Longmire is Reborn on Netflix

When AMC cancelled Longmire after three seasons, it wasn't because the series' rating were low, but because AMC thought the show's audience was too old. Netflix, apparently, doesn't need its viewers to be young, so it picked up the series and produced a fourth season. That season is available for streaming now on the service.

What can Longmire fans expect from the new season and the series' new home? They can expect some answers, for one thing. Season three ended with Walt on the verge of finding out who murdered his wife, and the series' producers assure us that he's going to solve the mystery very soon.

Another thing to expect is a subtly altered format that will allow new possibilities. Since the Netflix format doesn't require the accomodation of commercial breaks, the show's writers are able to create a more smoothly flowing script that traces a more dramatic arc, without the need for mini climaxes and cliff hangers sprinkled throughout.

The move to Netflix also frees the producers from the time constraints of a network time slot. Consequently, the episodes of season four vary in length, and some of them are over an hour long, as compared to the 40-something-minute length of the broadcast episodes. The expanded time frame allows for better pacing and more complex character development.

The entire fourth season of Longmire debuted on Netflix on September 10.