‘Longmire’ season 3 official; A&E renews scripted hit

For fans of “Longmire,” the wait to hear if this series would be renewed was hardly much of a wait at all. Thanks to a whole heap of viewers, one of A&E biggest scripted hits has been officially green-lit now for a third season.

What continues to remain particularly remarkable about “Longmire” are a couple of things. First of all, it actually manages to succeed in being a modern western, which is not a genre that has fared well as of late. While you have “Hell on Wheels” filling the classic western vibe, the majority of work with the likes of cowboys and sheriffs has led to diminishing returns for many properties. (In the case of “The Lone Ranger,” it was one of the biggest movie bombs of the year.)

Also interesting? That the show continues to be so successful, and draw a large audience of over five million when DVR numbers are included, despite having virtually no publicity at all behind it. Yet, the devoted viewers stick around, even on a greater level than another scripted series on the network in “Bates Motel.”

At the moment, A&E has to be giving themselves a hefty pat on the back. They have an enormous hit in “Duck Dynasty,” and a solid three scripted shows in between “Bates Motel,” “Longmire,” and “The Glades” that suggest there is room for more original properties in the future.

What is your reaction to this renewal? If you want to read some more news in relation to “Longmire,” all you have to do is head on over to the link here.

Photo: A&E