FX Networks is done with pickups, but FXX is getting stronger with new cartoons

A lot happened last week when FX Networks CEO John Landgraf talked up the future of his family of networks. He said a few things that were of particular interest:

1) FX Networks is tapped out with 20 original series, which means don’t expect a ton of new series pickups unless if some of the net’s programming starts to go sour. John thinks that there is too much content on television, and personally I agree, but I think he’s missing the point. What the real problem is, there are too many television networks, which of course increases the need for original programming. FX Networks is part of the problem, because we have an FX, an FXX, and an FX Movies. FXX literally took a year to find out what the hell it is, and that only happened because it got The Simpsons library. That doesn’t happen, and FX Networks looks silly in spinning off its brand.

2) FXX is continuing to grow, especially when it comes to cartoons. For starters, after six seasons on FX, Archer will be making the switch to FXX Networks, a move we called a couple of years back. Premiering with it is a brand-new series called Cassius & Clay which looks legit as hell.

3) The Animation Domination lineup on Midnight Thursday Nights on FXX has been a success, and the network is looking to make the block a more permanent mainstay. This could mean the possibility of new and returning shows to the late-night block.

To kind of piggy-back a point off of the last two points, FXX Networks is primed to grow in lieu of FX’s programming cap. Archer, Cassius & Clay, and Animation Domination will already make (presuming Archer keeps its time slot despite a new network) Thursday Nights in January the start of one of the most potent lineups in animated television today.

With Adult Swim cancelling a bunch of beloved programming, and all but abandoning its past testing of waters with programming on different nights of the week other than Sunday Nights, FXX has a real shot here of gaining a disenfranchised fan base. Archer has an awesome fan base, and is critically acclaimed, Cassius & Clay sounds strong, and Animation Domination Hi-Def could be a breeding ground for new talent. Throw in numerous hours of The Simpsons and Archer, and you’ve got yourself a fantastic cartoon lineup that can challenge anything else out there.