10 p.m. ET on A&E.

Longmire is gearing up for a Season 2 premiere on A&E. The hour-long drama will hit the schedule on Memorial Day, and the network has put together an extended preview that gives fans a sneak peek at the brand new season of the drama. The extended trailer is a special one, as it goes behind the scenes and talks to the cast, as well as some of the executive producers and writers on the show.

The first thing the extended trailer looks into is the action in Season 2. Longmire has always been the sort of show where the sheriff’s department characters keep their guns handy, but a bunch of slow motion shots in the trailer help to raise the stakes in the action-oriented drama. Additionally, emotions seem like they will be high during the season, as Walt and his daughter grow even more estranged and Walt and Branch continue to get into heated discussions.

The clip also looks into “old school Sheriff” Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) and interviews the cast and crew on the man with the nice cowboy hat. Walt’s had his share of demons and misfortunes in the past, but he’s an honorable, stand-up sort of guy that makes for a great TV lead. It’s pretty fun to see what the rest of the cast has to say about the character and what Taylor himself thinks. Honestly, I’ve seen more entrancing trailers before, but if you like the series, there are a lot of fun tidbits in the extended trailer.

Longmire also stars Katee Sackhoff, Cassidy Freeman, and Lou Diamond Phillips. Season 2 premieres on Monday, May 27 at 10 p.m. ET on A&E.

There’s good news for fans of programming on a couple of different networks this morning. Over at Lifetime, Marc Cherry’s big pilot, Devious Maids, has finally, finally been given a premiere date. There’s good news for fans of A&E’s summer programming, as well. Both Longmire and The Glades have also earned premiere dates.

We’ve actually known A&E’s programming would be coming back for a long while. The Glades will premiere at 9 p.m. ET on Monday, May 27 and will be followed an hour later by Longmire, the crime drama starring Robert Taylor and Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff. If that date is sounding mighty familiar, it likely should. Monday, May 27 happens to be Memorial Day. So, if you aren’t busy barbecuing your day away and forgetting the actual purpose of the holiday, you totally have A&E to look forward to.

Devious Maids is a little trickier. The program, which follows four women who work for wealthy households in the Beverly Hills district, received a series order all the way back in June. I half expected the program to appear around midseason, but when that didn’t happen, a summer 2013 or even fall premiere seemed likely. With casting fairly cemented, Deadline is reporting Devious Maids will hit the schedule on June 23. If you want to know what the show will be like, you’ll have to go no further than the telenova Ellas son la Alegría del Hogar, which the series is based on.

We’ll keep you updated as more summer premiere dates get announced.

Every major network listens to hundreds of television pitches each year. A small percentage of those receive a script order, a small percentage of those receive a pilot order, a small percentage of those actually get picked up, and hilariously, an overwhelming majority of those are still not very good. Most new television programs barely make it the full season let alone get picked up for another go around. Fortunately, there are always a dozen or so that somehow navigate through all of those trappings and actually work. This list is a celebration of those television programs.

The following list contains ten shows that premiered in 2012. Some of them are already among the best shows on TV. Others have shown enough snippets of incredible promise to make more astute viewers tune in for the sake of what the show could become. TV Blend stands behind every single one, and while there’s no way to tell where they might go from here, what we do know is that each of their outputs over the past year was damn good.

Here are TV Blend’s best new shows of 2012…

Longmire

There’s not a ton of new television fodder set to air during any given summer months. Thus, creating a brand new procedural set in the wide and open landscapes of Wyoming and featuring a conflicted sheriff returning to the job after months of drunken mourning following the death of his wife was a welcome addition to A&E’s normally reality-heavy lineup in 2012. Signing on Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff, Smallville’s Cassidy Freeman, and veteran actor Lou Diamond Phillips was also a stroke of genius, and probably helped lead to Longmire’s summer success on the air.

Detective Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) is legitimately old school, and the show often focuses on guns, women, and Reservation politics. Add a procedural format, and you get a show that somewhat skews to older viewers but still has enough punch to pop up on this list as one of 2012’s best new series. The veritable tug of war constantly going on between the Res police and the Sheriff’s department also adds a little something extra to the procedural format, as Native American politics often get in the way of investigations and those living on the Reservation prefer to keep their mouths clammed shut. Longmire may not have the budget that some of its cable counterparts have, but it is still a welcome addition to the summer lineup, and speaks highly of the new direction A&E has been working to go in.

