In 2014, FX said goodbye to its flagship series Sons of Anarchy and debuted Noah Hawley's Fargo, which went on to become one of the most critically acclaimed dramas of the year. And according to a fancy pie chart revealed to reporters during the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Sunday, the network's original series appeared 213 times on critics' best-of-the-year lists, with only HBO earning more mentions (the premium cable channel netted 250).





CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions John Landgraf was quick to point out during his executive session that no other network came close—third-place AMC garnered just 74 entries—declaring, "We're not really a channel that's trying to be the highest-rated channel in television. We're trying as hard as we possibly can to be the best channel in television."



Here's what else he had to say...





On what's coming down the pike:

Sons of Anarchy might be over, but the network is still in business with the biker drama's creator, Kurt Sutter. The pilot for his new project, The Bastard Executioner, which Landgraf said will "reinvent the knight and sword genre," is currently in production. The series will likely debut on FX in the fall.

FX has also greenlit a new pilot called Better Things, which stars and was co-written by Louie's Pamela Adlon and Louis C.K. The network's previously announced clown comedy Baskets, starring Zach Galifianakis, will debut in 2016.





On what to expect in Fargo's second season:



Landgraf said that Season 2 is more comedic than Season 1, but still very serious at times. He called it "big, sprawling, [and] incredibly ambitious," noting that he's loved the scripts he's seen.



As you may recall, Fargo Season 2 will be set in 1979 and feature a younger Lou Solverson; Patrick Wilson will star, putting a more youthful face on the role originated by Keith Carradine in Season 1. The new story will begin a few years after Lou has returned from the Vietnam War, and will be set against the backdrop of Ronald Reagan's first campaign for president. Reagan will actually be featured as character, and focus on "some of the movies he's reputed to have made." Season 2 will also focus on feminism and the cultural transformation that was taking place in America at the time.









On the network's decision to demolish The Bridge:



FX canceled the drama after a creatively rich second season, and while Landgraf said he was very happy with the risks that showrunner Elwood Reid took in Season 2, the show ultimately got the axe because it on a "relentlessly downward trajectory" in the ratings.

Landgraf went on to explain that The Bridge faced challenges early on because it was based on a serial killer format and FX wanted a complex character drama set on the U.S./Mexico border, which is why the serial killer element was eventually jettisoned. He also noted that FX will often renew shows it believes in for a second season, but if the ratings aren't there by the end of that second season, it just doesn't make sense to keep them around: "We ignore [ratings] for a long time, but by the time you get all the DVR numbers in and you get all the VOD numbers in ... if not only it's not particularly strong, but it's still falling after 26 episodes, you have to say, 'Maybe as much as I love it, it just doesn't have a place on our schedule.'"

Landgraf continued: "I had a lot of regrets about not renewing that show because I really care about it. ... It was a great cast and it was a subject material I wanted to pursue. It brought diversity and difference to our channel, but at the end of the day you have to also pay some attention to ratings."









On Louie's shortened fifth season:



Louie Season 5 will run for eight episodes (one more than the previously announced seven-episode order, because Louis C.K. told Landgraf he needed it) and debut in April alongside new comedy The Comedians. "[Louis C.K.'s] got a very dynamic, professional, and creative life now," Landgraf said, admitting that the comedian was burnt out after Season 4 and the network is trying to give him as much flexibility as they can. "He wants to keep making the show, but he's trying to [juggle] the intense process of writing, producing, directing, editing, and starring in the show. He needed time to recharge his batteries."







On the future of The Americans:



As previously announced, The Americans' third season premieres Wednesday, January 28 at 10pm. When asked how long he thought the show could continue, Landgraf said, "I think it'll be at least five [seasons]." Of course, continued renewals will depend on ratings and whether or not the show continues to operate at the same level of quality as the first two seasons.









On how FXX is doing and which shows belong in its lineup:



Sophomore comedy You're the Worst will move to FXX this summer, giving the network a comedy lineup of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, You're the Worst, and the just-launched Man Seeking Woman. According to Landgraf, FXX's ratings were up nearly 70 percent in 2014 thanks to its epic 12-day The Simpsons marathon, which aired in August. The network also enjoyed a 146 percent gain in the 18-to-49 demographic, but is still experimenting with what type of programming belongs on FX versus FXX. "It's going to take time to get every show positioned on the channel it should be on within the sub-brand," Landgraf said.



