Facebook Watch's Originals Come to an End as Meta Content Exec Mina Lefevre Departs; 'Red Table Talk' Up for Sale


The firm is exiting the business of producing FB Watch Originals, most notably Red Table Talk, and focuses on developing VR experiences in Meta Horizon Worlds that can be used across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. None of the other FB Watch Originals will return for new seasons. Members of Lefevre's team, including Thomas Stockwell, are continuing to work on original programming with a focus on VR-first shows while FB Watch continues to serve as the video player for such content.


The final surviving FB Watch original was the popular Red Table Talk starring Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris, which also gave rise to a spinoff called Red Table Talk: The Estefans. The series' original order had been fulfilled, thus it will not be renewed; creator Westbrook is presently seeking for a new place to live.

Red Table Talk franchise, Piece of Mind with Taraji with Taraji P. Henson, a remake of the MTV reality hit The Real World, 9 Months with Courteney Cox, Unfiltered: Paris Jackson, The Biebers on Watch, and Tom vs. Time with Tom Brady were among the Facebook unscripted/talk original series that were launched under Lefevre.

Additionally, she created youth-oriented series for Messenger's Watch Together, such as Cardi Tries with Cardi B and Post Malone's Celebrity World Pong League, as well as a social media show for Instagram that featured accounts like Sway House, Collab Crib, and Shluv Family.

On the scripted side, in addition to Sorry For Your Loss and Sacred Lies and its spinoff Sacred Lies: The Singing Bones, Lefevre developed an adaptation of podcast Limetown with Jessica Biel and Stanley Tucci. In pulling away from originals, Meta is following fellow tech giant Google, whose YouTube division did the same last year, refocusing its focus on user-generated content. 


At MTV, which she left to join Facebook in 2017, LeFevre was responsible for series such as Awkward, Faking It, Scream, Finding Carter and The Shannara Chronicles. Prior to that, she served as VP, Development & Programming at ABC Family, and was responsible for series such as Pretty Little Liars, The Fosters and Melissa & Joey. Examples of the type of original specials Meta is leaning into going forward include The Notorious B.I.G. Sky’s The Limit: A VR Concert Experience in celebration of Biggie’s 50th birthday, The Shaq’tacular Spectacular, a New Year’s Eve Countdown Special hosted by Shaquille O’Neal with special guest performances from Cardi B and more, Meta’s first VR comedy special with comedians like Pete Holmes and Nikki Glaser as well as Eli Roth horror Halloween and Valentine’s Day specials.

Summary

  • Meta is getting out of the original programming business.
  • Mina Lefevre, who was Head of Development and Programming at Meta, is departing the company.
  • Lefevre was responsible for developing a number of popular original series, including Red Table Talk, Sorry For Your Loss, and Sacred Lies.
  • Meta is shifting its focus to creating VR experiences in Meta Horizon Worlds.
  • Examples of the type of original specials Meta is leaning into going forward include The Notorious B.I.G. Sky’s The Limit: A VR Concert Experience and The Shaq’tacular Spectacular.