Girls

It wasn’t necessarily the easiest freshman year for Girls, but the complaints initially launched at Lena Dunham and her new comedy rarely had to do with the series’ quality. The detractors probably avoided examining the on-air aspect of the HBO addition (you know, the important bit) because it being a stand-out, fresh and funny show didn’t fit into any of their various negative or disparaging narratives. It’s much harder to argue that the driving voice behind Girls only achieved success because of nepotism or criticize the characters’ lack of likability when the product is so damn good. Of course, Dunham is the main reason for the comedy’s success thanks to her sharp writing and deft direction, not to mention her often brave performances, but she’s certainly not the only thing the love about Girls.

Like most Judd Apatow produced projects, the HBO series was able to find a great group of actors to surround Dunham’s stubborn, once-spoiled Hannah with Allison Williams perfectly cast as the model-beautiful but anal best friend Marnie and Jemima Kirke as Jessa, the returning wild child who never found herself. The real standouts, however, are Zosia Mamet as the high strung virgin and Adam Driver playing Hannah’s odd, to say the least, love interest. And to top off the hilariously honest storylines and empathetic if unlikable characters, Girls also manages to be beautifully shot and soundtracked, offering a great look at a subsection of New York City. Dunham’s often uncomfortable yet surprisingly warm show is not just one of the year’s best new series but, as most awards shows will attest, one of the best comedies period.

Scandal

Shonda Rhimes has done it again. Much in the way Grey's Anatomy grabbed our attention years back, delivering must-watch episode after must-watch episode - at least in its first couple of seasons - ABC's Scandal has become a new not-so-guilty-pleasure drama for TV watchers. The first season began in 2012, introducing us to Kerry Washington's Olivia Pope, an attorney who uses her law expertise in her work as a public image-fixer and scandal manager. Of course, her and her staff of fellow fixers' lives are, in some cases, just as dramatic and messy as their wealthy clientele. That includes Olivia's secret, steamy relationship with the President of the United States. Her involvement (both business and personal) with the White House adds a layer of mildly political drama to the show, which helps the series stand out among other primetime soaps.

(Spoiler alert!) Season 1 introduced us to the work Pope does and the personal conflicts of Olivia and her staff. And Season 2, which debuted this fall, didn't lose a step, launching forward on the first season's momentum and leaving us on the edge of our seats as we watched Fitz get shot, Huck get blamed and Olivia caught in the middle of it all. Exciting, dramatic, romantic, and suspenseful, Scandal is captivating and addictive in all the right ways and great addition to dramatic television in 2012.

Smash

While Smash may have had less to prove than its predecessor in the musical television genre, Glee, it still had to prove it wasn’t just a copycat. It quickly became clear that singing and dancing aside, Smash wasn’t another Glee. Giving us a window into the behind the scenes drama of a Broadway musical, it quickly became one of the most talked about series of 2012. Yes, Smash was over the top at times, but this is Broadway, and the egos, the romances, the betrayals and the scheming and jostling for the chance of stardom are a must for any show that wants to take on the personalities who populate the live theater. Smash did just that, and in spite of some criticism for it, stayed dedicated to the style it started out with.

Right down to the last moment, Smash stuck to the go-big-or-go-home attitude, leaving two aspiring stars, one a veteran, one a newcomer, locked in the battle for the role of a lifetime – that of Marilyn Monroe – in the production of Bombshell. Smash’s success was made by a stellar cast, including Debra Messing and Jack Davenport, but perhaps especially Katharine McPhee, who quickly proved American Idol voters were wrong. In 2012, Smash gave us fabulous melodrama, characters to love and hate, underdogs to cheer for and of course, some fabulous musical numbers. What Season 2 will bring now that creator Theresa Rebeck has moved on is anyone’s guess, but Smash was among 2012’s best.

Veep

If the pressure of the Presidency has a way of turning powerful men into either heroes or villains, the utter pointlessness of the Vice Presidency has a way of turning formerly powerful men into bored and frustrated versions of their former selves. No show has ever tapped into that concept quite like Veep, a biting satire so clever and brilliant that it realizes the awfulness of the occupation supersedes even the fact that Selina Mayer is the first woman in the history of the United States to earn the title.

