Season 5 of the American western action crime drama TV series “Longmire” is set to debut on Netflix in September next year with more episodes, and each running longer than 42 minutes.
According to some reports, Netflix has initially ordered 10 episodes for the Season 5 of the TV series, the same number it had during Season 4, which were streamed on the streaming network from September 10 to October 30 this year.
But Netflix eventually agreed to extend it based on the request of producers. In addition, reports also have it that each episode of Season 5 shall be longer than the customary 42 to 45 minutes airing time that it was getting when it was still airing in the A&E Network, notes Yibada.
Actor Lou Diamond Philips, who plays the role of Henry Standing Bear, said that the show needed more air time to give the story more depth.
More time to tell the perfect story
He said that the show’s transfer to Netflix beginning on the fourth season gives it more freedom to tell the story, the way the executive producers want it to.
Philips said that they were previously constrained to 42 minutes per episode which is the reason why a lot of his work went down and hit the floor. He added that with the additional 20 minutes, the showrunners can let those moments breathe and round out those characters to give “Longmire” the cinematic experience from one episode to the next, cites the Christian Post.
With the additional time, the executive producers shall be able to craft the perfect story without sacrificing creativity. Philips also added that the extra time shall help viewers understand the characters even more.
The actor also pointed out that the current running time of the TV show per episode only gives them sufficient time to tell the story of Walt Longmire, played by Robert Taylor. With additional minutes, the TV series can also focus on minor characters, which were previously being edited or worse, totally cut out.
Grateful for the second chance
“Longmire” used to air on the A&E Network but after Season 3, it announced that it will no longer be renewing the show for a fourth season.
While the show was generating a good number of viewers, it was not bringing in the advertisers to be able to survive.
Executive producers Greer Shephard and John Coveny expressed their gratitude to Netflix for putting its faith on the show when it agreed to take on Season 4 and then again the Season 5 next year.
Shephard commended the network for giving more value on viewers than the demographics. For his part, Coveny praised Netflix for its courage to gamble on the show.
Lou Diamond Philips also said in a recent interview that the cast and crew of “Longmire” are definitely grateful to Netflix for giving the show another chance.
Cindy Holland, original content head of Netflix, said that they were actually beyond moved to see the dedication of everyone behind “Longmire.” She said that she has never been in a meeting where the producers not only cried themselves but reduced them also to tears with their passion for the TV series.
In an official statement, Netflix said that the company needs exactly the heart and soul that “Longmire” possesses.
Reports also have it that Season 5 of “Longmire will have a darker and more violent theme since the TV series already have such leeway given the unrestricted regulation in online streaming.
The TV series was developed by John Coveny and Hunt Baldwin, based on the “Walt Longmire Mysteries” series of novels written by best-selling author Craig Johnson.
The show tells about the story of Walt Longmire, a Wyoming county sheriff who returns to work after his wife’s death. Ably assisted by his friends and his daughter, Longmire investigates major crimes within his jurisdiction while campaigning for re-election.