TCA: AMC Greenlights Western Docudrama

AMC will continue to ride the western genre with a straight to series order for docudrama The West, AMC and Sundance TV president Charlie Collier said Friday during the network’s Television Critics Association tour session.

The eight-hour series, from Stephen David Entertainment and Robert Redford’s Sundance Productions, will debut in 2016. The series’ premiere will coincide with the final seven episodes of the network’s Western drama Hell on Wheels, said network officials.

Collier also said the network has picked up a second season of Stephen David Entertainment’s Making Of The Mob docudrama, said network officials.

The network also confirmed a 15-order second season of AMC’s series Fear The Walking Dead, weeks before the show’s Aug. 23 freshman season debut.

The announcements come on the heels of an earlier AMC announcement for a second season renewal of drama series Humans.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.