Of course, “earn” is an extremely generous term for how Selina ended up in the office. She tried to run for the Presidency prior to Veep’s first episode and failed in spectacular fashion, forcing her to accept a charity VP gift from a man she knows damn well doesn’t even like her. That scenario leaves her with both a disdain and an obsession with pleasing her boss, and the show utilizes it to maximum effect. Between filibuster reform bills and new silverware, she constantly rearranges her priorities and her courses of action depending on whether she’s more in the mood to be a team player or to further her own agenda. Someday she might figure it out and find happiness, but that definitely won’t happen as long as she’s the swearing, hysterical Veep many fell in love with for the first time in 2012.

Call The Midwife

Set in East London in the 1950s, Call the Midwife is one of the UK’s finest imports to US audiences. The BBC-to-PBS series follows a young midwife trying to determine where she fits in to the world while she works in some of London’s worst slums. Hospital dramas are a dime a dozen on television, but by taking away the hospital itself, and focusing solely on prenatal care, Call the Midwife brings some fresh medical premises to the table and also gives audiences a fine historical perspective.

Still, all of this would be boring without the addition of a likeable and amusing cast. Newcomer Jessica Raine and the nymphish Helen George are charming for very different reasons (the latter reminds me a bit of All the Way Mae in A League of Their Own), but it is comedian Miranda Hart who really shines, transforming the bumbling Chummy into a witty worker, willing to crack a joke but still fight hard for what she believes in. Really, there’s nothing this series is missing. The post-WWII settings are astonishing, the fashion is fun, and the show has even managed to nab Academy award winner Vannessa Redgrave to narrate. A second series is already in the works, and if you can manage to maneuver your remote all the way to PBS, you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Arrow

Heir apparent to the network’s successful Superman inspired Smallville, The CW’s Arrow is having a great first run. Run. That’s what they call it in comics. And while we’ve yet to see all of Season 1, Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg’s adaptation of DC’s superhero (usually called “Green Arrow”) is already impressing fans and critics alike with only nine episodes under its utility belt. Okay, so Oliver Queen doesn’t wear a utility belt but you’d be only lying to yourself if you deny the obvious influence that Batman, specifically Christopher Nolan’s uber successful Dark Knight Trilogy, has had on the show.

Not that the inspiration is in any way not welcome since the gritty and realistic approach to handling the vigilante’s adventures has made Arrow one of the most exciting new action series of the year. Stephen Amell is perfectly suited to play both the flamboyant playboy and the physically demanding side of the titular character while the rest of the cast performs admirably and seem similarly well suited for their roles. So the acting isn’t the number one reason to watch The CW superhero series but it the well shot and choreographed action. In addition, the always engaging storylines that include compelling flashbacks and DC criminal cameos make the wait between issues extra hard. Issues. That’s what they call... nevermind because Arrow isn’t just for comic book fans, everyone should be watching the Starling City vigilante try to clean up his city every week. Season 1 resumes on January 16.

Touch

While nothing can truly replace Jack Bauer or 24, Fox gave Kiefer Sutherland back to us last winter with the arrival of Tim Kring's Touch, a drama that stars Sutherland as the father of a child with an extraordinary gift for numbers. Though Martin's son Jake doesn't speak, Martin soon discovers that his child can communicate through numbers and find patterns that connect people in unusual ways that might seem totally random to the average person. Much in the way Kring's series Heroes brought characters from all over the world together, the people featured in Touch, who are connected through these seemingly coincidental occurrence, come from all over the globe.

With Martin and his son at the heart of the story and the connections formed within the stories of the other characters, Touch is emotional, suspenseful and like nothing else on television in the way it tells its story. Fox took a chance on the series and it paid off in its first season, using its unique premise to build suspense throughout the season as Martin attempts to understand his son's gift and follow the patterns to see where they lead and what they connect. There's certainly the chance that Touch will eventually get tangled up in its own plot, but its first season realizes some of the potential delivered in the pilot, contributing to some of the most intriguing drama TV had to offer in 2012.

Go On

If there’s one thing you can say for Matthew Perry it’s that the man doesn’t give up easily, and it’s a good thing, because otherwise 2012 wouldn’t have brought us Go On. A comedy with an initially not-so-funny premise about a sportscaster sent to group therapy to deal with the death of his wife, Go On premiered in the shadow of Perry’s previous failures, Mr. Sunshine and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and it’s among the best new shows of 2012.

