LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- "It was really Graham's [Yost] and Tim Olyphant's decision," John Landgraf, President & General Manager, FX Networks, told reporters about the choice to end "Justified" after six seasons during his executive session at the TCA Winter Press Tour. "I would like to have more 'Justified.' It's one of my favorite shows. I just really love it personally. I have a long standing adoration of all things Elmore Leonard. And we talked about it a year ago.
And they felt that the arc of the show and what they had to say would be best served by six years, six seasons instead of seven. So regretfully I accepted their decision. We've tried to as much as we could not to make business drive creative, therefore not to extend shows beyond their lifespan or cut them short before they ought to be. I can't tell you that we've never extended a show longer than it probably should have been or cut it a little shorter than it should've been but we really try hard not to do that. So regretfully that's their decision."
Beyond "Justified," Landgraf affirmed its plans for its limited series "Fargo," which premieres on Tuesday, April 15 at 10:00/9:00c. "'Fargo' is a closed ended story with a beginning, middle and end," he said. "And if there were subsequent seasons of 'Fargo,' they would be sort of like 'American Horror Story' or perhaps 'True Detective' in that they would be entirely different self-contained stories with different casts and different characters. I haven't even heard a prospective story for a subsequent season of 'Fargo.'"
Speaking of "American Horror Story," Landgraf said he didn't have any info about the franchise's fourth installment. "I think it will probably be a period piece again. I don't think it will be contemporary. I know that most of the current cast will be returning in some form although they don't know what characters they're playing and also I'm waiting for Ryan to tell me."
The executive prefaced said statements with, "Ryan [Murphy] has virtual carte blanche at this point to do whatever he wants to do. That really is his baby. While I and other people at the company still read every script and still watch every rough cut and still give the occasional note, I have to say we don't really have very much input."
And finally, the company revealed FXX will launch "Ali G: Rezurection" - featuring new wraparounds with Sacha Baron Cohen directed by "The League's" Jeff Schaffer - on Wednesday, February 26 alongside the new season of "Legit." Exact times (i.e. which will air at 10:00/9:00c and 10:30/9:30c) are still being determined.
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