Sarah Barnett's departure as head of AMC Networks marks the end of the golden era of prestige TV on basic cable

Decider

The departing head of AMC Networks was responsible for such critically acclaimed series as Rectify, Top of the Lake and Killing Eve. "Among the projects and voices Barnett championed were Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s juggernaut hit Killing Eve, author Deborah Harkness’s sumptuously romantic supernatural series A Discovery of Witches, and the upcoming Rashida Jones comedy tentatively titled Kevin Can Go F–k Himself. Angela Kang became showrunner of The Walking Dead under Barnett’s watch, and in turn, the mastermind behind the franchise’s ever-expanding universe of content. Barnett’s tenure at AMC Networks started off in the 'Golden Age of Television' (aka 'Peak TV')," says Meghan O'Keefe. "It was a time when AMC lead the way for the industry with inventive hits like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead. It was also an era that embraced Barnett’s attitude of seeking out new unique talent over slavish devotion to data algorithms."