Go On is the show that Matthew Perry needed. It lets him use his trademark sarcasm and dry wit as well as surrounds him with the kind of quirky characters he plays off so very well. Yes, there’s still something of Chandler about his portrayal of Ryan King, but in Go On, it seems right and not so distracting that we expect Joey to walk in the door at any moment. Of course, only half a season in, Go On still has a lot of work to do to prove itself, and Matthew Perry still has a long way to go to show there is life on television for him after Friends. So far, however, things are looking good. Go On is a solid comedy with a funny cast and a feeling of darkness that is unusual in network series. There’s hope for the future of this one. Congrats, Mr. Perry.

Ben & Kate

People often bring up writing as the most important element of a comedy, but actually, without good bantering chemistry between the leads, the quality of the writing is meaningless. Freshman laugher Ben & Kate still has a few kinks to work out in terms of how seriously it wants to address real issues, but in just half a season, it has already managed to establish a realistic, likeable and hilarious rapport between adult leads Dakota Johnson, Nat Faxon, Lucy Punch and Echo Kellum. Throw in some great work by Maggie Elizabeth Jones as the youngest member of the clan, and there’s really not a weak point in the mix cast wide.

To this point, there really hasn’t been a weak episode either. From high school grudges to scavenger hunts to missed 21st birthdays, Ben & Kate has consistently churned out exciting, humorous premises well conceived to both maximize the comedy and give us a bit of backstory about the lead characters. The ratings haven’t exactly blown people away, but given the potential and the quality already exposed, it would be a real shame if this show gets chopped before it’s able to really hit its stride. Thanks to some excellent casting and a natural charm, Ben & Kate is one of the best new shows on television, and ten episodes in, it’s only getting better.

Four weeks in, A&E’s mystery drama Longmire still has a few kinks to work out. The score, for instance, is pretty aggressive and the details we get on Sheriff Walt Longmire’s former life with his now-deceased wife have been pretty slow to surface. Otherwise the show features a fine enough mystery and a nice, easy pace. Honestly, I’ve never encountered a mystery show before that I felt was so relaxing. Apparently, A&E feels the show has some good qualities as well, because the network has already decided to commit to more of the series.

On Friday, A&E announced that it was greenlighting Longmire for a second season. Deadline is reporting the show rocked out as A&E's “most watched scripted series debut," pulling in 4.1 million total viewers. The show, has actually done itself one better. Usually after a premiere, a show will lose a few viewers due to lack of interest or time to commit, but Longmire has been unusual in that it has pretty well maintained most of its audience over the past four episodes, averaging 3.9 million viewers, which, for cable, is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

If you haven’t caught the new A&E drama, it follows Sheriff Longmire as he deals with crime in a desolate but beautiful area of Wyoming. At the start of the show, the Sheriff is still dealing with the death of his life and some vaguely insubordinate employees, one of whom is out to take over his job. The fifth episode of the season will air on A&E Sunday night at 10 p.m. ET.

Welcome back to FlixWorthy, your guide to Netflix streaming...and more. Because while Netflix is still a major player in the streaming content market, the company has some serious competition these days. To help you navigate the new and notable streaming releases, each new installment of FlixWorthy will highlight new and/or notable releases on Netflix, but also from two other competitors who offer premium memberships to huge catalogues of content: Hulu (Hulu Plus) and Amazon Instant Video (Amazon Prime). We'll also include an a la carte pick from Amazon, iTunes, or elsewhere, for those of you who prefer to buy your shows by the episode/season instead of paying a membership fee.

In this new incarnation FlixWorthy will be focusing specifically on TV content. To keep track of what's going on in the world of streaming movies, check in with Kristy's biweekly Now Streaming column. Here's what's FlixWorthy this week, kids.

Netflix Pick of the Week: Louie

(2010-2011, FX)

Even if you've never seen an episode, you've almost certainly heard people raving about FX's Louie. Thankfully, Louie is a show that earns every bit of hyperbole, even that one I just made. Created by comedian Louis C.K., the show is very much his baby, with C.K. writing, directing, producing, and starring in the series...he's probably even handling craft services. The result is the sort of show you'd simply never see on network television: a mixture of highbrow and low, funny and insightful, crude and charming. Netflix has just added the complete second season to its streaming catalogue, leaving you plenty of time to burn through the 13 episodes before the show returns for its third season on June 28th. Louie takes the same sort of "mundane-life-as-drama" approach as Seinfeld, but takes things to much more surreal, and often extremely dark, extremes. So what should you expect from season 2? An unforgettable run-in with Joan Rivers. The N word. A duckling and a USO trip. And a confrontation with comedian Dane Cook that is single-handedly one of the most amazing things I've ever seen on television. What are you waiting for?

