FX Ready to Renew 'Riches,' 'Dirt'

FX is on the verge of renewing two of its freshman drama series, The Riches and Dirt, according to FX president of entertainment John Landgraf.

Dirt is a drama set at a fictional tabloid starring and executive-produced by Courteney Cox. The Riches is about a group who steals the identity of another family.

Landgraf said he's happy with the performance of both shows and said a decision on their fate will be made prior to the end of FX's upfront season in last May. “We feel confident the [two] series will return,” he said.

If both series are renewed, they would join existing FX drama series Nip/Tuck, The Shield, Rescue Me and new original series Damages on the schedule.

“There's never been a cable network that's had six [original scripted] dramas on its schedule,” Landgraf said.

Meanwhile, the network will premiere the third season of comedy series It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia sometime in September, along with the fifth season of Nip/Tuck.

Reality series 30 Days will start its third season during fourth-quarter 2007, and The Shield will return for its seventh and final season in early 2008.

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.