Earlier this evening, word came down that the expected renewal of A&E’s rookie drama Longmire has indeed happened. The hit cable procedural has actually been one of the best performing efforts in the network’s history in terms of scripted programming, so this second season pickup surprises no one. 4.1 million viewers tuned into the show’s premiere, but the standard post-debut drop-off never occurred which is why today’s news was widely assumed to be an inevitability.
Stars of the series include Robert Taylor and Katee Sackhoff. Both actors are getting the hit series they deserve. For Sackhoff it has been a long journey since Battlestar Galactica to find another drama with legs, but for Taylor it has been seemingly an entire career. Anyone who has tuned into the program has seen that the lead role of Sheriff Walt Longmire is one that is akin to the starring spot on a major CBS drama and that is probably why this show has attracted the deep, consistent audience that it has.
That said, expect to see Longmire on the air for many years to come as the show seemingly resembles broadcast programming more than anything else found on basic cable. Having a stable audiences near the 4 million mark certainly does not hurt either.
[Deadline]
Let me know when the new season of Longmire starts