Also on Netflix:

• Hot in Cleveland: Season 1
• Lonesome Dove
• Highlander: Seasons 1-6
• HawthoRNe: Seasons 1-3
• Pretty Little Liars: Season 1

Hulu Pick of the Week: Longmire

(2012, A&E)

A&E recently jumped feet-first into the game of quality scripted drama with Longmire, a modern Western in the same vein as Justified. And while Longmire hasn't soared to anywhere near the heights of that excellent FX drama in the three episodes aired so far, it is proving a solid and entertaining show with enough unique character to it to set it apart from the array of other procedurals on TV. Based on a series of novels by Craig Johnson, Longmire centers on Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire, played by Robert Taylor. As the head of law enforcement in the fictional Absaroka County, Walt has to deal with local crimes, a deputy jockeying for his position, friction with the local Native American reservation, and a painful past that hasn't fully been revealed yet. Longmire isn't reinventing the wheel, but Taylor is great as the crusty and terse Longmire, and it's wonderful to see Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff back in series television as Deputy Victoria Moretti. Smallville fans will also recognize Cassidy Freeman ("Tess Mercer") as Walt's daughter. Hulu currently has the first three episodes of the show up, but they're listed as expiring on Sunday, so hurry up and watch if you don't get A&E!

Also on Hulu:

• The Glass House
• Dark Shadows (1966)
• Bunheads

Amazon Prime Pick of the Week: Dead Like Me

(2003-2004, Showtime)

Bryan Fuller has had one of the most fascinating and frustrating TV careers I can think of. He's served up some of the most unique and charming TV around: Wonderfalls, Pushing Daisies, the Amazing Screw-On Head movie he did for Syfy. And, of course, Dead Like Me. Unfortunately, his creativity also makes for shows that are, well, odd, that don't fit into the norms of series television, which means they usually don't last very long. Case in point: Dead Like Me, in which a girl named George is killed by a toilet seat reentering the atmosphere from the Mir space station, after which she finds herself recruited to become a grim reaper. There are no cloaks or scythes, however, just a group of dead people who are just as eccentric and unhappy as they were when they were alive. The afterlife as just another 9-to-5 job: is there any more depressing thought? Thankfully Dead Like Me puts a consistently funny spin on the subject matter, serving up uncomfortable laughs at the sheer indignity of death, and all the myriad, ridiculous ways it can claim us. You may have heard Fuller's name recently in connection to the Munsters sort-of reboot, Mockingbird Lane. If you want to know why I'm excited by a project that on the face of it sounds godawful, check out Fuller's previous shows. Dead Like Me is a perfect place to dive in. (Dead Like Me is free to Prime members, but is also available for purchase at $1.99 per episode.)

Also on Amazon:

• Stargate SG-1
• Stargate Atlantis
• Stargate Universe
• thirtysomething

A La Carte Pick of the Week: Stephen Hawking's Grand Design

(2012, Discovery)

Borrowing its name from the book Hawking co-wrote with physicist Leonard Mlodinow back in 2010, Discovery's Grand Design examines the Big Questions. The two episodes available so far are entitled "The Meaning of Life" and "The Keys to the Cosmos," so you clearly can't fault the series for a lack of ambition. The show tackles these conundrums through the medium of science, seeking answers to questions such as whether our existence has a purpose or is purely random, and why the universe exists in the first place. I'm not holding my breath for the show to put to rest arguments that have been going on as long as there have been people, but I do expect to be challenged, inspired, and thoroughly entertained. It looks like Grand Design was intended the consist solely of these two hour-long specials, so you can pick up the full "season" for a mere $4.99, or $2.99 for each episode individually if you only want one of them or are bad at math.

Also on iTunes:

• Futurama, Season 9 (Comedy Central, two episodes)
• Dallas (TNT, three episodes)

A&E gave the greenlight to Longmire last August, but if you weren't already a fan of the source material -- Craig Johnson's novels about Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire -- it probably didn't register on your radar. The casting of Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff as Longmire's deputy sounded intriguing, but it remained to be seen if the network could actually create a series that would justify staying on A&E longer than it takes to flip to the next channel. Now a first trailer for Longmire has arrived online, and it looks...promising.

