A&E Announces ‘Bates Motel’ Was Its Last Original Scripted Show
A&E is exiting the scripted programming space.
Following Monday’s conclusion of “Bates Motel,” there will be no more scripted series on the cable network for the foreseeable future. Going forward, A&E will be shifting its focus back to the unscripted programming on which the brand was built.
The network has not ordered a new scripted series or pilot since 2015. The network’s most recent original scripted drama, “Damien,” Glen Mazzara’s “The Omen” spinoff series, was canceled last May after just one season.
Also Read: Leah Remini's 'Scientology and the Aftermath' Renewed for Season 2 by A&E
The news comes on the heels of the success of Leah Remini’s docu-series “Scientology and the Aftermath,” which scored the network’s top-rated series premiere in two years. Last month, the network renewed the show for a 10-episode second season.
The network also announced last month that it would be reviving the hit series “Biography” with a two-hour feature documentary about the rapper Notorious B.I.G. The series will air in multiple formats across multiple networks, including A&E, Lifetime and History.
Deadline first reported news of the shift.
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