FX has announced renewals for a couple of its most popular shows, both of which nabbed plenty of Emmy nominations this year.  Louis C.K.’s increasingly bizarre but nonetheless poignant Louie has been given the go-ahead for season 5, while Fargo season 2 is officially a reality.  Louie will return next spring, though the order is only for seven episodes as opposed to this year’s 14.  FX took on a unique airing format with season 4, though, as each week saw the premiere of two Louie episodes back-to-back.  I’m not sure if the abbreviated season 5 means they’ll continue with that format, or just play one episode a week for seven consecutive weeks.  It’s not necessarily a shock that the order has been shortened since Louie’s ratings hit new lows this year, but it’s encouraging to hear that the show will indeed be back.  There’s truly nothing else like it.

Additionally, the buzzy anthology series Fargo is returning for a second season next year.  Though most were rightfully skeptical of a TV series adaptation of the Coen brothers masterpiece, many found writer/showrunner Noah Hawley’s show to be an inspired take on the material.  So how will Fargo move forward given how the first season wrapped up?  Details after the jump.

fargo-finale-allison-tolman-bob-odenkirk
Image via FX

Per FX, Fargo will return for a 10-episode second season with an all-new cast, a different time period, and a new “true crime” story.  Though initially envisioned as a miniseries run, Hawley and FX began seeing the show as an anthology series when the critical and commercial reaction was so positive.  I personally wasn’t as keen on it as many others, but I’m definitely curious to see what Hawley puts together for another season.  Will it still have a tangential connection to the Fargo universe?  Will the snowy setting remain, or will we be taken to a new location entirely?  Time will tell, I suppose.

Read the full press release below:

LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2014 – Get your snow gear ready, FX is headed back to Fargo! Executive Producer and Writer Noah Hawley is moving forward with a second installment of the multiple Emmy®-nominated miniseries from MGM Television and FX Productions, it was announced today by John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks & FX Productions.

The new chapter of the Fargo story will feature an all-new cast of characters, a new time period and a new “true crime” story that will unfold over the course of 10 episodes.

“We could not be more proud of Fargo,” said Landgraf.  “Noah’s audacious, bordering on hubristic riff on my favorite Coen brothers film earned 18 Emmy nominations – the most for a single program in our history.  Fargo was nothing short of breathtaking and we look forward to the next installment.”

An original adaptation of the Academy Award®-winning feature film, FX’s Fargo has been nominated for 18 Emmys, including Outstanding Miniseries, Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Movie for Executive Producer Noah Hawley, Outstanding Lead Actor nominations for Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Colin Hanks, Outstanding Supporting Actress for newcomer Allison Tolman, and two Outstanding Directing noms, one for Adam Bernstein and one for Colin Bucksey.