The entire trailer -- the tone, the look, the music -- echoes FX's Justified, and that's definitely not a bad thing. While Longmire will still have to prove itself, Justified has proved that this sort of "Western in modern clothing" show can work brilliantly well. Robert Taylor seems appropriately crusty and hard-bitten in the title role, and the scenery looks to be gorgeous. Katee Sackhoff doesn't put in much more than a cameo in the trailer, but that's just as well. Longmire himself is the central character, so it's only fair that he get the spotlight in this first introduction.

Longmire premieres Sunday, June 3rd at 10/9c on A&E. Ugh, it had to be Sunday, didn't it? Like that night isn't enough of a DVR traffic jam already.

A&E is a big fan of male-centric crime dramas with a lighthearted tone. Breakout Kings is full of mischievous one liners, and The Glades is lighthearted to the point of being silly. Following this trend, when A&E was debating whether to pick up Big Mike, an overweight detective comedy from Happy Madison productions or Longmire, a western based on the novels by Craig Johnson, the former seemed a shoo-in. I was wrong, though. The decision was tough, and A&E spent a long summer waffling, but eventually decided to bail on Big Mike last month.

This left space for Longmire, and A&E has decided to capitalize its interest with a series order. Deadline is reporting the program has been given a ten-episode Season 1 arc, including the pilot. Because the story is based around Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) and his crime-fighting deeds, all the writers will really have to do to fit the popular network format is add a little charisma to the character if he wasn’t written that way initially. I haven’t read the Craig Johnson novels Longmire is based on, but it seems to me you can’t have a badass sheriff without a little wit for balance.

Picking up Longmire means great news for Battlestar Galactica alum Katee Sackhoff, who is set to play the female lead in the series. When her role was announced back in March, it seemed a little weird she wasn't trying for a role on the Ron Moore cop pilot. It doesn’t seem so silly now the Moore pilot has been dropped and Sackhoff is set for a lead. With Lou Diamond Philips on board, the cast of Longmire looks to be extremely solid. As much as I love Melanie Lynskey’s husband Jimmi Simpson, I think I’ll try out Longmire before tuning in for Breakout Kings next season.

Smallville actress Cassidy Freeman has put her time mingling with metahumans behind her and set her sights on the future. That future, it turns out, will include hanging out with hot girls wearing bunny ears. TVLine is reporting that Freeman, who played the loyalty-switching Tess Mercer/Luthor on Smallville, will play a recurring character on NBC's upcoming The Playboy Club.

Freeman will be appearing as a glamorous socialite named Frances Dunhill. She will be a sort of love interest for series lead Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian), although TVLine explains that the relationship is more of a strategic move on the part of the two characters than anything approaching real passion. As TVLine puts it, the relationship "benefits both parties, as Nick runs for public office and Frances labors to please her father (while also concealing a secret)." Sounds more stable than most genuine relationships...

The Playboy Club is only a recurring gig at the moment, as Freeman is still waiting to hear whether her A&E pilot, Longmire, which also stars Robert Taylor, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff, gets picked up. The pilot is based on Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire Mystery novels, which follow a widowed Wyoming sheriff.

I'm happy to see Freeman getting work of any sort, as she was one of the best parts about Smallville's often floundering final seasons. She deserves better material than what she got there, so hopefully The Playboy Club will give her something meaty to dig into. She will first appear in the third episode of The Playboy Club, and the show premieres Monday, September 19th.

Katee Sackhoff may not be joining Ron Moore’s new series like many of her former Battlestar Galactica co-stars, but that doesn’t mean Starbuck isn’t keeping busy. The rough and tumble actress has signed on for a new A&E crime pilot called Longmire that’s based on a series of novels written by Craig Johnson.

According to Deadline, she’ll join Robert Taylor and Lou Diamond Phillips, who’ve already been cast as the main character and the main character’s BFF respectively. The basic plot follows Taylor as a sheriff with a dry sense of humor coping with the loss of his wife. He’s very attracted to Sackhoff’s character, his deputy, but is unsure of whether he should act on the feelings.

Based on plot description, it sounds like this role is in Katee Sackhoff’s wheelhouse. She might be sexy, but she’s still fundamentally one of the boys. Portraying a sheriff’s deputy and a love interest should play to her strengths. Plus, I always support Lou Diamond Phillips getting work. He’s way better than straight to DVD movies and Syfy originals.