Facebook Watch has opted not to renew two of its scripted series. Sorry For Your Loss, starring Elizabeth Olsen, won’t be returning for a third run while Limetown, starring Jessica Biel, is one and done on the platform.
The reason not to renew both series has to do with a bigger plan for Facebook Watch to focus less on scripted series and more on unscripted content. Facebook Watch still has several scripted series in the pipeline, which will be released as planned, but beyond what was already green lit, there won’t be any real attempts to get back into the scripted game. Reports say they’re not 100% out of airing scripted series, especially if the right one came around, but they have had better traction with unscripted programming with Facebook users so more of their strategy is leaning more towards what is working best for them.
Among Facebook Watch’s most popular originals are the Daytime Emmy-nominated Red Table Talk with Jada Pinkett Smith as well as Returning the Favor with Mike Rowe. Facebook Watch recently signaled that its doubling down its efforts in the arena with a high-profile deal to reboot Steve Harvey’s TV talk show as Steve on Watch. Sorry For Your Loss, which was probably their most popular scripted series, was well received by critics (94% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) but it never quite gained the momentum as their unscripted endeavors.
Facebook Watch’s upcoming scripted series include the third season of The Real Bros of Simi Valley, which premieres February 14. It stars Jimmy Tatro, Nick Colletti, Tanner Petulla and Cody Ko and is produced by Studio71. Season two of Blumhouse Television’s Sacred Lies is debuting on February 20 .It stars Juliette Lewis, Ryan Kwanten, Jordan Alexander and Kristen Bauer. Whether these series go beyond their already picked up runs is up in the air but it seems to look like that Facebook Watch may end their runs as well sometime in the near future.
Sorry For Your Loss was a dark comedy exploring the life of a young widow struggling to put her life back together after her husband’s loss. Kelly Marie Tran, Jovan Adepo, Mamoudou Athie and Janet McTeer also starred.
Limetown was based on the popular podcast of the same name and it co-starred Stanley Tucci, Omar Elba & Sherri Saum.
